Biography of Christina, Unconventional Queen of Sweden

Biography of Christina, Unconventional Queen of Sweden Queen Christina of Sweden (December 18, 1626–April 19, 1689) reigned for nearly 22 years, from Nov. 6, 1632, to June 5, 1654. Shes remembered for her abdication and her conversion from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism. She also was known for being an unusually well-educated woman for her time, a patron of the arts, and, according to rumors, a lesbian and an intersexual.  She was formally crowned in 1650. Fast Facts: Queen Christina of Sweden Known For: Independent-minded queen of SwedenAlso Known As:  Christina Vasa, Kristina Wasa, Maria Christina Alexandra, Count Dohna,  Minerva  of the North, Protectress of the Jews at RomeBorn: December 18, 1626 in Stockholm, SwedenParents: King Gustavus Adolphus Vasa, Maria EleonoraDied: April 19, 1689 in Rome, Italy Early Life Christina was born Dec. 18, 1626, to King Gustavus Adolphus Vasa of Sweden and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, now a state in Germany. She was her fathers only surviving legitimate child, and thus his only heir.  Her mother was a German princess, daughter of John Sigismund, elector of Brandenburg, and granddaughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia.  She married Gustavus Adolphus against the will of her brother George William, who had by that time succeeded to the office of elector of Brandenberg. Her childhood came during a long European cold spell called the Little Ice Age  and the Thirty Years War (1618–1648),  when Sweden sided with other Protestant nations against the Habsburg Empire, a Catholic power centered in Austria. Her fathers role in the Thirty Years War may have turned the tide from the Catholics to the Protestants. He was considered a master of military tactics and instituted political reforms, including expanding education and the rights of the peasantry. After his death in 1632, he was designated the Great (Magnus) by the Swedish Estates of the Realm. Her mother, disappointed to have had a girl, showed little affection for her. Her father was frequently away at war, and Maria Eleonoras mental state was made worse by those absences.  As a baby, Christina was subjected to several suspicious accidents. Christinas father ordered that she be educated as a boy. She became known for her education and for her patronage of learning and the arts. She was referred to as the Minerva of the North, referring to the Roman goddess of the arts, and the Swedish capital Stockholm became known as Athens of the North.   Queen When her father was killed in battle in 1632, the 6-year-old girl became Queen Christina. Her mother, who was described as being hysterical in her grief, was excluded from being part of the regency. Lord High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna ruled Sweden as regent until Queen Christina was of age. Oxenstierna had been an adviser to Christinas father and continued in that role after Christina was crowned. Christinas mothers parental rights were terminated in 1636, though Maria Eleonora continued to attempt to visit Christina. The government tried to settle Maria Eleonora first in Denmark and then back in her home in Germany, but her homeland would not accept her until Christina secured an allowance for her support. Reigning Even during the regency, Christina followed her own mind. Against Oxenstiernas advice, she initiated the end of the Thirty Years War, culminating with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. She launched a Court of Learning by virtue of her patronage of art, theater, and music. Her efforts attracted French philosopher Rene Descartes, who came to Stockholm and stayed for two years. His plans to establish an academy in Stockholm collapsed when he suddenly became ill with pneumonia and died in 1650. Her coronation finally came in 1650 in a ceremony attended by her mother. Relationships Queen Christina appointed her cousin Carl Gustav (Karl Charles Gustavus) as her successor. Some historians believe that she was romantically linked to him earlier, but they never married. Instead, her relationship with lady-in-waiting Countess Ebbe Belle Sparre launched rumors of lesbianism. Surviving letters from Christina to the countess are easily described as love letters, though it is difficult to apply modern classifications such as lesbian to people in a time when such categorizations were not known. They shared a bed at times, but this practice did not necessarily imply a sexual relationship. The countess married and left the court before Christinas abdication, but they continued to exchange passionate letters. Abdication Difficulties with issues of taxation and governance and problematic relations with Poland plagued Christinas last years as queen, and in 1651 she first proposed that she abdicate. Her council convinced her to stay, but she had some sort of breakdown and spent much time confined to her rooms. She finally abdicated officially in 1654. Supposed reasons were that she didnt want to marry or that  she wanted to convert the state religion from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism, but the real motive is still argued by historians. Her mother opposed her abdication, but Christina provided that her mothers allowance would be secure even without her daughter ruling Sweden. Rome Christina, now calling herself Maria Christina Alexandra, left Sweden a few days after her official abdication, traveling disguised as a man. When her mother died in 1655, Christina was living in Brussels. She made her way to Rome, where she lived in a palazzo filled with art and books that became a lively center of culture as a salon. She had converted to Roman Catholicism by the time she arrived in Rome. The former queen became a favorite of the Vatican in the religious battle for the hearts and minds of 17th century Europe. She was aligned with a free-thinking branch of Roman Catholicism. Christina also embroiled herself in political and religious intrigue, first between the French and Spanish factions in Rome. Failed Schemes In 1656, Christina launched an attempt to become queen of Naples. A member of Christinas household, the marquis of Monaldesco, betrayed plans of Christina and the French to the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Christina retaliated by having Monaldesco executed in her presence. For this act, she was for some time marginalized in Roman society, though she eventually became involved again in church politics. In another failed scheme, Christina attempted to have herself made queen of Poland. Her confidant and adviser, Cardinal Decio Azzolino, was rumored to be her lover, and in one scheme Christina attempted to win the papacy for Azzolino. Christina died on April 19, 1689, at age 62, having named Cardinal Azzolino as her sole heir. She was buried in St. Peters Basilica, an unusual honor for a woman. Legacy Queen Christinas abnormal interest (for her era) in pursuits normally reserved for males, occasional dressing in male attire, and persistent stories about her relationships have led to disagreements among historians as to the nature of her sexuality. In 1965, her body was exhumed for testing to see if she had signs of hermaphroditism or intersexuality. The results were inconclusive, though they indicated that her skeleton was typically female in structure. Her life spanned Renaissance Sweden to Baroque Rome and left a record of a woman who, through privilege and strength of character, challenged what it meant to be a woman in her era. She also left behind her thoughts in letters, maxims, an unfinished autobiography, and notes in the margins of her books. Sources Buckley, Veronica.  Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric. Harper Perennial, 2005.Mattern, Joanne.  Queen Christina of Sweden.  Capstone Press, 2009.Landy, Marcia and Villarejo, Amy.  Queen Christina.   British Film Institute,1995.Christina of Sweden.5 Facts About Queen Christina of Sweden.

Figueroa Surname Meaning and Origin

Figueroa Surname Meaning and Origin The Spanish surname Figueroa is a habitational name from any one of several small towns in Galicia, Spain, named Figueroa, from a derivative of figueira, meaning fig tree. Figueroa is the 59th most common Spanish surname. Alternate Surname Spellings: Figuero, Figuera, Figarola, Higueras, Higuero, Higueroa, De Figueroa, Figueres Surname Origin: Spanish Where Do People With the Figueroa Surname Live? While the Figueroa surname originated in Galicia near the border of Spain and Portugal, according to  Forebears  it is no longer as prevalent in that region as it is in many other Spanish-speaking countries. The Figueroa last name ranks 18th in Puerto Rico, 38th in Chile, 47th in Guatemala, 56th in El Salvador, 64th in Argentina, 68th in Honduras, 99th in Venezuela, 105th in Peru and 111th in Mexico. Within Spain, Figueroa is still most prevalent in Galicia, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler.  In the United States, the Figueroa surname is found in greatest numbers in the states of Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and New York. Famous People With the Figueroa Surname Francisco de Figueroa - 16th century Spanish poetPedro Josà ©Ã‚  Figueroa - Colombian portrait painterCole  Figueroa - MLB 2nd baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates- Venezuelan television hostPedro de Castro y Figueroa - Spanish viceroy of New SpainJosà ©Ã‚  Figueroa Alcorta - President of Argentina, 1906–1910Francisco  Acuà ±a de Figueroa - Uruguayan poet and writerFernando Figueroa - President of El Salvador, 1907–1911 Genealogy Resources for the Surname Figueroa 100 Most Common Spanish SurnamesHave you ever wondered about your Spanish last name and how it came to be? This article describes common Spanish naming patterns and explores the meaning and origins of 100 common Spanish surnames. How to Research Hispanic HeritageLearn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean, and other Spanish speaking countries. Figueroa Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Figueroa family crest or coat of arms for the Figueroa surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   The Figueroa DNA Surname ProjectThe Figueroa Family Project seeks to find common heritage through sharing of information and DNA testing. Any variant spellings of the Figueroa surname are welcome to participate. Figueroa Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on the descendants of Figueroa ancestors around the world. Search past queries, or post a question of your own. FamilySearch - Figueroa GenealogyAccess over 1.2 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Figueroa surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Figueroa Surname Mailing ListThis free mailing list for researchers of the Figueroa surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages. Hosted by RootsWeb. DistantCousin.com - Figueroa Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Figueroa. The Figueroa Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Figueroa from the website of Genealogy Today.References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Personal bias paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal bias paper - Essay Example They also acknowledge that the phenomenon of socio-economic status is real. Apart from these fundamental realizations, the education also focuses on the physical ability of individuals (Prasad 67). The issue of physical ability is fundamental in explaining the divergences between people. Not everyone can have the ability to undertake certain actions. This is attributable to the nature of their physical ability. Family education requires committed educators who must have adequate faith and appropriate styles in their roles as educators. Faith allows educators to believe in the culture and meaning of culture practice. This implies that the educators make their students acknowledge the existence of cultural practices because of the faith that they continue to show. It also makes the family educators develop a consistent style while they deliver fundamental lessons on family life (Prasad 43). It is beneficial for people to undergo both prescribed and informal family education classes. This will improve human relations in families and societies. People will understand why certain occurrences take place and in turn prevent conflicts. Elements of misunderstanding between people from diverse socio-economic status will also be

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example A proper integration of functional and cross functional activities on the basis of product flow is also required to further the supply chain efficiency. The answers to the following questions elaborate on these aspects of supply chain management. In the present day business environment firms can enhance their competitive strength by efficiently managing their supply chain. The typical supply chain in any manufacturing firm consists of various firms and agencies taking part in the purchasing, production and distribution functions of the firm. The objective of an effective supply chain management is to ensure that the costs involved in procuring the materials and components, cost of carrying the inventory of various materials and the cost of distributing the products to the end customers are reduced to the maximum extent possible so that the profitability of the company can be improved. In the process of improving the efficiency of the production process techniques like 'just-in-time' manufacturing system helps the firms to achieve the objective of cost reduction and minimization of production time. It is also important that there is an effective information flow between various supply chain partners. With the advanced informa tion and communication technology existing today it becomes easier for the firm to communicate with each other efficiently. This paper discusses some of the relevant aspects of an efficient supply chain management. 1. Critical Evaluation of the Contribution of Just-in-time (JIT) The JIT philosophy advocates the elimination of waste through the process of simplifying the production processes and elimination of piling up of inventories. Also known as 'lean production' JIT is a 'demand-pull' manufacturing system. Under this system each component in a production line is produced immediately as needed by the next step in the production line. In a typical JIT production line manufacturing activity at any particular workstation is prompted by the need for that station's output at the following workstation. In the JIT system demand triggers each step of the production process starting with the customer demand for the finished product at the end of the process and working all the way back to the demand for direct materials at the beginning of the process. In this way the demand pulls an order through the production line. The demand-pull feature of JIT production system achieves close coordination among workstations. The objectives of JIT are to (i) meet customer dema nd in a timely way, (ii) with high-quality products and (iii) at the lowest possible total cost. Contribution

European Union State Aid Control Economics Essay

European Union State Aid Control Economics Essay European Union Agreement signed in Maastricht in November 1993 and this agreement generated the European Union. EU aims to modernize the European economy and to be able to compete with strong players like USA in the world market by making inventions, encouraging trade investments and at the same time making the European education system suitable to meet the needs of information society. To reach these targets EU accepts using state aids if necessary. This paper aims to represent European Union State Aid practices and State Aid Control by benefiting from concepts of efficiency, equity, welfare, public interest, compatibility and market failure. State Aids expresses any aid from state resources to public enterprises and private enterprises. State Aids emerges as a kind of cohesiveness policy. Generally the main purpose of the EU state aid policies is to help the achievement of common market. In addition EU aims to correct any imbalances by helping less favoured regions and providing st ructural measures to industrial sectors which are faced with difficulties. Key words: European Union, State Aid, Competition, Trade JEL classification: K20, K21, L53, P45 Historical Process of European Union Ä °n the first middle of the 20th century, Continental Europe had become desolated by the Second World War. During the war people who against the totalitarian regimes wanted to end this hatred and decide to generate the conditions of peace. Between1945 and 1950, a group of states man including Robert Schuman and Winston Churchill traced a new structure which depends on common interest and guaranteeing equality between countries by legal regulations. Robert Schuman proposed to establish European Coal and Steel Community in 1950; the idea was firstly put forward by Jean Monnet. Nations -which have been fight once- would come together with the establishment of this community and as the raw materials of war, coal and steel become tools of peace and reconciliation in a symbolic way. The agreement proposed in 1950 and signed in 1951 in Paris. The main purpose of the agreement was making peace between the winner and looser nations of Europe and brings them together by an economic way. After that agreement in March 1957 the establisher six nations of European Coal and Steel Community (Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherlands) decide to establish European Economic Community which is a more broad based common market including every goods and services. Custom procedures had been removed in July 1968 and instead there had generated common policies especially about trade and agriculture in 1960s. (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ) As a result of the success of this initiative Denmark, Ireland and United Kingdom decided to join the community in 1973. Therefore the number of member nations increased from 6 to 9. At the same time new social and environmental policies started to be implemented. The economic recession which has seen in the early 1980s make Community member to establish the Common Market. At the beginning of 1993 it has been started to implement. In addition European Union Agreement signed in Maastricht in November 1993 and this agreement generated the European Union. European Union started to present the Euro as a currency unit for non-cash financial transactions in 1999. Three years later Euro issued in 12 countries that are named as Euro Zone. Now Euro is a main currency in all over the world like American Dollars (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ). European Union adopted new Lisbon Strategy to modernize the European economy and to be able to compete with strong players like USA in the world market. Lisbon Strategy aimed to make inventions, encourage trade investments and at the same time make the European education system suitable to meet the needs of information society. A country aiming to join the European Union must have working a market economy and capacity to compete with pressure of competition in union and difficulties of the market according to Copenhagen Criteria  [1]  . European Union is a union of 27 members now. Turkey made application for membership in 1987. In 1999 accepted as candidate by member states. Then Turkeys full membership negotiations have started in 2005. Beyond being a confederation of countries European Union is a unique structure but it is not a federal government too. It is a new formation and does not enter any legal category. Negotiations are known as primary legislation and primary legislation underlies the secondary legislation which has impact on the daily lives of citizens. Basically secondary legislation consists of regulations and directives adopted by the EU institutions. In addition to the general policies these laws are the result of decisions taken by three EU institutional triangles that is consists of council of EU, European Parliament and European Commission. European Council represents national governments, European Parliament represents citizens and European Commission looks for EU benefits and is an independent organization from EU governments. Members of EU Commission are assigned for a period of 5 years with an agreement between the Member States, depends on the approval of European Parliament. The Commission is responsible to the Parliament, however uses its authority independently with a certain extent. Because its duty is to protect the common interest, the commission should not be instructed from any EU member (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ). It is the duty of commission to ensure the implementation of regulations and instruction in the member nations and if the commission finds it necessary it has the right to convey any member to the Court of Justice. The commission promulgates the decisions as is the administrative unit that was made by European Council. It has broad authority to conduct the common policies of European Union like research, development, technology, foreign investment and regional development. European Union has economic, social, financial and regulative duties in a wide range of political area. These political areas: Cooperation policies in regional, agricultural and social areas (it is known as adaptation policies) Innovation projects that are bearing the wide range of technologies like environmental protection, research, development and energy (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ). The Union reserves over 120 billion euro for these policies annually as budget. The majority of this budget is being paid by member states and this budget is a small part of common wealth of European Union. State Aids expresses any aid from state resources to public enterprises and private enterprises. State Aids emerges as a kÄ ±nd of cohesiveness policy. Generally the main purpose of the EU state aid policies is to help the achievement of common market. In addition EU aims to correct any imbalances by helping less favoured regions and providing structural measures to industrial sectors which are faced with difficulties. Regional competition and employment subjects are very important in the cohesiveness policies. The purpose is to increase the competition, employment and charm of the underdevelopment areas. The only way to accomplish is to foresee the economic and social changes and contribute innovation, entrepreneurship, protection of environment and accessibility of comprehensive labour markets, the ability to adopt and development (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ). Common Market Common market has been established in January 1993. Healthy competition policy of EU is based on the Treaty of Rome. And it is the vital rational of rules of free trade. Policies of the common market is being implemented by Commission and the Commission is responsible for the reputation these policies with the Court of Justice simultaneously. The reason of having this policy is to prevent the free competition of any agreement between the commercial activities, any aid from public authorities or any unfair monopoly in the common market. Any agreement that is not compatible with the EU agreement must be proclaimed to commission by interested parties or firms. The commission has the right to impose punishment to parties which violate the competition rules or stand without required notification. Receiving any illegal state aid or not notificating such an aid can be claimed to give back by the commission. If one firm is being dominant because of an acquisition or a merger, this situation must be notificated to the commission (Fontaine, P. (Ed.). (2010). AB Nedir? ). State Aids in the European Union The main economic target of EU is to generate a barrier free internal market between member states. The most effective equipment used by the union is competition rules to achieve this target. In addition to this the main target of competition policy of European Union is to generate a well-functioning internal market of Europe which dominated by market forces by preventing acts that are accepted as breaking competition. Competition can be broken by private enterprises and by giving incentives by member states to intervene the economy. As mentioned above, EU legislation on State Aid prohibits State Aids approves these aids as having impact on competition and incompatible with the internal market. State Aids do not have any specific description in terms of legislation of EU. However the basic provisions of state aids have been determined in Treaty of European Community (Treaty of Rome) article 87, 88, 89 and in Treaty of Lisbon article 107 and 108. The article 87 of Treaty of Rome prohi bits any aids given by member states and their resources, providing advantages to a specific firm or production of a specific good. In this way the article aims to prevent negative effects on competition, competitive area and trade between member states. The task of monitoring state aids is given to European Commission to protect competition and trade. However Treaty of Rome gives permission clearly to some exemptions of state aid if there is a benefit to European Union. It should be noted that state aid precautions can be effective tools in some situations to reach common goals of union. In general it can be said that state aids can increase competitiveness of European Union by correcting market deficiencies and improving the functioning of market. We look at State Aid Policy of EU in the Treaty of Rome. According to the article 87(1), an aid can be named as State Aid by providing the following four conditions: Transfer of Resources : There must be an intervention by the State or through State Resources Economic Advantage : It must confer an advantage on the recipient Distortion of Competition : It must distort or threaten to distort competition Effect on Trade : It must be liable to affect trade between member states. Especially third and fourth conditions are related to concept selectivity which is very important for the definition of State Aid in terms of granting an advantage to a certain company, production of specific products or development of a specific region (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.) Economic parties which receiving aid must be in an economic activity and must operate in a trade market between member states. It is not important for recipient to be in a profit seeking activity or not. The important thing here is being in an economic activity. Compatibility Criteria We look at Compatibility Criteria about State Aid Policy of EU in the Treaty of Rome. Despite the negative presumption of Article 87(1) , state aid can be taken into account as compatible with the common market if one or more exemptions of Article 87(2) and 87(3) are fulfilled. The following may be considered to be compatible with the common market: Aid to promote the economic development of areas where the standard of living is abnormally low or where there is serious unemployment Aid to promote the execution of an important project of common European interest or to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State Aid to facilitate the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas, where such aid does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest Aid to promote culture and heritage conservation where such aid does not affect trading conditions and competition in the Community to an extent that is contrary to the common interest Such other categories of aid as may be specified by decision of the Council acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission. Paragraphs a and c settle the legal base for counting regional investment aids compatible. Paragraph a points out regions with income levels per head significantly below the EU average and paragraph c is related to regions with income and employment levels below the average of the member states (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.). The general principle behind the Commissions compatibility assessment is to balance the positive impact of the aid measure (pursuing an objective of common interest) against its potential negative effects (distortions of trade and competition). As mentioned above Commission looks at competition and trade aspects of state aids for making an efficient control. At this point it is known that state aids cause more distortions in markets which are more competitive than others. Clearly if market shares of the firms are small and if there is firms with low profit margins, state aids in this market (given to a specific firm or a group of firms) may have greater distortive effect. The Economics of State Aid Control: Basic Concepts The economics of state aid is related to these fields of economics: Public Economics, The Economics of Competition and International Trade Theory. State Ads must be looked at the window of Public Economics to analyze the purpose and effectiveness of state intervention in the national economy. As mentioned earlier the economics of competition is slightly related to state aids to analyze the impact of state aid on competition. European Commission pays attention to state aid to study its policies in an international context. European Union intends to raise welfare of the EU citizens by using state aids as in other ways. Economists developed social welfare functions in the early years of 20th century. Social welfare function seen as an indicator of total utility of society. Some researches, studies and practices showed the economists that there are two theorems of welfare economics. First theorem says that all competitive markets make Pareto  [2]  Efficient allocation of goods and services. Second theorem says that any income distribution and allocation of resources can be reachable by competitive markets. First theorem points out efficiency concept while second one does that for equity concept. Economists recognizes government intervention in some market failure situations on the basis of efficiency like externalities, public goods, information asymmetries/ missing markets, imperfect competition/ market power. State Aids can be seen as necessary in some cases as an intervention of government. If we look at this topic from the basis of equality, it is not incorrect to say that the mission of governments is to product more fair and equitable outcomes. State aids or any government intervention can be accepted if most fair and optimal resource allocation will be gained after that. Because individual is the reason for being governments and unions. And government intervention and state aids can be accepted for happiness and welfare of individuals (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.). Briefly if we think distribution of income as a cake; we can make cake better by increasing the efficiency of an economy and thereby pushing the welfare frontier outward or we can divide the cake better by distributing the available resources in a way that maximizes the preferences of society for equity and redistribution. Therefore the welfare frontier can be moved along. Limits of State Aid A state aid can be measured as effective and provides equity to reach a better welfare point. However for this welfare function there will be some significant problems to be solved. Firstly it is very hard to measure the size of market failure resulting with state aid. For example; lets think a research and development activity which imposes positive externalities. Socially desired output exceeds personal output with a subsidy which is a desirable condition. But there will be uncertainty about the size of economic inefficiency resulted by subsidy. Besides that; benefits gained from a state aid must exceed its costs. State Aids are costly and benefits and these costs must be compared by taking into account the opportunity costs. After that making the decision will be appropriate. As mentioned above frequently the biggest harm of state aids is the condition of distorting competition. Lastly one of the failure of governments is inefficient decision making problem which is a result of deficiencies in providing information can be a bottleneck of success of state aids in terms of efficiency and equity. Principal agent problem between politicians and bureaucrats distorts the political decision making process. Additionally principal agent problem between citizens and politicians is the biggest handicap of representative democracy. As we know this problem occurs when parties have different set of goals. In this context principal agent problem can cause different outcomes of EU state aid than desired ones. With all these consequences one can understand that a state aid can be possible reaching the best desired point (efficient, remedial distributional outcomes/ income distribution) with perfect information (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.). Rationales for European State Aid Control It is mentioned above that European Union has targets like helping undeveloped areas to develop, serving European Unions common interests, protecting cultural heritages and increasing employment. It is needed to have an efficient control mechanism for reaching these targets with a more efficient and equitable way. More specifically we can mention three basic rationales of EU state aid control. Cross- Border Externalities: If governments do not take into account the side effects of their intervention, there will emerge cross- border externalities. Member states can try to take advantage of international oligopoly profits by means of state aids even when they compete each other. National Commitment Problems: These problems are generally related to soft budget constraints. Because governments can not establish regulations about transparent budget rules, private firms can be affected from this, negatively. If firms do not have enough incentives to be efficient, it can not be provided the social/ optimal efficiency and one can not mention about any increase in welfare. Internal Market Rationale: The competition will increase by means of integrated European Markets. In addition to this there will be taken appropriate steps for economic development by means of restructuring firms. However state aids without efficient control mechanism harm EU internal market. Because if firms do not compete or do not need to compete in consequence of state aids they receive, benefits from giving state aids can not be provided; on the contrary competition could be distorted. The point to be considered here is that the aid also must provide free circulation of goods and services if and only if under the conditions of competition (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.). To make compatible its laws and regulations with European Union, Turkey established Competition Authority in December 1994. De Minimis Rule Treaty of European Community prohibits aids given by state resources, which are distorting competition or having impact to distort competition and affecting trade between member states. Nevertheless European Commission has the opinion that small aids do not have any potential distortive effect on trade and competition between member states. For this reason the Commission introduced a rule named as De Minimis Rule to decrease administrative burden on member states and the Commission itself. According to the De Minimis regularization there is not any negative effect of aids below 200.000 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ (for a period of three years) on trade between member states and this will not cause distortion of competition (Ä °lhan, B. (2010). Avrupa BirliÄÅ ¸i Rekabet PolitikasÄ ±nda Devlet YardÄ ±mlarÄ ± ve Tà ¼rkiyenin Uyumu. SayÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸tay Dergisi, 76, 101-132) An Effect Based Approach to European State Aid Control One of the most important points to draw attention to state aids is the concept of Common Interest. For this reason it will be beneficial take into account competition when approaching the consumer welfare and efficient allocation of resources. Some economists give great attention to these important points to evaluate state aids: The State Aid addresses a market failure or other objective of common interest. The State Aid is well targeted. It must provide an incentive effect. The distortions of competition are sufficiently limited so that the overall balance is positive. Economists will advocate state aids if they provide these specialties above. As we understand it is very important to distinguish good aid from bad aid (Friederiszick, H. W., Rà ¶ller, L. H., Verouden, V. (2006). European State Aid Control: an economic framework.). In 2005 a new strategic plan named as State Aid Action Plan (SAAP) made by European Commission. The Commission suggested a more refined economic approach in state aid in order to ensure a proper and more transparent evaluation of the distortions on competition and trade associated with state aid measures by SAAP. With this suggestion, Commission proposes also using economic analysis to identify market failures that are meet to be overcome by the aid. Commission proposes a three stage balancing test to achieve these targets. Clearly to distinguish good aid from bad aid Commission wants to use to evaluate aids before giving them. The test consists of questions on the purpose of evaluation and specifying the necessity and qualification of aids. Is the aid measure aimed at a well defined objective of common interest like growth, employment, cohesion and environment? Is the aid well designed to deliver the objective of common interest, i.e. does the proposal aid address the market failure or other objective? Is the state aid an appropriate policy instrument? Is there an incentive effect, i.e. does the aid change the behavior of firms? Is the aid measure proportional, i.e. could the same change in behaviour be obtained with less aid? Are the distortions of competition and effect on trade limited, so that the overall balance is positive? First two steps address the positive effects of state aids and the third one addresses negative effects. According to the Commission the results / answers acquired from these steps/ questions will determine the qualification and limits of a good and efficient state aid. This balancing test give an opportunity to focus on less and better targeted aid (Heimler, A. Jenny, F. (2012). Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Volume 28, Number 2, 2012, pp. 347-367). European Union State Aid Policy and State Aid Plans prepared with Lisbon Strategy According to State Aids Action Plan, State Aids that are prepared within the context of Lisbon Strategy must concentrate on these priority areas below: Targeting innovation and Research Development to strengthen the knowledge society. Generating a better workplace and encouraging entrepreneurship Investing on human resources Increasing the quality of services of general economic interest Better prioritization scaling by means of simplification and combination A result oriented regional state aid policy Encouraging a sustainable future environmentally Establishing infrastructures of modern transportation, energy, knowledge and telecommunication technology (Avrupa Komisyonu, State Aid Action Plan, Brà ¼ksel, 7 Haziran 2005, s. 8-12) Conclusion EU started its adventure with European Coal and Steel Community to overcome destructive effects of Second World War on European Nations. However the target of Single Market has not been accomplished yet. EU proceeded a great way to accomplish this target for half a century. And still makes a great effort to develop the union and to reach European Single Market. The practice of State Aid and its control mechanism are parts of this effort to reach the target of Single Market. An efficient control mechanism will help EU to reach its goals. In doing so the balancing test suggested within the context of Lisbon Strategy will help to distinguish good aid from bad aid. European Union has passed a considerably long and successful process since the establishment and development of first communities. It will be great acquisition for Turkey becoming a part of this union to accelerate economic and social development.

Characteristics and Statement

Peninsula Boulevard Hempstead, NY 1 1 550 Attention: Dry. Rodney Gilmore, Associate Superintendent for Personnel Services Dear Dry. Gilmore: I am Interested In applying for a Social Worker or Counselor position In your organization that was advertised on alas. Com. It Is my goal to utilize my experience and skills to create an environment both enjoyable and conducive to learning.I am passionate and enthusiastic about giving back to the community and to make a costive contribution to this school. As a school counselor or social worker, I will demonstrate passion for supporting the success of all the students, with emphasis on the populations who need It most. I would bring this passion to my role at your school and I look forward to working as a part of a team of service providers to ensure the success of our students.I would also provide diverse and specialized services to students, families and communities, in order to help students attain axiom benefits from the school program. St udents are the primary focus of the educational process. I could contribute knowledge and concern for the wide range of social, emotional, cultural and economic differences among children, families and communities.The current characteristics that I possess are as follows: Appropriate empathy skills – eventually able to be helpful In the situation or Issue Good listening skills ? screening situations to get to the heart of an Issue or complaint, while still extending compassion and support Ability to organize – case situations and identify and prioritize interventionsÃ'› identify and organize resources in relation to parental concerns Objectivity – do not personalize situations, allow clients to vent, then assess the situation or concern Clarifying central issues for the parent that may not be easily seen because of the anger, frustration or disappointment Interviewing skills Confidentially – being able to be confident, but able to help the clients The f ollowing heartsickness are necessary to be an effective helper: Genuineness Self-Awareness Acceptance Desire to help Patience Listening Communicating Giving Feedback Observing Confronting I am confident that my experience and skills will make me a valuable member of the Hempstead School District social work team. I have enclosed my resume, and will call much for your time and consideration

`` Little Scarlet `` By Walter Mosley - 1488 Words

Walter Mosley’s writing in â€Å"Little Scarlet† reflects a time when racial tension was strong, discrimination present and prejudice led to violence. The black citizens of South Los Angeles retaliated via the Watt’s Riots in 1965, as a result of countless years of being made to feel as though they had no voice. In my paper I will be exploring the connection between the historical oppressions that led up to the events and how todays California is impacted. The 1920s historically was a period of struggle for the African-American community. Blacks were still oppressed and encountered inequality to whites, even though, slavery had been abolished. Nevertheless, progress towards racial equality was beginning. The Harlem Renaissance, first genuine sense of African-American culture, was starting to form through jazz, dance, literature and art. A bold movement led by W.E.B. Dubois focused on educating blacks to generate equality (1); strong movements were beginning in order to promote the black race. The 1920s, the Great Migration, a large population of African- Americans relocated to the Northern and Midwestern cities to pursue job opportunities in the manufacturing industries, while looking to establish greater social and educational opportunities, in addition to escape racial bigotry, violence, Jim Crow Laws and segregation in the Southern states. The 1940s, the Second Great Migration, large numbers of African Americans migrated to the West Coast in response to theShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis Of Little Scarlet905 Words   |  4 Pagesevents became relevant in the news, the tensions of the country rose. Violence was occurring in many parts of the country due to the ideas of these who were not receiving the freedom that they believed were entitled to them. In the book Little Scarlet by Walter Mosley, Easy Rawlins returns to solve a mystery set amid the devastating Los Angeles riots. I will carefully analyze 3 characters from the book to see how social climate during the 1 960’s affected each of them. The first character Theodore SteinmanRead MoreHot Summer Love Amidst The Flame1594 Words   |  7 PagesJohnson 1 DeShawn Johnson English 101 Little Scarlet March 29, 2016 Hot Summer Love amidst the Flame Little Scarlet a Walter Mosley adventure brought to us through the eye’s Ezekiel aka Easy Rawlins, takes us to the time during the Watts riot of 1965. Easy Rawlins is a private investigator who is sought out by LAPD Detective Melvin Suggs to solve the murder of an African American women Nola Payne. Easy is hesitant at first to act upon the request. Detective Suggs explains with the current dynamic