Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Appraise the impact of Post-Latham and Egan report initiatives on Essay
Appraise the impact of Post-Latham and Egan report initiatives on procurement pathways and ways of working within the construction industry - Essay Example 1. The government, including public sector organisations such as local authorities and health authorities, should become a best practice client. Clients should remain at the centre of the procurement process and work together to bring value in their projects and promote excellence in design. 4. Although the construction industry is likely to have an output equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of the GDP, the industryââ¬â¢s in-house research and development capital has fallen by 80 per cent since 1981. Investment in research and development is required. 6. In order to achieve 10 per cent annual reduction in construction costs and 20 per cent reduction of defects, radical changes are needed to the processes through which the project develops. These processes need to be explicit and transparent to the industry and its clients. Initially the government (being the sponsoring side) and the key player within the construction industry responded well to both the reports. The drive for change originated from procurement and contractual areas in the UK construction industry. Later years witnessed considerable changes in UK construction industry, which impacted the way projects were managed and reviewed. The construction process at all levels experienced the benefits of collaboration, and ultimately the way of working in the construction industry changed. The main responsible agencies within the government i.e. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and The Office of Government Commerce, along with the key players in construction industry attempted to improve the performance of departments and Contractors. The report ââ¬ËMordenising Constructionââ¬â¢ by the Controller and Auditor General (2001) mentions that, government and key players within the construction industry took several steps to implement the key principles highlighted in the reports. These include: 3.
WorldCom Essay Example for Free
WorldCom Essay This paper explores the Accounting fraud that took place at WorldCom. Three aspects of the corporate culture are discussed including WorldComââ¬â¢s harsh top-down management approach, the lack of written rules or a code of conduct, and the inaccessibility of many of WorldComââ¬â¢s departments. The CEOââ¬â¢s desire to be the #1 stock on Wall Street is also discussed. WorldComââ¬â¢s inappropriate booking and releasing of accruals is explored and proper accrual accounting procedures are stated. Three aspects of whistleblowing are discussed, including saving a company from a destructive end, facing public reprisal, and potential legal effects. Arthur Andersen is then used to explore the credibility of the Accounting profession when corporate fraud is unveiled. Keywords: WorldCom, fraud, accruals, whistleblowing WorldCom The corporate culture at WorldCom was one that was very loose. Although several factors contributed to the loose and unhealthy environment at WorldCom, one of the greatest downfalls of the corporate culture was the harsh top-down management approach. Employees were advised to do as they were told without questioning management. In addition, CEO Bernard Ebbers and CFO Scott Sullivan dabbled in too many affairs that should have been handled by lower-level management. Too often they ordered overrides of basic procedures that resulted in the downfall of WorldCom. Orders were issued that resulted in the override of accounting procedures. This greatly contributed to the fraud. Another factor that contributed to the unhealthy corporate culture at WorldCom was the fact that no written rules or code of conduct existed. The CEO himself thought it was a waste of time. This paired with the harsh top-down management approach seemed to create a lack of internal control as well. There were no real company rules and managers were completely capable of overriding any rules that may have existed. The inaccessibility of other departments may have contributed to the fraud as well. With so many corporate headquarters, key personnel who may have detected the fraud sooner were not able to confirm that anything wrong was taking place. If a key manager from the finance department in Mississippi, a key manager from the human resources department in Florida, a key manager from the legal department in Washington, D. C. , and a key manager from the network operations department in Texas been together at any point in time, worked together in the same building, or even had the appropriate means to communicate (cell phones were not a hot commodity like they are today and e-mail was just starting to take flight), it is possible that WorldCom could have been saved from its fraudulent end. The CEOââ¬â¢s desire to be the #1 stock on Wall Street was the main source of the fraud. He was so driven to be on top that he ordered managers to engage in inappropriate accounting procedures that included maintaining a certain expense-to-revenue ratio at all costs, releasing accruals, and capitalizing expenses. Furthermore, his top leadership instructed employees about what information could and could not be disclosed with the external auditors. Employees were cursed and threatened if they disclosed anything that was perceived to be a threat to his plan of being the #1 stock on Wall Street. According to Beresford, Katzenbach, and Rogers, Jr. 2003), ââ¬Å"WorldCom manipulated the process of adjusting accruals in three ways. First, in some cases accruals were released without any apparent analysis of whether the Company actually had excess accruals in its accounts. Thus, reported line costs were reduced (and pre-tax income increased) without any proper basis. Second, even when WorldCom had excess accruals, the Company often did not release them in the period in which they were identified. Instead, certain line cost accruals were kept as rainy day funds and released to improve reported results when managers felt they were needed. Third, WorldCom reduced reported line costs by releasing accruals that had been established for other purposesââ¬â in violation of the accounting principle that reserves created for one expense type cannot be used to offset another expenseâ⬠(p. 69). According to Investopedia, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦economic events are recognized by matching revenues to expenses (the matching principle) at the time in which the transaction occurs rather than when payment is made (or received)â⬠(para. 1). Thus, accruals are booked when transactions occur. Accruals are released when either payment is made or when they are evaluated and deemed to be in excess of the actual accrual. Accruals of one type should never be released to offset another type. Accruals should also be released in the period they are identified. While whistleblowing may seem like a relatively easy concept to some, it really is not. The decision between doing the easy thing and doing the right thing usually is not easy. For instance, a person could report fraudulent activity that is taking place within an organization, whether it is due to corruption, misappropriation of assets, financial statement fraud, or another type of fraud. However, such a decision could carry a great price tag. Not only could it lead to the complete destruction of a company, but it could cost other employees their benefits, their retirements, and their jobs. One of the pros of whistleblowing is the fact that a company could be saved from certain destruction, as in the case of WorldCom. It is possible that the sooner fraudulent activity is reported, the less negative the outcome could be. However, whistleblowers are often perceived as tattle tales and snitches and sometimes face public reprisal, as was the case with WorldComââ¬â¢s Cynthia Cooper. Another downside is the potential legal effects of whistleblowing. According to Wikipedia, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦most whistleblower protection laws provide for limited make whole remedies or damages for employment losses if whistleblower retaliation is proven. However, many whistleblowers report there exists a widespread shoot the messenger mentality by corporations or government agencies accused of misconduct and in some cases whistleblowers have been subjected to criminal prosecution in reprisal for reporting wrongdoingâ⬠(Common Reactions section, 4). The consequences of whistleblowing may prove to be steep. The credibility of the Accounting profession is put in jeopardy when corporate fraud is unveiled. As a result of the WorldCom fraud, Arthur Andersen was ordered to cease practicing before the Security and Exchange Commission by August 31, 2002. According to Wikipedia, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦the damage to the Andersen name was so severe that as of 2010[update], it has not returned as a viable business even on a limited scale. There are over 100 civil suits pending against the firm related to its audits of Enron and other companies. In addition, its reputation was so badly tarnished that no company wanted Andersens name on an audit. Even before voluntarily surrendering its right to practice before the SEC, it had many of its state licenses revokedâ⬠(Demise section, 1). As stated by Charles Niemeier (2001), ââ¬Å"A loss of confidence can cause even a company with solid core operations to fail. That is because the negative impact of a lack of credibility can be far greater than the sum of the misstatements in the financialsâ⬠(The Dangers of Smoothing section, 7). References http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/accrualaccounting.asp http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Andersen http://fl1.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/wsj/docs/worldcom/bdspcomm60903rpt.pdf http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch529.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower
Monday, October 14, 2019
Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay
Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay The Project of Online Reservation for Car Service is needed for the country as technology grows fast in the world. The purpose to develop this project is to provide better solution to the problems that the customers faces. This website will provide customers to reserve their car services from their home or from office. For moment, there is non- availability such reservation system in Malaysia. Customer feels hard to send their car for service, either they need to reserve using telephony system or walk in to send their car for service. At the end of these project, a prototype of justified system will develop which will provide a solution for the identify problem to improve the organizations revenue and performance. This system will be web based system where it is able to conduct an overall process of online registration and bookings too. The data will be stored in keep as privacy for each customer who has register. Finally, the proposed system will save time for the customers who have to wait the queue for those who walk in and telephone reservation. Project objective The main objective of this system is to provide customers with a much convenient and better way of booking their car services. It is an online system for car services reservation and users will have to sign up through the registration page so theyll be able to view the various car services provided by the car services centre. This way of reservation is unique in Malaysia as it has been already implemented in other countries. This system is created to manage the reservation processes through online where the previous older ways were done manually. This system would be a productive solution for users and the car services centre. It will also reduce the work process of the admin while the data will be kept securely. Project scope The scope of this online reservation for car services system covers various functions. Firstly, it covers the services information. This is when the users can view the services provided by the specified service centre. Secondly, it covers on identifying the location. Users can view on the location and images of the car services centre. This creates a better trust and understanding of the recognised service centre. Thirdly, the system covers the operating hours of the service centres. This helps the users to familiarise themselves on the operating hours of the particular centre. Fourthly, the system provides a log-in authority. This system provides access to members. This is where user who wants to send their car for services would have to register their details and car details online. Non-members can only view the basic interface of the online system. Fifthly, this system covers the frequently asked questions (FAQ). This will certainly help the users to clarify any doubts that they have regarding the car services. Sixthly, the system covers the report of the online processes. In this system, a report section where only specific authorized person are allowed to generate a report about the processes and data recorded. Seventhly, the system covers on online feedbacks. The registered user may send their feedback to the admin staff online. Finally, in order to achieve the scope of this project, various researches will be conducted through observation, questionnaire, books, journals, Internet and etc. A vast idea will be identified to complete this project to make its process go on swiftly throughout. Project deliverables The proposed system in the project will produce various plus points as being a web-based system. First is the security. This consist user/Admin login accounts, automated user ID for Admin and registered user, and a secured database. Second is a paperless work. This consists of an online record keeping which is web-based and registration can be made online at anytime and anywhere. Third is the reduction of human error. This is when the report will be generated in various forms such as PDF, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel which will provide a much accurate calculation. Fourth is test cases and actual testing and finally would be the documentation of this project with appropriate implementation of the system and can be made as a use manual too. Target Audience This system is targeted on car owners regardless of age, and occupation. Moreover, administrative staff in the services centre are targeted too because the proposed system will be more useful for them in the sense of reducing paper work and manual way of data keeping. Functionality of the system There are two types of functionality, which is internal functionality and External Functionality. The internal functionality are consists of administrator and the external functionality consists of user toft her system. Administration The proposed functionality of the system is to enhance a better reservation system to increase a better result in terms of accuracy of the cash flow and service management. The online reservation system will provide with Username and Password to enhance a better login security for the administrator. These is to manage the service authentication to check who has been reserved their service day by day. Therefore, the managers are able to get results to be summarized and to close the monthly transaction each every month. The accounts will be kept in a web based server to monitor and to keep track of daily operations to be determined in the future when it is necessary. User The user can register for free to use this reservation system. The login system enable user to update the current profile. Users are able to select their preferred time and date for their services. In conjunction, user able to select the pick-up and delivery service if there are interested and there are few monthly promotion can be selected. At the end of reservation, users are able to check out by selecting the payment methods. The web server will update at the back office and the management will get the updates of the particular reservation. Company Background Michelin BS Services Centre Sdn. Bhd. Source: Google Images On year 1998, Michelin has established its Representative Office while on the year 2002; Michelin Malaysia Sdn Bhd has established its headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Currently Michelin Malaysia has made its mark in the local tyre industry. Michelin has a professional and ever growing distribution network easily recognized with a standardized store-front signage, and force strategically positioned and located at key market centres. BS Service Centre Sdn Bhd is based on Michelin sponsorship to sponsor those car centre and service centre to develop their business entire Malaysia. These service centres have 2 branches in Kuala Lumpur and another in Petaling Jaya itself. These companies will emerge more sponsorship to give opportunity to those who wants to establish their own car centre. As dated on 17 August 2012, Michelin is globally ranked 1,473,231 and ranked 11,155 in Malaysia (alexa.com). Castrol Golden Tyre Car Centre Source: Google Images Charles Cheers Wakefield established an oil company in England on the 19th March 1899. He produced a new lubricant that reform transport in the first half of the 20th century after ten years later. He named the new oil as Castrol. To this day, the name Castrol is equal to premium quality, high performance and a leading edge technology in motor oils and automotive lubricants. The headquarters for Castrol Industrial Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. This company played a leading role in product technology and provides value added services to improve customers manufacturing process. Today, Castrol sponsorship has grown rapidly due to more car service centre which enables the company to give work opportunity for those are needed. One of the sponsorship companies were known as Golden Tyre Car Centre which is located in Bukit Jalil and they also have another main centre in Kota Kemunig, Shah Alam. As dated on 17 August 2012, Castrol is globally ranked 23,989,089 (alexa.com). Appendix http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/michelin.com.my# Castrol
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Thomas Jefferson: A Man of Two Faces Essay -- American America Histor
Thomas Jefferson: A Man of Two Faces THESIS: Thomas Jefferson was a wealthy plantation owner and politician that would speak out about slavery on a regular basis but would still employ slaves for his own use. "We are told by his biographers, and apologists, that he hated slavery with a passion. But since he participated fully in the plantation slavery system, buying and selling slaves on occasion, and because he could not bring himself to free his own slaves, who often numbered upward of 200-250 on his plantations, one has to either question the verity of this passion or speculate that it was merely the abstract idea of slavery that he hated." (Smedley 189) Thomas Jefferson was always aware of the fact that slavery would soon one day be abolished but he made no efforts during his lifetime to accelerate the process. Jefferson was a wealthy plantation owner and politician that would speak out about slavery on a regular basis but would still employ slaves for his own use. Thomas Jefferson was a plantation owner, politician, and verbal defender of slaves who would continuou...
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Comparing Truth in The Education of Children, Paradise Lost and Hamlet
Nature of Truth in The Education of Children, Paradise Lost and Hamlet à à à à à à à To some, truth is something that is absolute and unchanging. To others, truth is volatile and inconstant. In the 16th and 17th century, the foundations of civilization itself had been shaken. Many of the ideas which were thought to be absolutely true had been plunged into the depths of uncertainty. The cosmological, geographical, and religious revolutions called into question the nature of truth itself. It is no wonder, then, that some of the great writers at the time included within their works a treatise on the ways in which truth is constructed. Because of the major ideological revolutions that shaped their world, Milton, Montaigne, and Shakespeare all used characters and theatrical devices to create their own ideas on the construction of truth. à As a result of Milton's failed political aspirations, he believes that individuals do not construct truth, or decide for themselves what the truth is; instead, individuals receive the truth directly or indirectly from God. Conversely, deception comes from Satan. In Paradise Lost, Milton sets up this idea by forcing good to result only from obedience to God's will and evil to result whenever God is disobeyed. Dr. Evans' argument that Milton's ultimate point in all this is to express a moral position that is very extreme, that no quality or action can be innately good or evil, is firmly rooted in this model. What determines the morality of anything we do is in whose service we do it. Since Raphael was sent from God, his warning is true and divine. Since Satan disobeyed God, his ideas are all false lies. Part of Milton's ideology may have come from his own life experiences. After the restorat... ...FCS, 2000. à Brentano, Franz, The Origin of our Knowledge of Right and Wrong, trans. Cecil Hague (London: Constable, 1902). à Fish, Stanley Eugene. Surprised by Sin: The Reader in Paradise Lost. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1967. à Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Roy Flannagan. New York: Macmillan, 1993. à Patrides, C.A. Milton and The Christian Tradition. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966) à Montaigne, Michel de. The Complete Essays of Montaigne. Trans. DonaldM. Frame. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1958. à Moore, G. E., Review of The Origin of our Knowledge of Right and Wrong by Fritz Brentano, International Journal of Ethics, vol. 14 (1903), pp. 123-8. -----, 'Nature of Truth', Mind, vol. 16 ns, no. 62 (April 1907), pp. 229-35. à Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. 1600? Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Signet Classic, 1998.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Work in a Business Enviornment
UNIT 203:Work in a business Enviornment. 203. 1:Understand how to respect other people at work. 1. 1 Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? It is about valuing variety and individual differences and creating a culture, environment and practices which respect and value differences for the benefit of society, organisations and individuals. A diverse workforce is important because the organisation can offer a wider range of resources, skills, ideas and energy to the business, providing a competitive edge.Organisations who embrace diversity will reap the benefits of resourcing from a wider pool of talent, broaden their market, improve productivity and raise their profile in the community. 1. 2Describe how to treat other people in a way that is sensitive to their needs 1. One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself 2. One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated. Keeping the above as a thumb of rule we can treat other people in a way that is sensitive to their needs. . 3 Describe how to treat other people in a way that respects their abilities, background, values, customs and beliefs . Every individual's needs have to be taken into account and respected when sorting out disagreements. Also we need to listen to people's needs and support them through and that way they will feel valued. Different people will have different standards and levels of understanding, so we need to use the appropriate language and respect confidentiality 1. Describe ways in which it is possible to learn from others at work. Different people follow different strategies to solve difficult situations. So, it is good to take that opportunity to learn from co-workers and sharpen the skills. Pay attention to see how your colleagues act and react,ask for demonstration ,guidance from the experienced hands and developing strong networks of relationships to be successful. 203. 2: Understand how to maintain security and confid entiality at work and deal with concerns. 2. Outline the purpose and benefits of maintaining security and confidentiality at work Information / Data security means protecting all the data and information from unauthorised access.. Information security is a business requirement and also a legal requirement. There would be highly sensitive informations at the workplace which should be held secured and confidential. Confidentiality maintenance also relates to professionalism of the organisation. So employees must make sure they maintain a professional attitude and not share / disclose any sensitive information without authorisation from the organisation. . 2 Outline requirements for security and confidentiality in an organisation. Confidentiality and information security are the key aspects for an organisation. All information have to be original and true, and should be free from any errors. An organisation has to be ready at all times to give access to the systems that store, process and deliver information to the right people at the right time. All companies have and should have their own policies and procedures regarding security and confidentiality. 2. Outline legal requirements for security and confidentiality as required Every organisation should be careful of how they handle and respect data that passes through their hands. Data Protection Act 1998;Human Rights Act 1998;Common Law of Confidentiality gives us a clear picture of the legal requirement and the best practices for confidentiality and security within an organization. For confidential handling of material share only what is essential and alert them to the company guidance ;Think before taking the information out of the office i. e. via memory stick or paper.If information has to be released ensure that it is only as much as is required for the purpose required and that the recipient is aware of their responsibilities with regard to the information being received; Ensure safe disposal of data mater ial; Inform senior staff if you have any concerns regarding security or confidentiality. For security within an organization Access Rights to Data: Limited to admin support and directors only. Only directors or other authorised staff can transport data. Network Protection: make sure you have all computers have fire walls and antivirus protection.Data carrying devices: Make sure that USB memory stick and external hard drive are all encrypted. 2. 4 Describe procedures for dealing with concerns about security and confidentiality in an organisation. Every employee should be made aware of the rules and regulations of the organisation. Following are the procedures to be followed for dealing with concerns about security and confidentiality in an organisation. 1) Identify potential problems 2) Identify potential loss due to each problem 3) Determine possible preventative measures 203. 3: Understand the purpose and procedures for keeping waste to a minimum in a business environment. . 1 Expl ain the purpose of keeping waste to a minimum It is important to keep waste to a minimum in the work place. The more you waste, the more money it is going to cost the company. Companies have procedures like recycling which helps to keep your workplace tidy whilst saving money 3. 2 Describe the main causes of waste that may occur in a business environment When leaving the room or office, one has to make sure that lights that are no longer in use should be switched off, Most of the time we tend to forget about them and leave them on, thereby causing more expenses for the organisation and destroying the ecosystem. . 3 Describe ways of keeping waste to a minimum. As our organization is much related to electronics, the lion portion of waste composed of electronic waste which cannot be easily disposed off. but the organistion had a perfect knowledge and knowhow in minimizing waste. A specialised parts harvesting and component level repair teams working rigorously everyday to keep the wast e minimum under the non renewable category. 3. 4 Identify ways of using technology to reduce waste All machines have a period within which it has to be serviced and certified as good enough to be used.When these checks are performed regularly on a schedule the equipments run longer and therefore it minimises the chances of buying new machines before the life time of the machine already in hand. This saves money for the organisation. Maintaining the machines also helps consume less power, and less expenses on repairing and replacement of parts. 3. 5 Outline the purpose and benefits of recycling Recycling helps resource conservation of energies (renewable and non-renewable), solid waste reduction thereby conserving the ecosystem, environmental protection e. g trees and other living things and also helps ith the social and economic development. Recycling â⬠¢Saves the Earth â⬠¢Saves Energy â⬠¢Helps reduce Global Warming and Pollution â⬠¢Reduces Waste Products in Landfill s saving the earth and ecosystem â⬠¢Helps you Save Money. 3. 6 Describe organisational procedures for recycling materials Our organization maintains the procedures for recycling strictly to do the business in eco friendly ambience. As a part of it waste bins located at different locations and helps to sort the renewable waste. And a specialised parts harvesting and component level repair teams working rigorously everyday to keep the waste minimum under the non renewable category.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
The Hunnic Empire in 434 A.D.
Atilla, leader of the Hunnic Empire in 434 A. D. , is most famous for sacking many towns in Eastern Europe, and in Rome particularly. He was a fierce fighter, and was known to be as savage as they get. He was a constant nuisance to Rome never leaving them completely alone in his thirst for money, and power. It seemed as if Attila could not be satisfied with any amount of money, and was definitely never satisfied with the state of his empire always wanting more expansion. Attila saw his first taste to power in 434 A.D. after the death of his uncle Rugila (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). He and his brother, Bleda, were both next in line to control the Hun tribes. Attilaââ¬â¢s men were scattered, and a few disagreeing nobles fled to Rome to seek refuge. Attilaââ¬â¢s first important move as a leader was the negotiation for his men back. Bargaining with the Eastern Roman Emperor Attila received his men back, 350 Roman pounds, and open trade with Roman merchants. The deal was looked at as an early success for Attila (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠).I think that the first deal between Attila and Theodosius II was a mistake on the Roman Emperors part. I think that this gracious and kind act on the part of the Romans opens the door for Attilaââ¬â¢s greed and hunger. Theodosius should have recognized the death of the Hunnish empires leader, been stern with Attila, and maybe even threaten to wipe him out. After all they were in disarray, were not truly unified, and would have been an easy target to take out at the time. Instead he helped the Hunââ¬â¢s have an opportunity to grow, and come back wanting more.Theodosius obviously did recognize the Huns to be a threat, because when the Huns did recede, as a part of the treaty, he began reinforcing his walls as if he was getting ready for an attack (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). The Romans did not see the Huns for about five years, and then in 440 A. D. , after being defeated in Armenia, Attila set his eyes to Rome. First he laid waste to the merchants that had been setup as a part of the treaty, and then he began attacking forts alongside the river of Danube (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). Attila broke the first treaty between him and Theodosius, and it actually ended up working out better for Attila.Soon after Attila began pillaging through Eastern Rome the Vandals began an attack on Carthage, the wealthiest city in Rome. Troops were called away to help stop the attack in Carthage, leaving a big void for Attila and his brother to run through in 441 A. D (Gordon). In 442 A. D. Theodosius recalled his troops from Sicily, believing that he could stop Attila and beat the Huns. Theodosius had a chance to reason with Attila before he sent all his troops to oppose him, but his pride forced him to refuse Attilaââ¬â¢s demands (Gordon).It would have looked better for him if he would have just met the demands, because he was defeated by Attila twice just outside of Constantinople. Attila neve r actually breached the walls at Constantinople, but he did come very close. The city was well guarded with two sets of walls around it. Theodosius admitted his defeat around 443 A. D. and had to meet the harsh demands of Attila. Attila received roughly 6,000 pounds of gold from the Romans, and charged them a yearly tribute (Gordon). To say that Attila was a problem for the Romans is to say the least, he was very close to overrunning them and ending their existence.Attila, satisfied with what the treaty had brought him, withdrew himself back into the heart of his empire to plot more about how to take over the Romans. It was during this time, around 445 A. D. , that his brother Bleda is mysteriously murdered (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). Not much is recorded as to the actual cause of death, but it is a well-accepted notion that Attila had him killed so that he could have absolute power. Attila, having all the power to himself now, began another campaign against Rome in 447 A. D. He would face a former adversary Arnegisclus in the Battle of Utus.Even though Attila had beaten Arnegisclus in the 443 campaign, the Battle of Utus was a fierce and bloody one for both sides (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). Severe losses took place on both sides, however the Huns came out victorious. Arnegisclus was knocked down from his horse, and was eventually killed while on foot. Attila in 450 A. D. decides to make and alliance with Valentinian III, a Western Roman Emperor, and attack the Visgoths. Attila had be diplomatically bribed towards the alliance, and he had a good relationship with one of the emperorââ¬â¢s general Aetius (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠).Things looked to finally be smoothed out between Attila and the Romans, but then Valentinianââ¬â¢s sister ruined it all. Honoria was the name of Valentininaââ¬â¢s sister, and when she was displeased with her arranged marriage, she called out for Attila to take her hand in marriage. Attila took the proposal ve ry seriously and accepted, and was angered when Valentinian told him that his sister was not being genuine (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). Attila began making his way through the Roman Empire sacking cities on his way. Aetius began drawing his army to make a stand against Attila, and they met sound where around Orleans for the Battle of Cataluanum.This battle is said to be one of the most important battle in the history of Europe and Christianity, because if Attila would have clearly won then he could have annihilated Roman culture, and Christianity could have been lost (Gordon). In the battle both sides suffer heavy losses, but the Huns are said to be the victors even though it wasnââ¬â¢t much of a victory. The damage done was enough to slow Attila and his army down from making their way to France. Attila, still wanting to claim his bride, sets for Italy (Gordon). There are a few different stories as to why Attila did not end up attacking Italy.One is that Bishop of Rome Leo I met personally with Attila asking him to withdraw his army from Italy. What I think was the most reasonable answer for the withdrawal was the fact that Attila had suffered major losses, and it was said that his armies were suffering from disease and starvation (ââ¬Å"Heritage Historyâ⬠). Whichever story is true Attila withdrew either way vowing to return. On his way home from Italy, Attila marries a young girl named Iidko, and on the morning after his wedding he is found dead, in a bed of blood.The story is that Attila after a night of drinking suffered a massive nosebleed while lying down in his bed, and he drowned in his own blood. There are more theories on the actual cause of death of Attila. Some think that there was foul play, and that his newly wed wife killed him in his sleep, and some think he had a massive hemorrhage causing internal bleeding. After the death of Attila the Hunnic Empire was passed onto his sons, but there was much arguing over who had the most power . After a year or two the Huns were no longer an empire, and were blended into Germanic tribes across Europe.Attila the Hun took the Hunnic Empire farther than it ever dreamed to go, and thankfully, to us Christians, he was stopped eventually. Gordon, Richard. ââ¬Å"STOPPING ATTILA The Battle Of Chalons. â⬠Military History 20. 5 (2003): 34. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. ââ¬Å"Victory Secrets Of Attila The Hun. â⬠Success 40. 2 (1993): 42. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. ââ¬Å"Battle of Chalons: Attila the Hun versus Flavius Aetius. â⬠Military History. (2006): n. page. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. . ââ¬Å"Attile the Hun. â⬠Heritage History. Heritage History, 2007. Web. 11 Oct 2012. .
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