Reaction Paper on Genocide from the film Blood Diamond

citation: www.imdb.com

The setting of the film Blood Diamond is Sierra Leone, a West African country ravaged by political unrest. In this unrest, rebel factions terrorize the countryside intimidating and enslaving the locals in order to harvest diamonds (Herskovitz & Zwick, 2006). The funds raised from the sale of the harvested diamonds are use to fund the war. Vandy is an angler but works under Captain Poison, a ruthless warlord. He discovers a pink diamond in a riverbank, which he buries in a soft earth. When Captain Poison learns about the stone, he plans to take it up. However, before acting, the government security forces raid the area. Captain Poison, Vandy, Danny, and Archer are later incarcerated in Freetown. Archer is a gunrunner jailed for smuggling diamond into Liberia. He help Vandy flee from detection after learning about the pink diamond. The intention was to take away Vandy’s stone and flee from Africa, the Dark Continent. However, this never happened. Instead, he entrusted the stone to Vandy and instructed him to take it to his family. In the end, Vandy, now living in the UK, met the Van de Kaap’s representatives who wanted to buy the jewel. Women and children are the major victims of war despite their minimal involvement.In the movie, women and children are depicted as being in one company yet separate from men. They are described as the major casualties in the event of a civil war or political unrest. Culturally, children and women remain in homes (Healey, 2010). In this regard, they are not involved in malpractices like diamond smuggling as depicted in the movie. For instance, the male characters, Vanty and Archer, are actively involved in Diamond smuggling in order to raise funds for their wives and children.

In this film, there are two classes: the poor and the rich. The rich intimidates the poor and enslaves them by making them harvest diamonds. The diamonds are used as a source of funds for their operations. The poor do not have the power to protect themselves and their property. The rich, who are corrupt and smugglers, use their power to rob the poor of their valuables. Archer is rich because of being involved in diamond smuggling. He uses his status to free Vandy from detection in order to later kill him and obtain the pink diamond. There is also a struggle among the rich to own property such as diamond. For example, such a struggle prompted Archer to kill Coezee.

In “Blood Diamond,” every man fights for his destiny. Solomon Vandy hopes to be reunited with his three children and wife. Danny is determined to get out of Africa permanently. The film also portrays racial and cultural fascination with black African images. The images function as gruesome scenes within rebel training camps or as colorful scenery, and a manifestation of pure evil. The pure evil depicted in the film is one that incidentally likes listening to rap. The characters also wear a gat and Snoop Dogg T-shirts.

Though the movie captures the actual scenario of the genocide in Sierra Leone, it fails to bring out the hidden role played by other rich nations of the world. This is because much of the smuggled diamond was ended up in the hands of these rich nations. The movie should have featured the diamonds’ complete cycle, from harvesting to final consumption. However, I feel that the movie went a long way in sensitizing the world on the plight of women and children in war-ravaged regions (Solleh, 2009; Veale & Stavrou, 2003).


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References

Healey, J. F. (2010). Diversity and Society: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press

Herskovitz, M. & Zwick, E. (2006). Blood Diamond. United States: Werner Bros.

Solleh, K. F. (2009). Kono Gold or Koine Gold: Onomastics: The Human Naming Tradition. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.

Veale, A., & Stavrou, A. (2003). Violence, reconciliation, and identity: the reintegration of Lord’s resistance army child abductees in northern Uganda, ISS monograph series, (92).

Plight of the Girl Child and the Black Person in Particular as shown in the Book Bailey’s café

Plight of the Girl Child and the Black Person in Particular as shown in the Book Bailey’s café

The book Bailey’s café is told from a male perspective, even though the author is a woman. The book discusses in detail about the plight of the girl child and the black person in particular. The book highlights traumatizing and painful experiences that some people go through. The book shows the different stories of different people who visit the baileys café. The author has used the Baileys café, as a location where people, with various saddening stories come to find solace, from the harsh realities of the world.

Personally, I think the author chose to write the book from a male perspective in order, to bring out the true situations that people especially, the girl child goes through. The author uses this mechanism to tell her story since; this strategy would enable the reader to remain confident, that the author did not exaggerate some information, concerning the story.

The author uses this mechanism in order, to bring out the real world that surrounds the female companions. The author tells the story from a male perspective in order, to voice the concerns of the girl child whom according to her, has been neglected by the world. The author uses this mechanism in order to state openly the chauvinistic nature, which the society has turned out to be.

The author tells the world that the girl child is undergoing untold misery and suffering, an issue that violates the human codes of existence. The author speaks to those concerned telling that something is seriously wrong somewhere and that unless something is done, the society would condemn the girl child to permanent, discriminatory bondage (Metzger, 2000).

Character analysis

To illustrate the themes brought about in the book, Baileys Café, I have chosen to use the character of Sadina.

The example of Sadina shows clearly the plight of the girl child. The girl child has been treated as a lesser human being who does not deserve respect and honor from the society. Sadina is brutally treated by her mother and from the look of things, nobody seems to be concerned. Sadinas mother uses her as prostitute and gains the monetary benefits associated with prostitution (Kelley, 9). This is an example of a heinous human act, which does not respect the dignity of the girl child.

To make matters worse, the other females seem to be less concerned about the plight of the girl child. Sadinas mother treats her girl child as garbage because, the society views the woman as an object that should be used for a specific purpose and then ignored. Frustrations and hopelessness are the best words to describe the plight of the girl child in this society. Sadina has no power to question her mother’s decision. She follows what she is commanded to do whether it is good or bad.

Sadina is also used by her mother as a servant. The proceeds that come form her service are given to her mother, who does not give Sadina even a single penny. This is brutality and recklessness of the highest order. Sadinas mother shows less concern for her daughter. The girl child has been left to wallow and suffer in her own world, and from the events that unfold in the book, the girl child has found herself at loggerheads with the society.

The example of Sadina illustrates the ups and downs that the girl child goes through this society. The girl child is not treated like other human beings. The girl child’s self esteem is completely interfered with. The girl child is not given a chance to thrive and succeed in life. Sadinas story tells more about the harsh and uncompromising environment that the girl child goes through.

Throughout the book, Sadina is seen as a useless child who cannot be associated with any positive aspect. The life of Sadina is one full of misery and unending challenges. Sadina has become used to the harsh treatment from her parents and even other people.

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Works cited

Kelley, M.A.Gloria Naylor’s early novels. Florida: University Press of Florida.1999. Print.

Metzger, D. Medievalism and the academy two. Cambridge: Boydell & Brewer. 2000. Print.

Effective Measures to Fight Terrorism as well as Strong Precedents Established by USA and the United Kingdom,

Australian Constitutional law

The events witnessed on September 11 have pressured many countries to take measures regarding the threats posed by terrorism. In Australia’s case, the government has been simultaneously pressured in two ways, namely an open-ended directive of the UN Security Council for states to take effective measures to fight terrorism as well as strong precedents established by USA and the United Kingdom,

Australian constitutional decisions regularly present various starting stands for analysis. Section 51(vi) of the constitution of Australia addresses the defence power and is a subsection that accords the commonwealth parliament the right to establish laws with respect to its military and naval defence and that of the several states. It also ensures control of the forces for carrying out and maintaining commonwealth laws. The Powers in section 51 can also be legislated by the states In cases of inconsistency, however; the law of commonwealth will have to prevail.

This paper examines whether the defence power, constitution s 51(vi) is suited to a situation in which it is claimed to that there is a “war on terror”.  It shall do so through the analysis of the nature of the defence power, scope of defence power conferred in s 51(vi), and the possible threats this application poses to the operation of democracy. It shall maintain that the section is in fact suited to a ‘war on terror’, considering the size and impact terrorism has on national security. However, s51(vi) should not be applied lightly in the case of “the war on terror” because it still remains in question whether Australia is in fact in danger of terrorism. In addition, doing so might place the democracy in danger since the extent of power in the section is highly dependent upon the discretion of Parliament and the Court, meaning that it can enact and execute unnecessarily vague or extensive anti-terrorism laws, thereby restricting individuals’ fundamental rights.

Nature of the Defence power

Australian Defence power is elastic[1]. This means that the scope is determined based on ‘Australia’s Defence needs at any given time’[2]. As these needs change over time, so does the scope of power. It is indeed a purposive authority. This has the implication that a law can be justified not because it falls under the defence topic but simply because it can reasonably be termed conducive to that purpose and will therefore have a bigger scope in times of war. Though the meaning of the constitution remains the same, its application may vary according to circumstances.

The scope of power conferred in s51(vi)

The scope of power conferred in s51(vi) involves the question of “proportionality”, i.e. whether the degree of threat is significantly urgent or extreme to justify the degree of departure from usual assumptions about how federal legislative power is to be exercised. In answering this, one takes into account such factors as the nature and dimensions of the conflict, the actual and apprehended dangers, exigencies, and course of the war, and so on[3]. It has been observed that the language of s 51(vi) is expansive, thus allowing various threats (either internal or external) to attract Defence power conferred under s51 (VI). This was suggested in Thomas v Mowbray[4]. There, the judges rejected the view that defence power is concerned with war and the possibility of war with an extra-Australian nation or organism[5]. Gleeson CJ suggested that the power to make laws under s51(vi) is not limited to Defence against external threats. Rather, it goes further than the traditional sense of combat between forces of nations[6].

S51(vi) suited to a situation “War on Terror”

Terrorism seems to fall within the categories of situations where the power conferred in s51(vi) can be evoked because it poses real threat to the peace and order of the Commonwealth given its capacity to cause death and destruction on a scale comparable to that of regular military action by a regular military[7]. In Thomas v Mowbray, the judges affirmed this approach by stating that the ‘terrorism fell squarely within the scope of the defence power’[8] considering the ‘unprecedented threat posed by terrorism in the contemporary world’.[9]

S51(vi) suited to a situation “War on Terror” – indecisive nature of threats

One should not however forget that “the war against terrorism” is a range of contested assumptions and values[10] – its nature and the degree of real harm are indecisive as to determine the boundary of Defence power that can be allowed. This uncertainty may lead to the enactment of laws which exceed the stated purpose of providing protection from violent acts of terrorism, thereby undermining individual liberties and the effective operation of democracy.

Firstly, categorising war on terror under the defence power conferred in s 51(vi) is unreasonable considering the assessed risk posed by the terrorist attack in Australia in relation to the nature of defence power conferred in s51(vi). Prior to Sept 11th incident the Commonwealth parliament was unable to address the clear need for the far reaching laws designed to fight genuine acts of terrorism. The shock of Sep 11th has provided a good chance for the government to justify laws for the purposes of protection that pose far reaching attack upon the civil and political liberties of the Australian public. The challenge posed by Terrorism is nothing new for Australia.[11] The assessed risk has always existed and it has neither increased nor decreased. In fact, as was highlighted by Roos, the assessed risk of a terrorist attack on Australian soil is in terms of the risk of death or serious injury, of a lesser order of magnitude than the risk posed by motor vehicles, outbreak of disease, the use and abuse of drugs, and even organised crime.[12] Therefore, the ‘war on terror’ situation in Australia is insufficient for invoking defence power because it is indeed a power for defence, not a more general power for security or public safety. The power cannot be used to validate all laws operating to protect individuals from every single risk, however slight or remote[13]. In this sense, the wrong decision was reached in Thomas v Mowbray[14], in that the Court’s application of defence power erroneously equated the threat posed by terrorism to Australia and other western states with the threat of war or insurrection against the sovereign government of Australia.[15]

Secondly, the use of defence power is risky in that it may rationalise “anti-terrorism” laws which exceed their stated purpose of providing enhanced protection from terrorist attacks and which can thereby infringe upon the effective operation of democracy. As suggested by Callinan J in Thomas v Mowbray[16], “too ready and ill-considered an invocation of the defence power may have the capacity to inflict serious damage upon a democracy”. For instance, during the national crisis of WWII, the enormous expansion of the section 51(vi) defence power was allowed, resulting in many restrictions becoming valid despite being very tenuously linked to defence.[17]

The meaning of defence power given by s51 (VI) can be extended to anti-terrorism laws. These laws are often stated so broadly that their potential impact extends well beyond the control of terrorism.[18] This was exemplified in Thomas v Mowbray[19], where the provision in issue, s104.4 (1) (c) (ii) of the Code makes reference to ‘training’. This can be interpreted to include cooking and language training. These validated legislations can be used to impose restrictions on individuals’ rights of meaningful protest in Australia.[20] The end result would be that without sophisticated rights-based arguments for evaluating anti-terrorism laws, the individuals confronting these laws are left with little on which to hang their challenges.[21] If parliament is given power to legislate any anti-terrorism laws using defence power, the end result would be that Commonwealth Parliament would have a general power of making laws for the peace, order and good government of Australia with respect to almost every subject.[22] This in turn will mean that limitations imposed upon Commonwealth power by a carefully framed Constitution would disappear and the separation of powers conferred by democracy would no longer exist.[23]

Circumstances where the defence power can be invoked in “war on terror” state

However, it is not to deny that the Constitution s51 (VI) cannot at all be used for the purposes of “war on terror”, as its use may be necessary when there is a grave threat in the preservation of Commonwealth. What is of critical importance is the rational and correct interpretation of s51 (VI) of Constitution, in order to determine the scope of the defence power. There are three things in which the Parliament and the Court should consider in interpretation and application – perceived risk in the state of ‘war on terror’, the purpose and the language of the legislation.

To begin with, the threat should be grave and extensive enough in nature that the existing law itself cannot effectively cope with it, unless the defence power conferred in s51(vi) of Constitution is evoked. The threat, in order to invoke defence power, does not have to be directed at the bodies’ politics (as argued by Kirby in Thomas v Mowbray). Such attempt to articulate the boundary of defence power seems improper as the principle means of attacking the Commonwealth and the States is through killing individuals and destroying their property.[24]

However, the harm should necessarily be serious enough to invoke defence power. The ‘scale, gravity, severity of quantum of harm or anticipated harm should be carefully assessed as to determine whether the situation is better dealt with through the administration of s51(vi) Constitution than the ordinary measures provided by general law.[25]. Failure to establish a distinctive component between violent crime aspects such as terrorism and the common law has failed to boost the state’s efforts in dealing with terrorism related threats. The commonwealth powers to defend the nations against terrorist related threats has been considered an option vital for making meaningful strides, in relation to terrorism.   In other words, the state competency in relation to defence power application in dealing with terrorist threats has been compromised by the courts. The courts have been blamed for causing legal bureaucracies which have resulted in the state failing to address terrorism adequately.[26] Rogers and Ricketts indeed argue that existing criminal laws in Australia, such as section 357 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) empowering the police to search and seizure any person, vessel or vehicle in any public place under both the Firearms Act 1996 and the Weapons Prohibition Act 1998), is sufficient to provide sanctions against any act of terrorism.[27]

Secondly, the language and the purpose of the legislation should be clear enough, if the risk of catastrophic harm to the Australian public is the critical justification for the invocation of the defence power.[28] The foremost concern in many anti-terrorism laws is that the definitions are so wide as to include a broad range of otherwise part of everyday practice of Australian democracy.[29] Political protests for instance can fall under the definition of ‘terrorist act’ because protests may intimidate the public and cause damage to individuals’ property.

Determining whether the challenged law is reasonably appropriate for the defence purpose is another crucial question to be addressed by the Court.[30] What this means is that not only legislation should be sufficiently connected to the defence power, but also that laws that can be justified by the enlarged operation of the defence power conferred in s51(vi) Constitution must not “extend beyond what is reasonably necessary to handle such abnormal and temporary conditions”[31]. One should consider the adverse effect of an impugned provision upon well recognised human right.[32] The suggestions of Kirby in Thomas v Mowbray indicate the need to become sensitive to crucial constitutional aspects which directly coordinate and influence a nation’s effort on eliminating terrorism. Thus, there is need for the courts to avoid scenarios where legal and constitutional exceptionalism is encouraged.[33]

As the above arguments portray the defence power, Constitution s51(vi) is indeed subject to qualifications if it were to be adopted to a situation called ‘war on terror’.

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Immense Benefits of Direct Investments

Immense Benefits of Direct Investments

The concept of direct investments has been proposed in many countries due to the immense benefits which these countries receive. Direct investments; enable a business to easily jumpstart operations because, in most cases the business attains some measurable cost incentive. This motivates a business to launch its operat

ions.

Discussion

     The inward direct investment is a new investments attraction technique that has been used by many countries to attract local and foreign investors. The inward direct investment enables boosts a business’s competitiveness in the sense that a business is assisted in the process of its operation. The inward foreign direct investment assists businesses to avoid the bureaucratic structures that most business entities go through. In this case, the business entity finds it easier to adapt to the new environment as compared to scenarios where the business start up mechanism is hampered by the existent bureaucratic structures (Cherry, 2007).

The inward foreign direct investment encourages business entities to launch their operations in new markets which traditionally have been ignored by most investors. These investments gives the business a go ahead in terms of handling the market challenges which in this case are presumed to hamper the profitability prospects of most businesses. The business is literally uplifted in terms of basic business operational mechanisms. This implies that the business essential components receive a major boost which enhances them to elevate the business to the next level (OECD, 2001).

Business entities require these investments in order to cushion them against unfavorable market conditions. Various reports indicate that most investors shy away from the unfavorable market conditions (Hackmann, 1997). These reports in particular point that unfavorable market conditions is the sole reason for most countries to embark on the inward foreign direct investment mechanism. These countries realize the need to formulate a comprehensive policy mechanism which is aimed at encouraging business investors to invest in the unpopular sectors. In addition, inward foreign direct investments give the business entity a new operational platform which enables the business to creatively redefine its operational strategy. Inward foreign investments give the business entity, ample space and time to review important strategies which the business shall use to enhance its competitiveness (IMF, 2003). This means that the business shall be in a position to review its operational strategy in order to boost its chances of achieving success in its respective market segment.

The author’s conclusions regarding the issue of inward direct foreign investment confirm the views concerning incentives used by various countries to attract foreign investors. The author’s views on the government’s mechanisms of encouraging investors coincide with mine. This is because the author concurs with the idea that the government has to use various strategies to boost business and trade in some sectors. In addition, I concur with the fact that the government has to formulate policy frameworks which shall be aimed at ensuring some form of trade balance in various sectors of the economy (Morsink, 1998). Further, the authors conclusions coincide with mine because, the author points at the expected investment attraction mechanisms that the government is expected to initiate in order, to attract investors. The other reason is that the author implies the government’s effort to continuously enact changes with regard to inward direct investments. The author explains that, this move will progressively improve the investment climate within the country, owing to the fact that, new policies in line with current trading policies will be formulated. This will consequently attract more investors to the country. To sum up the reasons, the author confirms my views on investment, when he categorically states that countries investment policies will determine the response of investors, in the sense that, good and articulate policies, will attract investors and vice versa.

Conclusion

     The inward foreign direct investment concept should be encouraged by countries in order to take advantage of the incurring benefits. This form of investment should give the government and other regulators some green light regarding how to boost the culture of investments in their country. Thus, the inward foreign direct investment mechanism should be an objective of a government which aims to achieve meaningful benefits as regards the accumulation of investors. This is a step in the right direction.

References

Cherry, J. (2007). Foreign direct investment in post-crisis Korea: European investors and mismatched globalization. New Jersey: Routledge.

Hackmann, R. (1997). U.S. trade, foreign direct investments, and global competitiveness. New York: Routledge.

International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2003). Foreign direct investment statistics: how countries measure FDI 2001. New York: International Monetary Fund.

Morsink, R.LA (1998).Foreign direct investment and corporate networking: a framework for spatial analysis of investment conditions. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD, (2001). Reviews of foreign direct investment: Lithuania. OECD Publishing.

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Walt Disney Company as a Good Example of how Success in the Media Industry

Walt Disney Company as a Good Example of how Success in the Media Industry 

The Walt Disney Company is a good example of how success in the media industry looks like. Walt Disney has been in existence in the industry for long and admittedly the company prides itself with numerous achievements that it has achieved in the media industry. The company has used its popularity and mainstream success in the media industry to refine the outlook of its brand. Over the years, Disney Company has focused on building its brand capacity in order to achieve brand benefits in the market. The company was started as an animation outfit and as the years passed the company diversified its operations into live film production making it one of the largest media company in the world in terms of revenue collections.

This discussion will focus on the management aspect of Walt Disney Company. The management of Walt Disney Company has been brought into sharp focus following its success in the media industry. Walt Disney Company has been considered as one of the media companies whose management has been able to turn around the fortunes of the company. The turnaround was experienced thanks to strategic management skills that the top management at Walt Disney employed. The management of Walt Disney has been prided with understanding the operating environment and, then using the best and outstanding business techniques to make an entry into the market. Various surveys and reports relating to the media industry name Disney’s management decision making skills as among the best in the industry. One media expert notes that, Disney Company has been able to enjoy mainstream success in the market due to the company’s ability to tap the best people in the world. One senior Disney executive notes that the company has embarked on an ambitious project of investing in the welfare of its employees. The company believes that offering employees the best working environment motivates them to strive to achieve company’s goals and objectives. Walt Disney has ensured that its employee base has the necessary resources and capacity to work. The company has instituted a consolidated human resource department which has been used to handle all issues related to the employees. The companies’ human resource department has been able to connect the employee needs to the management by ensuring that important employee information is disseminated to and from the two components.

Product development

The Walt Disney Company has engaged itself in numerous product development projects which are aimed at enhancing their viability in the market. The company has been credited with producing the best products in the film and animation industry. The programs produced by Walt Disney attest to this. Some programs produced by Walt Disney Company have been properly appreciated in the market. The company has the unique ability of understanding and providing the desired needs of the market. The company in addition has been successful in terms of providing entertainment needs of different market segments.

The products of Walt Disney Company are carefully refined with the market needs. The company’s product development department notes that Disney focuses much on improving its product in order to win customer approval. The company keeps in mind the customer’s needs. The company respects the customer needs and strives to achieve them. This is where the company beats its competitors. The Disney programs produced were able to penetrate the market within a very short period of time. The company invests a lot of time and resources in developing its products in order to gain the end benefits. These benefits include gaining a substantial market share, gaining necessary competitive edge in the market and improving our brand image. The company in addition, expects to improve its overall market share price. The company has been successful in product development, thanks to a technical product development department that is able to understand the changing market dynamics. Our product development department has been involved in assessing different products strengths and weaknesses and creating the best product mix out of the mix. The product development department has embarked on the prospects of looking at the market dynamics that understands how the market is undergoing changes within a given span of time. This mechanism has been timely for the company since the company has become successful in attaining a special rapport with the market.

Marketing strategies

The Walt Disney Company has been successful in respect of marketing its products and services. The company uses a technical and a more realistic approach in order to understand its market. The Walt Disney Company has been the best in selling itself to the market because of its ability to convince its target market about the various products and services that it offers. Convincing here means that the company has employed mechanisms of engaging in consultations with clients and other prospective clients in order to show them why they need to purchase our products. The convincing process entails the company engaging the customer by through important facts that motivate him or her to purchase our products. Walt Disney Company has employed aggressive marketing strategies which have aided it to capture a substantial market share.

The company has been able to penetrate the market by means of all media capacities. The company has taken advantage of the print and electronic media to spread information to the existing and prospective customers.  The company has embarked on using the internet because of the realization that most people nowadays use various websites to access information. The company has taken advantage of social networking sites like twitter and face book because of the large number of visitors. The Company understands that the market is varied and, the mechanism of advertising to one market differs from time to time. This has enabled the company to diversify in its marketing methodologies thus capturing a substantial part of the market.

The ability of the company to develop a comprehensive market mix has enabled the company to offer   a wide range of products and services to its market. This has in addition, attracted the market towards purchasing its products and services. The company has been successful in its marketing strategies because of its ability to develop new products when competitors in the media industry least expect it (McGrath, 32). For example, when Disney Company launched into the film production market, it was able to revolutionize the film industry by introducing new filming abilities which other film companies had not introduced e.g. the ability to film colored pictures by use of projectors. The company was able to introduce new dimensions in the film industry which made the film viewing experience better e.g. sounds and graphics.  The company has been lauded as using this strategy in order to keep customers wanting more of Disney’s products. The same strategy has been used by Disney to keep competitors out of business. This as the marketing executive adds, enables the company to enjoy market monopoly.

Company reforms

The company has been noted to periodically review its management structure in order to make impacts which contribute to the companies’ development. The company believes that reforms imply the company willingness and efforts to understand the gains it has made in terms of its business operations. Company reforms are normally employed at Disney to bring a fresh and brand new perspective to the operational mechanisms of the company (Livingston & Lievrou, 35). The company top management admits that the best way to benchmark its operating capacity in the market is by reviewing its management structure from time to time.

Walt Disney Company ensures that the right people occupy their deserved positions in order to tap the talent and knowledge of its top executives to assist in the running of the company. The company has come to the realization that having the best employees is key to the success of the company because, knowledgeable employees bring new ideas to the company such as instituting creative and innovative products and services in the market e.g. introducing new trends in television and film industry. The company believes in giving specific roles to the right people meaning that the individual will offer his or her best. This strategy has enabled the company to introduce new employee measurement systems to get a preview of how employees perform and in what positions of working they can operate best.

Financial mechanisms

The Walt Disney Company has traditionally operated in a manner that favors its financial position (Wasko, 19). The company has embarked on a number of financial reforms aimed at streamlining the financial position of the company. The company for example, has a strategy of maximizing profits and minimizing costs. The company has however raised concerns about the worse financial times being experienced in the market. Despite the market challenges presenting themselves, the company has involved itself in various financial restructuring mechanisms which are aimed at improving the financial position of the company. The Walt Disney Company has put in place various financial mechanisms which are aimed at suppressing financial challenges that the company faces.

Community initiative

The management of Walt Disney Company has embarked on various community projects aimed at improving the lives of the communities that they operate in. The company believes that the people who are directly and indirectly involved with the company in business should stand to benefit from the company’s presence (Smoodin, 72). The company’s social corporate responsibility initiative has involved the formation of entities such as:

• Worldwide outreach program
• Disney’s volunteer EARS organization- community partnership
• Volunteer based organization

The companies’ social corporate responsibility initiative has been aimed at empowering the communities in which they operate. The company has shown support for community projects by contributing funds which have been used to run the community projects. The companies’ social corporate responsibility strategy is aimed at ensuring that the companies positive impact on the communities is felt both in the short and long run. The company has more in store for the communities in which it operates in. The company is optimistic that more funds will be channeled in future to support the social corporate responsibility efforts. The company has engaged in partnerships with various organizations to support the community initiative programs being encouraged by the government.

Educational objectives

Since the inception of the companies’ first management, the company has been involved in various educational initiatives to its customers. The company has embarked on empowering the youths by offering educational programs and discussions which are aimed at motivating the students to embrace creativity and innovation in their activities. This is aimed at training students to come up with better ideas that positively impact the society. The company management has embarked on the mechanism of taking advantage of various programs and television services that it offers in order to shed more light on various issues that its customers need to know. The company being media oriented takes advantage of this fact to teach its clients various societal values, which will have the end objective of benefiting those communities in a positive way.

Future management outlook

The Walt Disney senior management understands the fact that the market is set for various developments that will enable the company improve its performance. The company is concerned that unless more is done to restructure the company, the future outlook may look unfavorable. The company in this respect has embarked on the strategy of investing in its employee base. The company has gone ahead to hire human resource experts who will be responsible for training upcoming executives on the new market trends. This will keep the company’s performance in close perspective to the emerging trends. The management of Walt Disney is betting on the fact that the positioning of company in relation to the internal and external market dynamics will greatly shape the future of the company.

Conclusion

The management of Walt Disney Company has done a lot in terms of developing the company to the point that it stands today. The success achieved in the recent past has been as a result of the company’s ability to make decisions which match with the needs of the market. This will be facilitated by transforming the management of the company by doing business in a manner that is in line with the goals and objectives of the company. In addition, the company will consider new creative business models to ensure that the business remains viable in the eyes of our customers.

References

Lievrouw, L.A & Livingstone, L.M. Handbook of new media: social shaping and consequences of ICTs.London: SAGE. 2002. Print.

Smoodin, E.L. Disney discourse: producing the magic kingdom. New York: Routledge. 1994. Print.

Wasko, J.Understanding Disney: the manufacture of fantasy. Cambridge: Wiley-Blackwell.2001. Print.

McGrath, M.E. Next generation product development: how to increase productivity cut costs and reduce cycle time. New York:  McGraw-Hill Professional. 2004. Print.


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The Use of Animals in Scientific Research has Changed the Course of Research Work in the Recent Past

The use of animals in scientific research has changed the course of research work in the recent past. Scientists and other experts in various scientific fields claim that animals are essential in validating the scientific research. The use of animals in the scientific field has elicited mixed reactions from various quarters of the scientific community. Proponents of the debate claim that animals hold an important place in scientific research since they shed more light on the experiments conducted. Critics of the research claim that it is unfair to use animals since it amounts to their violation. Regardless of the pros and cons of using animals in scientific research, the scientific field has undergone, unprecedented changes and everyone is keeping watch on new developments.

The use of animals in scientific research is acceptable when there is a need to obtain a specific medical breakthrough. The medical experts use animals in scenarios where they need further insight on a given medical condition. In most cases, laboratory rats have become common in major experiments (Kalat, 16). This is because of the assertion by scientists that rats have a similar DNA combination with human beings. Rats give doctors information on medication required to treat a given ailment. This has become a common trend in the scientific field. One scientist at the American Health Association notes that the use of animals has become popular because of the past blunders committed in terms of advancing medication to patients. During the last couple, of years, cases where patients died because of the wrong medication were on the rise. This prompted the medical researchers to advance various medications on animals before using them on human beings.

The extent of using animals in scientific research takes root in cases where the scientists need to confirm information such as effectiveness of the medication and the nature of the problem (Paul & Paul, 9). As earlier noted, the laboratory rats function as test subjects before availing medication to patients. For example, the scientists lock some rats in a place with different conditions and place other rats in a different place. These comparisons produce varying results, which scientists, use to make conclusions. This method has become common in the scientific arena. This is because the results from the validity of the results obtained from the environment.

The extent of using animals in scientific research becomes useful when there is a need to relate a given medical phenomenon to other aspects such as animals. As some scientists point, the mode of relating these medical challenges is the best way to address the current scientific challenges (Regan, 6). Scientists use animals when they need to get more information on the given scientific problem, such as a contagious disease. The idea that animals exhibit similar traits with humans has contributed to the appreciation of the latter by the scientific community. In addition, scientists use the animals when they need to understand the genesis of the problem (Taylor, 72). As earlier noted, the relational aspect of using animals in scientific research has been instrumental in enhancing the effectiveness of treatment mechanisms to patients.

In conclusion, the use of animals in scientific research has become a norm and the field is set to undergo major revolutions. The advent of animals in scientific research will offer more insight and knowledge to this industry, which requires additional expertise. However, the scientists should run their scientific operations in a manner consistent with the moral and ethical principles of the profession. This will avoid a compromise on the professionalism and integrity associated with scientific research.

References

Kalat, J.W (2008).Biological Psychology. Cengage Learning.

Paul, E.F & Paul, J (2001).Why animal experimentation matters: the use of animals in medical research.  Transaction Publishers.

Regan, T (1986). Animal sacrifices: religious perspectives on the use of animals in science. New York: Temple University Press

Taylor, A (2003).Animals and ethics: an overview of the philosophical debate. Broadview Press.


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Israeli forces and Hezbollah Operatives caught the Attention of the World

The second Lebanon war of 2006 between Israeli forces and Hezbollah operatives caught the attention of the world. The war came at a time when the world clamored for peace and togetherness. The war brought into focus various issues ranging from humanitarian issues and the international justice. The war elaborated how countries went against the codes that govern international law. The UN Security Council cited various legal breaches that had been committed as a result of the war. The war pushed governments and other international bodies worldwide to revise their current laws on international justice. The war served as a good example of the importance of international peace and law. The war was perceived to have violated basic humanitarian ethics that every nation was obliged to show.

Source: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com

Genesis of second Lebanon war of 2006

The second Lebanon war was started as a result of increased attacks by the terrorist outfit- Hezbollah. Hezbollah was reportedly pointed as the first catalyst of the war. The Hezbollah terrorist organization crossed the Israeli blue border line, entered Israel and managed to kidnap three Israeli soldiers. The Hezbollah terrorist organization crossed Israelis internationally recognized northern border.

The aggressive attacking motives of the Hezbollah terrorist organization triggered what was to become one of the bloodiest wars in the recent past. Israel subsequently retaliated against the attacks staged by Hezbollah. Reports indicate that Hezbollah decided to attack Israel as a revenge tactic for a number of Arab captives who had been captured by the Israeli army. The Hezbollah terrorist organization was formed with the sole objective of eliminating the Israeli (Gildron & Bar, 24). The terrorist organization is operated in line with core Islamic principles. The terrorist organization has been held responsible for various attacks on Israel territory.

Legal perspectives of the second Lebanon war of 2006

The second Lebanon war brought various issues that highlighted widespread violation of international law. The war was a contravention of basic humanitarian laws as established by the United Nations humanitarian laws. The United Nations laws stipulate that every country should uphold humanitarian codes in its activities. The war between Israel and the Hezbollah was a clear indication of gross violation of humanitarian laws. The war led to the loss of lives and high number of casualties. The war violated international relations ethics which countries are expected to uphold.

The second Lebanon war violated the law of human existence as stipulated in the United Nations charter. The war as some foreign relations experts agree violated the rules of human existence. The war brought untold misery, and suffering, to the civilians of both countries. The war brought a disturbance to the peace that had existed between the citizens of both countries. The war brought an imbalance to the human existence dynamics. The war was considered to have destabilized the delicate factor of human coexistence. The war violated the above mentioned humanitarian law in the sense that it brought human conflicts whose consequences would be worse than earlier anticipated.

The second Lebanon war violated international rules that serve to protect the interests of children. The international code of ethics on children was violated because the war led to the death and displacement of children in both countries. The war was characterized with various scenarios in which children were victims. The Hezbollah attack of Israel in which two rocket propelled grenades were launched attests to this. The media reported that the Hezbollah attack killed two children who were playing and wounding several others. These unfortunate occurrences on innocent children, led to worldwide condemnations of the barbaric and uncouth acts perpetrated against children. These events led to protests and criticisms from human rights groups and other civil societies networks.

The war led to the displacement of people who had to vacate to safer territories. The second Lebanon war was reported to have led to destruction of property in both countries. Reports indicated that many houses and sheltering structures had been destroyed by the grenade attacks. The war violated the basic human right of right to housing. The war was responsible for thousands of women and children who were displaced courtesy of the war. The war led to worsening humanitarian conditions. Various news reports indicates how women and children were forced to seek refuge in makeshift tents. The poor hygienic conditions in these makeshift tents provided breeding ground for emanation of more diseases. The Red Cross In its annual report indicated that the condition that resulted due to the second Lebanon war was among the worst humanitarian condition ever witnessed in the recent past.

The second Lebanon war led to violation of basic human rights access to food and water. The United Nations in its annual reporte noted that the second Lebanon war topped the list when it came to violation of international laws with respect to causing shortage of food and water, a basic human necessity. The war led to wide spread shortage of food and water to the affected residents in both countries. The war was reported to have interfered with the supply of food and water. The governments of both countries were heavily criticized for their slow response to the humanitarian efforts that was desperately needed by the casualties of war.

The second Lebanon war was reported to have violated various laws relating to human health and sanitation. The United Nations offered strong statements in regard to this issue. The United Nations criticized the two countries for their contribution towards deteriorating human health conditions. The war was reported to have led to emergence of multiple diseases which had a disastrous effect on the health of civilians. One report by a human rights watch dog indicates how chemicals emanating from the war affected the health of civilians. Some civilians were reported to have developed strange chronic and respiratory problems as a result of the chemicals from the war activities.

The second Lebanon war violated the code of sovereignty of a country. The international law clearly stipulates that each country has the sovereignty that defines the countries existence. The second Lebanon war went against this code because the two countries engaged in unorthodox peace resolutions mechanisms, which eventually failed to work. The mechanism applied by the two countries in order to achieve lasting peace and security was widely criticized because of its approach. The second Lebanon war included countries engaging in long battle fights which were meant to resettle their differences.

The two countries violated an international law code that states that countries are not supposed to use force in order to achieve some objectives. The international law on military and arsenal strength of a country clearly indicates that no country whatsoever should use excessive force to achieve its objectives. The two countries were accused of using excessive force in a bid to achieve their end objectives. The countries use of excessive force led to increased number of casualties. Use of excessive force is a military tact that is strongly prohibited.

The second Lebanon war violated the law on international diplomacy. International diplomacy law stipulates that countries should respect the sovereignty of their neighboring countries by engaging in diplomatic interventions as the best way to deal with a crisis. The war between these two countries illustrated how the diplomatic option was substituted for war. Both countries were not justified in engaging in the war because, that would show that the two countries did not recognize the sovereignty of each other. The countries violated the diplomatic code because the law indicates that countries are supposed to ignore the diplomatic mechanism only under circumstances in which the diplomatic option does not seem to work or in scenarios where the safety and security of a country has been threatened.

The second Lebanon war violated laws on the environment and animal rights. The second Lebanon war was accused of interfering with the ecosystem largely due to the fact that the chemical emissions from the war would negatively impact the environment. Various environmental groups and organizations strongly condemned the war citing disastrous environmental effects that would result from the war (Galnoor, 93). In addition, the environmental watchdogs indicated that environmental disasters which were had been brought by the war, would subsequently lead to food shortages and food insecurity in the future. The war was condemned for violating the rights of animals which were reported to die in large numbers because of the unfavorable conditions that the war had brought.

source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/

Israel military operations

The second Lebanon war was focused on the response of Israel to the war. Israel was accused of using excessive military force. This was against basic laws that aimed at protecting civilians from excessive use of force by the military or police. The Israel military units were reported to have been applying inhuman torture mechanisms to the Arab captives. The Israeli military operations were pointed as the worst methods of torture administration ever witnessed in the last couple of years. Various media reports outlined how the Israeli soldiers  resulted to grave torture techniques whose objectives was to obtain important information from the Arab captives. The Israeli government was quick to refute such claims adding that the Israeli army was complying with all laws relating to military operations.

The Israeli government engaged in a number of public relation campaigns which were aimed at justifying the Israeli military operations. The government was accused of hiding the truth from the public. The government was accused of using inhuman diplomatic mechanisms in order to attain the much needed peace and security.

Israelis use of cluster munitions

The use of cluster munitions by the Israeli army was in contravention to the Ohio declarations in which over 100 states signed the declaration form which was against the use of cluster munitions. The Israeli army’s continued use of the cluster ammunitions was against the Ohio conventions which highly prohibited the use of cluster ammunitions. The use of cluster ammunitions was considered as an unfair and inhuman military tactic by Israeli army. Despite the Israeli army’s criticism, about the use of cluster munitions, media reports indicate that the military unit relies on cluster munitions in a bid to achieve meaningful battlefield success.

Role of United Nations in resolving the second Lebanon war

The United Nations was keen on the developments that led to the second Lebanon war. The United Nations was involved in deliberations and other policy framework intervention mechanisms in order, to resolve a war that had brought nothing but more human suffering and wanton destruction. The United Nations was involved in policy adjustments that related to international laws. The United Nations strived to put an end to this war but the strategies that it applied never worked. The United Nations introduced various articles in its legal clauses. These clauses were aimed at instituting new sanctions which would in effect make the countries refrain from further war. The second Lebanon war forced the United Nations top organ, the Security Council to initiate some codes which were meant to reduce the catastrophic effects of the Lebanon war.

Despite of the interventions by the United Nations and other international mechanisms to rescind the war, minimal efforts were achieved in avoiding a further war outbreak (UNDP, 25). The new article clauses introduced by the United Nations, were not adhered to and this seemed like a cat and mouse game. The Israeli parliament was reported to have given nod to the military action of its army (UN Yearbook, 6). These conflicting dimensions, made the problem even worse. Some international relations experts note that Israel was not ready to settle for a truce mechanism which would compromise its intelligence and military strength. The United States strongly condemned the war, calling it an unfortunate occurrence that compromised the peace process in the Middle East. One United States ambassador noted that the only solution that would work would include consultative talks that would be aimed at creating a common ground between the warring nations (Abiad & Mansoor, 80).

Israeli post war foreign policy

The second Lebanon war was a turning point for Israeli foreign policy frameworks. The war brought the idea of Israel adopting new rules which would enable it protect its interests. The Israeli government drafted new policy mechanisms that saw a paradigm shift in the way it associated with its neighbors. The Israeli government demanded that its neighbors recognize it as a legitimate nation whose sovereignty was supposed to be fulfilled.

Despite the new policy intervention mechanisms initiated by Israel, the process of finding a common ground between the two camps has been a task. The Arab countries have failed to completely honor Israel as a legitimate country. Analysts express worried sentiments that these contentious issues could compromise the overall peace process that the two countries desperately need (Stewart, 34).

The new Israeli foreign policy has been designed in such a way that it outlines various conditionality’s that, must be met, by other countries in order, for a country to be legitimately recognized by Israel. The new foreign policy outlook emphasizes on the mechanism of using diplomatic mechanisms in order to solve challenges that may arise in the near future with its neighbors (Nourallah, 12).

Despite the crafting of the new policy frameworks, critics contend that Israel has a lot of home work to do in terms of protecting the interests of its people because, it faces opposition from all Arab neighbors that surround it. However critics note the achievements of Israel in realizing a peace agreement has been its willingness to engage in direct talks with their Palestinian counterparts.

Reconstruction of destroyed property

The Israeli – Arab conflict has brought untold economic losses. In this regard, the Israeli government has put in place codes that will enable the country to embark on a series of economic reconstruction projects. The Israeli government has gone ahead to implement new legal mechanism that will ensure that the reconstruction of destroyed buildings takes place. The Israeli government introduced this law in order to foster reconstruction of dilapidated structures (Tickner & Waever, 4). The Israeli parliament was reported to have implemented fast reforms of the so called reconstruction policies in order to facilitate structural set ups.

Legal mechanisms to freeze Hezbollah financing

The second Lebanon war led to the establishment of laws that ensured that the terrorist group of Hezbollah was no longer receiving financing from external sources. Legal mechanisms were put in place to ensure that countries such as Iran would not be involved in financing the Hezbollah terrorist link. The United Nations in particular ratified some of the laws relating to arms and arms disarmament plans which would implicate those involved in the vice(Greenbaum, Veerman & Bacoon Shanoor, 50).

The funding of the Hezbollah terrorist organization was considered as illegal in the international perspective in the sense that the process was seen as to promote acts of terrorism (Warbrick, Kaikobad & Bohlander, 73). The funding process that was facilitated by Iran was expected to come to an end. Foreign relations experts noted that the Iranian support for Hezbollah was a motivating factor for the Hezbollah to advance its terrorist objectives. The freezing of Hezbollah funding would translate to a peaceful coexistence of these Arab nations.

Future Israeli- Arab relations

The future of Israeli- Arab relations is being closely watched. This is because of the uncertainty that has existed between the two sides. Political scientists note that the relations between Arab and Israeli nations have proved a hard task to predict because of the developments that keep on recurring day after day (Bring, Wrange & Endahl, 3). The Arab- Israeli relations have been seen to take new turns, thanks to efforts by the United Nations and international peace mediators. But unfortunately, the developments achieved in respect of achieving Middle East peace plan have been perceived as slow and of low impact. Thus stakeholders are optimistic of future prospects, thanks to the ongoing peace talks.

Conclusion

The second Lebanon war came at a moment when the world peace hangs on a delicate balance (Slomanson, 27). The war reminded the world that unless international rules and regulations are fostered, then the issue of lasting peace and security would remain like an illusion. The war brought the ugly side of poor international mechanisms to handle sovereign conflicts. The war was an eye opener to the world that unless more comprehensive policy frameworks are instituted to deal with the conflict, then future conflicts would keep on recurring again and again.

References

Slomanson, W.R. Fundamental Perspectives on International Law. Boston: Cengage Learning. 2010. Print.

Engdahl, O, Wrange, P & Bring, and O. Law at war: the law as it was and the law as it should be. Danvers: BRILL. 2010. Print.

Warbrick, C, Kaikobad, K.H & Bohlander, M. perspectives on legal order and justice: essays in honour of Colin Warbrick. Danvers: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. 2009. Print.

Tickner, A.B & Wæver, O. International relations scholarship around the world, Volume 1. New York: Taylor & Francis. 2009. Print.

Greenbaum, C.W, Veerman, P.E &  Bacon-Shnoor, N. Protection of children during armed political conflict: a multidisciplinary perspective. New York: Intersentia nv.2007. Print.

Stewart, D.J. The Middle East today: political, geographical and cultural perspectives. New York: Taylor & Francis. 2009. Print.

United Nations Development Programme. The Arab human development report 2005: towards the rise of women in the Arab world. New York: Stanford University Press. 2005. Print.

Nourallah, R.Beyond the Arab disease: new perspectives in politics and culture. New York: Taylor & Francis. 2006.

Abiad, N & Mansoor, F. Criminal Law and the Rights of the Child in Muslim States: A Comparative and analytical perspective. London: BIICL. 2010. Print.

United Nations. Yearbook of the United Nations, Volume 60; Volume 2006. New York: United Nations Publications. 2006. Print.

Galnoor, I. Public Management in Israel: Development, Structure, Functions and Reforms. London: Taylor & Francis. 2010. Print.

Gidron, B & Bar, M. Policy Initiatives towards the Third Sector in International Perspective. New York: Springer. 2009. Print.


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