Monday, September 30, 2019

Employers Get Tough on Health

Kayli Tipps Employers Get Tough on Health The article entitled â€Å"Employers Get Tough on Health† is printed by the Chicago Tribune September 24, 2007 and it addresses how some companies in America are now choosing whether you get hired or keep your job based on your personal behavior and lifestyle habits such as smoking or eating high fat meals. In the reading the Article states â€Å"the rules of the work place are changing† and you should be informed of those changes so you can be a likely candidate to get hired if applying for a new job at these companies.I will tell you how they are testing to see if you make â€Å"bad† lifestyle choices and also how it may affect whether you qualify for health insurance or your job at these companies. The company known as Weyco Inc. in Michigan is who the article is about. This Company drew national attention in 2005 when it fired four employees who used tobacco. Weyco performs random testing every three months, usually o f about 30 workers.The workers are supposed to breath into a breathalyzer-like device that measures carbon-monoxide levels. So if the level is high then they are given a urine test and if they fail they will be dismissed. This is a scary idea to those who might smoke. Also I need to mention that you should say goodbye to the days of high-fat meals because Weyco can also regulate your blood pressure, body mass and glucose levels.The requirements embraced by a growing number of companies are setting privacy aside and raising questions about who will qualify for health insurance and more importantly employment. Like some of the employees you may be wondering if these new rules are illegal. According to Gary Climes, vice president of Meritain Health Michigan, who owns Weyco, stated that the firings do not violate Michigan law and that the 150 employees at the company have accepted the rules. It really comes down to a personal choice as far as do you want to be employed here,† Clim es said. Since 2005 when Weyco instituted the wellness policy that includes the smoking ban, health insurance costs have increased by only 2 percent which is below the national average. So you now should be worried because personal behavior and lifestyle habits, those unrelated to work, are now fair game for employers determined to cut health care costs.The Article is very informative and gives detailed reports on the testing and how you could potentially be â€Å"dismissed† if you fail one of the tests. Also the article is expressing to you how you should rethink the junk food you have been eating or the cigarette you are about to smoke. Although thousands of employees have put in place incentives for their workers to live healthier lifestyles, the great numbers of employers have not yet embraced the act to penalize workers who don’t satisfy medical and behavioral rules.Although you should really try to take steps to better yourself and use this article as a little pu sh even if you don’t live in Michigan because punitive measures are gaining a foothold in the workplace. I recommend this article to anyone who is currently looking for a job to get these ideas flowing in your head because even if the company you’re working for isn’t testing you or firing people for smoking you should still be aware that they look at your habits.The most important aspect you should have in the work place in presentation in your effort and in yourself. I found this article very informative because I had no idea that businesses even started testing people to see if they smoke or cared that you smoked at all. Although some things may be out of your immediate control such as high blood pressure and glucose levels, you can take measures to improve your health in the long run with choosing a healthier lifestyle, not only for yourself but for your job.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Salvador Dali Research Paper

Salvador Dali Salvador Dali was born on May 1 1, 1904 in Figurers, Spain. He was one of the most influential surrealist painters in the world and vowed not to be forgotten. He had a very eccentric personality that went along very well with his painting style. Salvador Dalais style of painting was so eccentric that he was expelled from the surrealist movement, but that did not stop him from painting. Salvador Dalais father was a middle class lawyer and was very strict with him. His mother was the exact opposite. She was the one who introduced him to art and all of his eccentricities.Salvador was a very intelligent child. He would often get angry with his parent's and cause trouble. Because of this, he was badly bullied in school, and by his father. His father was very disappointed in Salvador because of his eccentricities and would severely punish him often. The relationship between Salvador and his father was very poor because of the fact that they were constantly fighting over the love of his mother. Salvador had an older brother, also named Salvador, who died at an early age. His parent's once took him to his older brother's grave and told him that he as the reincarnation f his brother.Salvador began creating intricate drawings at an early age. Both of his parent's supported this talent, so they built him an art studio before he entered high school. Once his parent's realized how talented their son really was, they sent him to College De Herrmann Marimbas. He did not take anything he learned seriously and preferred to daydream instead of pay attention to what he was being taught. After graduating art school, Salvador father organized an art show of Salvador charcoal drawings. When Dali was 16, his mother died of breast cancer.Her death hurt Dali ND his father greatly, but when his father married his wife's sister, they grew even farther apart. Dali respected his aunt, but was very upset that his father would marry her. Salvador Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in Figurers, Spain. He was one of the most influential surrealist painters in the world and vowed not to be forgotten. He had a very eccentric personality that went along very well with his painting style. Salvador Dalais style of painting was so eccentric that he was expelled from the surrealist movement, but that did not stop him from painting.Salvador Dalais father as a middle class lawyer and was very strict with him. His mother was the exact opposite. She was the one who introduced him to art and all of his eccentricities. Salvador was a very intelligent child. He would often get angry with his parent's and cause trouble. Because of this, he was badly bullied in school, and by his father. His father was very disappointed in Salvador because of his eccentricities and would severely punish him often. The relationship between Salvador and his father was very poor because of the fact that they were constantly fighting over the love of his other.Salvador had an older brother, also n amed Salvador, who died at an early age. His parent's once took him to his older brother's grave and told him that he as the reincarnation of his brother. Salvador began creating intricate drawings at an early age. Both of his parent's supported this talent, so they built him an art studio before he entered high school. Once his parent's realized how talented their son really was, they sent him to College De Herrmann Marimbas. He did not take anything he learned seriously and preferred to daydream instead of pay attention to what he as being taught.After graduating art school, Salvador father organized an art show of Salvador charcoal drawings. When Dali was 16, his mother died of breast cancer. Her death hurt Dali and his father greatly, but when his father married his wife's sister, they grew even farther apart. Dali respected his aunt, but was very upset that his father would married her. Salvador Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in Figurers, Spain. He was one of the most influentia l surrealist painters in the world and vowed not to be forgotten. He had a very eccentric personality that went along ere well with his painting style.Salvador Dalais style of painting was so eccentric that he was expelled from the surrealist movement, but that did not stop him from painting. He is one of the greatest surrealists to ever have lived. His theory, the Paranoiac-critical method, is where he says he gets his ideas. He says that one can view the world in an irrational way causing transformations to happen. When one does this, they will be able to think differently. This is done by creating a double image in the mind and tricking it into seeing different, surreal images

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Crimes against information system analysis

Cyber crime or computer crime is a type of crime that occurs through the internet. This type o f crime has become very common in modern times and many people have been conned money and other valuables. This kind of crime has grown to be high profile to the extent that governments around the world are devising and implementing strategies and policies in a move to curb this kind of crime. Some of the most common types of internet crime include financial theft, fraud, intellectual property theft, industrial espionage, spamming, spread of computer virus, software hacking among others (Grabosky, 2006).This paper will review the Nigerian Money Scams also called Advanced Fees Fraud or 419 Scams. The Nigerian scam is one of the most popular types of internet scam around the globe. It has been described as the widest ranging, cleverly planned and bizarre fraud schemes in the world in the recent years. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Interpol and Scotland Yard describe it as prepos terous, amateurish and plainly crude (Lohr, 1992). The scam involves the sending of bogus letters with a promise of big pay offs.The target of this fraud usually receives an Email that claims to be from Nigeria or another West African country. Initially its target was businessmen but these days, the target also includes average citizens due to the low cost associated with email communication and transactions. The content of the email includes an illegal proposal, a money laundering proposal or a legitimate and legal business proposal. It includes offers of help whereby the sender wants some assistance in shipping out oil from Nigeria, romance, some supposedly deposited money in your account, a bequest left a will in your name.Others include claims overpayment of a contract by the Nigeria Government and therefore a need of a front man to get the overpayment out of Nigeria or an invite to transfer a huge amount of money, usually in US Dollars to your personal offshore account (Nigeria n scams, 2000). After the recipient of this message responds positively, the sender then proceeds to advice him what else he requires to do. The purpose of the initial letter is to set the stage and is considered the opening ground to test the waters.Goal of the criminal The main intention of the criminal is to confuse you into thinking that whatever you are being drawn into is a lucrative business opportunity and a highway into instant riches. Even though, the arrangement appears questionable but very few people look at it that way. Therefore the first letter makes sure that the recipient is left with no doubts and that he or she is assured, and confident of the fact that the deal will be very success and that he is not in no way risking himself or herself.The allegations presented by these scammers are in such a way that you will be naturally cautious but deep down you, you will be praying softly and wanting hopefully that the deal is genuine. Another element associated with these emails is a sense of urgency (Gill, 2005). Either that the government is closing in or that the job of the sender is at risk. Therefore, his request is that the deal may be closed as son as possible. Their methodology is that they make sure that the recipient of the mail counts him or herself lucky because he has been singled out from billions of people the world over.And so as much as this deal may look suspicious, the receipt is left with the urge of gaining millions of shillings for doing what? Absolutely nothing. Even to the most skeptical people, they take the next step or sending an email, which will not cost you any risk at all and in return, might make you a multi millionaire. The feeling that being a rich man is only an email away is what makes people respond to this mail. After making that call or sending the email, the sender pleads with you to make this as secret as possible because he or she is taking a great risk in communicating with you.He emphasizes on the secrecy in that any disclosure might lead to the transaction of the transfer of funds being incomplete. As the recipient, you don’t see any harm in maintaining secrecy, confidentiality, utmost sense of purpose and maturity as it is what it will be asked of you by the sender (Lohr, 1992). After this communication, documents actually arrive to you. Official documents from the central bank of Nigeria together with documents from the firm of your newly appointed Nigerian lawyers. This is what convinces most people of the authenticity of the proposal as they contain the Nigerian Government Letter head (Gill, 2005).After you are satisfied of the authenticity of the transaction, you are then asked to pay some money to cater for unexpected taxes or contract fees demanded by the central bank of Nigeria, transfer of funds fees or fees to cater for the attorneys acting on your behalf. The sender assures you that those are things that he is not in control of. For example, he may tell you that th e lawyers want 5% of the whole money or $200,000 in advance in order to continue with the transfer. Being a wise person, you smell a rat and say no way.It is then after sometime that the sender contacts you again and tells you that he has been able to negotiate with the lawyers and they have brought down their fees to say $100,000. He convinces you that it is nothing compared to what you two are going to gain. But since you are a wise person, you say no way (Lohr, 1992). It is then that he calls you again and tells that even though he is a poor guy, he is ready to sell his only house to raise $30,000 if you are in a position of raising the rest. He cannot forget to remind you that it is a loan he has advanced to you and that you will refund it to him once you receive the money.Here, you see the commitment and you ultimately send the money and you wait for your cash. You even start planning for holiday. After two days, you are informed that there have been some few problems and that the inside man is asking for a small bribe. After paying the initial amount, you become the ultimate milk cow. More requests start coming your way for you to send in more money. At this juncture, you are faced with two options: either send more money as demanded or risk loosing the promised millions and the money you have already sent.In this way, you are a prey and tens or even hundreds of dollars may be swindled from you (Gill, 2005). Each amount of money that you send is regarded as the last amount but eventually, there rises some ‘temporary difficulties’, ‘errors’ or ‘complications’ that you are prompted to solve. This may go on for months until you run out of money or until you give up. But these scammers will not stop there. If you show signs of giving up, they remind you of the ultimate prize awaiting you. The asking of these â€Å"advance fees† is the ultimate objective of this scam.That’s why it is referred to as the Adva nce Fees Fraud (Gill, 2005). Once a victim has sent in more and more cash, he gets hooked up to the scam and the more he believes that it is not a scam but that it is a real deal. The denial of most victims that they have been conned is what drives them to make just one more payment and their windfall happens (Nigerian Scams, 2000). There are even instances whereby one is invited to Nigeria and you are taken through real or fake government offices. The fake government offices include many government support staff and you are left with no doubt.In some instances, victims have confessed going to the directory, looking up the number of the alleged government officiate and finding it there. On calling, it is received by the very same person who he has been in contact with. There are some victims who have been invited to go to Nigeria. They are told that a Visa is not necessary and in that case, they bribe an airport official for you to enter Nigeria. On entering you are told that it is illegal to be in Nigeria without a passport (which is true) and this is used to coerce more money from you (Lohr, 1992). Mechanism to discourage these crimesThe federal bureau of investigations has but in some mechanisms in bid to stop these fraudsters. The FBI has warned the public to be wary and not fall into this trick. In this regard, the public has been warned to be skeptical of any email or letter from persons claiming to be Nigerian government officials or any other foreigner asking for help with regard to transfer of large sums of money. The public has also been advised not to believe in the promise of large sums of money once they cooperate (FBI, 2010). Many countries have put in legislations that require citizens to report any form of 419 emails.In general, the governments all over the world are committed to ending this vice. There have also been developments of Internet Technologies which aim at stemming the advancement of the Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud scams. Through th e use of this technology, law enforcement officers are in a position to cooperate internationally and therefore are able to track these scammers, obtain the necessary evidence and prosecuting them (Lohr, 1992). References FBI. (2010). Internet Fraud. Retrieved August 19, 2010 from http://www. fbi. gov/majcases/fraud/internetschemes. htm. Gill, P. (2005). About. Com. The Top ten internet/ Email Scams.Retrieved August 19, 2010 from http://netforbeginners. about. com/od/scamsandidentitytheft/ss/top10inetscams. htm Grabosky, P. (2006). Electronic Crime, New Jersey: Prentice Hall http://www. nytimes. com/1992/05/21/business/nigerian-scam-lures-companies. html. Lohr, S. (1992). Nigerian Scam' Lures Companies. Nigerian Advanced Fee Fraud Detection, Education, Eradication. The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2010 from http://www. nextwebsecurity. com/ Nigerian scams. (2000). Schemes, Scams and frauds. Retrieved August 19, 2010 from http://www. crimes-of-persuasion. com/Crimes/Business/ nigerian. htm.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Effective risk management in software development project using Dissertation

Effective risk management in software development project using different methodologies - Dissertation Example It was believed that this approach will help to elucidate some of the main practices of risk assessment within the software would industry in the United Kingdom The specific objectives of this research were as follows: 1. To determine what approaches to risk management were most common among respondents 2. To identify differences or similarities between the perspectives of participants and those in the literature 3. To examine how effective risk mitigation was for participants The mixed methods approach involved the use of one quantitative and one qualitative technique. The qualitative technique that was determined was an open-ended, one-on-one interview which was carried out with participants from a range of different software companies. In addition to the qualitative component of this study a small, quantitative questionnaire was also developed and distributed to people within the organisations of the qualitative participants. This questionnaire contained shorter versions of some o f the questions covered in the qualitative interview. The purpose of this was to access a wider pool of participants than would be possible for the qualitative interview. ... Additionally, if probability sampling methods are used, the outcomes from a quantitative study can often be extended to a large population, while a qualitative study does not have the same level of applicability. Thus, a quantitative study might be able to determine that group A was statistically more likely to use the waterfall risk management approach, while a qualitative approach would be able to provide an indication about what people thought about risk management approaches, and why a particular one was preferable. 3.1.1 Qualitative Interviews Qualitative research is a form of research that considers the perspectives and opinions of participants, often through approaches such as interviews or focus groups. A substantial amount of information can be gathered through qualitative research, however, it also tends to be more time consuming. Because of this, qualitative approaches are often used for studies where the opinions of participants is of particular importance, or the area of the study is small (Leedy and Ormrod, 2004). It makes use of non-probability methods of sampling, which means that it is difficult to extrapolate the results of a study to a wider population (Sarantakos, 2005). Interviews are an approach to qualitative research that allows for a lot of information to be gathered from participants (Trochim and Donnelly, 2007) . Interviews frequently make use of a mixture of questions that are closed and open-ended (Gillham, 2005). This approach is effective, because it allows the interviewer to guide the progress of the interview, and ensure that the desired questions are answered, while at the same time

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Video games conquering new markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Video games conquering new markets - Essay Example The first primitive computer and video games were developed in the 1950s and 60's and ran on platforms such as oscilloscopes, university mainframes and EDSAC computers. The earliest computer game was created in 1947 by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_and_video_games) Other than conventional media sector, the digital technologies have given new spurt to a most exciting entertainment industry- video gaming industry. There is lot of reasons which helped the video gaming industry. The fast growth of technology, globalization and liberalization of market, increasing level of stress in life and working conditions, self imposed house arrest life style, weakening social relations, increasing individuality and privacy consciousness are all helped the emergence of gaming industry in the world. People, especially children have been looking of new means spend their leisure time. Technology has offered them lot of comfort in their homes. At the same time, gaming provides more possibilities to enjoy the pace of the moving world. They have been longing for a long time a channel to link their imaginations, dreams, passions and story tales with reality. The emergence of video gaming offered them an opportunity to realise this dream with technological support. Als o emergence of other digital enterprises such as broadband, telecommunication, internet and cables has also worked as a catalyst for the gaming industry. With markets grown beyond nationalities, gaming has also got a global look. The gaming industry is now looking forward lot of market potential in emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil. The emergence of internet and networking into a global platform offers considerable prospect for gaming industry....There has been demands for censorship in video games. Video and computer games are periodically criticized in the media by some parents' groups, psychologists, religious organizations, and politicians for the level of violence, cruelty, and crime that some games allow players to act out, and often glorify. Examples are common, including Mortal Kombat and its sequels, a series of fighting games by Midway. Since 1992 the series has rewarded players for beating up an opponent with martial arts moves, and then for executing a graphic "Fatality" move. Considering the fears of these groups video game industry have started voluntary rating systems, such as the ESRB rating system in the United States and the PEGI rating system in Europe, that are aimed at educating parents about the types of games their children are playing, or wish to play. Some games such as the Grand Theft Auto series are rated as "Mature" or "Adults Only" in the US, or given a "Certificate 18" rating in the UK. There would be notes in the packaging that these games should not be sold to children. If a parent or legal guardian buys a mature game for a child and the parent/legal guardian gives permission to a child to play said mature game, it is by the parents' choice and is not considered an offence.

The Use of Sustainable Strategies in the Management of the Hotel Assignment

The Use of Sustainable Strategies in the Management of the Hotel - Assignment Example Sustainable practices can be an essential pillar in the hotel. Apart from helping to build the reputation of the hotel in the eyes of the general public, it can be instrumental in helping to reduce the costs of operations, conservation of the environment for a sustainable growth. To achieve this, I would like to highlight that the hotel has the following options to exploit: Energy is a crucial resource that the hotel cannot work without. With the overreliance on traditional sources of energy such as electricity, many hotels have been spending a lot of money on electricity. In fact, according to the hotel’s records, it spends a total of 19% of its revenues on energy. This means that energy has been very costly to acquire. To minimize its usage, the hotel can choose to adopt various measures. First, stop using high voltage bulbs and tubes and replace them with energy saving ones like Star Light Bulbs and LED lighting. There are revolutionary inventions because they have tremendously reduced the rate of energy consumption. For instance, the use of Star Light Energy saving bulbs has led to the reduction of energy consumption in hotels by up to 75%. Nevertheless, better results can still be attained if the hotel resorts to the installation and use of area sensors in the guest rooms and public resting spaces. Just like electricity, water is a very precious commodity in the hotel. Without it, no meals can be prepared, no cleanliness can take place, and no guests can drink or bathe. After all, it is a costly resource that must just be used for every single hotel facility. Because of this, it should be sustainably consumed. However, one way through which this can be accomplished is through the installation and a consistent use of low-flow showerheads and consumption landscaping.  

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Criminal Justice - Essay Example This explains why the use of evidence-based policing will empower the police forces to make smarter decisions when controlling and solving crimes (Bueermann, 2012). Despite its advantages, there are cases wherein the police task force may not be knowledgeable enough to implement these strategies properly. For this reason, the process of continuously promoting evidence-based policing may only give the community members a wrong sense of safety and security (Alfredo, n.d.). For example, to reduce crime in Sacramento, the Sacramento Police Department conducted a â€Å"90-day Hot Spot study† between the 8th of February 2011 to the 8th of May 2011 (Sacramento Police Department, 2011). Based on the available crime records, the police highlighted â€Å"42 hot spots† wherein most crime occurred. Based on the research study findings, police visibility by simply patrolling around the hot spot areas for at least 15-minute period daily is effective in reducing crime rates in hot spot areas. Lum et al. (2010) conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine whether or not the use of license plate readers (LPR) can effectively prevent crime in hot spot areas. Throughout 30 hot spots across 2 jurisdictions, police patrols with LPR were assigned to monitor 15 hot spot areas using the â€Å"sweep and sit† approach within a 30-day experimental period. The research findings show that deploying a small number of police patrols with LPR is not sufficient to control crime. Alfredo, D. (n.d.). eHow. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from The Advantages & Disadvantages of Evidence-Based Policing: http://www.ehow.com/info_8495574_advantages-disadvantages-evidencebased-policing.html Lum, C., Merola, L., Willis, J., & Cave, B. (2010, September). Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University. Retrieved October 21, 2012, from License Plate

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The effect of Oil prices on the performance of stock markets of the Assignment

The effect of Oil prices on the performance of stock markets of the GCC countries - Assignment Example However, the concentration of the studies is in developed economies their analysis focuses on the impact oil price shocks have on stock returns. To determine the link, there should be an assessment of the changes in the prices of crude oil and the effects of such changes on the equity returns especially in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The assessment is both at country-level and industry-level. Studies show that the stock market in most of the GCC countries shows a significant response to oil price shocks. As per the industries, the shocks have a significant impact on returns of several industries (Mohanty, Nandha, Turkistani, and Alaitani, 2011). A conclusive study of the impact oil prices have on stock prices in GCC countries is, therefore, necessary. There GCC is composed of Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The Countries mainly import manufactured goods from other developed and developing nations. Any fluctuations in oil prices could therefore indirectly cause effects to GCC markets as they affect the prices of the products they import. A rise in prices of oil may lead to changes in interest rates and all types of investment. The effects of oil price shocks on the returns of stock depend more on how the negative and positive effects outweigh each other (Ravichandran and Alkhathlan, 2010). The GCC stock markets have limitations such as smaller number of listed firms, low sector wise diversification, and large institutional holdings. A key point to note is that GCC countries depend on oil to different extents and the efforts towards diversification, and economic liberalization differs in the different countries (Arouri, Lahiani, and Bellalah, 2010). That is despite them having several charac teristics in common. Among the six members of the GCC, there is a positive relation between changes in oil prices and stock market returns in three countries. The countries are Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab

Monday, September 23, 2019

Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Technology - Essay Example Globally, technology has become very vital. However, as much as it has enhanced living, it has also brought some challenges like global warming, urban smoke and ozone depletion. The study seeks to outline the rational between technology and global change. Technology has played a very significant role and the transformations are evident in many areas around the planet. The first one is energy generation and consumption in both domestic and commercial use. Generally, power energy is used for warming and cooling our residence while in factories energy is essential in the production process. Currently, with energy resourceful technology, it is possible for individuals to employ a smaller amount of energy to get the same work done that before used very high energy levels. According to Brian and Gary, the use of efficient technologies has enormously contributed in saving money and energy (115). Technology has also led to new ways of generating energy such as wind, geothermal, solar and bio-energy. Energy obtained through these methods is referred to as renewable energy. It is believed to have the technical ability to meet all energy requirements, quickly and simple to set up, cost-effective and environmental friendly. With the correct tech nologies in place, environmental pollution can enormously be cut down while at the same time assist in jobs creation. The second area that has recorded enormous transformation is the transport sector. With the sector tremendously expanding, its segment’s discharges have risen at a much faster pace in contrast to any other power- using sector in excess of the earlier times. The major challenge, therefore, is how to enhance efficiency at the same time reducing discharge. Through technology, advances such as increased miles per gallon in all forms of transport and low–carbon petroleum are day in day out being developed (Brian and Gary

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay As they move into adolescents learning is obtained from multiple people including teachers, friends, and even through their surroundings. An ideal education promotes knowledge while incorporating valuable information that can be used to help in everyday life. â€Å"-Education is the process of acquiring knowledge. † True education comes in many different forms. Granted it is important to study the basic academic courses including reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and social studies which all will help set a strong foundation for the student. It is equally just as significant that the educator offer alternative information for the well-being of the student. Education should build not only on the text that lies within a book, but should also touch base with everyday life. Nutrient plays a key role in education. For someone to be alert, and attentive in class it is crucial for them to get a healthy meal to retain the information. There are many ways that administration can assist in this matter. For starters, they need to assure that every student gets a well-balanced breakfast in the morning and a wholesome lunch in the afternoon. We need to educate students that proper nourishment is a must. Every school should have a dietician design a meal plan that revolves around wholesome foods. Each student needs to be taught that good eating habits are essential to living a healthy life-style and being successful. A lot of health issues could be avoided if school providers taught children at a young age the difference between good foods and bad. Also, by putting the teachings into action and letting the children practice fun ways to create healthy dishes with their classmates and absorb an important lesson. So many people eat the wrong foods and suffer tremendously because, they are not educated on the proper foods to consume. Students need to be aware what can happen if they make poor eating choices, and how junk food effects not only their health and weight, but also their mental capability’s as well. Good eating habits need to be exercised in the lunchroom, as well as the classroom to be fully educated in nutrient. Physical fitness is equally important when speaking upon education. With computers and video games on the rise, it is more likely in today’s society for a child to be sitting in front of one of these devices, then it is for them to be playing outside. While these machines can be great educational tools and stimulate the mind, they do nothing when it comes to physical fitness. Physical education needs to be incorporated in the learning process. Students need to experience the joy associated with exercise. Physical education classes today are either limited or almost non-existent. Students should have a set time everyday for physical education. This will help fight obesity and promote healthy-living. Students need to be exposed to physical hard work and know that it pays off. The rewards associated with physical education are huge. It teaches the student how to get in shape and stay fit while building strength. Physical education gives the student the necessary tools to participate in after school sports as well as exposing them to different activities. By doing so it points the student in a positive direction, and gives them a clear outlook on life. It praises confidence and frowns on laziness. From this class the student will take away the skills needed to keep their body healthy and trim. It also will build social development with others while enlightening them. There is no better way to learn than learning through exposure. The student needs to be taught that a healthy body is equally important to a healthy mind. Education comes in many forms. Home economics at one point in time was quit popular in our school systems. Over the years the budget for this course has dissipated. But there is still great importance for this class, for both boys and girls. It is not out of the ordinary for students in today’s generation to graduate high school, attend college and not know how to function and live as young adults. This course is crucial for instilling the survival skills to transition from living at home with parents, to living on one’s own. All of the basic household duties should be taught along the lines of learning how to do laundry, sew, and prepare meals. Also how to clean properly and how to manage a household domestically and financially. These skills will be used in everyday life, and are important to be educated on. Education also means sophistication. Teachers play a huge role in sharing their knowledge through textbooks, and communication. They are truly the key in getting a student interested and excited about learning something new. If the student connects with the instructor it makes it easier to retain the information . We need educators who love their job, and who are happy to pass along valuable teachings. Even when a student gets discouraged, a good educator, who cares, goes beyond there call of duty to make sure the student is understanding the information. Even though they teach the basics courses which include English, Math, Science, and History, education should also give the student options. Being educated means you are well-rounded in different areas. It would be of great value if the student could study more than just the requirements. If they could pick out subjects that interest them, it’s more likely that they will absorb the information, and be excepting of the learning process. Since one-third of a child’s life is spent in a classroom its inevitable that the educator have a great deal of influence on how the student perceives learning. For the instructor it’s crucial that they find fun ways to motivate the student, while getting their point across. Being creative puts the student a greater advantage because, it stimulates the mind and makes them more willing to retain the facts. Smaller classrooms ensure that the student recieve more one on one attention. It takes a special person to be an educator, and provide enlightenment so the student can have a fair chance at success. Ultimately it is the individual who will decide what their future holds. Whether they choose to be a stay at home parent, have an office job, or work outdoors, their education is centered around what was learned in the classroom, and should roll over into their adult lives. Having an education is of great value, and it is that education that strengthens them as a person. It requires dedication, and motivation to build on the person you are, and the person that you will become. Every situation and ordeal that a person encounters builds on their character, and their mind growth. Education is knowledge learned from others. There are many people that contribute to the learning process. Of course the obvious is someone’s family, friends, or teacher , but really anyone who enlightens you into understanding something is educating you. The greatest phenomenon associated with education is that there is always something new to learn. An ideal education incorporates many individuals who share valuable information that can be used in everyday life, while generating options and opportunity for success.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Importance of Expenditure on Education for Economic Growth

Importance of Expenditure on Education for Economic Growth REVIEW OF LITERATURE THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVE Introduction Education is recognized as a critical input for the holistic development of the economy. Further, the elementary education plays a very leading role in acquiring larger positive externalities to the society. The provision of elementary education is one of the central responsibilities of the government. Many economic theories also suggest substantial role for the government in providing of basic education. All states in India have undertaken the responsibility of providing elementary education to their citizens. Voluminous government expenditure was increased on education across the states, but there is no significant achievement among the states in terms of educational outcomes. This chapter makes an attempt to review the available literature to understand the theoretical linkages of development and problems involved. The review of literature very helpful in understanding the research problems and explore the research gap and identify the ways that lead to solve the problem. A: Theoretical Models of Public Expenditure on Education Review of literature is divided into two parts. The first part represents the theoretical literature on financing of education, public good discussion, externalities involved with education and government intervention in the provision of education in the system. The role of education in economic development and important factors influencing on productivity and externalities involved also discussed here. The second part describes empirical studies on relationship between education and economic growth, inter-state variation in educational performance, efficiency of education system and factors influencing educational expenditure. Finance is commonly referred as providing funds for commercial activities. Public finance includes both public revenue and public expenditure, which plays an important role in influencing the other variables in an economy. Public expenditure is referred as the expenses incurred by the Government for the maintenance of the government responsibility and to stimulate the welfare of the society. Financing is an economic activity of the government to provide and manage necessary resources for satisfying the needs of the people. Education is not a pure public good, because in certain situations education might violate the principle characteristics of the public good such as non-rival and non-excludability. But education in general or elementary education in particular is considered as social good or collective good, which produces various positive externalities and social advantages to the society. Several economists have supported public expenditure on education for providing better educational opportunities in the society based on the argument that expenditure on education impacts economic development positively. During the ancient period most of the countries were following the laissez faire policy, where market forces play dominant role in adjustment of the economy. The role of the state was limited. Even under laissez-faire policy, the Government was expected to perform certain functions. According to the father of economics, Adam Smith (1937)[1] who provided a broad platform to laissez faire policy, the government has three important functions. They are Protection of society from foreign invasion. Maintenance of law and order and justice in society. The correction and maintains of public works such as educational institutions for the instructions of the people. Smith greatly emphasized the role of public finance and emphasized the need for providing public services to the poor to live and maintain their human dignity. J.S. Mill (1848) is another well known classical economist supported Adam Smiths laissez faire policy in administration of the government. He purposefully divided the functions of the government in laissez faire into Ordinary and Optional functions. The ordinary functions are defence, maintenance of law and order and other functions essential for the maintenance of the system. On the other hand the Optional functions such as education, health, family welfare and others have positive impact on economic growth the long run. In his argument he also encourage government role in advancement of public expenditure because Individuals are unable to evaluate the utility of certain goods, Lack of foresight may prevent individuals from consuming the valuable goods. Monopoly power or high prices necessitate government intervention in the provision of primary education. For the first time Adolph Wagner[2] (1835–1917) has commented on increasing state activities and through his experiment he found a positive relationship between public expenditure and economic growth among the selected countries. He postulated that when economy moves towards higher economic development path, public expenditure of the state also increases. The increasing public expenditure contributes to economic growth in various ways. In contrary, Peacock and Wiseman[3] (1967) argued that the natural course of advancement and structural change in the economy, leads to constant and systematic expansion in the public expenditure. According to them public expenditure in the system will not continuously increase. It depends on the shocks and stimulus response in the society. The Voluntary Exchange Theory was developed by Knut Wicksell (1896), Eric Lindahl ( ), Howard Bowen (1948)[4] and Musgrave (1939)[5]. It suggests that the resources in public sector should also allocate in the same manner as in such a manner to their allocation in the market with its price system. Through this theory they argued for tax collection and public spending for improving the welfare of the people. Dalton[6] postulated the public expenditure theory (1967) and according to him maximum satisfaction can be yield by striking a balance between public revenue and public expenditure by the government. According to him economic welfare is achieved when Marginal Social Sacrifices (MSS) due to imposition of taxes is equal to Marginal Social Benefit (MSB) due to government spending. Prof. Pigou argued that net social benefit (NSB) is maximized in the equilibrium condition of MSS = MSB. Public Expenditure and Decentralization Since the SSA adopted decentralized model in government spending on education, theories relating to the public expenditure, decentralization and governance are reviewed. Fiscal decentralization theorem (Oates, 1972) states that sub central governments have a comparative advantage in providing public services due to heterogeneity preferences of the people residing in different jurisdiction. He strongly argued for the decentralization in the administration and performing the functions. According to him decentralization will bring good governance at the local level and satisfy more human wants through effective public expenditure. Public expenditure and Distribution Dreze and Sen (1989) propounded public support led strategies. According to them the holistic development of the system is possible only where each and every individual has a good standard of living. For better standard of living and for tracing number of activities, they strongly argued for the educational attainment. Apart from its intrinsic importance, education serves certain instrumental roles in ensuring the freedom of a person, which not only guarantees personal gains but also possesses social ramifications including empowering the disadvantaged and reducing inequality. Certain public service such as education, health, sanitation, family welfare, rural development and others are required particularly for the development of marginalized sections. In this regard, the government investment on social sector is essential for receiving the double benefit to the economy. Samuelsons Theory of Public good The first place in defining the concept of public good belongs to Paul A. Samuelson (1955)[7]. Samuelson consider as the establisher of theory of public good. He made distinguish between public good and private good. The public good as the good, which brings benefits for members of the society as a whole and the consumption of the Public good doesnt proclaim the consumption of the other person. In Indian context provision of elementary education is a right of children between the age group of six to fourteen years, therefore elementary education consider as public good. In this regard Samuelsons argument in the provision of public good (elementary education) is justifiable. Non-rivalry and non-exclusion are two important characteristics of public good; education in general a good only obligatory education can meet the characteristics of public good. The elementary education is fulfilled the characteristics of public good and the consumption of this good does not reduce the consumptio n of other good. All these reasons emphasized the government role in public expenditure in the system. Milton Freidman (1995) published his book entitled The role of government; in that book he postulated the role of government intervention in the provision of education. He positively argued that the government intervention in public good based on strong following reasons; Capital market imperfection Incomplete infrastructure Possibility to create a monopoly Existence of positive externalities Friedman, M. (1955): The Role of Government. In: Solo, R.A, Economics and the public interest. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1955, 123-144. He propounded and accepted the approach of efficiency in the allocation of public goods. It shows fundamental difference between the allocation of public and private good based on micro economic principle. Prof. A.C. Pigou established the ability to pay theory for the determination of optimum level of public expenditure. He explained that the resources should be allocated among different uses and expenditure should be incurred in different uses in such a form that the marginal utility obtained from each different use is same. The government sector would grow with increasing level of National income. According to him if a community were literally a unitary being, with the government as its brain, expenditure should be pushed in all direction as increases of the National income. Further Prof. Pigou observed that simple marginal rule of optimization implied on increasing public sector with increasing wealth, the optimum amount of public goods is likely to raise. Justification for State Intervention in Education Some of the justifications for state intervention in education sector are as follows Education is recognized as a social good, but through the Right to Education Act (RtE) Elementary education is recognized as a public good, where it is the responsibility of government and parents to provide certain level of education. People could ignorant about the advantages/benefits/values of the education, so they have no concern in educating their pupils. The imperfect market and asymmetric information in developing and developed economies make poor people to still consider education expenditure as a consumption rather than investment expenditure. Market mechanism is mainly determined by the demand for and supply of the product. But in the case of education which is a social good, the marginal cost of additional education unit is zero and its consumption is indivisible in nature. These factor causes market failure in the market for investment in Education. Scholars like (Vaizy 1962; Blaug 1965; Levin 1987; Tomilnson1986; Musgrave 1959; Tilak 1999 and others) have strongly supported the state intervention in provision of elementary education. Contribution of Education to Economic Growth: Theoretical perspective The role of education in development has been recognized since the days of Plato. He argued that the education has high economic value; therefore a huge part of communitys wealth must be invested on education. Education helps the society by enabling them to participate actively in the development process. But, a major contribution to the discussion on relationship between education and economic growth was first made by Adam Smith (1776), followed by the subsequent contributions by the classical and neo-classical economists until Alfred Marshall. Marshall (1890) emphasized that, â€Å"The most valuable of all capital is that invested in human beings’. Further he also states that, Knowledge is our most powerful engine of production. It enables us to moderate nature and force her to satisfy our wants†. Education is one of the most important components in capacity building. It provides a base for making a person capable of acquiring skills and becoming self-sustainable. Kuznets’s study of American economy (Kuznets, 1955) shows the significant contribution of ‘residual factor’ to economic growth. A study on agriculture of 31 countries shows that four years of elementary education makes a farmer more productive than the farmer who has no education at all. I n another study of 88 countries for the period 1960-63 and 1970-73, it was found that an increase in literacy rates from 20 to 30 per cent contributed to increase in real GDP between eight to sixteen per cent. Personal earning and education have also been found correlated (UNDP, 1992). The significance of an adequately educated and technically trained manpower has been specifically recognized in economic literature since the middle of fifties when research studies in the economics of education and growth, pioneered by endogenous growth models propounded by Solow (1957), Schultz (1961) and Denison (1962). They highlighted the role of the ‘residual factor’, which mainly implied technology, learning, education and health. in contributing to economic growth (OECD, 1963). For many years, the proposition that educational expansion promotes and in some cases even determines the rate of growth of overall Gross National Product (GNP) remained unquestioned. Amazing statistics and numerous studies in the World has revealed that the growth of the nation was not due to the growth of physical capital but that of human capital that was the principal source of economic progress (Denison, 1962). In the classical school of economic doctrine, later economists considered education as an effective tool measure for population control (Malthus, 1966), achieving social justice (Ricardo, 1971) and civilized development of the society (Senior, 1939). Thus in eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century, education considered as a means for bringing about improvement in purchasing power of labour force, economic welfare and social peace (Mill, 1909). In the Neo-Classical school of economic thought, education was considered as a strong source of human capital formation and an effective source to increase the income stream (Fisher, 1929). Tilak (1989) argued that Education not only ensures economic growth with equity but also has positive externalities associated with it, which make the public financing of education imperative. There are some arguments for the complementarity in public and private expenditure on the grounds of equity. The benefits that accrue to the individual in terms of higher earnings are a reason why the individual should pick up a part of the cost. If we look at the state as a supplier of education and the individual as a buyer of it, then investments by both appear to be complementary; and this may be the best model on grounds of equity. Hence, the right balance between public and private expenditures is crucial to the success of any educational policy or programme (Psacharapoulos and Woodhall 1985; Majumdar 1983). Conclusion The above discussion reveals the importance of expenditure on education for the growth of the economy and also noted the growing perception that the greater relevance to the developing countries. But in the current atmosphere of growing scrutiny of the nature of state expenditures, whether education is to be treated as a public or a private good, and whether expenditure on education is to be treated as consumption or investment need to be understood correctly. If it is seen as consumption good, that is, private in nature, then the market mechanism may be regarded as the most effective means of ensuring its adequate supply. On the other hand the state expenditure on education must be reduced to increase investment in other areas of greater importance. However, education not only offers private monetary as well as non-monetary benefits to its consumers but also has externalities associated with it, which confer benefits to society at large, even to those who have not had any education. Therefore the government should take major responsibility in providing education opportunities of its citizens. [1] Smith, Adam (1937): An enquiry in to the Nature and Causes of Wealth of Nations, (Edwin Cannan eds.), The Modem Library, New York, 1937, P. 423 [2] Wagner, Adolph (1958): Three Extracts on Public Finance in R. A Musgrave and Allen Peacock eds., Classics in the Theory ofpublic Finance, Mcmillan, New York, 1958, PP. 1-16. [3] Peacock, T. Alan and Jack Wiseman (1967): The Growth of Public Expenditure in the Untied Kingdom, Allen and Urwin, London, (llnd Edition) 1967. [4] Bowen, R. Howard (1948): Toward Social Economy, New York, Rinehart (1948) [5] Musgrave, R.A (1938): The Voluntary Exchange Theory of Public Economy. The Quarterly Journal of EconomicsFebruary (1938)53(2):213-237. [6] Dalton, Hugh (1967): Principles of Public Finance, Augustus M. Kelley Publishers, New York, 1967, PP. 5-7 [7] Samuelson, A. Paul (1954): The Pure Theory of Public Expenditure. Review of Economics and Statistics, November 1954, pp. 387-389.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Meaning Of National Security Politics Essay

The Meaning Of National Security Politics Essay The development of the concept of security in the global scenario is being influenced by the changes in environment. This could be clearly seen in the changes of the nature of security during the world war and the post cold war era. In post cold war era, the emergence of new civil conflicts, large-scale atrocities and even genocide are in incremental rate. As globalization takes shape in the post cold war era, it is strongly believe that it will drag along significant increment in violent crimes, drug trades, transnational terrorism, diseases, environmental degradation and many other aspects of human life. These contemporary security concerns couples with the enduring problems of ethnic violence and inter-state conflicts are now at the forefront of potential and existing threats. 3.2 CONCEPTUAL MEANING OF SECURITY Security according to Barry Buzan is an under-developed concept (Hawkesworth and Kogan, Vol.2  [46]  ). Its status as a controversial political value and its habitual misuse as a rationale for state policies and actions, imply that the concept lacks of the intrinsic meaning. Buzan (1991) explains that one of the reasons behind the slow conceptual development of security can be attributed to the fact that the concept defies simple definition  [47]  . Another is that power dominates security in the realist school, which has been preeminent in international relations theory. Security has always been interpreted as the natural consequence of effective accumulation and exertion of power. Security is intrinsically a relational concept. In an objective sense, it measures the absence of threats to acquired values. In a subjective sense, security measures the absence of fear that such values will be attacked  [48]  . Lexical definitions of being secure refer to being safe against attack, impregnable, reliable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, on the contrary, and to being untroubled by danger or apprehension on the other  [49]  . This definition points to the relational (subjective) nature of the concept of security. One should note that the objective physical condition favorable to ones secure existence has meaning only when set against the capabilities and intentions of possible adversaries. This also suggests that there can be no absolute definition of security. 3.3 THE MEANING OF NATIONAL SECURITY The broadening of the scope of security in the context of the nation-state is a controversial issue. As mentioned, there are scholars who were against the move to broaden the scope and meaning of national security for fear of destroying the analytical utility of the concept. Richard Ullman who initially supported the call to widen the scope of security eventually contradicted his initial proposition and is now engaged in a discourse with the proponents of a broader scope of security. According to Ullman (1995), If national security encompasses all serious and urgent threats to a nation state and its citizens, we will eventually find ourselves using a different term when we wish to make clear that our subject is the threats that might be posed by the military force of other states  [50]  . In the same article, he said that the war problem in security is conceptually distinct from other concerns like environmental degradation or urban violence, which are better categorized as threats to well-being. The problem of defining national security springs from the fact that the meaning of security itself is ambiguous. More importantly, if one uses the state as the referent, as the term national security suggests, he will then encounter the problem of who defines national interests or set the national security agenda of the state. Some scholars define security or national security as the protection and enhancement of values that the authoritative decision makers deem vital for the survival and well-being of the community  [51]  . However, this definition of security carries with it the problems that were discussed in the previous section. Although it is true that the regime aggregates the interests of the people, to define security or national security along this line or def ine security from perspective of the regime is unwarranted. If one agrees that the regime is both a source of threats and a producer of insecurity, then the concept must not be defined only from this perspective. The values that the authoritative decision makers seek to protect and enhance, which are deemed necessary for the well-being of the community, often do not constitute the national security or interests of the state. Hence, they are better labeled as the national security agenda. National security is a condition open to the assessment and evaluation of both the regime and the people. Whether or not the national security agenda represents the states national interests is another case in point. The definition of national security interest is relative to the one defining it. On the other hand, the national security agenda can be defined objectively and easily inferred from the national security policies of the government. National Security is better defined as the condition wherein the peoples way of life and institutions, their territorial integrity and sovereignty including their well-being are protected and enhanced  [52]  . This definition captures the essence of the state as composed of the people and the regime. It talks about two concerns, that of the peoples interest (well being) and that of the regime (sovereignty). 3.4 PILLARS OF NATIONAL SECURITY National Security rests on several pillars: social cohesion and solidarity, economic prosperity and stability, political unity and stability. Genuine security cannot be achieved if any of these pillars are absent  [53]  . The degree of security, which a country enjoys, depends ultimately on the strength of the pillars of national security. A country cannot be secure when one of its national security pillars is tenuous. These three pillars of security are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Therefore, they must be built simultaneously. The responsibility of building these pillars rest on the people and the government/regime. The government leads the people while the people provide support to the government. By analogy, the government serves as the equipment or machinery for building the pillars while the people serve as the laborers, who use the equipment in building the foundations of national security. Social Cohesion and Stability Peaceful and harmonious co-existence among the people, regardless of social and cultural differences, is a foundation of national security  [54]  . This is achieved when people observe mutual respect for their values and beliefs. People must also offer cooperation and mutual support. Social cohesion allows consensus building necessary for effective decision-making. With social cohesion, the choices, decisions, and the consequent actions that government undertakes based on the concerns of the people become effective and persist despite challenges from the outside. Social cohesion embraces concepts such as moral spiritual consensus and cultural cohesiveness. Economic Prosperity and Stability Economic prosperity enhances the well being of the people. Without economic prosperity, the aspirations of the people to live a decent life cannot be attained. It is only when the country enjoys economic prosperity that people can live with dignity. It is a key element in augmenting national power, prestige, and influence. The development and sustenance of diplomatic and military power heavily depends on this. Economic prosperity embraces concepts such as ecological balance and sustainable development  [55]  . Political Unity and Stability Political unity means that there is cooperation among the different branches of government. It exists when those who exercise legitimate authority and political power act in concert toward the attainment common goals. When the political leadership is divided, the people are caught in a quandary as to which among those who exercise legitimate authority and political power should they support  [56]  . This puts the people in a dilemma where they have reservations and doubts on the policies and actions that the government undertakes. Public support is therefore essential to the governments success in meeting security challenges. The social, economic, and political aspects are permanent elements of national security foundations. The customs, traditions, laws, policies shall determine their respective status and quality, and strategies adopted by the government. The three pillars shall be created and shall operate within the context of the prevailing politico-legal organizing ideology of the state. It should be noted that no single pillar could guarantee security on its own. 3.5 THE DNYAMICS OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY The pillars of national security are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Social cohesion affects economic prosperity and stability. Social divisions and strife (e.g., sectoral or ethno-linguistic conflicts) could retard the nations economic development activities. For instance, policy disagreements between the government and the private sector could eventually affect the welfare of the people and the nations income. Economic prosperity or the level of development of the nations economy and the peoples sense of security has a positive correlation. Citizens of developed countries certainly feel more secure than those of underdeveloped countries. Economic development and prosperity are perhaps the ultimate objective a nation seeks to achieve. Economic development affects social cohesion  [57]  . When there is only a small pie available to be divided for the people, equal distribution will create a situation where each of the recipients get a small piece not sufficient for his nee ds. However, unequal distribution will leave others with little or no piece at all. Both situations leave the people dissatisfied. From Indonesias experience, economic instability can undermine the legitimacy of the regime. Barely ten months after the July 2, 1997 financial crisis hit Thailand, the regime of President Suharto was toppled. Although Indonesia is a relatively rich country in terms of natural resources and has achieved a relatively high economic growth prior the financial crisis, economic instability made the Suharto regime unpopular, which led to its demise  [58]  . Economic growth, once attained, does not automatically translate and ensure security. When the fruits of economic growth are not equitably distributed within domestic society, the threat of social unrest remains. Inequity or the rising inequality in the distribution of economic gains creates social divisions that could lead to violence and social anarchy. Political unity refers to a united leadership. Unity among the political leaders from the different branches of government facilitates fast and effective implementation of policies and programs, which are requisites of a secure nation. It allows government to take firm and decisive steps in addressing the different challenges that the nation faces. It also facilitates the quick delivery of services needed by the people. Each of the pillars of national security has to be stable and solid. Social cohesion, economic prosperity, and political unity if not stable and solid will not lead to genuine security. Thus, once these pillars have been built, they have to be maintained, protected, and enhanced. These are the basic responsibilities of a state. 3.6 BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY The different pillars of national security are not intrinsic to every nation. They have to be built. The responsibility of building the foundations of national security ultimately rests on the people as its ultimate beneficiary, and the duly constituted government, which shall exercise authority delegated to it by the people  [59]  . The regime shall lead the people towards the attainment of national security by formulating appropriate policies and strategies, and laws conducive to the enhancement and protection of national security interests. The people on the other hand, shall support the government in its security engagements. The government, through the different agencies and instrumentalities, has the responsibility of formulating appropriate policies, as well as strategies, which will pave way to the realization of the aspirations of the people. 3.7 DIPLOMACY AND MILITARY Security is a condition or state of affairs, which can be created or attained using the different political instruments such as diplomacy and military. In the literature, three conventional instruments of national power have been identified: economic, politico-diplomatic, and military instruments  [60]  . The economic instrument refers to the use of economic rewards and/or penalties to influence the policies of government leaders or states. This is done through Aid, Trade Preference Status, Trade Embargo, etc. The diplomatic instrument consists of the activities of a countrys diplomats to convince another party or state to comply with the desired policy preferences of the former. The military instrument refers to the outright use or employment of force to get states to comply with the desired policies. In this framework, the instruments of national power include only diplomacy and military. Economic strength is not included in the list. The economic aspect or the level of economic development is identified as a foundation and not as an instrument for the pursuit of national security interests and objectives. The reason being is that economic strength, as an instrument, finds expression in diplomacy (economic punishment or rewards) and a sophisticated military. Japan and the US are both economically prosperous countries, yet their abilities to influence the policies of other states differ. Diplomacy is commonly understood as belonging only to the realm of foreign relations. This is understandable since, in most cases, diplomacy finds its utility in the conduct of international relations. Under this framework, diplomacy is broadly defined as a means to shape the security environment by influencing policies and/or behavior of political actors, state and non-state actors alike, through an act of persuasion  [61]  . This definition extends to actors in the domestic arena and is not limited to international relations. This broader definition of diplomacy does not mean that all acts of persuasion are diplomatic acts. Diplomacy applies only to political entities or groups  [62]  . Interstate diplomacy and intrastate diplomacy have the same purpose and utility. The only difference between the two is that in the interstate diplomacy parties involve has mutual acknowledgement of their sovereignties while the opposite is true in the intrastate diplomacy. Example is the peace engagement the Philippine government had with the MNLF and the current peace engagement of the government with the MILF. Diplomacy in international relations is an act of one sovereign nation to influence the behaviors or policies of another sovereign nation by means of persuasion. Diplomacy is defined as such a process because one state (object of persuasion) is not subject to the laws the other (persuading state)  [63]  . Thus, the former cannot be compelled to behave according to the latters desire. In most cases, persuasion is a function of economic punishment or reward. Thus, effective diplomacy must be back up by economic rewards or economic punishment. This is one reason why the economic aspect is treated as foundation and not as instrument. Military instrument, like diplomacy is a function of economic development. Governments capability to acquire sophisticated military arsenal and build a strong and capable armed force depends on the countrys economic status. The modernization of the nations armed force requires the backing of its economic and technological forces, and the modernization level of national defense can only be improved gradually along with the enhancement of the countrys economic strength. Further, a capable armed force complements diplomacy. Often, when one carries a big stick, there is little room for discussion. The effectiveness of military and diplomatic instruments depends heavily on the states economic status. The question of when, how, and against whom these instruments will be used is a matter of choice of the people, as articulated by the government. Political unity and social cohesion, therefore, affects the manner, timing, and the object of the political instruments. The strength and effectiveness of the instruments depends on the strength and stability of the foundations of national security. 3.8 NATIONAL SECURITY INSTRUMENTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY FOUNDATION The elements of national power include social, politico-diplomatic, economic, and military aspects. Accordingly, national unity (consisting of social cohesion and political unity and solidarity), economic solidarity and strength, diplomatic and military strength and capability of the state are all identified in the literature as instruments, which the state may use in pursuing its national security objectives or interests  [64]  . Thus it is deems necessary to separate social cohesion, political unity, solidarity, and economic strength from the list of instruments. Although all of these are instrumental in the states successes or failures in pursuing national interests, it is important that they be distinguished, based on the functions they support. One reason is that the social, political, and economic aspects of security are often developed over a long period. Little can be done, at least in the short run, when the states reserves of raw materials, socio-political structure, and other initiatives require the formulation of a range of policy instruments that are not normally available. This distinction between the foundations and instruments of national security is perhaps best explained by the words of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad when he defined security as follows, Security is not just a matter of military capability. National security is inseparable from political stability, economic success, and social harmony. Without these all the guns in the world cannot prevent a country from being overcome by its enemies, whose ambitions can sometimes be fulfilled without firing a single shot  [65]  . Political, economy and social stabilities are thus, contributors and essentials to achieve security. 3.9 SUMMARY In summary, in the literature, the people and the state are the only identified two distinct referents of security. This divide between the people and state is unwarranted. As it is, the people are an essential element of the state and that there are two organic/living components of the state: government and the people. The regime exercises authority over the people according to the political-legal ideology adopted by the state. However, there is an analytical utility in distinguishing the regime from the state. The usual equation of the regime with the state makes analysis difficult and the conclusions based on this analysis are often contestable. Sometimes, identified threats to state security are actually threats not to the state but only to the regime. Similarly, the interest of the regime is not equivalent to the interest of the state and the latters interests may in fact serve as threats to the security of the people. National interests composed of the peoples and the regimes interests shall be the responsibility of the state (people and government)  [66]  . In the realm of international relations, the state shall be the key actor (state is represented by the government). Although he acknowledges the existence of non-state groupings (i.e., multi-national companies and non-government organizations), he believes that the government remains the final arbiter on the demands of these groupings. The interests of these groups shall be included in the aggregation process and shall be included in the security agenda of the state.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Essays Papers

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Unbelievably Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein at the age of eighteen. This great work captures the imaginations of its readers. Frankenstein remains one of the greatest examples of Gothic literature. Unlike other Gothic novels of the time, however, Frankenstein also includes elements of Romantic writing, and therefore cannot be classified as soley Gothic. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was an English novelist. The daughter of the British philosopher William Godwin and the British author and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. Born in London in 1797, Mary was privately educated. She met the young poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in May 1814, and two months later she left England with him. When Shelley's first wife died in December 1816, he married Mary. Mary’s first and most important work, the novel Frankenstein, was begun on Lake Geneva in the summer of 1816 as her contribution to a ghost-story competition. A remarkable accomplishment for such a young writer, Frankenstein was a success. No other work by Mary Shelley achieved the popularity or excellence of this first work, although she wrote four other novels, books of travel sketches, and miscellaneous tales. In 1818 the Shelley’s left England for Italy, where they stayed until Shelley’s death. Only one of Mary’s and Percy’s children survived, Percy Florence, and in 1823 Mary returned to England with him and concentrated on his education and welfare. The image of Mary Shelley presented by the biographers suggests an intensely private, imaginatively exuberant, yet also emotionally withdrawn figure, whose political melancholy and strong religious faith are intriguingly at odds with the optimistic rationalism of her famous parents, and her poet husband’s atheistic radicalism. The story of Frankenstein begins in the polar ice of the Arctic Circle. The ship of an English explorer, Walton, is trapped in the ice and is unable to travel. During the day the men on board spotted a sledge, driven by a huge man and drawn by dogs followed by Victor Frankenstein, a man in very poor condition. Walton nursed him back to health as the stranger told Walton his story. Victor Frankenstein was born in Geneva and at an early age showed promise in the natural sciences. Victor was sent to a university when he grew older, and that’s where he stumbled on to the secret of creating life. With great brilliance Victor created an eight-foot monster and gave him life through electricity. Once Victor had realized what he had done he panicked and left the creature. When the creature wondered into the city everyone he met screamed and ran away. Finally the creature found a place to live in a

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Abortion :: essays research papers

Perhaps no contemporary issue inspires more heated debate than abortion - the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. Many have witnessed and experienced the bitterness of such a controversial debate. There are two types of people in this world. Pro - choice activists believe in the right to choose a safe, legal abortion. Pro - life activists believe that abortion is murder. Why is the debate over abortion so emotional? Some argue about the rights of the fetus (unborn child) while others argue if abortion should be legal. The debate usually strays from these basic issues. For example, pro - choice advocates try to convince their opponents women's rights are at risk. Pro - life supporters argue that the rights of the fetus are as important as those of the mother, and that abortion is murder. "Other pro - choice defenders argue that if abortion is murder, why do so many pro - life advocates fight against the most logical methods of preventing this so - called genocide - birth control an d sex education?" (Reardon, 138) Another reason for the bitterness of this debate is that most pro - choice and pro - life advocates reached their conclusions about abortion very early in life, probably even earlier than they can remember. They were taught from previous generations that there was only one correct point of view. Many people have trouble seeing why others who were brought up with the opposite viewpoint cannot simply look at the "facts" and be persuaded to change their minds. Tempers flare when opponents resort to oversimplification because the issue is definitely not simple. According to recent public opinion polls, the majority of Americans (at least 60 percent) hold beliefs that place them somewhere between the two most extreme, or radical, positions on the abortion issue. Although radical groups on both sides of the issue may get the most media attention, most Americans have moderate viewpoints. Individuals in this moderate viewpoint may lean toward pro - life or pro - choice, but they seek to stay at middle ground. Most people feel uncomfortable with abortion and are troubled by many of the reasons given for having one but these same people are also uncomfortable with the governments's interference in a woman's right to choose an abortion, a right granted in 1973 by the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade. Half the adults surveyed by the New York Times in 1996 supported the availability of safe, legal abortions while only 9 percent felt that no abortions at all should be permitted.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Bookmaster

Bookmaster Case Case Study Questions MGMT357 Professor Janet Steinke March 10, 2013 Background The case bookmaster explains how Drew went to bookmaster to buy a book he wanted to enjoy reading. When Drew arrived at the bookstore and explained to the CRA what book he wanted. The CRA informed Drew that the book was instock and that there were actually two copies of the book on the shelf. However, when Drew and the CRA went to the shelf to get the book there were no copies available.Drew would have to drive to another store that was 15 miles away to get the book. The CRA then suggested to Drew to buy the ebook which was almost $20 cheaper. Drew would have to download the ebook on his computer since the Kindle and iPad’s were too costly for him at the time. Kindle an Ipad both have many restrictions on their work and try to prevent piracy to maximize profits. Case Questions 1. Each player in the above value chain makes money by creating value for the stakeholders. 2. 3.The ebook h as many advantages and disadvantages. the first advantage is the development, marketing, and decreasing costs for eReaders. The second advantage is its easy accessible and can be read on any device if it’s an apple because they are linked together. The third advantage is that marketing the product is easier on line than in a book store. The first disadvantage is that the sale price is lower so the profit margin is relatively the same. The second disadvantage is that piracy is more common and the content is easier to duplicate.The third disadvantage is that competition is very high in the digital industry. The hard copy book also has many advantages. The first is that hardcopy books are easier to stay focused on because the web-surfing variable is eliminated. The second advantage is that you can jot down your thoughts while reading. The third advantage is hardcopy books are not subject to the failure of technology. Some disadvantages to hard copy books are as follows; The cost to make the books are high.Books are harder to carry around if you have more than a few with you. The third disadvantage is the costs of books are high. 4. The role of operations in the hardcopy value chain is to print books. The role of operations in ebooks is to produce digital content and to store the content. 5. The other issues that are important on critiquing both of these is the future. Where are books headed in the future? It is important to try and forecast whether ebooks or hardcopy books will be a thing of the past.

Monday, September 16, 2019

History of Hippies and the Counter Culture Movement Essay

The origin of the word â€Å"hippie† derives from â€Å"hipster† which was first coined by Harry Gibson in 1940 in a song titled â€Å"Harry the Hipster† (as Harry referred to himself). Hipsters were beatniks who had moved into New York City’s Greenwich Village. Beatniks were followers of the Beat Generation literary movement who through their writings, promoted anti-conformist attitudes and ideals. The first clearly used instance of the term â€Å"hippie† occurred on September 5, 1965 in the article â€Å"A New Haven for Beatniks† by San Francisco journalist Michael Fallon (who was writing about the Blue Unicorn coffeehouse). Similar counter culture movements had occurred in Germany between 1896 and 1908. Known as Wandervogel (which translates roughly to â€Å"migratory bird†), the youth movement arose as a countercultural reaction to the urbanization that was occurring in Germany at the time. Wandervogel youth opposed traditional German values and forms of entertainment and instead emphasized amateur music and singing, creative dress, and communal outings involving hiking and camping. They were a back to the earth generation who yearned for the simple, sparse, back to nature spiritual life of their ancestors. In later years, the Wandervogel Germans immigrated to the United States where they opened many West Coast area health food stores. Many moved to Southern California. Over time other Americans adapted the beliefs and practices of the Wandervogel youth. Songwriter Eden Ahbez wrote a hit song called Nature Boy that was inspired by the Wandervogel follower, Robert Bootzin. The song helped popularized health consciousness, yoga, and organic food throughout the United States.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Paleolithic Age

The Stone Age Social Studies Mrs. Perez By: Alexander Colon 6th grade The Stone Age Now I think we can all admit that The Stone Age was not a good time to be living in the glory and all that. But I bet we would all be having some pretty good times with the things that you were able to do back then. So, let me explain some to you. During the Paleolithic age nomads grouped together into small societies called bands. They also subsisted by gathering plants, hunting, or scavenging wild animals. They did this by using wood or bones carved to use as weapons. They started to use stones in the Neolithic so I will get to that later.Other organic commodities were adapted for use as tools also like leather or vegetable fibers. Although the Paleolithic age is part of the Stone Age nomads did not use stones until the Neolithic age; I’ll get to that now. The beginning of the Neolithic culture is co0nsidered to be in the Levant about 10200-8800 BCE. It formed directly from the Epipaleolithic Nafutian culture in the region, whose people pioneered the use of wild cereals, which evolved into real farming. The Nafutian period was 12000-10200 BCE, and the so-called â€Å"proto-Neolithic â€Å"is now included in the PPNA between 10200-8800 BCE.As the Nafutians had become dependent on wild cereal in their diet and a sedentary way of life had begun among them, the climatic changes and associated with the younger dryas are thought to have forced people to have develop farming. There also were weapons made by stones, flint, and other materials. I did not include this in the intro, but the Mesolithic actually falls between the Neolithic and Paleolithic age. Did you know that in the Stone Age you did not have to have a license for anything? If you wanted to go kill a horse, slap somebody, or even throw a rock at somebody you can do it without anybody telling you so.The term Mesolithic was first used to post-Holocene, but pre-agricultural material in Norwest Europe about 10000-50 00 BCE. It is also an applied material in Levant. As you can see the Stone Age had some pretty fun things to do. You can grab a bow and arrow and hunt down a random animal; you can even go horse-back riding, or even play with fire, nobody cared what you did. There were no laws. Why heck you could have gotten married at the age of five. I guess I just explained to you that we all can have a good time in the Stone Age even if there was no television.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Indian Society

Marginalisation affects a large part of Indian society, who are subjected to loss of rights and mistreatment due to their place in the caste system. In the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup, a street boy, Ram Mohammad Thomas narrates the events of mistreatment and abuse in not only his life, but several others characters with the same fate. Throughout the novel, the experiences of Ram, Salim and Nita are told, contributing to the privileging of social, gender and religious marginalisation in Indian society as foregrounded by Swarup.Ram Mohammad Thomas, throughout the novel narrates his experiences of marginalisation and mistreatment due to his social status in the caste system. Ram’s social marginalisation is privileged through the foregrounding of the caste system in Indian society where he is seen as an untouchable, someone who lives in a chawl, with no education, Ram states â€Å"†¦The brain is not an organ we are authorized to use. We are supposed to use only our hands and l egs. † (pg. 2), this foregrounds how as an untouchable in society, Ram is only seen as a slave to others, not someone with any kind of intelligence to have the mental capacity to partake in a quiz show. This is further foregrounded when Ram states â€Å"Like Godbole, you believe I am only good for serving chicken fry and whisky in a restaurant. That I am meant to live life like a dog and die an insect. Don’t you? † (pg. 29), further stating how in Indian society people believe the place in the caste position you are born, you must stay and not partake in activities which are meant for higher class people.Swarup positions the reader to feel sympathetic for Ram, by story after story of discrimination and see him as a representative of the untouchable class, someone who is just a street boy, with no control over their fate, and being at the bottom of the caste system leading him to be clearly shown as socially marginalised. Salim Ilyasi in the novel is Ram’s best friend, much like Ram, he is socially marginalised but also religiously marginalised for being Muslim.His marginalisation is privileged through several stories throughout the novel, Ram revealed (speaking about Salim’s experience) â€Å"The moment the Hindi’s heard this they went on a rampage. Armed with machetes and pickaxes, sticks and torches, they raided the homes of all the Muslim families†¦Before his very eyes they set fire to the hut†¦ His whole family was burnt to death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 95). This quote illustrates how Salim’s family and many other Muslims, were marginalised and attacked purely because they were part of the religion that was getting accused.Further, his religious marginalisation is shown where Salim stated (recounting his experience to Ram) â€Å"This bastard is definitely a Muslim, let’s kill him’ †¦ ‘No. Killing him would be too easy. We will burn this motherfucker alive in this bus. Then he a nd his community will learn never to touch our homes,† (pg. 229), this further foregrounds how because Salim is Muslim, in Indian society he is religiously marginalised because of this. Along with the social and religious marginalisation associated with Ram and Salim, Nita is also gender marginalised through her religion.Nita’s religious and gender marginalisation is privileged through the foregrounding of the religion she was born into, where she was chosen to become a prostitute only because she was born a girl with more beauty than her sister. This is shown when Ram states (recounting what Nita told him about her religion) â€Å"She is a Bedia tribal girl from the Bhind district in Madhya Pradesh†¦ In her community, it is the tradition for one girl from each family to serve as a communal prostitute, called the Bedni.This girl earns money for her family, while the males spend their time drinking and playing cards. ‘This is why the birth of a girl is an occ asion to celebrate in our community, not a cause for gloom’† this foregrounds how in this one situation she is both gender marginalised for being a girl, and forced to become a prostitute, and religiously marginalised as this is not her choice, but the choice of her religion. Further, supporting the point of gender marginalisation against Nita in the book is the character Gudiya, who was abused by her father, Ram states â€Å"†¦ What was Gudiya’s crime?Simply that she was born a girl and Shantaram was her father†, this greatly privileges the aspect of marginalisation Swarup was aiming to depict and foregrounds that not only in that particular religion is gender marginalisation evident, but all over Indian society. In essence, throughout the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup marginalisation is privileged through the foregrounding of the carefully created stories of mistreatment and abuse against several characters. This positions the reader to understand and a cknowledge the observation of Indian society and feel sympathetic for the representation of the untouchable class as interpreted in the novel.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Story - Essay Example One of the eyewitnesses brought us to the hospital. However, there was an absence of blood for my sister and we could lose her. Luckily, I was a match and my blood helped my sister to survive. What impressed me most was the situation under which the sister received professional help. There were no modern equipment or supplies in the hospital, however, that did not stop doctors, who were obviously so dedicated to what they were doing, from giving the qualified help to my sister. I was watching the simultaneous and concerted efforts of doctors within their team and I realized I wanted passionately to join them. To some extent, the accident predicated making of a decision to become someone who will be able to help others. I decided to apply to a medical school so my dream, which I was nurturing over these years, came true. I have decided to become a gynecologist, a doctor whose aim is to take care of women and give them an opportunity to bring the most precious gift to the world- a new life. During the five years, which I spent working in hospitals of Baghdad, three of them I assisted Dr. Sabri as a volunteer medical technician in an emergency medicine while I was finishing high school and living with my grandparents. Dr. Sabri also helped me to resolve my problem with housing and found the one inside the hospital. I was also hoping to attend college, however, that was not a safe time for a woman to go to training sessions and back to the campus alone and then live there without any family. That is why I greatly appreciated Dr. Sabri’s help with housing. In the period of war, there was a singular access to electricity in the hospital and I used to be the one who was aware of it. Such availability gave me many opportunities to exercise a leadership role. I had also several cases that happened with people outside the hospital and who needed urgent medical help. Thus, once I helped an elderly woman in the shopping center in

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final Exam - Essay Example This is not to mention the fact that human life is more precious than the zero pedals. The board has proved to be rather rigid when dealing with this matter. Whichever way I look at this issue, I seem to hit a wall. At this point, it is important to look at possible solutions. The best solution would be to inform the board and then inform the police. Ethically, this would be the best solution (Sheerow 37). This way I will save both my dignity and integrity and the users of the Zero pedal. However, this may not solve much of the problem since the former employee had tried that to no avail. If anything, this had cost him his job. Additionally, nothing had been done about it. The second thing to do would be to resign and save face. This is to my advantage because once a scandal blows up, which is bound to happen. However, this will not save all the lives of the customers who use the bike. Thirdly, I could advise the management to put a disclaimer that should come with the Zero pedal. Th is disclaimer should go be written in the user’s manual. The possible retailers of the product should also be educated about this product. Advertisements should also be put up educating people about the product as well as any problems that may arise from use of the pedal. This is just to clear up the current stock. However, Doug and the engineering department should start working on a solution as soon as possible in order to correct the defect. Although the cost per bike to fix the defect is high, it remains the management’s responsibility to produce only quality products for its customers. I will propose this solution to the management. If they refuse, I shall resign from my job and report the matter to the relevant authorities and I will inform them as such. I will also team up with my predecessor and take the issue public letting everyone know about the defect. After a lot of thinking, I choose the last alternative and am currently gathering courage to face the boar d. This model is known as Hurson’s Productive Thinking Model (ASQ). It involves using both critical and creative thinking skills at all the steps of the process. This therefore means that I have taken a well rounded look into the problem and come up with the best solution yet. A2. What the sort of money the goods stores are asking for is a shelf fee (Zimmerman 104). Ethically, this is not allowed. Ethically, this fee should not be there since they are not even sure that the product will sell. Additionally, it puts a squeeze on the small company’s finances. However, this fee is acceptable legally. It is known as the shelf fee. Most companies ask for this before putting up any products on their shelves. It is estimated that in the US, manufacturers pay up to $9 billion every year as shelf fees. This according to experts represents up to half of supermarket’s total gains. It is obvious that I need them to put up my products on the shelves if Green Move is to make a ny sales. However, instead of paying $5,000 before even making any profit (Cavallaro 98). I will negotiate to pay a certain amount of money for every good sold. This means that for every Zero Pedal sold, the retailing shop should expect at least 5% of the money received. This will ensure that the retailer himself does some work in trying to market the good since he too is making a kill out of it. Paying him the shelf fee may make the products lie on their shelves without any use. An additional strategy I am