Cruise Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cruise Industry - Research Paper Example The global economy is passing through the recession with high levels of unemployment as well as fluctuating oil prices. Though the traditional market for the cruise industry i.e. North America is making an economic recovery, however, conditions in Europe are relatively discouraging due to sovereign debt issues as well as low economic growth. Thus the strategy of developing long-term sustainability of the industry may face setbacks as it may fail to find lucrative and profitable alternative destinations.An overall international political environment is relatively volatile too with potential threats of terrorism as well as pirates. There has been an increased activity of pirates especially in Somalia region with the possibility that such activities may be started in other areas too. Since both the cruise liners i.e. CCL and RCL also operate in non-US areas also, therefore, the fluctuations in the foreign currency values can also adversely affect the revenue of both the cruise liners.Th ere have been concerns over the environmental protection and the potential role of cruisers in disturbing the ecosystem of the sea. It is also because of this reason that the overall regulatory environment for cruise liners may become tough. It is also because of this link between environment and cruise industry that it has been attracting negative publicity. Various environmentalist groups are advocating against the industry due to the potential damage that could be done to the environment.

State Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

State Taxation - Essay Example Over this, many counties and municipalities levy their own taxes and that has been found to be as high as 9.9%. Maryland has different slabs of personal Income Tax rates. For top of the bracket income (over $500,000) applicable tax rate is 5.5%. For the income below $150,000 per year, income tax rate is 5.0% and for the income in between $150,000 and $500,000 the income tax rate is 5.25%. State does not charge property tax but counties of Maryland do charge property tax and the rate varies between 1.357$ and $ 5.67 per $100 of assessment. Most of the counties charge close to $2.1 per $100 property valuation (Maryland Taxes, 2012). Pennsylvania levies a 6% state sales tax on goods and services providing exemption to the prescription drugs, clothing, residential heating fuels, textbooks and food items. Local counties such as Philadelphia and Allegheny charge additional 1% of the tax making it total 7%. The state of Pennsylvania does not charge taxes on personal property or real estate; however, local municipalities do charge those taxes only on real estate, land or building. The tax is not charged on other kinds of properties such as cars or inventories (Powell, Albrecht). A minimum sales tax charged in Florida is 6 percent. Besides, state permits each county to charge its own local tax that is applicable over and above state sales tax. Counties in Florida have been found to charge taxes between 6 and 7.5 percents. Florida is costliest among all states on the property tax; however, homestead exemptions up to $50,000 can be availed by Florida residents. Homestead exemptions are available to homeowners who stay in the home as primary residence. Florida does not impose gift tax, inheritance tax or intangible personal property tax on the residents. It is worth noting that while buying home in South Florida, closing cost is also a kind of expense that needs to be considered.

Big Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Big Issues - Research Paper Example conditions surrounding their medical situation will involve the kind of medical attention required, and the capability of the caregiver to administer the requirements. Does the primary medical professional have the right to decide? William Coch believes so. Firstly, if an elderly has no relative, he should be in a nursing home. However, when there are relatives involved, a lengthier and more complex decision-making process takes place. Based on Coch’s experience, most of his patients look to him for the final decision. He positions it as â€Å"doctor’s orders.† If such is the paradigm, it takes away the emotions involved from the point-of-view of abandonment vs. capability to care. It objectifies the decision, and makes it a part of the elderly patient management (Frontline, 2006). Does the immediate relative have the right to decide? If the presence of a relative is available, then by all means should be consulted. However, the primary medical professional still gets involved with the conversation, if at a minimum to provide a professional prognosis of the elderly’s medical condition, and if requested, can provide a professional medical opinion as an advocate (Frontline, 2006). In conclusion, the best decision will be made by the three players: the sensible elderly, the primary health provider and the primary caregiver relative. It should be a decision based on consensus, where all parties will agree to an objective – the level of quality for end-of-life. US Bureau of Census (2010). Persons 65 Years Old and Over--Living Arrangements and Disability Status: 2007. Retrieved on May 2, 2010 from

Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Paper Example Iraq had no link to terrorism, no weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and no legal rationale to attack. Despite this, Bush decided to invade the Republic of Iraq for causes deemed objectionable to the majority of other countries so he frequently relied on and utilized false information to rationalize it. He lied. This discussion will examine how the truth was a casualty early and often during the lead up to the war and outlines some of the consequences brought about by these far-reaching and deadly deceptions. Bush voiced his disagreement to the concept of ‘nation building’ during the 2000 presidential election debates but as president waged an undeclared war against a sovereign country that had neither attacked first nor threatened to. Immediately following and as a reactionary reply to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Bush stated the county’s intention to begin a ‘War on Terrorism’ which he portrayed as a protracted battle against those t hat would use terrorist actions in addition to the countries that enabled them. The eventual culmination of the selective legal reasoning and rhetoric concerning the ‘War on Terror’ was Bush’s order of the military to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq, an illegal action on many fronts. Bush had constantly claimed that these actions were legal. First, he argued, due to language existing within the UN Security Council Resolution 1441 regarding Iraq and secondly, the invasions were an act of self-defense which is permitted by international law. Conversely, according to Richard Perle, advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and official of the U.S. Defense Policy Board, â€Å"international law ... would have required us to leave Saddam Hussein alone.† (Burkeman & Borger, 2003). However, this option would have been â€Å"morally unacceptable† according to the Bush administration. The United Nations Charter, Article 51, Chapter Seven stipulates à ¢â‚¬Å"nothing shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations† (United Nations Charter, 1945). Article 51 allows a country the justification to â€Å"deter an act, or acts of imminent or ongoing violence† but only as a transitory solution until the UN Security Council takes the appropriate actions to ensure the protection of the affected region. By precise interpretation of this Article, the rights of self-defense a country can exercise does not comprise the right to retaliate after an attack has ceased. The U.S. defended its invasion and occupation of Iraq to the countries of the world by announce, if not substantiating, that it was a undertaking to remove WMD which endangered not only the U.S. but all other countries as well. Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as other administration officials, predominantly with the U.S. Department of State, enthusiastically endeavored to s tate their justification for aggressive military actions and make this plan as acceptable to as many other nations as they could. Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense at that time, is quoted in a Vanity Fair magazine interview dated May 28, 2003 as saying â€Å"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction† (Shovelan, 2003). Before to the invasion, Hans Blix, the man in charge of the UN weapons inspection team in Iraq, said unequivocally and very publicly

Analysis of jungle book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of jungle book - Essay Example These stories all contain strong moral lessons, and can also be viewed as allegories of real life, not simply the animal life that they can be read as at one level. In the story the White Seal, Kipling uses a seal to portray the conflict within our own lives, and also gives us a look into what we humans are doing to nature. Just like all his other stories, Kipling opens the White Seal Tale with a song, the Seal’s lullaby. This song, which goes as follows â€Å"Oh! hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us, And black are the waters that sparkled so green. The moon, oer the combers, looks downward to find us At rest in the hollows that rustle between. Where billow meets billow, then soft be thy pillow, Ah, weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease! The storm shall not wake thee, nor shark overtake thee, Asleep in the arms of the slow-swinging seas!† helps set the tone for the whole selection, and also keeps with the Kipling tradition of the rest of the Jungle Book. This opening poem helps set the character for the white seal that is later introduce into the story. By including words such as â€Å"flipperling†, â€Å"rustle†, and â€Å"billow†, Kipling is able to use this poem to set the feel and mood of the rest of the piece. These tone words help set up the feelings of tranquility and peace, however it is this exact feeling that is set up here that is later disturbed. Kipling then uses the start of the story as an allegory against human beings and their many odd behaviors. He describes how the seals all flock to get the best piece of land, and spend many an months simply sitting there and fighting over the best piece of land. Looking into this, one can see the â€Å"high esteem† Kipling held for humans who fought over land, and acted just as stupidly as all of the seals did. It is also important to note that Kipling chose only

King Philip II of Spain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

King Philip II of Spain - Essay Example Unlike his father Philip II was not interested in war and avoided wars and paid less attention to enhancing his own greatness than to deter that of others. King Philip II usually followed the opinion of others. King Philip II considered that Spaniards superior to the nation. He believed that he lived among the Spaniards and he should consult them and they should direct his policies. He considered the Spaniards above all the others that he ruled, that is, the Flemish, the Italians and the Germans. He would give them positions only in the military, in the hope that he could prevent his enemies from using them. Born in 1527 Phillip II became the king of Spain in 1556, he died in 1598. He governed Spain in her Golden Age. However during his rule Spain went through an economic crunch. Spain's bankruptcy continued for a decade from 1588 to 1598. Inclusive of the disaster of the Spanish Armada. Philip II had a good taste for music and art and considered him self a traditional Spanish man. He also loved collecting master pieces and his collection was at his palace outside Madrid which was called Escorial. Philip II was an educated man but however he was weak at languages but good at Politics and History. He also collected art works and rare books. He was a very religious man and his rooms at his palace were Spartan which contained very less furniture. Philip II was married four times to Maria Manuela of Portugal, Mary Tudor of England, Elizabeth of Valois and Anne of Austria respectively. Philip had a major problem of not trusting his own judgments and also relied on the advice of others. He al so mistrusted the advice of his advisors. Due to this any issues took a very long time to be decided upon. It is believed he had a persistent lack of self confidence. "Your majesty spends so long considering your undertakings that when the moment to perform them comes the occasion has passed and the money has been spent"(Maran, 1954, p. 17). Long term policies could be cultured to achieve long term results as a result of him taking time to make important decisions. He wanted to 'Castilise' Spain which resulted in the most important government positions going to Castilians. Philip strongly believed that the right of the kings was divine and believed that kings were appointed by god and he as a king was also appointed by god so he could never makes any mistakes as god could not make mistakes. King Philip II settled down in the Netherlands during the early years of his reign. In 1559 he returned to the peninsula and never left the peninsula again. King Philip II was a native Spanish speaker and he decided to rule from Spain rather than travel around to his different states. Though, King Philip II was sometimes described as a monarch, he faced many constitutional limitations on his power. Spain was considered a coalition of many separate territories. It wasn't a single monarchy with one legal system. Precedence was usually taken over King Philip's authority by the local assemblies. The word of the local Lords was considered more effective than the King's own word. He also struggled with the issue of the Morisco population in Spain, who were forced to convert to Christianity by his ancestors. When the Morico Revolt broke out in 1568 in response to the attempts to restrain Moorish customs, King Philip ordered the distribution of Moricos onto other states after their

Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Paper Example Iraq had no link to terrorism, no weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and no legal rationale to attack. Despite this, Bush decided to invade the Republic of Iraq for causes deemed objectionable to the majority of other countries so he frequently relied on and utilized false information to rationalize it. He lied. This discussion will examine how the truth was a casualty early and often during the lead up to the war and outlines some of the consequences brought about by these far-reaching and deadly deceptions. Bush voiced his disagreement to the concept of ‘nation building’ during the 2000 presidential election debates but as president waged an undeclared war against a sovereign country that had neither attacked first nor threatened to. Immediately following and as a reactionary reply to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Bush stated the county’s intention to begin a ‘War on Terrorism’ which he portrayed as a protracted battle against those t hat would use terrorist actions in addition to the countries that enabled them. The eventual culmination of the selective legal reasoning and rhetoric concerning the ‘War on Terror’ was Bush’s order of the military to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq, an illegal action on many fronts. Bush had constantly claimed that these actions were legal. First, he argued, due to language existing within the UN Security Council Resolution 1441 regarding Iraq and secondly, the invasions were an act of self-defense which is permitted by international law. Conversely, according to Richard Perle, advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and official of the U.S. Defense Policy Board, â€Å"international law ... would have required us to leave Saddam Hussein alone.† (Burkeman & Borger, 2003). However, this option would have been â€Å"morally unacceptable† according to the Bush administration. The United Nations Charter, Article 51, Chapter Seven stipulates à ¢â‚¬Å"nothing shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations† (United Nations Charter, 1945). Article 51 allows a country the justification to â€Å"deter an act, or acts of imminent or ongoing violence† but only as a transitory solution until the UN Security Council takes the appropriate actions to ensure the protection of the affected region. By precise interpretation of this Article, the rights of self-defense a country can exercise does not comprise the right to retaliate after an attack has ceased. The U.S. defended its invasion and occupation of Iraq to the countries of the world by announce, if not substantiating, that it was a undertaking to remove WMD which endangered not only the U.S. but all other countries as well. Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as other administration officials, predominantly with the U.S. Department of State, enthusiastically endeavored to s tate their justification for aggressive military actions and make this plan as acceptable to as many other nations as they could. Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense at that time, is quoted in a Vanity Fair magazine interview dated May 28, 2003 as saying â€Å"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction† (Shovelan, 2003). Before to the invasion, Hans Blix, the man in charge of the UN weapons inspection team in Iraq, said unequivocally and very publicly