Summary, Plot, Moral Values, Themes the Call of the Wild Essay Example for Free

Summary, Plot, Moral Values, Themes the Call of the Wild Essay Summary: Buck, the lead character, is a much loved and pampered dog living a comfortable life on a ranch under the loving care of his owner, a wealthy judge who makes his pet want for nothing. Then one day, Bucks life takes a dramatic turn when hes sold off by an unscrupulous servant to pay a debt. He travels in a cage for the first time and is sold in Alaska, where dog-sleds are the primary mode of transportation. Buck has to quickly adapt to his new life as a sled dog and learn how to survive in a dog-eat-dog world where the competition is tough and often deadly. The basic comforts he had hitherto taken for granted, namely abundant food and warm shelter, are replaced by the bare necessities for survival which have to be fought for tooth and claw. Buck learns quickly, his physique and natural intelligence standing him in good stead, all the while improving as a sled dog and ultimately deposing the pack leader, his arch enemy: Spitz. His life changes sharply yet again, as he is sold off to Hal and his wife, people who know nothing about sledding or caring for animals till at last he is rescued by a kind and loving man, his last master: John Thornton. At last Buck finds a master who loves him besides caring for or pampering him. However this happiness is not built to last, his master is murdered by the vicious Yee-Hats, a tribe of brutal savages. In the midst of his anguish, Buck has to find his true self, he has to listen to the Call of the Wild and to answer it to go leaping towards his destiny Get this e-book now at a very low price. Summer Promotion at eBooks.com! Take $15 off on $100 or more purchase. Use code: SUMMEREBOOKScp. Valid until Sep 22, 2012 Social/Historical context: The book was published in 1903, the time of the gold rushes and adventures in vast, unexplored tracts of land. A time before the full use of machinery and sophisticated technology, when often, dog sleds and carts were the only means of communication in the wilderness. Londons masterpiece, as it is often hailed to be, explores the heart of those yet-primitive societies on the edges of civilization, through the minds of their beasts. Writing Style: The book is written as a third-person narrative, continually following the central character and from the point of view of the central character. The language is extremely simple and lucid, and combined with a gripping plot, the book is easy to follow and hence suited for younger as well as seasoned readers. London has explored society from a dogs perspective. However the deeper, darker messages of unbound greed, ambition and ultimately the necessity of adaptability to change are easy to spot. There is an innocence in the way the author has attempted to capture the scene from a dogs point of view, this adds to the simple charm of the book. My Thoughts: One of my early classics, I read this for the first time when I was 9 and I loved it because I loved animals as all children of that age do. Now, when I reminisce about it I relate, with an adult mind, to the other themes in the book. I cannot help but wonder at the complexity of the layers, so deep yet so simply structured. A timeless tale for all and sundry.

Analysis of the Bill No. AB 29 Essay Example for Free

Analysis of the Bill No. AB 29 Essay The bill considered for this paper is Bill No. AB 29, authored by Price and Swanson, with subject â€Å"Healthcare Coverage†. The bill was introduced in 1st December 2008 and amended on the 24th of March 2010. 1. Overview of the health problem Based from the analyses provided for the bill, this bill has been proposed and argued for on the grounds that it has the ability to curve statistics for the largest uninsured segment of the population in California which is comprised of teenagers aged 19-23 (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). This age range, consisting the 27. 3% of the uninsured individuals in California, has been excluded from eligibility to received healthcare benefits under their parent’s insurance coverage, on the basis of age (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). This then, according to the research presented by the proponents of the bill, disposes these individuals of this age to seek their insurance coverage somewhere and shoulder the costs themselves (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). The costs of which may be considered expensive for these people to handle and thus, they prefer to skip making applications (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). This is the current situation in California, and one which the bill specifically targets to address. The bill seeks to extend the dependent coverage for medical insurance of children up to 27 years of age. While the existing legal provisions- also those apparent in Knox and Keene Health Service Care Plan of 1975- do not impose any restrictions to the current conditions imposed by employers on matters concerning the medical insurance coverage for dependent children, the statistics for insured population belonging to the young adult group remains to be high and these statistics cause an alarming reality of the current status of accessibility to quality health care by the young adult population. The bill seeks to extend the medical insurance coverage of children who have been considered as dependents of their parents. For parents whose insurance coverage is paid for by the employer, the bill provides them the opportunity to maintain the dependent coverage for their children by making payments of the additional premiums (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4) Presently, children who reach the age of 21 or after they graduate high school or college are disabled from further being enrolled as dependents of their parents for premium coverage or health care insurance. This scenario reveals that this particular group of individuals will remain to get neglected, as far as matters about fair and equal accessibility to heath care insurance policies are concerned if no actions are done now to at lest protect them from being excluded from necessary accesses. This bill will affect the almost 30% uninsured population of California, as well as the number of insurance companies and employers whoa re currently providing health care insurance overage for parents whose children or who have any children that belong to this particular age-group. 2. Severity of the health problem As there are no existing legal provisions that would discourage the current situation, this business culture presents a serious problem for any society who puts high importance to the accessibility of quality healthcare to its citizens, regardless of age. The current practices regarding the admission of young adults for medical coverage under their parents’ insurance accounts have very stringent rules. The background research provided in the Bill Analysis identify that most parents who cover their children as listed beneficiaries of medical coverage that is under their insurance account are working parents whom medical coverage was obtained though the employers’ provisions. However, the existing agreement between the employer and most insurance providers revoke young adults’ eligibility to remain beneficiaries under their parents’ insurance account on two grounds: (1) if they are not enrolled in college for full-time; or (2) after the children turn 19, graduate from high school, or graduate from college (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). The gravity of the reality of the situation is compounded by the fact that, according to the research background provided in the Bill Analysis, young adults encounter difficulty applying for medical insurance coverage and getting accepted with their applications (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). This reality is based on several reasons. According to the research background provided in the bill analysis, statistics show that these particular age range, the young adult population, often end up with low paying jobs and hold temporary positions (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 3). Thus, they receive meager salaries and are excluded from receiving health insurance benefits provided for by the company as one of the incentives employees get (Bill Analysis, 2009, pp. 3-4). Existing legal provisions also support exclusion of this particular age range from being eligible to receive benefits from public programs if they are considered healthy and childless (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). According to the presented report on public programs in the Bill Analysis, children are only included in the Medi-Cal program before they reach the age of 21, after which, they are pretty much on their own. Only young adults with children, pregnant, or with disability are qualified to receive the benefits of the program of the Medi-Cal (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). The risks associated with the present circumstances are high. Generally, it curves down the access of this particular population to quality health care (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). This leaves serious implications to the young adult and his or her family. The most obvious is that, in case of medical emergencies, a large-out of the pocket expenses would be required from the family if the young adult patient happens to be not covered by any health care insurance policy (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). 3. Overview of the bill The bill has undergone two Assembly Committee Analyses and one Senate Committee Analysis on the 28th and 14th of April 2008 and on the 26th of March 2009, respectively. This bill inserts some additional conditions and requirements to the existing Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Knox-Keene Act). Essentially, the bill requires the lifting of the existing age limit implemented by employers and health care insurance providers upon dependent coverage; and provide the conditions under which these additional requirements can be fulfilled without necessarily passing the costs of which to employers health care insurance firms. Specifically, it targets to impose these four conditions: First, the bill â€Å"would prohibit, with a specified exception, the limiting age for dependent children covered by these health care service plan contracts and group health insurance policies from being less than 27 years of age† (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, par. 2). Secondly, the â€Å"bill would also provide that no employer is required to pay the cost of coverage for dependents who are at least 23 years of age, but less than 27 years of age. The bill instead would authorize subscribers and insureds to elect to provide coverage tot hose dependents by contributing the premium for that coverage† (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, par. 2). Thirdly, while the constitution of California requires the reimbursements of costs to local agencies and school districts based in the mandate of the state, the bill â€Å"would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason† (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, pars. 4-5). Lastly, the bill imposes that any violations of the additional requirements it has on the Know-Keene Act is to be considered a crime (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, par. 3). Section 1 of the bill stipulates conditions requiring the deletion of age limit to criteria eligibility and changing the age limit of the child into twenty-seven. This section also provides that the plan contract should not specify any conditions leading to the individual’s exemption from Medi-Cal’s benefits; automatic inclusion to benefits entitlement of children and spouses to medical coverage upon moment of birth, or in case of adopted child, from the moment that the legal documents for adoption have been signed or any document stating that the responsibility for health care for the adopted is admitted by the individual adopting; and no plan contract shall be entered upon if there exist conditions in the plan that waive or disclaim or state any other terms of limitation that apply to newborn infants or to adopted children, and allowing the firms to either offer or not mental health and eye health services (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 1, A-G). The section 2 of the bill stipulates the conditions that plan holders have the freedom to choose the medical professional they prefer and that this selection would not be under the discretion of the health insurance firm provider, except for mental and vision health care professionals (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 2, A-D). The Section 3 of the bill reinforces that none of the provisions included in the bill supports or tolerates the performance of any medical activity by any licensed someone who does not have the capacity to do so,; the chosen medical or licensed professional should perform on that which is within the field of his or her specialization. The Section 4 of the Bill stipulates the definition of ‘marriage and family therapist’. The section states that the person should be a licensed professional who has received specific instructions that are equivalent with the instructions or learning required for the January 1, 1981 licensure test (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 4). This section 5 of the Bill requires that the vision and/ or mental health care professional to be chosen by the plan holder should be one that is affiliated with the health insurance provider (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 5). This section also suggests ready availability of psychologists provided by health insurance firms that offer mental services; however, the failure to comply does not constitute a crime (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 5). The Section 6 of the Bill states that the definition for ‘individual practice association’ adopted in the Bill is consistent with the definition used in the Sec. 1307 of the Federal Public health service Act (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 6). The rest of the bill also talks about that a child, 18 years of age and enrolled fulltime in secondary or post secondary school, and enrolled in a medical coverage remains to be eligible during break from schools (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 7); any child who takes medical leave from school and whose conditions render him physically incapable of maintaining self-employment, the provisions stipulated in (D) applies if the child is primarily dependent on the policy holder (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 6); requires that the health insurance firm informs about the termination of coverage if the child reaches appropriate age (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 7); submission of certification of the medical necessity for leave of absence is necessary to be made to the health care insurance firm within thirty days after the first day of the leave of absence (Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 2009, Sec. 7). 4. Promises/ Expected Outcome The promises and expected outcome of the bill would definitely be evident in the statistics concerning the number of young adults without insurance coverage. With the outright provision that lifts the age-limit and substitute it with longer age, the population of young adults without any insurance coverage will be decreased. The Bill also allows better access to health care options for this particular segment of people (young adults). It also relieves the parents the worries that in case of serious medical emergencies involving a young adult of their family, very high of the pocket costs would be required for medication. 5. Supporters of the bill This bill, with its current status of being ‘proposed’, receives a great deal of support from concerned individuals and different organizations. According to the Bill Analysis report, supporters of the proposal include â€Å"the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the California Commission on the Status of Women, the California Medical Association, and Health Access California †¦ American Federation of State, and County ad Municipal Employees† (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). These groups supporting the bill agree in two major points. Firstly, it is pointed out that the bill provides a very good channel for young adults who still rely upon their parents for financial assistance to remain covered by adequate health insurance coverage, especially at the current time when there is difficulty securing and maintaining health care coverage for this particular age group (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 4). Secondly, it is argued that the proposed provision that allows employees to shoulder premiums for the health care insurance coverage of their children who belong in this particular age range can be translated into additional revenues for the state, aside from the fact that there will be a peace of mind for parents that comes with the awareness that every member of their family is being adequately covered (Bill Analysis, 2009, pp. 4-5). 6. Opponents of the bill Not everyone welcomes the proposal of the bill though. According to the Bill Analysis Report, the opponents of the proposed bill include the representatives of health plans, health insurance firms, as well as employers. The arguments are always associated with financial risks and additional costs that the firms may incur once the bill is passed and implemented. These groups argue that the inclusions of this particular age group for eligibility to receive coverage under premiums paid for by their parents, until the age of 27, would only result to the conflict between the premiums and the existing federal tax rules referring to deductibility of taxes imposed on health insurance premiums (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 5). More than that, however, the proposed bill does not give enough allowance of time and opportunity for the concerned parties (insurance provider firms and employers) to calculate and predict the risk and costs that they might incur when the extension for the eligibility for insurance coverage, under premiums paid for by the parents, for this particular age group is finally implemented (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 5). These opponents that such drastic a change might result to employers totally waiving off the coverage for dependents completely due to increased costs and risks the bill can cause them to incur (Bill Analysis, 2009, p. 5). 7. Recommendation This bill contains provisions that, in my view, bring only positive contributions in improving the health care access to young adults. However, I need to agree with the insurance firms and employers that it does not seem to tackle the other side of the coin to make the arguments well-balanced. In other words, no attention has been given yet, neither is there any detail in the bill that indicates research has been done to ensure that risks and costs would not cause serious problems with insurance firms and companies in the future. References http://www. leginfo. ca. gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_29_bill_20090324_amended_asm_v98. html http://www. leginfo. ca. gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_29_cfa_20090326_100055_sen_comm. html http://www. leginfo. ca. gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_29_cfa_20090413_093510_asm_comm. html http://www. leginfo. ca. gov/cgi-bin/postquery? bill_number=ab_29sess=CURhouse=Bauthor=price

Relevance Of The Maxim Certainty Philosophy Essay

Relevance Of The Maxim Certainty Philosophy Essay The maxim: Certainty is not overruled by doubt is one of the universal maxims in Islamic law. It applies to three-quarter of fiqh. Some positions maintain that the maxim does not have significant effect on commercial transactions. The work started by discussing the legal basis of the maxim. It also discussed the detailed meaning of certainty and doubt in Islamic law and jurisprudence and the principles with which they are applied to the particulars of law. Relevant particulars of commercial matters related to it were cited as examples after analysis of the general meaning of each maxim. These examples reveal the significance of the maxim in providing basic principles for dispute resolution as well as the responsibility of proving allegations between parties to commercial transactions. It also laid out in detail the party upon whom the onus of proof lies in litigations to counter what is presumed by law. Keywords: Certainty (yaqÄ ©n), Conjecture (Zann), Doubt (shakk), Illusion (Waham), Commercial Transactions, Dispute resolutions, presumption of law, onus of proof. * Higher Sharia Court Judge, Kala Balge Sharia Court and overseeing Rann Sharia Court, Borno State Judicial Service Commission, Borno State, Nigeria. E-mail: [emailprotected] * Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Department of Sharia, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. E.-mail: [emailprotected] ** Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Department of Sharia, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. E.-mail: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 1. INTRODUCTION: Legal maxims (Al-Qawà £id Al-Fiqhiyyah) are imperative in Islamic jurisprudence as they encapsulate perceptions and precepts that can abet to figure out the factual essence of the Islamic Law in details. Reflective of a consolidated reading of fiqh by great jurists, it is a handy tool for researchers who need to expand their grasp and understanding of content and objective of the law. More importantly, they ease to arrive at the appropriate ruling where is no direct text is available a particular matter. The word al-Qawaid is a plural qà £idah, a derivative of qaada and literally has the meanings of fixation, consistency, and being well established. Qaida on the other hand means base, and Qawaid means a foundation of a building, as Allah, the Most High says: And remember Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations (Qawà £id) of the House  [1]   Technically, it is a general rule applicable to all its related particulars. Sadrush SharÄ ©ah (d. 747) defined Qawà £id as general propositions  [2]  . Examples are Qaida Nahwiyyah (Rule of Grammar), Qà £idah Mantiqiyya (Rule of Logic), Qaida UsÃ…Â ©liyya (Rule of Jurisprudence), etc. Fiqhiyya (lit. of law) is the adjective of Qà £ida (maxim); a derivative of fiqh (law) which literally means understanding. Fiqh is a term that came to denote Muslim jurists detailed study of practical aspect of the Devine ordainments. Imam Shafii (d. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) defined it as the knowledge of the practical injunctions of Sharia acquired from its detailed evidences  [3]  . The two words, i.e. Al-Qawà £id al-Fiqhiyya, referred herein as Legal Maxims has several definitions which basically revolves around two positions. The often quoted definition of legal maxims is that it is a general rule which applies to all of its related particulars  [4]  . As this is an extension of the technical meaning of term Qà £ida in other discipline to the Qà £ida in law (fiqh), this definition has failed to encapsulate the concept of legal maxims and thus not reflective of its essence. Al-Hamawi (d. 1098H=1687AD) has stated that Qà £ida of legists (fuqahà £) is different from Qà £ida in other disciplines such as Grammar (Nahwu), Logic (Mantiq) and even Jurisprudence (UsÃ…Â ©lul Fiqh). In these disciplines, it is a rule applicable to all its related particulars.  [5]   From the foregoing we can say that a legal maxim is a general proposition of law that applies to most of its related particulars  [6]  . The reason for opting to this definition is that maxims do not apply to all particulars that seem related to it. The particulars that do not apply to a general principle are known as exceptions (mustathnayà £t). These exceptions often represent independent or auxiliary maxims in themselves. The exceptions do not however negate the general application of maxims, as the principles of the maxim still represent application to majority; and exceptions are but of minority in all maxims  [7]  . Another characteristic of a legal maxim worth noting is that a maxim applies to most of its related particulars, which are scattered in various themes or chapters of fiqh. But a principle that only applies on one particular theme or chapter of fiqh is referred to as a Regulator (Dà £bit). In other words, a Regulator (Dà £bit) is limited to one chapter and provides a legal principle on injunctions of a particular chapter of Fiqh. According to Al-SuyÃ…Â ©ti (d. 911H) says a maxim collects branches from different chapters while Dà £bit collects branches of the same chapter  [8]  . An example of Dà £bit is: injunction of sale of a nonexistent is same as that of risky-taking (gharar) sales (hukmu baiil madÃ…Â ©mi yatbaul gharar)  [9]  . This Dà £bit is applicable to the chapter of buying and selling. Importance of Legal Maxims (Al-Qawà £id Al-Fiqhiyyah): The great Maliki Jurist of Egypt, Imam Shihà £buddÄ ©n Al-Qarà £fi (d. 676H) described it as embodying secrets and wisdoms of Sharia  [10]  . Legal maxim brings together widely scattered branches of fiqh into a single abstract rule making it easy for jurists, researchers and students of the Islamic law. It also saves time in researching injunctions for several matters that are otherwise scattered in different chapters of books of fiqh. That is why, according Al-SuyÃ…Â ©ti, some jurists refer to fiqh as knowledge of similitudes. Legal maxims therefore make it easy to diagnose juristic injunctions, comprehend and memorise auxiliaries and particulars of the law  [11]  . The four schools of Islamic Jurisprudence are in agreement over the five of the Universal Maxims that they clasp within themselves the entire quintessence of the Islamic Shariah. They are depicted to be universal maxims for being all-inclusive and applicable to the entire range of fiqh without any specification  [12]  ; whereas the rest of the maxims are just elucidations of these five: Matters are (judged) by their intents (Al-UmÃ…Â ©ru bi-maqà £sidihà £)  [13]  ; Hardship begets facility (Al-Mashaqqatu tajlibu Al-TaisÄ ©r)  [14]  ; No harming and no counter-harming (Là £ darara wa là £ dirara)  [15]  ; Custom is Authoritative (Al-ÃÆ'datu Muhakkamah)  [16]  . Certainty is not be overruled by doubt (Al-YaqÄ ©nu la yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-shakki). Beside its general application to three-quarter of Fiqh chapters, Certainty is not overruled by Doubt provides basic guidelines for disputes resolution in contracts including commercial and financial transactions. The paper will discuss in detail the general meaning of the universal maxim Certainty is not overruled by Doubts, its importance and relevance to commercial transactions. This universal maxim is one of the earliest maxims to appear in the discipline of maxims derivation (Al-TaqÄ ©d Al-Fiqhi)  [17]  . The earliest reference to it was made by Imam ShafiÄ © (d. 204H º819C.E.) while discussing admission/ confession. He said: the basis of what I say is that I will always hold people by what is certain, drop the doubtful and use that which is most probable  [18]  . Al-Karkhi (d. 340H) too in his UsÃ…Â ©l has stated that the basis (in law) is that what was confirmed with certainty cannot be overruled by doubt and say it is one of the principles the Hanafi School was based on  [19]  . Over time, it was abridged into its current form: Certainty is not overruled by doubt (Al-YaqÄ ©nu là £ yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-Shakk)  [20]  . 2. CERTAINTY IS NOT OVERRULED BY DOUBT  [21]   (Al-YaqÄ ©nu là £ yazÃ…Â ©lu bish-Shakk) Generally, any matter confirmed to have existed with certainty remains certain until proven with evidence to be otherwise. It is not invalidated by mere doubt or supposition. The same is also said regarding a matter whose non-existence is confirmed continues in that state until also proven otherwise. This is because doubt is weaker than certainty. It will not, therefore, nullify certainty whether or not the later is positive or negative  [22]  . In other words, whenever the existence or non-existence of a matter is established through legally accepted means, a subsequent doubt over the continuance of this state will not affect the legal regard given to the confirmed certainty. Legally, certainty (yaqÄ ©n) is defined as the knowledge that a fact has either definitely occurred or not. Doubt (shakk), which is the opposite of certainty (yaqÄ ©n)  [23]  , is a vacillation over the occurrence and non-occurrence of a fact. Meaning none between the two possibilities is of higher probability. But if either has greater probability, the doubt seizes and it is thus certain (yaqÄ ©n) in the usage of legists (fuqahà £). This form of yaqÄ ©n is often interchangeably used with the term à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann. The term à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ann which literally means conjecture is less than certainty in the language of Jurists and Logicians. To them, Certainty (YaqÄ ©n) is belief that a particular matter is so-and-so and cannot be but so-and-so in manner consistent with its reality and essence. In other words, it is the perfect knowledge free from error. Because injunctions of Sharia are applied on what evident or conspicuous (zà £hir) and not abso lute certainty, the jurists definition is not as encompassing as that of legists (Fuqahà £) which includes the most probable event  [24]  . This is because there are issues which the Sharia may have considered them as certain though they can logically be incorrect. Example is an accepted testimony by witnesses before a Court is a legal certainty for its truthfulness, but is possible that they are telling lies. Al-Qarà £fi says that necessity is the reason why conjecture (à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann) is regarded as certain in Sharia for absolute certainty may not be achieved. Possibility of erring in such à ¡Ã‚ ºÃ¢â‚¬Å"ann is however lesser. But the doubtful cannot be a basis for a judgement  [25]  . This is the reason why scholars of Malikiyya school of thought did not refer to this maxim in the above phrase, that is Certainty is not overruled by doubt, rather their preferred phrase is: The Norm of Sharia is that Injunctions are but based on knowledge and that which is in doubt is not considered  [26]  . 2.1 BASIS OF THE MAXIM: In the Quran, the saying of Allah, the Most High: But most of them follow nothing but Conjecture (Zann): truly Conjecture can be of no avail against truth. Verily Allah is well aware of all that they do  [27]  . One of the meanings of Zann (lit. conjecture) is illusion, i.e. where the fact thought to apply to a particular matter does not in reality apply to it. In such a situation, such conjecture will not overrule what was known for certain  [28]  . Also from Sunnah, the Hadith narrated by Abbà £d bin TamÄ ©m from his uncle from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in which a man complained to the Prophet, peace be upon him of feeling something (departing) his body. The Prophet, peace be upon him, told him not leave (his prayers) until he hears a sound or smells (the gas)  [29]  . The hadith means that one should not ignore the certain, which is the state purity before prayer, in favour of that which is uncertain, i.e. the feeling that something has departed his body. Therefore, such doubt will not overrule the original certainty. In another version of the Hadith related by Abu Huraira, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and if one of you feels something in his belly, and doubts whether something has left his body or not, he should not leave the mosque until he hears a sound or feels a gas  [30]  . 2.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MAXIM: On the significance of the above Hadith, Al-Nawawi (d. 676H) asserts that: this Hadith is a basic source and a great principle  [31]  among the principles of fiqh. The principle is that things are judged to remain on their original forms until the certainty of the contrary is established, a subsequent doubt will thus not harm it  [32]  . Jurists have unanimously agreed on the usage of this maxim. Imam Al-Qarafi states that: this is an agreed upon maxim, the only disagreement among scholars is in some of its applications  [33]  . Ibn DaqÄ ©q al-Eid (d. 702H) also said: The Hadith is a basic principle in the usage and/or tossing of doubts; and scholars appear to be in agreement on this maxim, even though they differ in some of its applications  [34]  . 2.3 RELEVANCE TO COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION: By Commercial Transactions we are referring all Contracts in Sharia relating to the exchange of goods and services. Examples include: transactions like bay (sales contract), ijà £rah (lease), muzà £raah (farm leasing) partnership (muqà £radah), wakà £lah (agency) juala (promise of reward for a particular action), kafà £lah (surety), hawà £la (transfer of debt), rahn (mortgaging), etc. In fact, all contracts with the exception of marriage contract which is not under the scope of this paper. As we have indicated above, certainty in law refers to the most probable assumption. Example of such probable assumption is seeing a man with reasonable wealth possessing a reasonably priced car for several years; one can confidently testify that it belongs to him  [35]  . It is upon this kind of certainty that many legal injunctions apply  [36]  . Other examples of its relevance to commercial transactions include: Where there is a contract between two parties and a doubt is raised on whether or not there was dissolution of the contract. The contract is presumed to be subsisting as this is the certainty  [37]  . Also where it is confirmed that A owes B certain amount of money. But after As death, a doubt is raised on whether or not he has paid, lack of payment will be presumed as it is the certainty  [38]  which cannot be overruled by doubt. Certainty is not overruled by Doubt is supplemented with many Auxiliary Maxims (qawà £id fariyyah) and Regulators (Dawà £bit) which together elaborate its legal implication and significance. These will be classified under three categories, namely: Auxiliary Maxims giving weight to certainty, Auxiliary Maxims emphasising on overlooking of doubt and Maxims indirectly related to the Certainty is not overruled by Doubt. Related maxims to each category will be discussed in the following order: Auxiliary Maxims giving weight to certainty: The norm is that the status quo remains as it was before (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Baqà £u mà £ kà £na ala mà £ kà £na); Let the Ancient rest on its age (Al-QadÄ ©mu yutraku alà £ qidamih) The norm (in Sharia) is freedom from liability (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at Al-Dhimmah); The norm (of Shariah) is that acquired attributes do not exist (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fis-Sifà £til Aridah Al-Adam) The norm in Law is that things are faultless or fit (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu As-Salama) The Norm (of Sharia) regarding things is permissibility (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil Ashyà £i al-Ibà £hah) The Basis in Law Regarding Contracts is that they permissible and binding (on its parties) (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil UqÃ…Â ©di As-Sihhah wal-LuzÃ…Â ©m) The Norm of law regarding terms and conditions is validity (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fish-ShurÃ…Â ©ti as-Sihhah) The basic principle is to ascribe the event to the nearest time of occurrence (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Idà £fatul Hadithi ilà £ aqrabi auqà £tih) Auxiliary Maxims emphasising on overlooking of doubt: No attention shall be paid to inferences (implication) in the face of an explicit statement (Là £ ibrata lid-Dalà £lati fÄ © Muqà £balatit TasrÄ ©h) No weight is attached to Illusion (Là £ ibrata littawahhumi) No argument is admitted against supposition based upon evidence (laa hujata maal ihtimaalin naashii an daleel) The apparently erroneous supposition is not to be taken into consideration (laa Ibrata biz Zannil bayyni khatauhu) Maxims indirectly related to the Certainty is not overruled by Doubt: No statement is imputed by to a person who keeps silence, but silence is tantamount to a statement where there is a necessity for speech (Là £ yunsabu ilà £ sà £kitin qaulun, wa là £kinnas sukÃ…Â ©tu fÄ © maradil hà £jati ilà £l bayà £ni bayà £nu) The original state of words is the literal sense (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu fil Kalà £mi Al-HaqÄ ©qah) No room for ijtihà £d where there is a decisive text (Là £ masà £gha lilijitihà £di fÄ © mauridin nass) 3. AUXILIARY MAXIMS GIVING WEIGHT TO CERTAINTY 3.1 The norm is that the status quo remains as it was before  [39]  : (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Baqà £u mà £ kà £na ala mà £ kà £na) It is a basic provision in Sharia is that the status quo remains as it was before unless it is proven to have changed. To explain further, we can say that a fact whose existence or non-existence is said to be certain in the past is regarded to be as it was and does not change, until evidence is available to change such status. Such proof is mostly based on evidence, confession, admission, and refusal to take oath  [40]  . This principle of law is referred to as Istishà £b in Islamic jurisprudence  [41]  . Considered to be one of the secondary sources of law, Istishà £b has been defined as the presumption of continuity of a matter base on its previously established state. The previously confirmed state may either be legal or rational. This maxim represents a form of Istishà £b which is: accompanying what the law has confirmed to have existed in the past into the present; such as a person who bought a piece of land will be presumed to still owe it until anything that may change that presumption is proved  [42]  . This type of Istishà £b applies in cases such as presumption of continuation ownership after execution of a contract; the liability of a person who damages anothers property remains until repayment and the existence of a liability on an indebted person where the taking up of the loan is attested to  [43]  . An example of the application of the maxim in commercial transaction is where a lender claims paying his debtor; or a buyer claims paying the price to the seller; or a lessee claims paying the lessor; but the debtor, the seller and the lessor denied any payment. The statements of the party denying will be accepted. As the norm is the continuance of what has existed, these claims will not be accepted until legally proved  [44]  . Another application is when a buyer claims that the condition of a commodity he previously saw has diminished during delivery; according to Ibn Qà £sim (d. 918H), the statement of the seller will command credibility base on this maxim. Ash-hab (d. 204H) on the other hand also states that the claim of the buyer will have legal backing because the legal norm is that the buyer is free from liability (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at al-Dhimmah)  [45]  . Hanafis have distinguished between the two by asserting that if much time has lapsed from the time of inspection of the commodity and the time of delivery, the statement of the buyer will be backed by the law  [46]  until the contrary is proved by the seller. 3.2 Let the Ancient rest on its age  [47]   (Al-QadÄ ©mu yutraku alà £ qidamih) Provided it does not violate the right of another, a thing that has existed since time immemorial will enjoy legal protection. The law presumes that something that has remained for a very long time has a legal precedence  [48]  . This is also regarded as Istishab as it is an accompanying of the past condition, whether it is a proof of ownership through evidence or the admission of a respondent. Such istishab can be relied upon provided it has not been lawfully changed which should be through evidence, admission or refusal to take oath  [49]  . This maxim is also closely related the norm is that the status quo remains as it was before  [50]  . Example of its application is that whenever ownership of a property is confirmed by either admission of respondent or conclusive evidence, it shall be presumed to continue in Sharia law  [51]  . Also where two persons claim the ownership of a property, and both provided evidence of their ownership with date. The presumption of the ownership will be in favour of the person who provides earliest date, because he claims to own the property during a time when the plaintiff does not challenge his ownership. This will remain until the plaintiff can prove the contrary  [52]  . 3.3 The norm (in Sharia) is freedom from liability: (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu barà £at Al-Dhimmah) A person is born free from anything; and being liable of anything is contrary to the original norm (asl) of law  [53]  . Literally, the word asl means root or source, and in the context of this maxim it means the most probable (al-rà £jih  [54]  ) evidence upon which the law relies and bases its rulings. This maxim applies to both fact and law. Regarding its application to fact, the general rule is that a person is certainly free from any obligation or liability and making him liable for something is both doubtful and a contradiction of the original state of man; being born free from any liability. Claims of liabilities such as debt, obligation that was the result of later cause will only be accepted if proved through means provided by the law. In the absence of any such proof, the Sharia regards a person to have no liability, thus making onus of proof upon the person who alleges a fact or claims it. The maxim is inspired by the Prophets Hadith, peace be upon him, in which he said: the onus of proof is on the claimant, and taking of an oath is incumbent upon him who denies.  [55]  The hadith provides that the party insisting to disprove the status quo and wants to establish a recently acquired attribute is the claimant and the onus of proof is upon him; while the party that clings on the original (asl) attribute is the defendant/respondent and upon him is the oath because he is denying the allegation.  [56]   This maxim is an equivalent to what is generally known as the presumption of innocence, though this principle is more general. The expression presumption of innocence implies that it relates principally to criminal procedure, whereas the non-liability maxim extends to civil litigation and to religious matters generally. The normative state, or the state of certainty for that matter, is that people are not liable, unless it is proven that they are, and until this proof is forthcoming, to attribute guilt to anyone is treated as doubtful. Certainty can, in other words, only be overruled by certainty, not by doubt  [57]  . The maxim provides practical solutions in cases of disputes or disagreements between parties to commercial transactions. Where, or instance, there is a disagreement between the owner and a borrower, a victim and an assailant, the statement of the accused will be accepted because the legal norm is that he is free from an excess liability  [58]  . Another example is where there is disagreement on the amount of loan between the lender and the indebted; the statement of the indebted will be presumed  [59]  . Also, the statement of an agent regarding damage to a property will be accepted, likewise regarding denial of infringement and negligence, with oath  [60]  . In law however, this maxim is often referred to as: The norm (of law) is non-existent (Al-Aà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £lu Al-Adamu). To majority of jurists, both these principles refer to the same thing, as lack of an injunction means one is not obliged to carry it out. In other words is not liable for not doing it. A second aspect of this principle also closely related to the notion of original non-existent, is original permissibility (al-ibà £ha al-asliyyah). In this concept, everything is legal ab initio, and one will not be sanctioned for either doing or omission. Jurists refer to it as permission of the reason (Al-Ibà £h al-Aqliyyah). This implies that it is a presumption of continuation of the original non-existent of injunction base on reason (aql) rather than the words of the Law-giver. This position can as well be deduced from many verses of holy Quran according to many scholars  [61]  . An example of such verses is the saying of Allah, the Most High: Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: Trade is like usury, but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past  [62]  . When taking usury was prohibited, the companions of the Prophet feared the consequence of t

Performers in Eighteenth Century British Theatre :: European Europe History

Performers in Eighteenth Century British Theatre Eighteenth century British theatre was perhaps the starting point that would evolve into modern theatre. Women started to be allowed on stage and acting techniques were beginning to change. Leading performers were like celebrities with a number of fans. Theatre was an intricate part of the social ladder. In the overall scheme of things the actors and actresses played an important part in making the theatre what it was. Without the performers there wouldn’t really be theatre, so in order to understand the eighteenth century British theatre the performers of that era need to be understood. The social standing of actors and actresses in the late eighteenth century was mostly understood to be of the lower class but they were not always treated so. "Many performers, furthermore, were received everywhere with cordiality and respect. Several of them made marriages with persons of distinction;" (Hogan, cxx). A problem that would often occur to dampen a performer's social standing would be the result of a character they played. People of the audience would often hold the performer accountable for the faults of their character. "For an actress to portray an adulteress was not only immodest, but it would almost certainly induce her to become one in reality; of an actor profligacy and immorality were his chief characteristics;" (Hogan, cxx). In a season that could involve 200 nights of performances over 100 plays may be produced (Hogan, ciii). With this in mind many actors and actresses would need to be available to play a great number of parts. For example, "in 1794-95 Quick's first appearance was on 24 September, his last on 25 May. This is a period of 177 nights, out of which he acted on 149, in 47 different parts" (Hogan, cii). With such an abundance of parts to be learned and understood performers had to develop a system to remember everything. There is no exact detailed system to how performers did this than just completely taking time to focus on the part. Hogan provides an example from Michael Kelly‘s Reminiscences that is perfect in showing the focus and discipline performers had to have. â€Å"Previous to the opening of the newly constructed Drury lane in the spring of 1794 its acting manager. John Philip Kemble, must clearly have had his mind occupied with countless details: the superintendence of a large crew of house servants and workmen, of finances, of advertising, of preparing a spectacular revival of Macbeth.

Sydney Tar Ponds Essay -- Environmental Disaster

In 1901, an Boston based invertor group opened up a steel mill on the southeast side of Sydney harbor in Sydney, Nova Scotia. This mill was named DISCO, or Dominion Iron and Steel Company Limited, which was ultimately a subsidiary of DOMCO, or the Dominion Coal Company Limited. DOMCO coal was mined in Dominion, near Glace Bay and was used to make coke. Coke is a hard, grey, porous material, man-made from the coal and is used to fuel the blast furnaces for smelting the iron ore. (Coke (fuel), 2012) DOMCO along with DISCO merged with the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company or SCOTIA to from the British Empire Steel Corporation or BESCO in 1920. The company soon reorganized and in 1930 under the name Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation or DOSCO. In 1957 it was purchased by Toronto based aircraft manufacturing company, A.V. Roe Canada and in 1962 was once again sold, this time to Hawker Siddeley Canada, where it become a subsidiary. (Sydney Steel Corporation, 29) Hawker Siddeley ran the company smoothly until 1965 when they decided to eliminate all money moving operations. It was also around this time that it was announced that there were only around 15 operational years left for the Sydney coalmines and that after this opening new mines would be too expensive and that DOSCO would be getting out of the coal mining industry. The Sydney mill was very outdated compared to other mills in western and central Canada at this time. After an outcry for Cape Breton County residence, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, announced the creation of the Donald Commision led by J.R. Donald. The job of this commission was to launch a inquiry into the Cape Breton coal industry. They recommended that a federal crown corporation be set up to buy and mana... ... Contaminated material will still be filled with cement and then contained in the area they are in, none of the material will be incinerated. Then the entire area will be caped off and landscaped for future use The first phase of this was completed in late 2009 while the second stage began in Spring of 2010. (Tar ponds timeline, 2007) (Sydney Tar Ponds, 2012) Works Cited Coke (fuel). (2012, 04 02). Retrieved 04 08, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel) Sydney Steel Corporation. (29, 04 2011). Retrieved 04 2012, 08, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Steel_Corporation Sydney Tar Ponds. (2012, 04 07). Retrieved 04 08, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Tar_Ponds Tar ponds timeline. (2007, 01 29). Retrieved 04 08, 2012, from CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tarponds/timeline.html

A Separate Peace :: essays research papers

Difference Too Often Leads to Hate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many times in the world, differences have lead to hate. Think of Martin Luther King, for example, who stood for fighting against one of the largest differences. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, is one of many examples of differences leading to hate. Gene and Finny, who somehow managed to become friends, have completely different views of each other. Finny wanted to be friends with Gene, but had trouble facing the reality that Gene felt differently. Gene became jealous over Finny’s difference to himself. Difference has led to hate, once more, and pain has again resulted, first mentally and emotionally, then finally physically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowles creates Gene as one who always is strictly trying to comply with the rules and regulations, always obeying his superiors; completely different then that of Finny’s personality. â€Å"Over your head? Pink! It makes you look like a fairy!† (909). Considering such, he envies Finny, because Finny can ‘get away with murder’ if he wanted to, and can stay out of trouble doing so. â€Å"Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn’t help envying him†¦a little† (909). Knowles shows how much jealousy Gene had over Finny’ s ability to stay out of trouble, no matter what he did. â€Å"This time he wasn’t going to get away with it.† (909). He would rather be in accordance to the rules and be on his best behavior, than to be a rebel who goes against everything. Finny, on the other hand was more of a rebel. â€Å"I wonder what would happen if I looked like a fairy to everyone.† (909). Finny, more of a rebel, is very outgoing; he, however shows himself off as a perfect individual. One day at Devon, he gets into small dispute because he wore the school tie as a belt. This he frees himself from quickly, explaining, â€Å"It goes with the shirt and it all ties together†¦with what we’ve been talking about, this bombing in Central Europe.† (910). Complying with not only Devon’s rules and regulations, but also the standards of formal conduct, Gene has a strong instinct to follow order, guided by careful thought, which Knowles has implanted in him, throughout the text. Gene is a person who thinks before he acts. â€Å"What was I doing up here anyway? Why did I let Finny talk me into stupid things like this?† (906). He is an individualist with distinct and well-thought characteristics.

Ford Motor Company Case Study Essay

Question 1. During the year 2006, Ford Motor Company suffered its biggest operating loss to date at the cost of $12.6 billion. A year later in 2007, things didn’t improve much as Ford posted a $2.7 billion loss. This corresponded with increasing deterioration in market share, with the majority of these losses being captured by other competitors. Ford had seemingly fallen down a slippery slope, and found itself in a hole it was struggling to surface from. This was all gearing up to the three-year recession that hit the U.S. and Global economies extremely hard. Ford’s competitors, General Motors and Chrysler, found themselves also struggling to get a foothold suffering such losses that both companies had to ask the government for massive bailouts while also filing for bankruptcy. Ford was apparently heading for the same disastrous bailout, but then Alan Mullaly stepped in as the new CEO and implemented a series of crucial strategic maneuvers. These strategic maneuvers that he coined as â€Å"One Ford,† aided them in getting a foothold out of the hole in which they dug for themselves by losses in market share. One such important strategic maneuver utilized by Ford was the reorganizing of its product line. It did so by standardizing components and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Some benefits Ford has achieved through reorganizing its product line come from standardizing components globally and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Before the change in demand, vehicles in Europe verses the U.S. were made with different components which built variations for their respected continents. These different unique components complicate production and with that complication came more cost. Ford then, under Mullaly’s direction, began to address this problem by building different models with the same or similar high quality components over the globe (Zboch, 2009). They use common parts to streamline the production line and reducing the number of unique vehicle parts. By standardizing components and reducing the number of different  platforms it offers, Ford is able to achieve better economies of scale and flexibility, which contributes to lower production cost for each new product (allowing them to prod uce hybrid and electric models more affordably for consumers) and also shift production to address changes in customer demand quickly (Ky, 2012). The Focus and Fiesta lines now use a single platform for each international market. Ford has also started making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (small, medium, and large cars, utilities, and trucks), which also comes with benefits for the organization. Ford reduced its nameplates portfolio from 97 to between 25-30 and also brought over the Fiesta from Europe to the United States. The reduction allowed them to focus on global customer demand more intimately, by adapting the vehicle platforms to meet specific regional needs and produce vehicles that customers really want. This change still offers customers a large range of options despite the reduction in Ford’s nameplates (Zboch, 2009). Question 2.Ford has made various product modifications to the Ford Explorer with emphasis on safety and improving the customer experience to increase customer loyalty. They are consistently thinking of new design modification and exploring new opportuni ties with regards to new technology. They are using these new technologies to create new solutions for recurring safety problems. One such new technology is the curve control technology which works by measuring how quickly the vehicle is going and comparing that with how quickly the diver is trying to turn. When the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering it activates and applies the precise amount of breaking required on each wheel to enhance the traditional stability control system. Ford also introduced the radar-enabled adaptive collision warning system to the Explorer, which helps drivers avoid potentially dangerous crashes by using radar to detect the position of other vehicles and warn the driver of these vehicles. Ford also instituted the first rollover-activated side curtain airbags (called Safety Canopy) and the first inflatable rear seatbelts into their Explorer (Ford, 2013). Ford also puts emphasis on going green, as the engine of the Explorer can have an EcoBoost which gives the engine high horsepower without losing fuel economy (Ford, 2012). Question 3.The new products coming out from Ford have recently put more attention on greater fuel efficiency as they have become a leader in fuel economy. Before the recession, Ford and most of its  competitors focused more on manufacturing vehicles with high fuel consumption and largely overlooked the increasing market for small cars. The oil shock of 2008 hit it resulted in rising fuel costs and brought about a change in consumer demand as a trend developed for â€Å"green† fuel efficient small cars (Zboch, 2009). Ford then changed its focus to a science-based strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also increase fuel efficiency of their vehicles. With this strategy they developed an assortment of hybrid vehicles, which can qualify owners for a tax deduction and lower gas prices throughout the year. Ford has moreover enhanced its product line to be more â€Å"green† with the EcoBoost engine that has improved fuel-economy producing responsible resource saving results. Ford is also exploring and investing in alternative fuel opportunities in order to stay on the cutting edge of innovative new alternative fuel technologies like fuel cells, hydrogen power, and ethanol fueled engines. All these fuel saving innovations and opportunities will help increase its market share, while also giving them a competitive advantage (Ford, 2012). Ford has moreover made enhancements to safety technologies like side curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts, and driver assist technologies like the Curve control and radar-based collision warning systems. Ford has become known as global leaders in vehicle safety by offering these innovative new enhancements ( Ford, 2013) . Question 4.Mullaly made a strategic rationalization when he reversed the discontinuation of the flagship brand line of Taurus. Taurus was once one of the most successful Ford’s cars and he was astonished that Ford had initially planned to discontinue this powerful name (Dolan, 2009). It costs many billions of dollars to build the brand loyalty that the Taurus name invokes and for Ford to throw this significant name recognition away seems to be a waste of a huge asset and a major oversight of the corporation. Mullaly made this fact aware and then strived to recharge the brand in order to bring it back to its former glory. The revamped Taurus is sleeker with a more muscular design and offers a range of technological options, from safety features to the voice-activated entertainment system (Dolan, 2009). Furthermore Mullaly made a strategic contraction by divest ing Ford’s noncore brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, and Mercury. This dissociating allowed them to give the necessary focus they need to revitalize the central Ford brand. Also they  are able to contribute extra attention to revamping their core-platforms by concentrating on accessible market opportunities in order to increase market share, not just here in the U.S but on a global scale (Zboch, 2009). Although this divesting could be considered a form of strategic inconsistency, because these names have brand loyalty and name recognition in and of itself. By selling these brands off, Ford is losing the valuable brand equity that leaves with them, but Mullaly wanted to reinstate the Taurus for its brand equity and not lose the loyalty around that brand. Although it Taurus was once a core-platforms, it still shows somewhat of a strategic inconsistency. Question 5. In the past five years Ford has made changes to their product lines that follow their four pillars. These pillars are quality, green, safe, and smart. In the quality section they have made changes by buying the best quality parts possible and standardize the components that are used in many d ifferent platforms to get the best quality at the lowest cost possible (Ford, 2012). They are in addition working to design and improve engineering characteristics in line with the customer’s wants and needs for their vehicles. An example would be the hands-free Sync entertainment system. In the green pillar, Ford has been developing new ways to produce more fuel efficient vehicles. They have made great leaps in changing to a more eco-friendly manufactures that continue to improve their products fuel-economy (Zboch, 2009). In this example they have started to produce hybrid vehicles and an EcoBoost engine which they are very excited about. For Safety category, Ford is continuing to develop the best quality safety technologies for their vehicles, with the thought of greater protection and avoidance measures on their mind. They are the first to offer systems like side-curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts in a large variety of platforms and in addition have created new technologies like the curve control and radar-based collision warning system (Ford, 2013). The changed in the smart pillar, Ford has made strides to deliver technologies that not only make the customers riding experience more entertaining, but also make the gives the vehicle added safety. An example of this is the Sync system which works through voice commands and in addition the newly improved safety technologies. Ford has been using these pillars and will continue use them into the future, as guild-lines to be followed as they make changes to their product lines (Zboch, 2009). They believe that with this strategy they  will be able to stay innovative in order to create a competitive advantage that will lead to an increase in global market share. Citations Dolan, M. (2009, Jun 23). Ford’s Mulally sees a Taurus in his future -CEO hopes to revive sedan that once was best-seller; high price, large size are obstacles. Wall Street Journal Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/docview/399050980?accountid=39473 Ford. † Ford introduces new curve control technology to help protect against crashes on curves.†Http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-introduces-new-curve-control-32869?cmp=ford_rss_tags%7CTechnology. 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. Ky, Samantha. â€Å"Chapter 10 Product Items.† Prezi.com, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2014. . Senna, Alvin. â€Å"COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FORD MOTOR COMPANY.† NEWS WEEKLYLOGISTIC. 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. . Ford. â€Å"Year in Review.† – Sustainability 2011/12. Ford Motor Company, 2011. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. Zboch, Heather. â€Å"Innovation and Its Importance at Ford Motor Company.†HubPages. Phoenix Business, 28 O ct. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. .