English Fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English Fiction - Essay Example â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Shelly said at last, â€Å"seriously don’t be such a fucking bitch.† Shelly winced mischievously into a crooked smile. She knew the â€Å"bitch† comment would certainly stir the girls in the tent. â€Å"Shut up Shelley, you are soo bad†, said one girl, â€Å"really who talks like that?† said another. Laura didn’t mind it at all. Shelley and she were already becoming the rebels of the group. Last night, they were the only girls that sneaked out of the tent to try a cigarette only to return ecstatically giddy-headed at the shock of the other â€Å"good† girls. â€Å"Hey Shelley, could I have a word with you for a second?† Laura said motioning out of the tent. Shelley finished cleaning the nails in her left hand and obliged. Shelley reentered the tent with Laura. It was almost eight o clock and the sun had completely set. Shelley walked past Ragged-Jagged-Jen with a polite smile, â€Å"Why don’t you join us to set up the bonfire Jen?† Jen looked like she had been hit by a Bentley. Her wiry frame purred at the thought of hanging out with only the coolest girls in school. All she could let out was a gruntled, â€Å"Sure!† Shelley, Laura and Jen left the tent to find a good spot for the bonfire. The nights in the forest were always a little spooky. Shelley was amazed at how the same forest appeared so tame in the day. She wondered if there was a whole race of species that specialized in night living other than bats and owls. That night the dull glow of the moon permeated through the thicket of trees. In a way, it provided a silver lining for the entire jungle. The Head Master had told Laura to stay north, so they obviously went south with Jen following them ignorantly. Before they knew it they were audience to a virtual orchestra of crickets, bugs, and other noisy critters. The leaves of the trees acted like holes to a flute and all was going well. They were following a trail set up by god-knows-who which ended in a perfectly barren

France and Great Birtains Political Systems Essay -- Politics Governm

France and Great Birtain's Political Systems INTRODUCTION I chose these two systems, which interest me for different reasons. The British system is one that has evolved over many centuries, with both small and large adjustments along the way to keep in on course. In contrast to this, the French model has changed dramatically on several occasions, and can rarely have been described as stable. However, in 1958 Charles de Gaulle made some brave changes to the constitution, which after being approved by the French public, set the scene for the classic semi-presidential system that we see today. Despite these opposing histories, there are many similarities between the two systems, which I intend to discuss. BRITAIN The United Kingdom is a democratic constitutional monarchy, with a system of government often known as the Westminster Model. It has been used as a model of governance in many countries, and undoubtedly indirectly inspired many more. Somewhat unusually, the constitution is unwritten, consisting of conventions along with statutory law and common law, which are collectively referred to as British constitutional law. The head of state and theoretical source of executive and legislative power in the UK is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. In theory, the British sovereign can dissolve Parliament whenever they desire. They can in theory choose any British citizen to be Prime Minister, even if they are not a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords. Theoretically, the Sovereign possesses the ability to refrain from granting Royal Assent to a Bill from Parliament, in addition to being able to declare war and appoint ministers. In practice, the head of state is a largely ceremonial role, with powers restricted by convention. However, the monarch holds three essential rights, the right to be consulted, the right to advise and the right to warn. Also, as the position of head of state tends to be held for a longer period of time than that of Prime Minister, the monarch builds up lots of experience and wisdom which is at the disposal of the government. Thus the political head of the UK is the Prime Minister(PM), who must be supported by the House of Commons. The executive branch of the UK system is the Government (or more formally, Her Majesty’s Government). The monarch appoints (or in reality, approves) ... ...l Government This is another area that comparison to the UK bears fruit. Both countries are highly regionalised, with distinct languages and cultures differing from the main national identity. However, Britain has made great strides to offer representation to its regions, whereas France has traditionally been very highly centralised, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government. The process of decentralisation in France is making progress, although very slowly. In 1982, the national government granted a wide range of administrative and fiscal powers to local elected officials. In March 1986, regional councils were directly elected for the first time. In March 2003, a constitutional revision has changed very significantly the legal framework and could lead to more decentralisation in the coming years. Bibliography Contemporary France: An Introduction to French Politics and Society ~Catherine Fieschi, et al France Since 1945 ~Robert Gildea The Globalization of World Politics ~John Baylis (Editor), Steve Smith (Editor) How Parliament Works ~Paul Silk, et al Longman Political Institutions in Europe ~ MÃ ©ny, Y et al France and Great Birtain's Political Systems Essay -- Politics Governm France and Great Birtain's Political Systems INTRODUCTION I chose these two systems, which interest me for different reasons. The British system is one that has evolved over many centuries, with both small and large adjustments along the way to keep in on course. In contrast to this, the French model has changed dramatically on several occasions, and can rarely have been described as stable. However, in 1958 Charles de Gaulle made some brave changes to the constitution, which after being approved by the French public, set the scene for the classic semi-presidential system that we see today. Despite these opposing histories, there are many similarities between the two systems, which I intend to discuss. BRITAIN The United Kingdom is a democratic constitutional monarchy, with a system of government often known as the Westminster Model. It has been used as a model of governance in many countries, and undoubtedly indirectly inspired many more. Somewhat unusually, the constitution is unwritten, consisting of conventions along with statutory law and common law, which are collectively referred to as British constitutional law. The head of state and theoretical source of executive and legislative power in the UK is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. In theory, the British sovereign can dissolve Parliament whenever they desire. They can in theory choose any British citizen to be Prime Minister, even if they are not a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords. Theoretically, the Sovereign possesses the ability to refrain from granting Royal Assent to a Bill from Parliament, in addition to being able to declare war and appoint ministers. In practice, the head of state is a largely ceremonial role, with powers restricted by convention. However, the monarch holds three essential rights, the right to be consulted, the right to advise and the right to warn. Also, as the position of head of state tends to be held for a longer period of time than that of Prime Minister, the monarch builds up lots of experience and wisdom which is at the disposal of the government. Thus the political head of the UK is the Prime Minister(PM), who must be supported by the House of Commons. The executive branch of the UK system is the Government (or more formally, Her Majesty’s Government). The monarch appoints (or in reality, approves) ... ...l Government This is another area that comparison to the UK bears fruit. Both countries are highly regionalised, with distinct languages and cultures differing from the main national identity. However, Britain has made great strides to offer representation to its regions, whereas France has traditionally been very highly centralised, with each of France's departments headed by a prefect appointed by the central government. The process of decentralisation in France is making progress, although very slowly. In 1982, the national government granted a wide range of administrative and fiscal powers to local elected officials. In March 1986, regional councils were directly elected for the first time. In March 2003, a constitutional revision has changed very significantly the legal framework and could lead to more decentralisation in the coming years. Bibliography Contemporary France: An Introduction to French Politics and Society ~Catherine Fieschi, et al France Since 1945 ~Robert Gildea The Globalization of World Politics ~John Baylis (Editor), Steve Smith (Editor) How Parliament Works ~Paul Silk, et al Longman Political Institutions in Europe ~ MÃ ©ny, Y et al

Business Law Text Notes Essay

Nature of Crimes Crimes are public wrongs- acts prohibited by the state or federal government. Typically classified as a felony or a misdemeanor: Felony- A serious crimes such as murder, sexual assault and involve significant moral culpability on the offender’s part. These are punishable by lengthy prison sentences, fines, loss of voting rights, revoking of professional licenses. Misdemeanor- A lesser offense such as disorderly conduct or battery resulting in minor physical harm to the victim. These usually involve much less moral culpability by the offender than those of felony offenses. Punishable by lesser fines and confinement in prison. Purpose of the Criminal Sanction Under the utilitarian view people believe that prevention of socially undesirable behavior is the only purpose of criminal penalties. This goal of prevention includes three major components: deterrence, rehabilitation, and incapacitation. Deterrence- Under this theory threat or imposition of punishment deters crimes in two ways: 1. Special Deterrence- when punishment of an offender deters him from committing further crimes 2. General Deterrence- when punishment of a wrongdoer deters other from committing similar offenses Factors influencing the effectiveness of deterrence are: 1. Likelyhood crime will be detected 2. That detection will be followed by prosecution 3. That Prosecution will result in conviction 4. The severity of the punishment is a key factor Rehabilitation- Involves changing offenders attitudes or values so they are less inclined to commit future offenses. Incapacitation- Incarcerating offenders so they are less likely to commit crimes while imprisoned. Essentials of Crime To convict a defendant of a crime the government must: 1. Demonstrate his alleged acts violated a criminal statute 2. Prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed those acts and 3. Prove that he had the capacity to form a criminal intent Crimes are statutory offenses. A behavior is not a crime unless congress or state legislature has criminalized it. Constitutional Limitations on Power to Criminalize Behavior The US Constitution prohibits ex post facto criminal laws. This means that to be illegal the offenders act must have been illegal at the time of the offense and the penalty imposed must be the one provided for at the time of her offense. Equal Protection Clause This prohibits criminal statutes that treat certain persons of the same class or arbitrarily discriminate among different classes of people. -The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution forbids cruel and unusual punishment Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Fundamental safeguard is a defendant is innocent until proven guilty or the presumption of innocence. The Due Process Clauses require the government to overcome this presumption by proving all charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Defendant’s Criminal Intent and Capacity Most serious crimes required mens rea or criminal intent as an element. Proof that the defendant had the capacity to form the required criminal intent is a prerequisite of criminal responsibility. Criminal law recognizes three types of incapacity: intoxication, infancy, and insanity. Criminal Procedure Criminal Prosecutions: An Overview -Persons arrested for allegedly committing a crime are taken to the police station and booked. -Booking is an admin procedure for recording the suspect’s arrest. -After the booking police file an arrest report with the prosecutor who decides whether to charge the person with an offense -If she decides to prosecute she prepares a complaint -The suspect is then taken to the judge for an initial appearance. During this appearance the judge informs the suspect of the charges against him and outlines the suspect’s constitutional rights. -In the case of a felony charge there is an additional preliminary hearing where the prosecutor must present enough evidence to determine probable cause that the suspect committed the felony. -If probable cause exists the judge binds over the suspect for a trial in the appropriate court -After the bindover the formal charge against the defendant is filed with the trial court -The formal charge consists of either an information filed by the prosecutor or an indictment returned by a grand jury -Once an information or indictment is filed an arraignment occurs where the defendant is brought before the court, informed of the charges and asked to enter a plea. -The defendant may plea guilty, not guilty or nolo contendere, which means the defendant does not contest the charges but does not admit guilt -Once the plea is entered the defendant chooses what type of trial that will take place. Persons accused of serious crimes for which incarcerations for more than six months is possible have a right to jury trial or he can waive his right and have a bench trial, judge only. Role of Constitutional Safeguards The Bill of Rights and the first 10 Amendments to the US Constitution set forth rights of criminal defendants Fourth Amendment Protects people from arbitrary and unreasonable governmental violations of their privacy rights. -Against unreasonable search and seizure without probable cause Reasonable Expectation of Privacy 4th Amendment only protects people from search where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. Warrant Requirement and Exceptions The court held that searches without warrants are unreasonable. Exclusionary Rule Evidence seized in an illegal search without a warrant is inadmissible in court and any information obtained during an illegal search that leads to a later discovery is inadmissible in court as well. The USA Patriot Act A statute that gave the government a broad ranging freedom to conduct searches of property, internet activity, bank accounts and other activities that used to require a warrant. The Fifth Amendment This amendment protects against compelled testimonial self-incrimination by establishing no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. This prevents government coercion of a suspect into making self-incriminating statements. Miranda Rights- a fifth amendment right which requires police to inform suspects before interrogating them their rights to remain silent and have an attorney present. Production of Records The fifth amendment protects people against compelled production of their private papers. However, this is not the case for corporations, since corps do not enjoy 5th amendment rights corporations and corp officers must present business records. Double Jeopardy A 5th amendment provision that states someone can not be tried twice for the same offense. Sixth Amendment Entitles defendant’s to a speedy trial by an impartial jury and gurantees them the right to cross examine the witnesses against them. Also provides the defendant is entitled to a court appointed attorney or the right to provide her own attorney for her defense. White Collar Crimes and the Dilemmas of Corporate Control White Collar Crime is the term used for a variety of non violent criminal offenses committed by business persons and business organizations. Today a corporation may be held liable for criminal offenses committed by employees who acted within the scope of their employment and for the benefit of the corporation. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act This act created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in charge of regulation of public accounting firm’s audits of corporations in response to a wave of financial scandal.

Varying Concepts of Freedom - 1515 Words

Introduction At the end of Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman talked with the group of blacks of Savannah who were recently freed. The group was comprised of educators, ministers, and leaders of black community. What Sherman wanted was to know how these freed black group thought about their status now and how they survived in a society that once made them slaves. They answered clearly that freedom mean the capability to develop from one’s own labor and what was necessary to do this was the access to land. What was Freedom? The understanding of freedom of African-Americans was simply molded by their experiences as slaves and how they observed the free society surrounding them. African-Americans were delighted with the chance†¦show more content†¦This has marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction or the Congressional Reconstruction. In 1867, Congressional Reconstruction began with the First Act or the Military Reconstruction Act. The bill had lessened the secessionist states to little conquered territory and divided them into five military districts. Each district was governed by a Union General. The Congress declared martial law in the territories that dispatched troops in order to maintain peace and protect the former slaves. Moreover, the congress declared that Southern states had to redraft their constitutions, thereby ratifying the 14th Amendment. This has given suffrage to African Americans to find readmission to the Union. Republicans passed the Second Reconstructio n Act that placed the Union troops in charge of voter registration. The effect of Radical reconstruction on blacks was little. Radical republicans in Congress continued to pass legislation rights but Southerners ignored these laws. New Southern governments build schools but were still separated and were not receiving enough funds. Literacy rate did improve but were still not the best (Radical Reconstruction, 2011). Two Concepts of Liberty There are several interpretations of freedom. Throughout our history, it has been constantly changing even though the exact meaning of it is to be free from the oppression. Nonetheless, theShow MoreRelatedLiberty and Political Liberalism893 Words   |  4 PagesLiberty and Political Liberalism William D. Towah Liberty and Political Liberalism The Relationship between the Concepts of Liberty and Political Liberalism In his publication: â€Å"The Equality Trust†, Goddard, J. (2013) discussed that liberty as defined by many to mean the ability of an individual to carry out his/her will without any active obstruction or impediment from any persons is narrowed and, therefore, flawed. He proposed that liberty should rather be viewed as the â€Å"absence of relationshipRead MoreChemistry Lab Essay1204 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiment was tested using a known indicator, bromocresol green. 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