Prosauropods - The Ancient Cousins of the Sauropods

Prosauropods - The Ancient Cousins of the Sauropods If theres one rule of evolution, its that all mighty creatures have smaller, less overwhelming ancestors lurking somewhere back in their family treesand nowhere is this rule more evident than in the relationship between the giant sauropods of the late Jurassic period and the smaller prosauropods that preceded them by tens of millions of years. Prosauropods (Greek for before the sauropods) werent simply scaled-down versions of Brachiosaurus or Apatosaurus; many of them walked on two legs, and theres some evidence that they may have pursued an omnivorous, rather than strictly herbivorous, diet. (See a gallery of prosauropod dinosaur pictures and profiles.) You might assume from their name that prosauropods eventually evolved into sauropods; this was once thought to be the case, but paleontologists now believe that most prosauropods were actually second cousins, once removed, of the sauropods (not a technical description, but you get the idea!) Rather, it appears that prosauropods evolved in parallel with the true ancestors of sauropods, which have yet to be definitively identified (though there are a number of likely candidates). Prosauropod Physiology and Evolution One of the reason prosauropods are fairly obscureat least compared to raptors, tyrannosaurs and sauropodsis that they didnt look all that distinctive, by dinosaur standards. As a general rule, prosauropods had long (but not very long) necks, long (but not very long) tails, and only attained median sizes of between 20 and 30 feet and a few tons, max (with the exception of odd genera like the giant Melanorosaurus). Like their distant cousins, the hadrosaurs, most prosauropods were capable of walking on two or four feet, and reconstructions tend to show them in a relatively clumsy, ungainly posture. The prosauropod family tree stretches back to the late Triassic period, about 220 million years ago, when the first dinosaurs were just beginning to establish their worldwide dominance. The earliest genera, like Efraasia and Camelotia, are wrapped in mystery, since their plain vanilla appearance and anatomy meant their ancestors could have evolved in any number of directions. Another early genus was the 20-pound Technosaurus, named after Texas Tech University, which many experts believe to have been an archosaur rather than a true dinosaur, much less a prosauropod. Other early prosauropods, like Plateosaurus and Sellosaurus (which may have been the same dinosaur), are much better established on the dinosaur evolutionary tree thanks to their numerous fossil remains; in fact, Plateosaurus appears to have been one of the most common dinosaurs of late Triassic Europe, and may have roamed the grasslands in giant herds like modern bison. A third famous prosauropod of this period was the hundred-pound Thecodontosaurus, which was named for its distinctive, monitor-lizard-type teeth. Massospondylus is the best-known of the early Jurassic prosauropods; this dinosaur did in fact look like a scaled-down sauropod, but it probably ran on two legs rather than four! What Did Prosauropods Eat? Over and above their evolutionary relationship (or lack of relationship) to the giant sauropods, the most controversial aspect of prosauropods concerns what they ate for lunch and dinner. Based on an analysis of the teeth and relatively lightweight skulls of certain prosauropod genera, some paleontologists have concluded that these dinosaurs werent very well equipped for digesting the tough vegetable matter of the late Triassic period, though there are no direct proof that they ate meat (in the form of fish, insects or smaller dinosaurs). On the whole, the preponderance of the evidence is that prosauropods were strictly herbivorous, though that what if still lingers in the minds of some experts.

Battle of Kadesh - Ancient Egypt

Battle of Kadesh - Ancient Egypt Battle of Kadesh - Conflict Date: The Battle of Kadesh was fought in 1274, 1275, 1285, or 1300 BC during the conflicts between the Egyptians and Hittite Empire. Armies Commanders Egypt Ramses IIapprox. 20,000 men Hittite Empire Muwatalli IIapprox. 20,000-50,000 men Battle of Kadesh - Background: In response to waning Egyptian influence in Canaan and Syria, Pharaoh Ramses II prepared to campaign in the region during the fifth year of his reign. Though this area had been secured by his father, Seti I, it had slipped back under the influence of the Hittite Empire. Gathering an army at his capital, Pi-Ramesses, Ramses divided it into four divisions dubbed Amun, Ra, Set, and Ptah. To support this force, he also recruited a force of mercenaries which were dubbed the Nearin or Nearin. Marching north, the Egyptian divisions traveled together while the Nearin were assigned to secure the port of Sumur. Battle of Kadesh - Misinformation: Opposing Ramses was the army of Muwatalli II which was encamped near Kadesh. In an effort to deceive Ramses, he planted two nomads in the path of the Egyptian advance with false information regarding the armys location and shifted his camp behind the city to east. Taken by the Egyptians, the nomads informed Ramses that the Hittite army was far away in the land of Aleppo. Believing this information, Ramses sought to seize the opportunity to capture Kadesh before the Hittites could arrive. As a result, he raced ahead with the Amun and Ra divisions, dividing his forces. Battle of Kadesh - The Armies Clash: Arriving north of the city with his bodyguard, Ramses was soon joined by the Amun division which established a fortified camp to await the arrival of the Ra division which was marching in from the south. While here, his troops captured two Hittite spies who, after being tortured, revealed the true location of Muwatallis army. Angered that his scouts and officers had failed him, he issued orders summoning the remainder of the army. Seeing an opportunity, Muwatalli ordered the bulk of his chariot force to cross the Orontes River south of Kadesh, and attack the approaching Ra division. As they departed, he personally led a reserve chariot force and infantry north of the city to block possible escape routes in that direction. Caught in the open while in a marching formation, the troops of the Ra division were quickly routed by the attacking Hittites. As the first survivors reached the Amun camp, Ramses realized the severity of the situation and dispatched his vizier to hurry the Ptah division. Having routed the Ra and cut off the Egyptians line of retreat, the Hittite chariots swung north and assaulted the Amun camp. Crashing through the Egyptian shield wall, his men drove Ramses troops back. With no alternative available, Ramses personally led his bodyguard in a counterattack against the enemy. While the bulk of the Hittite attackers paused to loot the Egyptian camp, Ramses succeeded in driving off an enemy chariot force to the east. In the wake of this success, he was joined by the arriving Nearin which swarmed into the camp and succeeded in driving out the Hittites who retreated towards Kadesh. With the battle turning against him, Muwatalli elected push forward his chariot reserve but held back his infantry. As the Hittite chariots moved towards the river, Ramses advanced his forces east to meet them. Assuming a strong position on the west bank, the Egyptians were able to prevent the Hittite chariots from forming and advancing at attack speed. Despite this, Muwatalli ordered six charges against the Egyptian lines all of which were turned back. As evening approached, the lead elements of the Ptah division arrived on the field threatening the Hittite rear. Unable to break through Ramses lines, Muwatalli elected to fall back. Battle of Kadesh - Aftermath: While some sources suggest that the Hittite army entered Kadesh, it is likely that the bulk retreated towards Aleppo. Reforming his battered army and lacking supplies for a long siege, Ramses elected to withdraw towards Damascus. Casualties for the Battle of Kadesh are not known. Though a tactical victory for the Egyptians the battle proved a strategic defeat as Ramses had failed to capture Kadesh. Returning to their respective capitals, both leaders declared victory. The struggle between the two empires would continue to rage for over a decade until concluded by one of the worlds first international peace treaties. Selected Sources HistoryNet: Battle of KadeshTour Egypt: Battle of KadeshHistory of War: Battle of Kadesh

Question for IM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Question for IM - Assignment Example Developing and nurturing market in foreign countries takes time. In international marketing, the idea that drives most businesses is based on the premise that it is better to be successful in or two markets rather than spread a company’s resources of human and financial and fail in ten markets. It is difficult for international marketer to identify markets that are successful because of the fact that in every market that an international marketer ventures, there is competition. In addition, it is often difficult for international marketer to choose appropriate market entry since the timing of when to enter the market may be miscalculated. For instance, a company may enter in a foreign market as a first mover; for the first time in that country with goods or services of your company that has merits and demerits. Being a first mover in the market does not guarantee the company success in foreign markets. Furthermore, it is always hard and hectic to start educating the market about your product and developing a strong promotion strategy that suits with the local culture and ensuring that the new product is well established and adapted to local market needs. Additionally, the issue of go home or go big does not have a place in international marketing. Therefore, the scale at which an international marketer decides to enter the market, the scale at which you enter a market and develop a market strategy is about the extent to which the company is willing to comm it in that particular market. Therefore, international marketer finds it hard to determine the scale of entry in that foreign market depending on the company’s ability to commit certain resources in order to develop a suitable market entry

Arab Nationalism through Nasser's mind Research Paper

Arab Nationalism through Nasser's mind - Research Paper Example esidency time gave Arab a new period of modernization, also including its socialist reformation, stable advocacy associating a short-term union with Syria, and in the development of world solidarity. In 1956, the prestige of Nasser suffered and awakens as a result of his nationalism in Suez Canal along with political victory in the following Tripartite Aggression. Nasser’s stature also endured a great damage comprising the occupation of Egyptian & Arab territory in the six day war of 1967 plus with the successful invasion of Israel. This was the era in which the ordinary citizen had an easy to housing, health services, education, jobs, other social welfare and nourishment; whereas on the other hand, the nobility of Arab nationalism collapsed. The economy boosted through agrarian reform in terms of nationalism schemes of Suez Canal and modernization projects Helwan steel works and Aswan Dam. The economy also suffered the downfall simultaneously, considering its growth mark in e arly 1960s, followed by the recovery in 1970. Nasser’s time period made Egypt to experience the golden age of culture regarding film, theater, radio, television, music, poetry, comedy, fine arts and literature. His presidency dominated the Arab World, and stood out the literary figures of Tawfiq el- Hakim and Naguib Mahfouz. Arab also produced the successful singers like, Mohammad Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez and Umm Kulthum. Egyptian Revolution in 1952 has always been significant in the history of Arab nationalism. The initialization of this Revolution came into being, when in 22-26 July 1952, a group of Fee Officers were founded by Nasser, and headed by General Muhammad Naguib with the disposal of King Farouk. King Farouk was the person who was blamed for Egypt’s poor performance in the war with Israel in 1948, by the military. During his period, Egypt also lacked in the progression of disease, fighting poverty and illiteracy. The monarchy of Egypt and Sudan remained neglected.

Intelligence oversight Essay Example for Free

Intelligence oversight Essay Introduction: MEK Overview The Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK) is also known as the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI). MEK has been sporadically active in attempting to overthrow the Iranian government since the early 1960s, and its members have used a variety of tactics to achieve their political ends including political campaigning, subversion, and violent attacks targeting civilians. Due in part to their targeting of American civilians living in Iran during the 1970s and their support of Saddam Hussein, the United States State Department has listed MEK as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In October 2012, the U.S. State Department will decide whether to remove MEK from the FTO list based on MEKs denouncing terrorist tactics and devotion to diplomatic means to gain power versus violent attacks (Masters 2012). Origins, Ideology and Goals MEK was born out of a student-group resistance to Shah Pahlavi in 1965. The founding members of MEK in Tehran regarded the Shah as a U.S. puppet, and they felt that his westernization of Iran went against Irans traditional Islamic values. They believed in a violent overthrow of the Shah to return Iran to Islamic rule. In 1979, the group aligned itself with Ayatollah Khomeini in hopes that it could run for office after Shah Pahlavis exile, but Ayatollah Khomeini succeeded in overthrowing the Shah and he crushed any opposition to his new government. Since 1979, MEK has been trying to gain the opportunity to run for office in Irans government by shifting alliances and violently attacking the forces, which have prevented its political ambitions (Goulka 2009). In 2003, the group publically denounced violence in an attempt to foster global political support, but its place on the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list is blocking it from achieving its desired global support. According to MEK, it has strived for freedom and human rights, first against the despotic reign of Shah, and now the theocratic tyranny of the ayatollahs (MEK n.d.). It is an anti-fundamentalist Muslim  organization which believes in a democratic, progressive, and tolerant interpretation of Islam, according to which elections and public suffrage are the sole indicators of political legitimacy. The PMOI endeavors for a secular, democratic, and non-nuclear republic, and is committed to free elections, gender equality, and abolition of all discrimination against national and religious minorities (MEK n.d.) Non-nuclear is a key consideration for the United States and other western powers. Iran has increasingly taunted the world with its nuclear program and refuses to deescalate military tensions. In bold statements of aggression, in 2012 alone, Iran has announced two new missiles, an air defense site, and a fleet of ultra-fast gun boats designed to zip into battle against larger wester n fleets. In a twist of fate, MEKs future may lie in the hands of the United States. The United States has until October 1, 2012 to decide if it will delist MEK from the FTO. If MEK is delisted it will enjoy much more freedom of movement around the world and it will be able to legally receive funds from U.S. based sympathizers. It is not unreasonable to think that the U.S. will delist MEK in an effort to undermine the Iranian Government, much like Saddam Hussein offered MEK a home in 1986 to undermine Iran during the Iran Iraq war. Leadership, Funding and Capabilities Most of MEKs original leadership was arrested and executed in 1971, but Massoud Rajavi escaped death and remains a leader of MEK. Though he has not been seen publicly since 2003, his wife, Maryam Rajavi, is the public face of the MEK in her role as president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (Jones 2012). In the past four decades the group has used several methods to raise funds for its campaign. Some methods have made the group infamous and add to the list of reasons that the U.S. and several other nations have classified it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. MEK has long been skilled in deception and has used that skill to affect its fund raising efforts. For example, its solicitation of funds for Iranian refugees, child welfare, and childrens medical services proven to be fraudulent (FBI n.d.). Until 2003, MEK had a substantial armory due to its previous relationship  with Saddam Hussein. Its inventory often included artillery, tanks, aircraft, rocket launchers, rifles, mortars, shells, rockets, land mines, and bullets (FBI n.d.). In 2003, the United States bombed MEK camps and bunkers based on their relationship to Saddam Hussein and the idea that they posed a significant threat with their armaments. MEK members no longer have easy access to such large stockpiles of arms. MEK is now facing deportation from its Iraqi camp Ashraf and remains disarmed. Operating Bases, Support Bases, Strengths MEK has moved its headquarters over the years as a necessary part of survival. Originally founded in Tehran, it moved to Paris after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The group had allied with the Ayatollah Khomeini, but Khomeini forced the group out in fear of opposition. In 1986 Saddam Hussein invited the group to relocate to camp Ashraf. Iraq was at war with Iran, and relocating the group from Paris to Iraq was Husseins method of undermining Iran. At the start of the U.S. led war in Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom, the group was classified as enemy combatants and subsequently confined to Camp Ashraf, where approximately 3,000 MEK now live (Carter 2011). The new government of Iraq has declared that all members of MEK must leave the country, and the U.N. is currently working to resettle the group elsewhere. For the moment MEK enjoys limited support from sympathizers around the world, but it is stateless which is both a strength and a weakness. The U.N., citing international law, will not allow the Iraqi government to force members to leave Iraq or force repatriation until members have a suitable place to live. This predicament brings MEK some publicity and sympathy for their cause, but Iraqs determination to expel MEK could not have occurred at a worse time. With June 2013 elections nearing, increasing tension with western military powers, and an imminent Israeli preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear targets, MEK leadership must act swiftly to ensure its place in the 2013 elections. PART II RED TEAM ANALYSIS Why Use Red Team Analysis? Given the complex dynamics of the Iranian situation, analysts should use  the Red Team Analysis technique in order to best predict what course(s) of action MEK leadership will take to assume control of the government. By empathizing with the MEK leadership analysts can gain better insight to most likely courses of action. The end state of this analytic technique is to provide Congress and the President with an accurate forecast of MEKs courses of action so that the United States may apply the appropriate short and long term foreign policy in the Middle East. Since MEK desires a peaceful, tolerant Iran that can only be legitimized via free elections and public suffrage, it cannot take control of the nation by force. Therefore, MEKs options are limited and it must patiently await the 2013 elections regardless of the growing concern of military action and economic sanctions. As President Ahmadinejad continues to escalate military tension with western nations and Israel, through missile, nuclear, and naval programs (Torbati 2012). MEK leadership must carefully calculate how to win popular Iranian support, world support, and financial backing all without ever appearing to be influenced by western powers as previous Iranian leaders had. Restate Current MEK Goals Red Team Analysis must begin with placing oneself in the shoes of MEK leadership. The key to determining any viable course of action is to outline clear goals or milestones. With clear goals, analysts can categorize what actions and strategies are available and likely. According to MEKs official website, its current goals, rather, solution to the western-Iranian strife is to rid the region and the world of the nightmare of the Islamic fundamentalists armed with nuclear weapons [by] democratic change in Iran by the people and the Resistance (Rajavi 2010). This stated goal remains largely unchanged from its 1970s goal. The main difference now is that MEK is more tolerant of western aid, albeit, so long as they do not become overly influenced by it. Key Assumptions Check Paramount to the analytic process is a key assumptions check. This step allows analysts to clearly document the start point of their cognitive map as well as allowing time to consider information that challenges cognitive  biases. The key assumptions must be listed in such a way that analysts feel like MEK leaders would if trying to decide how to realize their stated goal of taking control of the Iranian government. Below is a list of key assumptions in this Red Team Analysis. Previous Failures. All previous attempts to control government have failed beginning with the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. This assumption is critical because the MEK believed the Ayatollah Khomeini was their ally. They were betrayed. They banded together only to be exiled within two years and many members were arrested and executed while Khomeini consolidated power. The experience likely taught MEK to distrust any potential allies within the current regime. History of Violence. During the 1960s the Shah used force and violence against government opposition. Uprisings in the 1970s culminated in the exile of the Shah, but into the 1980s MEK fought the new Iranian government. During the Iraq-Iran war that began in the early 1980s, MEK settled just north of Baghdad and fought a cross border war with the clerical regime for twenty more years. Only at the turn of the century did MEK publicly denounce violence and terrorist tactics. The significance is that, while MEK members are accepting of risk and violence, they have matured and realize that they do not operate in a vacuum. MEK understands the need for global acceptance. HUMINT Value. MEK can offer HUMINT to the U.S. No other organization with detailed knowledge of Iran and its military and political system is willing to provide such information to western powers. The U.S. has had extremely limited success installing or recruiting agents in Iran because of extreme scrutiny that outsiders face, and CIA informants are usually discovered due to poor tradecraft (Hosenball 2011). MEK however, has family, friends, sympathizers and safe houses inside Iran. As well, since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 MEK has received training, equipment and funds to carry out attacks inside Iran and to collaborate with U.S. and Israeli intelligence services (Joshi 2012). MEKs HUMINT value is possibly the most important aspect for western powers. MEK leadership understands the power they hold and must leverage it wisely. Knowledge of U.S. Tactics Techniques and Procedures. MEK leaders are aware of U.S. TTPs at the small unit tactics level up through executive branch policymaking. They will play on the American and Israeli fears of a nuclear armed Iran while leveraging their HUMINT and political value to affect their delisting from the FTO. Once  delisted they wi ll be able to receive more funding from international sources, thus requiring less U.S. support and will become less responsive to U.S. demands. Western Support: Critical For Financing, Opposite of Ideology Being listed on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list impedes MEKs financing efforts. In order to gain power they must be delisted decade long endeavor thus far. Its members have cooperated with Israeli and U.S. intelligence services since 2003 in an effort to gain support and take over the political regime in Iran, but its original ideology was very much opposed to any western influence. MEK must exercise extreme caution to ensure that the group does not appear to be another puppet regime of the U.S and especially not in collaboration with Israel. If threatened with defeat, the current regime will likely try to depict MEK as a puppet regime, and if the U.S. loses influence it may also try to publicize MEKs cooperation in an effort to decrease its credibility among Iranians. Enormity of the Situation. MEK is currently stateless. Though the U.N. has petitioned several governments to accept MEK members, most have declined to accept them. With nowhere to go MEK is desperate to g ain power in Iran because it belongs to no other state. If they fail the Iranian regime will likely execute them, despite President Ahmadinejads amnesty offer. Data Collection Options Of the many collection options the United States has at its disposal, a handful stand out as being the most practical. HUMINT may be the best collection option because it offers an inside look at MEK and the status of the Iranian nuclear and defense programs as well as the mentality and plans of regime leaders. For example, an undercover agent, code named Wally, joined the Revolutionary Guard in the 1980s and gave the CIA plans, ideology, weaponry etc, and he was able to recruit several more members of the Revolutionary Guard to turn informer for the CIA (Zucchino 2012). OSINT is another extremely useful collection option, which can provide detailed atmospherics and help depict the support, or lack thereof, of the general public to the current and possible successor regimes. OSINT can also offer information on Irans defensive and offensive capabilities as depicted  in the recent revelation that Iran has cloned a fleet of ultra-fast gun boats. Originally produced in England, the Bradstone Challenger (Bladerunner) is a speedboat with a revolutionary hull design that affords it great stability at high speeds. Iran illicitly purchased a Bladerunner in 2009, reverse engineered the design, and manufactured its own fleet which the Navy modified to launch torpedoes and missiles at full speed. The Bladerunner fleet, combined with an array of heavily armed small craft, including unmanned high-speed Ya Mahdi vessels, Bavar 2 flying boats, Seraj-1 high-speed patrol boats and Zolfaghar fast attack craft (Stock 2012) poses a significant threat to the Strait of H ormuz and western naval forces with much larger and slower vessels. SIGINT and MASINT will likely have to wait until military confrontation begins in order to be relevant. MEKs equipment inventory is very limited, so SIGINT and MASINT should not be a top priority. GEOINT is relevant in that it depicts the correlation of key terrain to strategic targets and political issues. For example, GEOINT can depict which routes MEK would likely take in order to transit to Tehran or flee Iraq in other ways. It also helps answer contingency operation questions such as, what if MEK takes control of the military and attempts to hold the Strait of Hormuz ransom? In a more tactical situation GEOINT can provide detailed dimensions of hideouts and buildings for the U.S. to plan an attack should the need arise. Use of the Intelligence Community The CIA is the best is the best agency to use to handle collection on MEK. The agency has more than half a century of experience in working with sources and is best trained in managing counterintelligence and misinformation techniques. Already, the CIA has worked with MEK members since 2002 when MEK publicized Irans underground Uranium enrichment program. Training MEK members in tradecraft techniques and supporting their cross-border subversion tactics allows the CIA to wage a proxy war with Iran while strengthening its relationship and gaining more human intelligence on both MEK and Iran. No other agency within the United States has the resources to foster this type of relationship with MEK. Most Effective Intelligence Analysis Strategies The effective intelligence strategy to use for evaluating MEK and forecasting its actions is to begin with Analysis of Competing Hypotheses and follow those results with the Devils Advocacy method. Analysis of Competing Hypotheses. ACH is ideal for evaluating MEK because there are diverse dynamics involved in forecasting MEK actions. Considering that the U.S. must decide to keep or delist MEK from the FTO on October 1, 2012, ACH would provide decision makers with a documented line of reasoning to support an Intelligence Forecast. Devils Advocacy. The prevailing consensus in Washington is that MEK has morphed from a militant group to a political group in the past decade and will be a more western friendly regime if it comes to power. But what if MEK is playing the west to gain power now, while secretly planning to spread its 1979 revolutionary ideology across the Middle East and North Africa in an attempt to reestablish Persian dominance? It seems that the west is focused first on cou ntering a nuclear threat and second on countering any blocking of the Hormuz Strait. No additional talking points regarding Iran or MEK have received much publicity since 1979. Conclusion MEK is a wild card in the Iran standoff. The United States and other western powers, as well as Israel, must carefully consider how to proceed with MEK relationships. The organization has shown a history of changing allies in order to advance its goals, making it predictable in the sense that they can be counted on to do whatever it takes to survive and take control of the Iranian government. To brush MEK aside may mean dealing with a nuclear armed Iran later, and to support MEK may mean dealing with a provoked Iran now. No matter the decision, each carries its own implications for U.S. foreign policy. Washington must ultimately decide between the lesser of two evils. Bibliography Carter, Chelsea. U.N., Iraq agree to temporary relocation of Iranian exiles. CNN, December 26, 2011. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-26/middleeast/world_meast_iraq-camp-ashraf-re location_1_camp-ashraf-ashraf-residents-mek/2?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST (accessed July 28, 2012). FBI. Seven Plead Guilty to Providing Material Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/losangeles/press-releases/2009/la042809a.htm (accessed July 29, 2012). Goulka, Jeremiah, et al. The Mujahedin-e Khalq in Iraq: A Policy Conundrum. RAND Corporation: Santa Monica, 2009. Hosenball, Mark. Hezbollah, Iran uncover CIA informants. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/21/us-cia-hezbollah-idUSTRE7AK2MQ20111121 (accessed August 23, 2012). Jones, Owen Bennet. An Iranian mystery: Just who are the MEK?BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17615065 (accessed July 30, 2012). Joshi, Shashank. Iran and the Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK). Harvard University Department of Government. http://shashankjoshi.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/iran-and-the-mujahedin-e-khalq-mek/ (accessed August 24, 2012). Masters, Jonathan. Mujahadeen-e-Khalq (MEK) (aka Peoples Mujahedin of Iran or PMOI). Council on Foreign Relations, July 18, 2012. http://www.cfr.org/iran/mujahadeen-e-khalq-mek-aka-peoples-mujahedin-iran-pmoi/p9158 (accessed July 24, 2012). MEK. Camp Ashraf: About Us. MEK. http://www.campashraf.org/about/camp-ashraf/ (accessed July 30, 2012). Rajavi, Maryam. Comprehensive sanctions is the essential first step, regime change is the final solution. Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran. http://www.mojahedin.org/pagesen/detailsNews.aspx?newsid=9551 (accessed August 22, 2012).

Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People around the world speak of American influence in politics, business, and merchandise. The terms ‘globalization’ or ‘global interdependence’ are recently being more understood by most when defining them with relation to corporations, environmental issues, and the modern economy. Can these terms be used to describe the religious beliefs in Canada? The religious life of North American society does not find its roots here at home. We live in a Christian domain. Its roots are 2000 years old and lie half way around the world. It is all around us in our homes, schools, workplace, media, and quite inescapable in our daily lives. In the 21st Century however, basic Christian values are being influenced by ‘Eastern’ religions. Buddhism, in particular, is becoming very popular in North America. What happens when a person attempts to be a Buddhist follower in a Christian society?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long before Christian missionaries spread their word around the globe, Buddhist monks were traveling afar attracting followers. Buddhism was the world's first missionary religion. There was no evidence that any religion before it was interested in spreading their faith on a world-wide basis. Indeed, the opposite was the case. Pre-Buddhist religions were more interested in excluding others from its fold rather than welcoming them. However, outside Asia, these missionary attempts were somewhat unfruitful. Although Buddhism successfully spread throughout Asia it remained virtually unknown in the West until modern times. Knowledge of Buddhism has come through three main channels: Western scholars; the work of philosophers, writers and artists; and the arrival of Asian immigrants who have brought various forms of Buddhism with them. Many Tibetans, for example, fled from their country after the Chinese takeover in 1959. The wars in Indochina in the 1950s and 1960s led m any Vietnamese people to move to and settle in America. Other Buddhists from countries such as Thailand have established businesses in the larger Western cities. They have all brought their Buddhist beliefs to their new homes, and helped to set up Buddhist centres all over North America. With technology and the expansion of travel and communications, the West has been able to find out more about Buddhism in this century than in all the time before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  &nb... ...d by an arrow wishes to know who shoots the arrow, from which direction it comes, whether the arrow head is made of bone or iron, whether the shaft is of this kind of wood or another before he will have the arrow removed. This man is likened to those who would like to know about the origin of the Universe, whether the world is eternal or not, finite or not before they will undertake the practice of a religion. Just as the man in the parable will die before he has all the answers he wants regarding the origin and nature of the arrow, such people will die before they will ever have the answers to all their irrelevant questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personally, learning this theory has caused me to first, sigh in relief. I sigh because I realize that the Buddha is right. I realize that all the stress in deciding on a religion is completely irrelevant. The first step is accepting the world the way it is, at the present time, and understanding it. Then, concentrate on the things that are causing the suffering in my life. Without being a Buddha, one can live a life that would please any God (real or not, in almost any religion), while at the same time that person can be happy. Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People around the world speak of American influence in politics, business, and merchandise. The terms ‘globalization’ or ‘global interdependence’ are recently being more understood by most when defining them with relation to corporations, environmental issues, and the modern economy. Can these terms be used to describe the religious beliefs in Canada? The religious life of North American society does not find its roots here at home. We live in a Christian domain. Its roots are 2000 years old and lie half way around the world. It is all around us in our homes, schools, workplace, media, and quite inescapable in our daily lives. In the 21st Century however, basic Christian values are being influenced by ‘Eastern’ religions. Buddhism, in particular, is becoming very popular in North America. What happens when a person attempts to be a Buddhist follower in a Christian society?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long before Christian missionaries spread their word around the globe, Buddhist monks were traveling afar attracting followers. Buddhism was the world's first missionary religion. There was no evidence that any religion before it was interested in spreading their faith on a world-wide basis. Indeed, the opposite was the case. Pre-Buddhist religions were more interested in excluding others from its fold rather than welcoming them. However, outside Asia, these missionary attempts were somewhat unfruitful. Although Buddhism successfully spread throughout Asia it remained virtually unknown in the West until modern times. Knowledge of Buddhism has come through three main channels: Western scholars; the work of philosophers, writers and artists; and the arrival of Asian immigrants who have brought various forms of Buddhism with them. Many Tibetans, for example, fled from their country after the Chinese takeover in 1959. The wars in Indochina in the 1950s and 1960s led m any Vietnamese people to move to and settle in America. Other Buddhists from countries such as Thailand have established businesses in the larger Western cities. They have all brought their Buddhist beliefs to their new homes, and helped to set up Buddhist centres all over North America. With technology and the expansion of travel and communications, the West has been able to find out more about Buddhism in this century than in all the time before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  &nb... ...d by an arrow wishes to know who shoots the arrow, from which direction it comes, whether the arrow head is made of bone or iron, whether the shaft is of this kind of wood or another before he will have the arrow removed. This man is likened to those who would like to know about the origin of the Universe, whether the world is eternal or not, finite or not before they will undertake the practice of a religion. Just as the man in the parable will die before he has all the answers he wants regarding the origin and nature of the arrow, such people will die before they will ever have the answers to all their irrelevant questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personally, learning this theory has caused me to first, sigh in relief. I sigh because I realize that the Buddha is right. I realize that all the stress in deciding on a religion is completely irrelevant. The first step is accepting the world the way it is, at the present time, and understanding it. Then, concentrate on the things that are causing the suffering in my life. Without being a Buddha, one can live a life that would please any God (real or not, in almost any religion), while at the same time that person can be happy.

My Papa S Waltz Final Draft

With his use Of pathos and ambiguity usually leaves the interpretation Of the poem up to the reader. Some people may consider this poem to describe an abusive relationship between a young boy and his father. On the contrary, some believe this poem reflects on fond memories between a father and son. In the first stanza, Reroute starts off by setting a sort of ominous tone. ‘ ‘The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy/' (1-2). Here he reveals to his readers that his father was drunk and the smell of his breath was unbearable.Subsequently, he goes on to describe the manner in which he was holding on to his father. â€Å"But hung on like death / Such waltzing was not easy† (3-4). The simile here shows the boy holding onto his father as tight as he possibly could. It was not an easy task for the child but he was determined not to let go. Now, if the reader portrays this in a negative fashion it can be interpreted as a drunken father coming home, reeking of whiskey, while the child tries as hard as he can to get through this current beating, or dance as he calls it.However, if the reader sees this in a more costive light, one can almost see the small boy standing on his feet, holding on so he won't fall, dancing around with his drunken father. Naturally, it would not be easy to maintain your balance while standing on the feet of another person. The second stanza sounds quite violent. â€Å"We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf / My mothers countenance / Could not unfrozen itself' (5-8). Here, Reroute describes an almost chaotic scene, with pans falling to the floor caused by the movement of the two. The mother's look on her face clearly indicates that she is not happy with what is going on. Inning the word romp negatively, could imply the boy easily being tossed around the kitchen, pans crashing onto the floor as his father would chase him, and the clear displeasure on the mother's face. On the contrary, the use of romp can be used to describe an overly excited child and his father, carelessly dancing, running and jumping around the kitchen. Meanwhile, the mother could be annoyed at the mess the two are making. Reroute describes the roughness of his father's hands as well as his ear scratched ear in the third stanza. ‘The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle† (9-10).As his father held onto his wrist, the boy could see calloused and cuts prominent on one knuckle. From an optimistic standpoint we can see the boy notices his father's injured hand. The cut is assumed to come from the gardening work in the greenhouse in which the family owned. On the other hand the father's battered hands could be an indication of abuse. The cuts could have possibly occurred from previous altercations. Next, Reroute describes how the alcohol has made his father clumsy and every time his father stumbled the boys ear would scrape on the belt buckle. At every step you missed / My eight ear scraped a buckle† (1 1-12). The scraping of the boys ear could paint a picture of the drunken father stumbling around trying to hit the boy with the belt or it can be portrayed as a stumbling father dancing around with the boy on his feet. Because of the height difference, the boys ear is getting scraped. In the fourth and final stanza it becomes apparent it's the young boy's bed time. Once again Reroute describes his father's hands as rough and dirt stained, probably from the gardening work in the greenhouse. â€Å"You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt† (13-14).Just like most children, he doesn't want to go and so he clings to his father; â€Å"Then waltzed me off to bed / Still clinging to your shirt† (15-16). In a negative aspect, one can assume that this stanza is used to describe more physical abuse from the father. For example, the boy gets sent off to bed still holding on to his father's shirt as if he is protecting himself from further blows. On the other hand one could imply his father's dirty hands are simply imitating music in the same way one would beat on the kitchen table singing along to a song, as he father dances the boy to his bed.Clearly the child is having a good time and does not want it to end, so he holds on tightly to his father. Reroute uses pathos throughout the entire poem. With every written line, the reader's emotions are pulled into different directions. Reroute causes his audience to not just respond emotionally but to identity#y' with his point of view. In essence to feel what he is feeling. The most remarkable thing about his use of pathos, is that it is undefined in a sense. The reader's interpretations from his choice f words creates the emotional rise.When I was first introduced to this poem was in my late teens. Maybe it was my inexperience with life or just an immature mindset, but just like most people, too thought this poem was about an abusive father. With the contradictory terms he uses in this piece it is easy to see the negative undertones. However, as time passed and I grew, my outlook on life changed. Perhaps it was becoming a mother that helped me see this piece in a new light; but when I read it now smile at the thought of a young boy. Dancing around with his father.

Agriculture Insurance in India , Problems and Prospectus Essay

Agriculture production and farm incomes in India are frequently affected by natural disasters such as droughts, floods, cyclones, storms, landslides and earthquakes. Susceptibility of agriculture to these disasters is compounded by the outbreak of epidemics and man-made disasters such as fire, sale of spurious seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, price crashes etc. All these events severely affect farmers through loss in production and farm income, and they are beyond the control of the farmers. With the growing commercialization of agriculture, the magnitude of loss due to unfavorable eventualities is increasing. The question is how to protect farmers by minimizing such losses. For a section of farming community, the minimum support prices for certain crops provide a measure of income stability. But most of the crops and in most of the states MSP is not implemented. In recent times, mechanisms like contract farming and future? s trading have been established which are expected to provide some insurance against price fluctuations directly or indirectly. But, agricultural insurance is considered an important mechanism to effectively address the risk to output and income resulting from various natural and manmade events. Agricultural Insurance is a means of protecting the agriculturist against financial losses due to uncertainties that may arise agricultural losses arising from named or all unforeseen perils beyond their control (AIC, 2008). Unfortunately, agricultural insurance in the country has not made much headway even though the need to protect Indian farmers from agriculture variability has been a continuing concern of agriculture policy. According to the National Agriculture Policy 2000, â€Å"Despite technological and economic advancements, the condition of farmers continues to be unstable due to natural calamities and price fluctuations†. In some extreme cases, these unfavorable events become one of the factors leading to farmers? suicides which are now assuming serious proportions (Raju and Chand, 2007). Agricultural insurance is one method by which farmers can stabilize farm income and investment and guard against disastrous effect of losses due to natural hazards or low market prices. Crop insurance not only stabilizes the farm income but also helps the farmers to initiate production activity after a bad agricultural year. It cushions the shock of crop losses by providing farmers with a minimum amount of protection. It spreads the crop losses over space and time and helps farmers make more investments in agriculture. It forms an important component of safety-net programmes as is being experienced in many developed countries like USA and Canada as well as in the European Union. However, one need to keep in mind that crop insurance should be part of overall risk management strategy. Insurance comes towards the end of risk management process. Insurance is redistribution of cost of losses of few among many, and cannot prevent economic loss. There are two major categories of agricultural insurance: single and multi-peril coverage. Single peril coverage offers protection from single hazard while multiple –peril provides protection from several hazards. In India, multi-peril crop insurance programme is being implemented, considering the overwhelming impact of nature on agricultural output and its disastrous consequences on the society, in general, and farmers, in particular. Agricultural Insurance market is on the threshold of a spectacular growth. The support measures proposed by the government in the horticulture sector; potential of organic farming; growing clout of aromatic and medicinal plants; Bio-diesel plants; contract farming; corporate farming and integrated insurance (supply chain and ware housing) etc are likely to put agricultural insurance on high pedestal. The government underlined its priorities for agriculture in 2004 by setting a target of doubling agricultural credit in next three years. A large chunk of credit for agriculture would be supported by insurance collateral. Considering consumers? preference for branded agricultural products; big corporate houses too have taken up corporate farming, increasing the demand for insurance. Agricultural insurance in future though is likely to be largely demand driven, the efforts of the government to support and finance insurance products and / or facilitate congenial environment as meaningful risk management tool would further enhance the potential and credibility of agricultural insurance. Despite progress of irrigation and improvement in infrastructure and communication the risk in agriculture production has increased in the country. The risk is much higher for farm income than production, as is evident from lower risk in area and higher risk in production. State wise results show that only in the states where irrigation is very reliable, it helped in reducing the risk. Those states where irrigation is not very dependable continue to face high risk. In some states farmers face twin problem of very low productivity accompanied by high risk of production. As, with the passage of time, neither technology nor any other variable helped in reducing production risk, particularly in low productivity states, there is strong need to devise and extend insurance products to agricultural production. Despite various schemes launched from time to time in the country agriculture insurance has served very limited purpose. The coverage in terms of area, number of farmers and value of agricultural output is very small, payment of indemnity based on area approach miss affected farmers outside the compensated area, and most of the schemes are not viable. Expanding the coverage of crop insurance would therefore increase government costs considerably. Unless the programme is restructured carefully to make it viable, the prospects of its future expansion to include and impact more farmers is remote. This requires renewed efforts by Government in terms of designing appropriate mechanisms and providing financial support for agricultural insurance. Providing similar help to private sector insurers would help in increasing insurance coverage and in improving viability of the insurance schemes over time. With the improved integration of rural countryside and communication network, the Unit area of insurance could be brought down to a village panchayat level. Insurance products for the rural areas should be simple in design and presentation so that they are easily understood. There is lot of interest in private sector to invest in general insurance business. This opportunity can be used to allot some target to various general insurance companies to cover agriculture. To begin with, this target could be equal to the share of agriculture in national income. Good governance is as important for various developmental programmes as for successful operation of an agriculture insurance scheme. Poor governance adversely affects development activities. With the improvement in governance, it is feasible to effectively operate and improve upon the performance of various programmes including agriculture insurance. Crop insurance program works as collateral security, therefore also benefit banks. When claims are paid, banks first adjust the claim against their outstanding dues, and balance if any is credited to the farmers. Therefore, the Crop Insurance Scheme also benefits the banks. In Philippines, banks are made to share a part of the premium burden. For rice where the premium is 10. 81 per cent, borrowing farmer pays only 2. 91 per cent, while the government pays is 5. 90 per cent and the lending institution, 2. 00 per cent. A similar arrangement can be recommended for participating banks in India. Such arrangement would also bring non-loanee farmers into the fold of banking network, thus institutional lending of crop loans. Remote sensing is the emerging technology with potential to offer plenty of supplementary, complimentary and value added functions for agricultural insurance. The present technology available shall not only provide the insurers with tools like crop health condition, area-sown confirmation, yield modeling which are very important, but also strengthen the position of insurers vis-a-vis re-insurance market. Some of the possible applications of for agricultural insurance could be as follows: 1. Estimating actual acreage – sown at insurance unit level to check the discrepancy of „over-insurance? (area insured being more than area sown). 2. Monitoring crop health through the crop season, and investigation on ground for advance intimation of yield reduction. 3. To check adequacy and reliability of CCE data. 4. Developing satellite based crop productivity models for cereals and other crops. There is a need to promote private sector participation in agriculture insurance. First license for the private sector, was issued in October 2000. As of today, there are ten private sector insurers in the general insurance business: Reliance, Tata-AIG, Royal Sundaram, IFFCO-Tokio, Bajaj-Allianze, ICICI-Lombard, HDFC- Chubb, Cholamandalam, ECGC and Star Health. The latter two, are limited to only a few lines of general insurance. The fact remains that these insurers have not yet undertaken agricultural insurance to a significant extent. Only two companies in the private sector have initiated crop insurance, albeit on a small scale. ICICI-Lombard was the first company to experiment with rainfall insurance in 2003. The concept is further extended to weather insurance since 2004. IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance (ITGI), the second company in private sector, started piloting rainfall insurance, since 2004. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has stipulated that every new insurer undertaking general insurance business, has to underwrite business in the rural sector to the extent of at least 2 per cent of the gross premium during the first financial year, which is to be increased to 5 per cent during the third financial year of its operation. Crop insurance is included in the rural sector insurance for this purpose. The business targets stipulated in rural insurance apparently are very small. Those who do not meet even these small targets, are getting away by paying penalties of nominal amounts. If private insurers are to be spurred to enter the rural insurance market in a significant manner, the business targets have to be raised substantially by IRDA. The experience of government supported and subsidized crop insurance and the recent entry of private insurers, raise questions about the co-existence of government and private agriculture insurance. One view is that the private sector will be unable to compete with government insurance, given the subsidies and access to the administrative machinery for delivering insurance. An alternative view is that given only 15 per cent coverage by government insurance, the private sector can carve out a reasonable market for itself based on improved efficiency, better design and superior services. Here one can even think of public-private partnership in providing agriculture insurance as against public-private competition. However, it is possible only when crop insurance can be run in a more professional manner with clear objectives. Providing Government help to private sector insurers would help in increasing insurance coverage and in improving viability of the insurance schemes over time. There should also be insurance provided by seed companies so that farmers who paid high prices for seeds such as GM crops did not suffer in case of crop failure. In order to promote public – private participation in agriculture insurance GOI should follow the USA model to work out premium rate through an exclusive technical agency, and offer the product to all insurers. Insurers can implement the product, enjoying the same level of support and subsidy. As a variation from the USA method, the government would not provide reinsurance support and reimbursement of administrative and operating expenses, as these costs would be loaded in the actuarial rates. The government can decide whether or not different insurers compete in the same area, or allocate specific crops and areas to a particular insurer (Planning Commission, 2007). With increased commercialization of agriculture price fluctuations have become highly significant in affecting farmers? income. Accordingly, market risk is now quite important in affecting farmers? income. We feel that implementation of market insurance to cover price risk is much easier than yield insurance. This can be done by requiring interested farmers to register their arketable surplus with insurance agency or market committee at the time of sowing of crop. The insurance agency should offer insurance cover to include price guarantee which could be minimum support price in some cases or market based price from the past. Farmers should pay premium for this kind of price insurance and initially government should share some burden of the premium. During harvest if price in the notified market falls below the guaranteed price then insurance agency should pay indemnity. Modalities to be worked out for implementation of this kind of model. The farming community in India consists of about 121 million farmers of which only about 20 per cent avail crop loans from financial institutions and only three fourth of those are insured. The remaining 80 per cent (96 millions) are either self-financing or depend upon informal sources for their financial requirements. Most of the farmers are illiterate and do not understand the procedural and other requirements of formal financial institutions and, therefore, shy away from them. Therefore, while the institutional loanees are insured compulsorily under the NAIS, only about 15 per cent of the non-loanee farmers avail insurance cover voluntarily. This is quite indicative of the enormous insurance potential that exists for addressing the needs of the farming community and enhancing the overall efficiencies as also the competitiveness of the agriculture sector. This also signifies the tremendous potential of agriculture insurance in the country as a concept, which can mitigate the adverse impacts that such uncertainties would have on the individual farmers.

Leadership Class Facilitators And Discussion Example

Leadership Class Facilitators And Discussion Example Leadership Class Facilitators And Discussion – Coursework Example Leadership Affiliation Link: http www.google.com/url?sa=t it models ethical habits of the organization, build trust, enhances credibility and respect, promotes collaboration as well as curving a convenient working environment for all members of the institution.Differences between Ethics and MoralsEthics are rules of conduct accredited in relation to a specific class of human accomplishments or social group while morals are precepts that isolate DOS and Don’ts regarding personal behavior in any social institution. Other differences between ethics and morals include (Resick et al., 2013); ethics come from social systems, which are external to an individual, whereas morals are regarded as intrinsic human factors that define govern behavior. Ethics are observed because society approves of them while morals exist because individuals believe in actions either being right or wrong. Ethics tend to be uniform in a particular society with minimal variations in defining them while morals are quite flexible as they can change with individual pattern of beliefs and values. Not all people who strictly observe ethical principles have morals, contrary to that, a moral individual is likely to follow a code of ethics easily. Ethics are regulated by legal and professional guidelines whereas morals are governed by cultural norms (Resick et al., 2013).ReferenceResick, C. J., Hargis, M. B., Shao, P., & Dust, S. B. (2013). Ethical leadership, moral equity judgments, and discretionary workplace behavior. Human Relations, 66(7), 951–972. doi:10.1177/0018726713481633

Central Michigan University Admissions Requirements

Central Michigan University Admissions Requirements Central Michigan University is a generally accessible school, admitting over two-thirds of those who apply each year. As part of the application process, prospective students should submit scores from either the ACT or SAT. In addition, students should submit a completed application, high school transcripts, and an application fee. Students are encouraged to visit the campus, and to schedule an interview with an admissions counselor. Central Michigans website has more information, and interested students are welcome to ask any questions they have about the schools admissions process. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex Admissions Data (2016) Central Michigan University Acceptance Rate: 72%GPA, SAT and ACT Graph for CMU AdmissionsTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450  / 570SAT Math: 440 / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanMichigan public university SAT score comparisonMid-American SAT comparisonACT Composite: 20 / 25ACT English: 20 / 25ACT Math: 18 / 25What these ACT numbers meanMichigan public university ACT score comparisonMid-American ACT comparison Central Michigan University Description Central Michigan University, located in Mount Pleasant, is the fourth largest of  Michigans 15 public universities. Central Michigan has many notable academic features including undergraduate programs in microscopy and meteorology, the largest leisure studies program in the country, and the first accredited athletic training program in the U.S. Popular undergraduate majors include business, education, exercise science, and communications. The university is moderately selective with an average 3.3 GPA among matriculated students. CMU has a 21 to 1  student / faculty ratio. In athletics, the Central Michigan Chippewas compete in the NCAA Division I  Mid-American Conference  (MAC). Popular sports include football, basketball, field hockey, soccer, and track and field. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 25,986  (19,877 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 43% Male / 57% Female86% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17) Tuition and Fees: $12,150 (in-state); $23,670 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,406Other Expenses: $938Total Cost: $23,494 (in-state); $35,014 (out-of-state) Central Michigan University Financial Aid (2015- 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 95%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 81%Loans: 82%Average Amount of AidGrants: $8,544Loans: $6,109 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Community Organization, Education, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Kinesiology, Marketing, PsychologyWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 78%4-Year Graduation Rate: 22%6-Year Graduation Rate: 57% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Track and Field, Basketball, Baseball, Wrestling, Football, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Gymnastics, Softball, Soccer, Volleyball, Track and Field, Basketball, Field Hockey, Cross Country Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like CMU, You May Also Like These Schools Michigan State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphOakland University: Profile  Albion College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDelta College: Profile  Grand Valley State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Toledo: Profile  Northern Michigan University: Profile  Alma College: Profile  Ferris State University: Profile  Eastern Michigan University: Profile  Lake Superior State University: Profile

Antitrust Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Antitrust - Article Example Clearly, these companies were going against the law (Burns, 1958). There are however wealthy and have great financial power that gave them the strength to challenge court rulings and could hire highly qualified and expensive lawyers. The companies, namely Google, Apple, Adobe and Intel requested the appeals court to nullify Judge Koh’s ruling. Their financial power would surely influence the appeals court to act in their favor. Judge Koh’s argument was that the settlement as desired by the four companies was way to low due to the antitrust law, and that the plaintiff’s lawyers just did not do their job keenly and aggressively. She was quite thorough in her review of the antitrust settlement issue. Similarly, there was another case involving domestic airlines. This industry is characterized by great competition, especially in areas where air traffic is highly valued due to needs such as urgent business, transportation of perishable goods and availability of 24hour economies. Some airlines, especially the upcoming ones, tend to lower their air fares and increase their flights to hundreds of destinations so as to attract more clients. This creates competition against the well-established airlines that have a large number of customers and still charge highly for their flights. The Persian Gulf Airlines with the pacts called open skies agreement have been under attack by unions as well as other alliances of domestic airlines. Some even forget their business differences and enmity to come together and form collisions against a single competitor. This tussle can be seen in the case where the American Airlines, Delta and the United Airlines joined forces and lobbied the Obama Adminis tration to restrict access by the fast growing Emirates, Etihad Airlines and Qatar Airways. They argued that this Middle East carriers received a lot of government subsidies. As