Was Jonestown Murder or Suicide?

Was Jonestown Murder or Suicide? The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project came to be known to the world as the Jonestown Massacre due to the incident that occurred on November 18, 1978. The peoples temple was founded by James Warren Jim Jones however, after obtaining members, the religious organization relocated to Guyana, South America. Jones ran the site like a prison camp. His followers received little food and werent allowed to leave. Armed guards stood at the compounds perimeter. Jones often preached over the loudspeaker system at Jonestown. Fearful of a plot against him, he started conducting suicide drills. His followers were woken up in the middle of the night. They would receive a cup with a red liquid that they were told contained poison, which they were ordered to drink. After 45 minutes or so, the members were told that they were not going to die, that they had just passed a loyalty test. These drills were arguably in preparation for the real massacre, which was almost identical. In the actual massacre, v ictims had consumed a Kool-Aid drink mixed with cyanide, tranquilisers and sedatives. At the time of the massacre, the population of Jonestown had grown to approximately 900 people, over 270 of these people were children. It is still unclear whether this was a mass suicide or, if the victims were forced. The types of forensic evidence that can be gathered are; dental evidence, evidence of poisoning, bulletwound(s), fingerprints, firearms and clothing. The mass suicide/murder of The Peoples Temple members resulted in the deaths of 923 people. Autopsies were conducted on seven significant bodies via four forensic pathologists from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and a civilian consultant. Forensic dentistry played a big role in the identification of bodies. To identify a person from his or her teeth, a forensic dentist must have a dental record or records from the dentist of the deceased. In the case of Jonestown, or any other incident involving multiple deaths, forensic dentists receive a list of possible individuals and compare available records with the teeth and find a match; even if only a few teeth are available, a forensic dentist can still make a positive identification. The best comparisons come from x-rays, but even if those arent available, notations on the tooth cha rt can tell the dentist if the teeth are the same. The analysis and comparison of fingerprints was also a technique that was used. There are many methods and steps to analysing fingerprints, the first step is lifting a print (to take a permanent impression of the print) this is most commonly done by placing a rubber tape with an adhesive surface over a print that has been dusted with carbon black powder, once the tape is completely flat over the print it is then peeled off and placed carefully on a latent lift card for preservation. This method can, however, limit investigators ability to perform other techniques that could reveal valuable information, this is due to fingerprinting powders contaminating evidence. After fingerprinting and dentistry came pathology. The Government of Guyana began an investigation of the area of the massacre on November 20th which lasted around 36 hours. The U.S government also intercepted. The first set of bodies was taken to Dover Air Force Base in D elaware on November 23rd. An error that can be identified here is the fact that a few bodies were removed that belonged to the same family and their relationships to each other werent recorded. Once all the bodies arrived, a team of pathologists, dentists and technicians began examining them. They were examined by a group made up of of one pathologist and two graves registration technicians. It was discovered that the clothes the bodies wore had names written on them but it became obvious that the people of Jonestown often shared clothes, as some clothes had more than one name on them. This confirms that Jonestown was a communal community. Gender, age, race, hair colour and length and weight of the bodies were recorded. Most of the bodies had maggots in them because of the decomposition. The dental team helped to find out the ages of the bodies. Most of the bodies teeth were pink. The cause of this was thought to be because of cyanide poisoning every victim of the mass homicide/suicide had consumed a Kool-Aid drink laced with cyanide. The forensic evidence found was used to identify the bodies after the massacre; 666 bodies were successfully identified using the aforementioned methods, but 247 remain unidentified. An autopsy of Jones himself found he died of a fatal bullet wound behind his left temple the firearm used here was found a metre* away from Jones body. Furth ermore, only seven other bodies were autopsied which is an error as there were many more bodies which could have been examined. In conclusion, the Jonestown massacre case was not exactly solved as it is still unclear whether it was a mass murder or a suicide. Lots of evidence was recovered including dental evidence, fingerprints, gunshot wounds, evidence of poisoning, clothing and firearms. Multiple errors were made in the post-mortem investigation including the fact that family members were not kept together. This could have been stopped before the transportation of the bodies, had there been evidence suggesting a family relationship between victims beforehand. Overall, the case was arguably mishandled and abundant with mistakes and errors. Furthermore, not nearly enough evidence was gathered when considering the scale of the massacre, however, the evidence gathered did indeed further the investigation. References Goodwin, D., (2016), Fingerprint Evidence, available at: http://www.forensicequity.com/fingerprint-evidence-l2-27.html White, T. D., Folkens P.A., (2005), The Human Bone Manual Nelson, S., (2006), Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple Moore, R., (2016), Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and the Peoples Temple, available at: http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/

American Dream Summary

â€Å"The American Dream† There is not much left of the â€Å"American Dream†. Standard of living is declining and American parents believe that their children will inherit a very bad deal (564). Essentially, Herbert believes that Americans are in denial about how bad the economy really is. The government is not adding jobs to the economy nor are they funding public schools as they should. The government is steadily cutting back on hiring teachers and firing more to â€Å"save money†.Herbert considered research from the Pew Hispanic Center that after the Recession, which ended June 2009; the foreign workers gained 69,000 jobs while United States workers lost 1. 2 million jobs. According to Herbert, it is not that the United States should discriminate against the employment of foreign workers but they need to develop a full employment economy that provides jobs for all families to enjoy a decent standard of living (565). Herbert believes Americans should not put t heir faith into the government in order for them to live the â€Å"American Dream†.The dream will never be fulfilled (570). In â€Å"The American Dream is Over† Cal Thomas responds to Herbert’s â€Å"Hiding from Reality†. Thomas believes that Herbert did not assess who is the blame for the bad economy in America. That anyone who thinks dysfunctional government is going to help achieve their dreams is putting their faith in the wrong place (569). Although Thomas believes that the rules to achieve the American Dream can no longer be taught, he does believe that they can and will work (570). Thomas lists the rules that were known to previous generations.The rules are simple. You go to college, obtain at least an undergraduate degree, get a job/career, buy a home with a white picket fence, get married and have children, save money for your retirement and live a long prosperous life (570). The rules that Thomas noted and believes in can actually work, but ther e are some obstacles that can stand in the way of some Americans. For instance, all Americans are not able to afford college. Their parents were not able to and could not start a college fund for their children.Instead, in this bad economy, they had to choose to feed and cloth their children with not enough monies left for any type of savings, let alone for college. There are other instances where being the product of a bad environment can deter other Americans from living the â€Å"American Dream†. Some do not feel that they have the knowledge of the know how to go to college and get a job/career. They live off of their street knowledge and believe that is all they need. And being that the marriage rate in America is decreasing and the pregnancy rate in increasing, well you have a good idea about the getting married and white picket fence part.You also have other Americans that did not have any education at all. They had to go to work, with little or no education and for emp loyers that offer no benefit plan such as retirement benefits, so there goes bye to the retirement safety net. These obstacles, according to what Herbert might respond, might be overcome if the government added more jobs to the economy and provided more funding for education instead of the funding of useless wars. Herbert states the government needs â€Å"a resurrection of the American dream† (565).

127 Hours Film Review Essay

His pain, his desire to be free and his desperation was shared with the viewers in such a way that it’s somehow disturbing. His delusions were able to reach the minds of those who watched the movie, particularly myself. In the technical aspect, it used natsot or the natural sound in most of the scenes. James Franco played Aron, an engineer who likes or rather whose hobby is to climb and hike on mountains. He is the protagonist and at the same time, the victim in the film. The antagonist here is the situation itself. It is the reason why he is in such troublesome circumstance which won’t allow him to be free. If not for his determination to live, he would not make it out alive though the process is excruciating and gruesome at some point. What strikes me the most in this film is that the director managed to make the film worth watching in 1 and a half hour with only one setting or location and focusing on one character only. Not many films can pull something like this. In regards to the content, it showed that in order to survive, you have to sacrifice something and do unimaginable things. This surprised me because it was not normal and people don’t do those kind of things. With James Franco’s acting, it made the movie a sure hit and suitable to be awarded in Oscars which it really did. The content fulfilled the expectations of the eyes, mind and soul of the movie goers. If I were the film maker, the ending would have been a sad one since I’m a fan of tragic endings. But if I do that, it will disappoint the viewers so I would make it a little less tragic. The end would be that Aron, after decapitating his arm, would not find any source of water which will make him more tired and more desperate in search of water. His long walks will continue until he finds himself in the middle of nowhere. Slowly, his body begins to collapse. He can no longer see straight due to the loss of blood. He then looks at the sky, the sun raised high, camera focused on his face. Until then, he will encounter other hikers whom will help him. At that time, he will close his eyes slowly, leaving the audience thinking whether he survived that day. Before credits roll, his picture with his family after the incident will be shown, revealing that he did survived.

Definition Of Surety Company And Bonds Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1392 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? In the construction Industry something is needed to insure the project will be complete within time, within budget and with specifications requirements. The surety bond guarantees that one of the primary parties will fulfill an obligation to an obligee, which in most cases is the completion of contract work as detailed in the contract drawings and specifications within the time frame designated by the owner. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Definition Of Surety Company And Bonds Finance Essay" essay for you Create order To guarantee that the designated work will be completed by the contractor, owners will request contractors to submit some guarantee to do finish job, this is a type of surety bond known as a bid bond. Many times the owner will also accepted a bank check for a certain percentage of the bid price at the time of bid in place of a bid bond. A surety bond is a three-way agreement involving a surety company, a project owner, and a contractor. When a surety company issues a bond to a contractor, it is transferring risk from Owner to Supplier or like Owner to G.C. and G.C. to subcontractor and subcontractor to supplier or G.C. to supplier. If the Contractor fails to perform the job to the satisfaction of the owner, then the surety will be asked by the owner to perform the work so that it is satisfactory to the owner by paying the original contractor to finish the work or hiring an outside contractor to take the place of the original contractor to complete the work. The cost incurred by the surety will be charged to the original contractor. If the contractor cannot be paid legal actions could very well be taken. Types Of Bonds: In Construction or any field there are many bond for giving surety of work. In Construction there are three types of bond which are used today. Bid Bond: Guarantees the fulfillment of an offer or bid if it is accepted Performance Bond: Surety bond issued by an insurance company or a bank to guarantee satisfactory completion of a project by a contractor. Payment Bond: Bond executed in connection with a contract to assure payment as required by statute of all persons supplying labor and material in the execution of the work provided for in the contract. Benefits Of Bonds: Provide capable qualified contractors Bonding Company will only issue bonds to contractors who have minimum risk involved with them. As an impartial third party, the surety prequalifies the contractor to verify that the contractor is capable and qualified. Assure project completion If contractor fail to do the work in timely manner or per specification then Owner is given assurance from the surety to finish the job on time and given amount. . A capable contractor is less likely to default on a project. However, there are many things that can cause contractors default, and in that event, the surety bond offers protections against financial loss. Offer financial security -Owner is assured that the project will be completed to their satisfaction and the original contract amount. Technical, managerial, or financial assistance -If the contractor requests help, the surety may offer technical, managerial, or financial assistance. This can help the project move forward and significantly reduce the likelihood of default. Reduce risk of liens filed by subcontractors, laborers, suppliers -Surety bonds relieve the private project owners from risk of liens filed by unpaid subcontractors and suppliers. In the absence of liens, the transition from construction to permanent financing is much smoother. Protect taxpayer dollars for public projects Smoother transition from construction to permanent financing Lower costs-When subcontractors and suppliers know they are protected by a payment bond, they may present lower quotes since they no longer have to absorb the risk of nonpayment. How Do Surety Companies Evaluate the Contractor? Before issuing a surety bond to the contractor, the Surety Company will look for the following items: Good References and reputation Financial strength of the Company. Credit history. Bank relationship Credit and debit. Experience related to contract requirements- It includes education and field experience to prospective projects Ability to obtain equipment to perform the work Ability to hire necessary employees to perform the work Work in progress. -Projects that are in-hand and are currently in progress. Management capability. How the contractor will be able to manage their company and its projects. Geographic area in which the company operates. Financial Data consideration: Surety Company will look at financial reports of the company to determine whether they will be providing surety bonds to the contractor or not. They will review: CPAs Opinion Quality of financial statements Type of accounting method used to recognize revenues earned CPAs Opinion: Influences the amount of credibility underwriters assign to the reported data (financial statements). Usually pronounces the entire examination and statement to have been prepared and presented in agreement with GAAP. (preferred by surety underwriters) Quality of Financial Statement: Compilation- Accountant provides no assurance regarding the numbers presented in clients financial statement. No detailed examination of the figures in the statement Review- Accountant provides a more than routine examination of numbers. Assurance exists that there are no misrepresentations Audit- Accountant applies industry accepted auditing procedures including verification of relevant items in the statements. Accountant certifies that financial statement is presented in accordance with GAAP. * Only when a statement is prepared under the audit does a surety consider the evaluation of the contractors financial structure complete Type of Accounting Method : The Accounting method used by the contractor is significant to underwriters because it indicates how the accountant has recognized the contractors income. Types: Cash Basis-income taken into account when received Straight Accrual-income taken into account when earned Percentage of Completion-income recognized as work progresses Completed Contract-income reported in the year contract was completed Underwriters prefer not to see cash basis or straight accrual statements. Percentage of Completion method gives the most accurate picture of financial position because income is recognized in proportion to cost incurred. Recommended by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Financial Analysis: Surety underwriters review issues related to the contractors financial statement and perform data analysis. For example, if a particular contractor has failed to make a profit in recent years, they will have a rather difficult time in preserving a relationship with a surety company. Surety evaluates: Capital base Sufficient working capital Profitability Asset utilization Overhead expenses Notes accompanying the financial statement Ratio and trend analysis Qualifications of the CPA preparing the statement Suretys also strongly consider backlog that the company has and also the contractors costs related to completing any current projects. What this reveals to the surety company is whether the contractor has the ability to cover overhead expenses for the planned project for which they wish to bid. This is one of the leading issues of the surety and the project owner. Ratio Analysis: Sureties use ratios to analyze the companys finances Focus analysis in five areas: Liquidity-Current Assets/Current Liabilities Operations-Effectiveness of management Leverage-Level of debt pressure Coverage-Ability to service debt Specific expense items-Relate expense items to net sales Ratios are compared to the contractors historical values and against industry averages. Profit and Growth Analysis: To analyze company profitability, sureties review the schedule of current and completed projects Sureties also closely scrutinize the profit trends of the company and managements commitment to corporate growth Banking Credit: A strong banking relationship is a part of a solid financial history for a contractor. Surety companies want to see contractors with a strong banking relationship, but mainly with sufficient working capital to support work programs without bank borrowing. Conclusion: In addition to the above mentioned items which are evaluated by the surety company before issuing a bond, sureties also check the contractors credit rating by gathering information from such sources as Dun and Bradstreet and Robert Morris Associates reports, suppliers, other contractors, and the contractors bank. From the above sources, the surety is able to gain access to information such as: present/ average bank balances, credit established with the contractors bank, total experience in the industry, length of business relationships with various parties. Even after all the information is provided to the surety, there is no guarantee it will result in approval. The bond will be approved only if the surety is confident the contractor is qualified to perform the contract successfully and has the financial capacity to withstand the numerous risks involved in the construction business.