White Privilege And Male Privilege - 907 Words

To begin with, reverse-sexism, or sexism against cisgender men, simply does not exist. Women, non-binary people, trans-persons, and even other men cannot be sexist against men. Sexism is a form of oppression and cisgender men are not oppressed the way that women, persons who identify as non-binary, or those who are transsexual are. That is not to say that there is no prejudice or discrimination that exists toward men, because there definitely is, but it is not sexism. Sexism is part prejudice, but it is also one part power and that power is always in a man’s favor. They have always had the upper-hand against women, even in the â€Å"progressive† society that exists today. Male privilege has existed for centuries, but it was not widely discussed until around 1988 when Peggy McIntosh, a scholar working for Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, wrote a paper titled, â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies,†. The paper takes a look both at white and male privilege, with a long list of 46 examples of McIntosh’s own, self-recognized privilege as a white woman. The paper sparked a massive controversy and extremely opposing opinions on privilege. David Horowitz, an American writer with deep conservative views and values, deemed McIntosh one of â€Å"America’s ten wackiest feminists†. Despite the mostly right wing criticism of the paper, it provoked more open minded people to take a look withinShow MoreRelatedWhite Privilege And Male Privilege917 Words   |  4 PagesSociology entitled â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies†. Such a long title seems humorously unnecessary, is spite of the serious nature of its subject matter. In short, when McIntosh refers to â€Å"white privilege† she means that being of white decent allows her a set of assets at birth that people of color are not afforded, simply due to the light color of her skin. McIntosh proposes that white privilege is invisible toRead MorePeggy McIntoshs White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay989 Words   |  4 PagesPrivileges are things that a person receives that gives them an advantage over most people (Merriam-Webster). These are benefits that only certain people receive for being in a certain group or discourse. Peggy McIntosh, director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, wrote â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege† and states â€Å"I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privileges, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege† (605). She argues that whites and malesRead MoreEssay The Educational Benefits of White Male Privilege845 Words   |  4 PagesEducational Benefits of White Male Privilege What is learned in school, be it public or private, determines, for the most part, what position an individual will find themselves in - in the future. In â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege,† Peggy McIntosh, an author known for doing something that is rarely done in the white community--speaking of her race--makes references to education, to her privileged education, to support her argument on white and male privilege. Sometimes I wonder whatRead MoreLiterature And Everyday Life : Toni Morrison s The Dark, And White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Playing in the Dark,† and â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to see Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies,† help Morrison and McIntosh, as well as readers, to understand the polar yet interdependent nature of African American and white status in America. Toni Morrison specifically delves deep into the role â€Å"Africanism† plays in American literature in her piece, â€Å"Playing in the Dark,† while in â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of ComingRead MoreWhite Privilege And Black Privilege1529 Words   |  7 PagesMany Caucasians do not realize that they possess white privilege, while people of color do. White privilege has been around ever since society had considered â€Å"white† as the dominant race. White privilege is unfamiliar to many people because it is the inconspicuous elements white people take for granted. For example, Caucasians are forty percent more likely to receive a private scholarship than POCs (people of color); they also have a sixty-seven percent lower incarceration rate and are ten timesRead MoreThe s Concept Of The Mythical Norm By Barbara Perry1200 Words   |  5 Pages The â€Å"Mythical Norm† Leading To Oppression Through Privilege Iqbal Dhillon - 213516604 York University SOSC 1350- Gender and the Law Julie Dowsett Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Word Count: 1,191 Introduction: This essay will critically analyze the various forms of oppression that are set out through Audrey Lorde’s concept of the â€Å"mythical norm† as discussed by Barbara Perry. Through the â€Å"mythical norm†, it can be seen that oppressions exists through the forms of racism and sexism whichRead MoreThe Sea Wolf And Julie Otsuka s The Buddha1396 Words   |  6 PagesPrivilege is something that has impacted the world for centuries. There are vast arrays of different types of privilege, but one of the more prevalent ones seems to be male privilege. Quite a few of the literally works that have been covered in class have male privilege littered through them to an extent. Two of the most notable works that male privilege played a key role in were Jack London’s The Sea Wolf and Julie Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic. While both novels contain male privilege in themRead MoreComplexity of Privilege and Domination1682 Words   |  7 PagesThe Complex ity of Privilege and Domination Privilege always occurs at the expense of others. Allan Johnson states, â€Å"The trouble we’re in privileges some groups at the expense of others. It creates a yawning divide in levels of income, wealth, dignity, safety, health, and quality of life† (Johnson 7). Allan Johnson states this in Chapter 1 of his book Privilege, Power and Difference and it is one of the most powerful statements in the whole book. Privilege creates a great divide between peopleRead MoreWhite Privileges During The Past History1661 Words   |  7 PagesWhite Privileges By: Kayliene Peschel Herzing University 3/27/2016 They fought for their freedom, to not be slaves; they fought for their freedom to be an equal. But yet they are still paid lower and thought of as â€Å"problem people†. How is white privilege still seen today? White privileges are still happening today in our non-segregated era, we are thought to be equal but there are still imbalances with our social and economical ways. In this paper, I will discuss howRead MoreReflection Paper On Inequality1056 Words   |  5 Pagesvalue and I want to share my experience. I took a woman’s study class last year that focused on inequality and it addressed white privilege. We also read the book The New Jim Crow and it was very enlightening. We watched some Time Wise lectures as well. Our professor wanted each of us to have a deeper understanding of what others face in regards to discrimination and privilege. He was very upfront from the beginning of class that the topics would be uncomfortable and his intent was to take you out

Sir Walter Scotts Ivanhoe Essay examples - 1151 Words

Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, a romantic story set in Medieval England; embodies the definition of how a novel’s themes are applied to human life. The representation of Jews in Ivanhoe, through the character Rebecca, outlines the most important themes within the novel such as chivalry, romance, and centuries long English Anti-Semitism. Many interpret Ivanhoe as a solely Anti-Semitic work, focusing on the rituals of the Templar Knight, highlighted in the concluding chapters of Ivanhoe. The Templar Knights are described and consisted of a secret society of Christian militant men dressed in white, condemning any of dark-complexioned skin; all traits and rituals of the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan’s very name echoes the romantic â€Å"clans† in†¦show more content†¦Rebecca, for both Ivanhoe and Bois-Guilbert, is Jerusalem itself; an irresistible, chivalric quest that ends with a duel to the death. It is understandable that Ivanhoe would not present as much affection to Rowena, as he does to Rebecca throughout the novel. In comparison, readers find that Rowena seems disappointing to Ivanhoe after experiencing the seductions of Rebecca’s beauty and exotic nature. And it is Rebecca who is the object of Ivanhoe’s and Bois-Guilbert’s desires, which provides the climax of action within the novel. Ivanhoe’s restless, half-dead ride to rescue Rebecca, prepared to desert Rowena even at the moment of their betrothal, reinforces his militant and chivalric identity; â€Å"he shows us that the impediments to his union with Rowena have never been important. It is the impossible union with Rebecca that drives him, and with it the real action of the novel† (xxi). However, Bois-Guilbert attempts to break his chivalric self-love by means of his passion for Rebecca, â€Å"yonder girl hath wellnigh unmanned me.† (pg. 401-402) In the end, Bois-Guilbert, through his death, renounces his knighthood and chivalry but forever declares his love for Rebecca. Rebecca presents the theme of romance in different forms. To the characters’ Bois-Guilbert and Ivanhoe, Rebecca is the symbol of white man’s attraction and resistance toShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book The Of Ivanhoe By Sir Walter Scott2135 Words   |  9 PagesThe wrongdoings in Iv anhoe In the text of Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, there is quite a bit of discrimination. Most of the discrimination are geared towards the minorities in the text, some of those being a Jewish man named Isaac, some servants that come from Palestine and were brought over by Brian de Bois-Guilbert, and the Serfs and Peasants that are seen in the text, more specifically the serfs who serve Cedric the Saxon. Now, the ones being discriminatory are none other than the Nobles andRead More Ivanhoe - Strenghth, Honor , And Chivalry Essay1586 Words   |  7 Pagesmorality. In the book Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, a knight named Ivanhoe illustrates this by devoting his attention to keeping the rules of the Code of Chivalry, which consisted of love of adventure, integrity, and loyalty to the king, to name a few. These character traits of Ivanhoe coupled with strong characters and a realistic setting allow the reader to understand the importance of a strong set of moral guidelines to all individua ls of all time periods in spite of Scott’s excessive detail andRead MoreIvanhoe - Strenghth, Honor , and Chivalry1626 Words   |  7 Pagesmorality. In the book Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, a knight named Ivanhoe illustrates this by devoting his attention to keeping the rules of the Code of Chivalry, which consisted of love of adventure, integrity, and loyalty to the king, to name a few. These character traits of Ivanhoe coupled with strong characters and a realistic setting allow the reader to understand the importance of a strong set of moral guidelines to all individuals of all time periods in spite of Scotts excessive detail andRead MoreRomanticism in English Literature of the Beginning of the 19th Century3718 Words   |  15 Pagesof Burnss poetry appeared in spring of 1787. He became famous. The so-called ploughman poet was befriended and courted. No party in Edinburgh was held without him. He was respected in the capital of Scotland. He made friends with Lord Newton and Walter Scott. Robert Burns was called the Caledonias Bard. Meanwhile, a second edition of Burnss poems appeared. The publication brought the author sufficient financial security to allow him to return to Ayrshire in 1788 where he produced two ofRead More The Powerful Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay1605 Words   |  7 Pagesproperty after they run away (Twain 208).    In Chapter 12 of Huckleberry Finn, Huck and Jim come across a rapidly sinking ship occupied only by three dangerous thieves who are secretly plotting each others demise (Crowley 76). The ship, the Walter Scott, which eventually disappears beneath the waves, symbolizes the Old South in its dying years as being dominated by thugs, thieves, and killers. The noble men involved with a noble cause had died out and were no longer present (Johnson 177-178)Read MoreThe Role of Women in English Literature: From Beowulf up to the Late Eighteenth Century963 Words   |  4 Pagesright, from Beowulf up to the late eighteenth century. The role of women in English literature from Beowulf up to the late eighteenth century mostly represented the mores and gender expectations of the time. Exceptions were Rebecca in Sir Walter Scotts Ivanhoe who epitomized an intelligent and courageous woman and Grendalls mother in Beowulf who tried to attack the trolls. Judith too was a retelling of the story found in the Latin Bibles Book of Judith of the beheader of the Assyrian generalRead MoreThe Reception And Influence Of Rebecca Harding Davis2118 Words   |  9 Pagesthe year Davis was born, a new literature movement called Romanticism began. This movement was characterized by stories laden with sentimentality and focused on the individual. One notable example of a romanticized story would be Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, in which Ivanhoe falls madly in love with Rowena and does everything in his power to win her over. This story was one of the many that Davis was exposed to growing up, and she quickly came to reject the i deals of Romanticism. Davis saw these works

AliceS Adventures In Wonderland And The Island Of Dr. Moreau Essay Example For Students

AliceS Adventures In Wonderland And The Island Of Dr. Moreau Essay AliceS Adventures In Wonderland And The Island Of Dr. MoreauAs we read Alices Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau, we enter into two unique worlds of imagination. Both Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells describe lands of intrigue and mystery. We follow Alice and Pren*censored* into two different worlds where animals speak, evolution is tested, and reality is bent until it nearly breaks. It is the masterminds of Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells that take these worlds of fantasy and make them realistic. How do these two great authors make the unbelievable believable? Both Alices Adventures in Wonderland and The Island of Dr. Moreau float in between a dream world and reality, which makes the real seem unbelievable and the unbelievable seem real. In H.G. Wellss The Island of Dr. Moreau, we see right from the beginning that imagination and reality are blended together to create an air of confusion. In the introduction we are told that Pren*censored* disappeared for eleven months. When he was found, he told a story that no one would believe. ?He gave such a strange account of himself that he was supposed demented (pg. 1).? So right from the beginning we do not know what to believe. Later in the story, Pren*censored* is picked up by the Ipecacuanha. On this ship there are deformed and strange men riding with Montgomery. ?He was, I could see, a misshappen man, short, broad and clumsy, with a crooked back, a hairy neck and a head sunk between his shoulders (pg. 10).? This is the first picture we get of the deformities from the island. During this time on the Ipecacuanha, Pren*censored* is weak from exhaustion and in a state of confusion, which adds to our confusion. It is later in the story, where reality really becomes deformed. First, Pren*censored* is locked out of the inner rooms of the enclosure, because of their ?little secrets.? Second, Pren*censored* walks out into the woods to get away from the pumas crying. It is hear that he gets a good look at one of the deformities for the first time. ?Then I saw it was a man, going on all fours like a beast! (pg. 38).? It is this sight that sends Pren*censored*?s imagination wild. ?The thicket about me became altered to my imagination. Every shadow became something more than a shadow, became an ambush, every rustle became a threat. Invisible things seemed watching me (pg. 39).? It is these emotions of Pren*censored*s that make the unbelievable seem real. He has gone from a sane man with some studies in science to a man who fears the shadows and sees men walk on all fours. The dream state of everything at this time keeps us believing that anything is possible. This is the same technique that Lewis Carroll uses in Alices Adventures in Wonderland. The story begins with Alice getting tired, which implies that she is falling asleep and going to enter the fantastic world of dreams. Immediately, she sees a white rabbit in a waistcoat. This puts the reader directly into the world of fantasy and imagination. It is Carrolls use of explanations that makes this unbelievable world seem real. No matter how strange something appears it has a meaning and a reason. When the Mock Turtle is telling his story of school, he says, the master was an old Turtle?we used to call him Tortoise. ?Why did you call him Tortoise, if he wasnt one? asked Alice. ?We called him Tortoise because he taught us, said the Mock Turtle angrily. ?Really you are very dull. (pg. 91).? It is this type of explanation that helps the reader to believe the story. Alice is referred to as dull for not understanding, so the reader accepts the explanation in order not to be dull. Another example of this is when Alice meets the Cheshire-Cat. The cat tells her the way to the Hatter and the Marc h Hare, but adds that ?theyre both mad.? Alice replies that ?I dont want to go among mad people.? The Cat then gives the explanation. Oh, you cant help that, said the Cat: ?were all mad here. Im mad. Youre mad. ?How do you know Im mad? said Alice. ?You must be, said the Cat, ?or you wouldnt have come here. (pg. 65)? The Cat then goes on to explain why he is mad. To begin with, said the Cat, ?a dogs not mad. You grant that? ?I suppose so, said Alice. ?Well, then, the Cat went on, ?you see a dog growls when its angry, and wags its tail when its pleased. Now I growl when Im pleased, and wag my tail when Im angry. Therefore Im mad. (pg. 65-66)? This explanation shows how this unbelievable world can seem real. Everything has a reason. Everything has a purpose. .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .postImageUrl , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:hover , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:visited , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:active { border:0!important; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:active , .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9 .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u46cbc52dd9e4fb17b8b96a98af1dafb9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Biotechnology Position Paper EssayThese two books make the real seem unreal and the unreal seem real simply by blending the two worlds of reality and imagination. It is this fuzzy line between the believable and the unbelievable that Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells exploit to create their unique fantasy worlds. BibliographyC.S. Lewis, Alice in Wonderland and throught the looking glass. Theater Essays

Labor vs Management Essay Example

Labor vs Management Essay To this day, there is still a fine sharp line drawn in the very dirt of the big, wide, expanse of the work field. You are either in management or, the common laborer who resides below the manager, working long shifts with little pay. Employers think managers, as representatives of business owners, should have all the power. They should be able to hire and fire workers at will, for any reason or no reason. They should pay only the wages dictated by supply and demand. They should et the hours, pace and conditions of work for maximum productivity. Laborers on the other hand believe that work isnt something to be purchased or sold off like cattle; they believe that their wages should be enough to allow them to be able to comfortably support themselves, regardless of the current economic conditions or production rates. There is certainly no doubt that if asked, anyone would choose to be on the management side of the work field. But without laborers, there would be no production, and no production is no business. So thats why I choose to focus on the laborers of the work field and find a happy medium between laborers and management. As a company expands and grows, so will its profits. But whether those profits are split in the right way was questionable. Owners, employers and managers often would get extremely large amounts of money from the incoming profits of the business while laborers were down below scraping up a meager pay and had to deal with longer hours and faster pace to keep with demand. We will write a custom essay sample on Labor vs Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Labor vs Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Labor vs Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer John D Rockefeller is a great example of this, in his words l would rather earn 1% off of 100 peoples efforts than 100% of my own Rockefeller thought that management was supremely superior and that by being a laborer you essentially Just are working to put the real money right into his pocket and the laborers wages were the simple extra coin or dollar that gets thrown to the nearest poor soul on the side of the street. Like Rockefeller, employers selfish ways were what spurred Labor movements in the late 19th and early 20th century. In my opinion, the more profit a company makes the more they should make sure to invest back into their employees, A large company that makes a large profit should not pay its laborers minimum wage with no benefits. Companies should make sure to invest back into their employees, so that their employees feel that they are receiving a competitive wage and good working conditions. A competitive wage good working conditions and better benefits will provide higher productivity in the working environment, this benefits the company as ell, happy more productive laborers means higher productivity rate without error. Employers who pay their labors only minimum wage compete with other companies who pay more than minimum wage by offering great benefits such as full healthcare coverage for the laborer and their family, more sick and personal days, and coverage by the employers insurance policy. This way everything balances, employers dont have to pay high wages and laborers are getting what they are working for. Labor vs. Management By Antiquarians

Essay on Models of Disability

Essay on Models of Disability Essay on Models of Disability Essay on Models of DisabilityToday, diverse models of disabilities develop different concepts of disabilities and, therefore, offer different policies in relation to people with disabilities. In spite of the diversity of models and different approaches to disability, which they offer, there is no universal model that would take into consideration special needs of each patient with disabilities.Medical model of disability is grounded on the juxtaposition between normalcy and pathology. Patients with disabilities are treated as individuals with pathology, who have special needs and require treatment. Unlike other models, the Medical model focuses on the physical or mental health condition of individuals and deviations from the norm to a certain extent is disability. Therefore, individuals with disabilities are supposed to be treated with relation to their specific health problem (Hamre, et al., 2006). Unlike other models, the Medical model does not take into consideration social factor s that influence patients with disabilities. For example, the social environment of people with disabilities does not matter for the Medical model. Therefore, the Medical model suggest no assistance to patients in terms of the maintenance of their social relations and their integration into their community. Therefore, the Medical model focuses on the maintenance of the health of patients with disabilities minimizing the effect of disabilities on health of patients but not on their social life.Social Constructivist model holds the premise that the concept of disability is a social construct that means that disability is what makes individuals incapable to perform basic functions, which the individual is supposed to perform, according to existing social norms and beliefs (Bayton, 2001). The main idea of the Social Constructivist model is the creation of the social environment that is comfortable for people with disabilities. Unlike the Medical model, which focuses on health issues onl y, the Social Constructivist model focuses on social issues mainly and aims at helping people with disabilities to integrate into their social environment and be a part of their community.Sociopolitical or minority model views patients with disabilities as minority and their distinct feature is disability. As a result, unlike other models, the Sociopolitical model views all individuals with disabilities, regardless of their cultural or social background, as one social group, where people have a set of health problems, social problems and other issues caused by their disability status (Biklen, 1988). Therefore, unlike the Medical model and Social Constructivist model, the Sociopolitical model focuses on the treatment of people with disabilities as a solid social group focusing on their specific social and health problems. In a way, the Sociopolitical model combines elements of both Social Constructivist and Medical model addressing both social and health issues of patients with disab ilities.At the same time, along with the aforementioned differences, there are certain similarities between the three models mentioned above. These similarities uncover the imperfectness of these models in their understanding of disability and distinction of people with disabilities. In fact, the aforementioned models view patients with disabilities as a social group with certain health or social issues, which they confront. However, the problem is that these models fail to take into consideration the diversity of patients with disabilities. Each patient with disability has special needs. Even though each model recognizes those special needs, they do not offer the personalized approach to each patient with disability. Instead, they focus on their treatment as a distinct social group with certain health or social issues.

Essay on MNCs and Ethics

Essay on MNCs and Ethics Essay on MNCs and Ethics Third Party Contractors and MNCs Multinational companies have to uphold an image and it’s not as easy to get away with the same practices as there has been light shined on these issues. Even if using third party contractors helps them in legal cases of human rights in court, it still looks bad on a company when they use these contractors. Looking at Foxconn, Apple has been under a lot of scrutiny for using them. The conditions in their facilities are known to be overcrowded, unsafe and they have also been caught using under age workers. These MNCs have a social responsibility and just because they can win a court case, it doesn’t mean they will win the trust of their consumers and help them in their main goal to maximize profits. U.S. multinational corporations have sent millions of jobs overseas since the early 2000’s. The corporations have a lot of interest in protecting their investments in foreign labor and third party contractors provide that labor. The iss ue is the difference in labor laws. The U.S. is extremely different from how a country like China’s labor laws work, therefore we have a lot more concerns with how these companies treat their employees. Protected lawfully or not, it’s not ethical. Moral Conduct Statements a Part of Advertising? Social responsibility has become a large part of multinational companies advertising. In my opinion, companies use their social actions and ethical conduct as a way to boost buying confidence with their consumers. After the oil spill in the gulf, BP launched a social responsibility initiative to boost their brand reputation. Since the beginning of the oil spill in April of 2010 and the end of August, BP spent three times the amount on advertising than it did from April to July in 2009. This shows that BP felt it was important to spend over 93 million dollars on advertising to promote their brand image in the wake of a crisis. Although this isn’t an attempt to describe the treatment of their workers, it shows the importance of advertising a company’s brand image. I find that any company that uses social conduct statements to be advertising as they are trying to protect their profits. In my experience, I base my purchasing decisions on how much I want the item and if there is a company that provides a substitute that supports better moral and social conduct, I will buy it instead. I do buy Apple products knowing that the conditions at Foxconn are less than satisfactory as most of my friends and acquaintances do the same. I feel like some companies know consumers will buy their product because of how desirable it is, regardless of their social responsibility. This may show that some of the social responsibility is on us as consumers. It is only fair that we be made aware of where our products are manufactured and by whom they are made by. I personally

Starbucks Analyse Marketing Activities and Performance Essay - 3

Starbucks Analyse Marketing Activities and Performance - Essay Example That is converted to additional value in the company and hence increased profits. Employees are treated as Starbuck partners, normally referred to as Baristas through use of favorable management theories. However, except for the senior managers, the company does not employ full-time meaning they do not accord full benefits for employees (Kumar, 65). This is good for the company since it does not have to pay for pensions, which are additional costs to a company. That is favorable use of operations management since Starbucks only pays for the productive hours worked, and with minimal supervision The operations management applied by Starbucks is implemented by baristas, employees, as well as the managers. The ‘bean stock’ option was got from the story of Jack and the bean stock, which grew to the sky. The latter makes the difference between the operations management used by Starbucks and the rest of its competitors. According to the ‘bean stock’ management option, all employees are considered valuable to the company, on the same degree as shareholders. Hence, Starbucks Company operates as one big family without a big deviation between senior and junior employees. The ‘bean stock’ option employed by Starbucks plays a significant role in defining a chain of activities that ensures external customers are accorded the value they deserve. Following the use of ‘bean stock’ the performance and attitude of Starbuck employees has improved. It has immensely improved operations management with improved employee relations and customer satisfaction (Bedbury, 24). Employees are able to work with minimal supervision for optimum productivity as the company maximizes its profit margins For Starbuck’s managers, conceptual skills are important for innovation and new ideas on running their unique management practices. The company’s initial store manager, Howard Schultz used conceptual skills to

Educated Citizenry Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Educated Citizenry - Personal Statement Example Educated masses are an important asset to any country, more so for one that follows the democratic form of government. By education, we do not simply mean the literacy rate and its level in the democracy, but the level of awareness that exists amidst them. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "Democracy is a form of government by the people, of the people and for the people". Therefore, those people need to be aware of the way the government functions, why a certain policy is being adopted and what are the rights he or she can avail in the system. An educated citizenry, that is well-informed about the current affairs of the State, the rights and the duties it needs to perform and the process of give of take, can be of crucial help to the government and the democracy, as a whole. Therefore, this is one of the reasons why a Democracy can benefit from an educated citizenry. The second reason stated deals with the fact that the citizenry should be well informed and educated, since it needs to identify and recognise where the democracy is headed.

Short stories of Sherlock Holmes Essay Example for Free

Short stories of Sherlock Holmes Essay Title: Review two stories for a magazine called Crime Monthly, saying why such old examples of the crime genre are still popular today. Introduction Many people say that the short stories of Sherlock Holmes were the best detective stories ever written. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote these stories, which were first published in the Strand magazine in 1890. These stories included A Scandal in Bohemia, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Copper Beaches, A Case of Identity, The Man With The Twisted Lip and others. People in Victorian England really enjoyed reading the stories, the main reason for which was that there were many murderers running free at the time, which the police force couldnt catch so people didnt believe that the police was sufficient. Arthur Conan Doyles character was very liked because no case seemed to challenge him and he always defeated the evil villain. The Red Headed League was first published in 1891 and The Speckled Band was first published in 1892 in the Strand magazine. One of the key elements of Victorian detective stories is that the crime must be solved by logical means, not by supernatural causes or by a lucky accident. This is what happened in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. In both The Red Headed League and The Speckled Band Sherlock Holmes solves the crimes by using powers of deduction and his own intelligence. Another important element of Victorian detective stories is that the investigator must not wittingly conceal clues or the reasons for his deductions from the reader. At the end of both stories Sherlock Holmes explains to the villain and to his companion Dr Watson how he solved the crime. Even though the stories of Sherlock Holmes are over a century old they are still read and loved by millions of people across the world today. I think the main reason for this is because Arthur Conan Doyle used many techniques, like red herrings, twists, and very detailed descriptions of the characters and settings which makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and encourages the reader to try and solve the mystery themselves. Also, even though the stories were written over 100 years the crime that was going on then is still going on now and people still like the thought of villains always being punished, so the Victorian society is very similar to our society at the moment. Arthur Conan Doyle used very detailed descriptions of the setting and location in the two stories to create a certain atmosphere. The Head Headed League was set in London, mainly around Saxe-Couburg Square, in 1891. Arthur Conan Doyle created an atmosphere by saying that Saxe-Couburg Square is a pokey, little, shabby-genteel place, which immediately makes the reader imagine a worn out and cramped place, also it makes the reader suspect that something bad happens there, because there is often trouble in such places. The Square is described as being dingy, which makes the reader think that the place is dark and dirty with smoke and grime. The writer even describes the atmosphere as being uncongenial so obviously it is not a very pleasant place to live in. This atmosphere is created so that the reader can deduct that Jabez Wilson wasnt very well off and that he desperately needed the money that Mr Duncan Ross gave him to look after his home and business. The Speckled Band was mainly set in Stoke Moran, Surrey, in 1883. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created an atmosphere by saying that the house is half renovated and half in a ruin. The building itself is described as having a high central portion and two wings. This sounds like it once was a very big and grand house, but over the past couple of years Dr Roylott didnt have enough money to look after it. He didnt have enough money to look after the whole house so he modernized half of the house, so the left half was left with broken windows blocked with wooden boards and with the roof being partly caved in. In contrast, the right part of the house was comparatively modern. This atmosphere is created so that the reader can deduct that Dr Roylott didnt have enough money to look after the house, and the extra sum of money that would go to Helen Stoner after her marriage would have ruined him. The main characters in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories are Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Dr Watson is Holmes colleague, who appears to be a lot weaker then him in solving crimes. The main reason for this, seems that Dr Watson doesnt notice things that Holmes does, like when they were both observing Mr Jabez Wilson in The Red Headed League Watson noticed the outside appearance, such as that he was wearing baggy grey shepherds check trousers, whereas Holmes noticed much deeper things, such as that hes done manual labour because his right hand is bigger than his left. Also the language that Holmes uses is a lot more mysterious then the language that Watson uses which suggests to the reader that Watson is less educated then Holmes. Holmes uses many different techniques to solve the crimes in both stories, mainly he follows clues and uses his own intelligence. Holmes is very skilful, he is not only a great detective but also a master of disguise. This was shown in both The Man With The Twisted Lip and A Scandal in Bohemia, where Holmes disguised himself as a drug addict and an old man. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are similar to a few modern day detectives like Inspector Morse and Detective Lewis because they too follow clues to solve the crime and they work as a duo. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson follow clues to make deductions and solve the crimes. The first clue in The Red Headed League was that the clerk agreed to work for half wages which meant that he was either not very clever of he had a special reason for wanting to work at the pawnbrokers. Holmes assumes the second is true. The advertisement for the Red Headed League was another clue because it seemed almost as though it was targeted at Jabez Wilson, which was very suspicious. The nature of the job was another clue because it was use-less therefore we could deduct that the job was merely an activity that would get Jabez Wilson out of the shop. Then when Jabez Wilson described his assistant Vincent Spaulding, Holmes instantly recognized the description and realized that his real name is John Clay and hes a murderer. Spauldings interest in photography and his stained wrinkled trousers suggested that he did something dirty in the seller, like maybe he was digging a tunnel. Then Holmes tapped on the payment in front of Jabez Wilsons shop and the tunnel wasnt there, so he went to the back of the shop to find a City and Suburban bank, which is probably the place were the tunnel is going to. The fact that the Red Headed League was dissolved was a clue to that the digging had finished. And the fact that nineteenth-century banks were closed on weekends and Mondays so Holmes knew that John Clay would rob the bank on Saturday, leaving plenty of time to get away.

Waste Land Essay: A Single Protagonist -- T.S. Eliot Waste Land Essays

The Waste Land: A Single Protagonist The idea of a single and unifying protagonist in The Waste Land was briefly proposed by Stanley Sultan in Ulysses, The Waste Land, and Modernism form. I would like to pursue this topic in greater depth. Part I presents no obstacles to reading the poem in this light. On the contrary, the hypothesis of a single speaker and performer adds shadow, depth, drama, and direction to everything in the movement. It discovers a poem of far more seriousness, profundity, and complexity. Certainly the original working title, "He Do the Police in Different Voices," implies the presence of a single speaker in the poem who is gifted at "taking off" the voices of others--just as the foundling named Sloppy in Dickens's Our Mutual Friend is, according to the doubtless biased and doting Betty Higden, "a beautiful reader of a newspaper. He do the police in different voices." This speaker has a flair for tones of criminality, sensationalism, and outrage--the whole gamut of abjection and judgment; or so the title implies. He shows a relish for such tones, he is virtuosic at rendering them. The working title was thus itself a harsh judgment on the protagonist (whom it travesties). All speech is abjection? The very impulse to perform voice is suspect? A complicity in the fascination of crime--say, murder? To create and to murder are near akin? These severe intimations are of a piece with the contemptus mundi of the poem. The hypothesis of an all-centering, autobiographical protagonist-narrator is not only consistent with the working title; it explains the confident surfacing, in the latter part of the poem, of an unmistakable religious pilgrim. Unless this p... ...ough up, a phlegm of speech. By imbuing his protagonist with his own auditory and vocal genius of participation in the abjectness of his times and in approaches to the Absolute (for "the silence" must be heard, and speech must edge it), Eliot made his poem a barometer sensitive both to the foggy immediate air and to the atmospheric pressure high and far off, the "thunder of spring over distant mountains" (part 5). A group or medley of voices cannot attend to a charged, remote silence; for that a single protagonist was necessary, one who could both "do" the group and find in himself the anguish and strength to leave it, repressing the fatal impulse (as Moody puts it) "towards a renewal of human love" and seeking, instead, the Love Omnipotent. He Do the Police in Different Voices: The Waste Land and Its Protagonist. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Behavioral Theory

The ‘Behavioral Theory’ is the most applicable theory that should be used in a training environment. A training environment involves a series of steps wherein all of the participants undergo tedious challenges and examinations in order to achieve the goal that the trainer or examiner wants to achieve. A training environment aims to maximize whatever skills, potentials or strengths a person has so that the latter would be able to achieve the desired result of the training program.This presupposes that the participants in the training program are not yet the best in their field thus there is a need to train them, so that they would be able to develop whatever is needed by them to excel in whatever field they chose to enter. The environment that a person lives in has an impact in his way of living. Whether or not a person would realize it, the fact remains that his surroundings will always have an effect on him which can be seen through his acts whether he is conscious of d oing them or not. This concept is the same as that being relayed by the behavioral theory.This theory provides in essence, that the skills of the person could be developed with the help of the environment that he is surrounded with. The behavior of a person is dictated by what he senses around him. Thus, everything can be adapted by him and eventually instilled in him. A person can learn and pattern his behavior from what he sees, feels, or thinks. I believe that this is the best theory in training. The success of any training depends on the attitude of the participant. But, there are a lot of factors that should be given importance to be able to help the participant to surpass his training.The training environment should be adequate for the organization or company that is giving the training. For example, a training camp for swimmers should have a swimming pool, a coach, a strict schedule, diet and good itinerary. The people who are called to engage in the training are not necessar ily the best people in the field of swimming. But, with the help of the trainer who motivates them, the strict training schedule which calls for them to get up early in the morning to exercise and swim, to have a healthy diet and others would help a lot in directing the minds of the swimmers to become the best athletes.A person who is surrounded with positive people who constantly assure a person that it is possible to reach his dreams would be motivated to give his best and eventually excel in his field. These people were not born as the most intelligent or are considered as the gifted ones but they can outshine everybody if they chose to do so. The ‘behavior theory’ imparts the principle that everything can be learned by anyone who puts his heart into it. A person who is surrounded by people who are geared towards the accomplishment of the same goal or purpose would have the focus to really work hard towards that objective.The manner of thinking and attitude of a pers on could be changed because he would be able to adapt the attitude of the people around him. Let us compare a situation of two children who were born with different levels of intelligence quotient, one with a superior IQ and the other with an average IQ. The child with the superior IQ is not assured of success and wealth when he grows up. His IQ alone would not suffice to help him stand out in the world if his training is poor. While a child with an average IQ but is hard working, motivated and determined with his training can become more successful than the child with a superior IQ.The reason for this is that intelligence alone is not enough because the behavior of a person plays a very important role for him to be able to reach his goals. Thus the cognitive theory is not a guarantee for success in a training environment. The ‘behavior theory’ is more holistic in its approach for training individuals in any organization setting. Reference: – Behavioral Theory. R etrieved on May 3, 2009 from website http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theories/behavioral_theory. htm. – Cognitive Behavior Theory. Retrieved on May 3, 2009 from website http://www. cognitivebehavior. com/theory/index_p. html.

A Letter from the Trenches

I had attended to write earlier, however the Germans had us covered with the constant rain of shells falling, we had to stay on Guard duty to make sure they did not get here. On the way back, Zack got caught in a mudslide after one of the bombs hit the nearby hill. He went out like the others. My company just acquired some new novices to fight and obviously they hadn’t seen rats before, consequently they were scared and it wasn’t helped by our stories of how the brown rats ripped through the Germans brains and was still hungry. In fact, he got scared so much, we tried to hide in No Man’s Land to get away but their snipers shot through him quite literally.By the time it was safe, we had finished breakfast from the last of our uncontaminated supplies. And just after that we got on ‘Lice Duty’, picking out all those eggs was futile, as there were some hidden in the seams of the clothing. Those slugs and beetles were worse than ever, crowding the walls o f the little area for themselves. Just got a haircut so I am bald again so I have avoided the new nits problem.During when I am free, I like to do loads of stuff but I decided to make a war poem, I mean everyone else does. How does it sound? (Extract from Jesse Pole, ‘The Cole’)Who's for the trench– Are you, my laddie? Who'll follow French– Will you, my laddie? Who's fretting to begin? Who's going out to win? And who wants to save his skin– Do you, my laddie?What I am not going to include, is that rat problem. It is just to insensitive in my opinion as they killed 1.7million people so far because of their diseases and their extremely high fertility rate makes it almost impossible to get rid of them. Them are like a swarm of bees they will constantly annoy you. You know that trench foot I had, I finally got rid of it, I am cured no more shall those fungi on the side of the wall get the better of me.Stand to and Morning Hate wasn’t any differen t, repairing those bayonets. Those 3 hours of peace while breakfast was just amazing, the relief of not having to be in a trench, but there is Guard duty. You know, when someone out of each company waits behind at the machine guns, it’s yet to be me, but I’ve leaving the front line soon thankfully it’s been 70 days and the whole trench cycle thing will take over and I’ll be free for a year.Our platoon is quite lucky in my opinion as we are being provided free rum for our duty along with breakfast, because some of the others don’t get anything. Breakfast is during stand to and morning hate. Just cause the guns stopped firing, doesn’t mean there is rest, I mean if you come here, you will find yourself scurrying across like a mouse, because of the cleansing and checking of equipment. Both of the sides unofficially declare a truce I think, I mean at the time we are most off-guard; there is no gunfire. Just wait until a SO, senior officer, finds out that it happened again, he will send out one company to the German’s trenches through No Man’s Land and deserters were just killed.The kind of things we have to do after breakfast can be tiring I mean it is fun refilling sandbags and repairing duckboards but the amount of time it takes is forever. We would normally find out what we do by our NCOs. They’d assign us each a chore everyday just to try and make it more comforting to stay. After another heavy storm last night, I suspect we have to spend at least 2 hours reshaping the walls of the trenches to the correct shape because what usually happens is that the rain deforms the walls and makes the floor super muddy and almost impossible to work in. But that is not as hard as it seems, the equipment here is actually quite good compared to back out at home. The pumps functioned and all the muddy water was taken away without all the hard labour. There were a few other small roles that the NCOs would give us, tha t is to repair the trenches from yesterdays shelling  for todays and also to prepare all the ammunition.The main problem out here is boredom, the snipers on the Germans side look out over the 500 yard gap between us and them so it is almost impossible to move during daylight, otherwise you would be ‘moving’ ducks. Whilst stand to and morning hate was going on, if you finished your chores you do personal stuff like reading or writing letters back home. Most of them are censored, luckily being an Officer, I can write these types of things.Today I’m on patrol duty so I’ve been training in hand to hand combat skills such as knifing and boxing because whilst patrolling if we find a German patrol, we would have to either fight or run, and to me, running is not an option. Out on No Man’s Land, there is a variety of things to do such as repairing barbed wire and going to listening posts. However the most gruesome thing you could possibly do out there is r etrieve the dead bodies,, I mean that is gross.When you see dusk coming, you know you have to get ready for a big fight or probably a small battle, you would know it’s coming cause the general will launch a special cannon into No Man’s Land just to tell you to get ready. During these times supplies are normally shipped over because you would be likely to see enemy and friendly movement, and also that crawling over long grass to repair barbed wire can make a lot of sound and theoretically, get you killed Sometimes, lucky men would be sent to the supply trenches to pick up rations and ammo, whilst we are all on firing duty.During these times there is some one normally operating a machine gun for 2 hours. Any longer and they’d fall asleep. If they did, the penalty of risking the lives of everyone, is getting killed by the firing squad, but I don’t see how that is fair, I mean we are all sleep-deprived.Men were relieved form their roles as marksman and ground troops at night as well, these men would then cross the maze of networks to get back to safety. It once took an hour or two, because our equipment is heavy and it takes forever to actually get anywhere.Something you’ll have to get used to around here is that horrid smell. When something dies, it rots away and if not disposed of, it can really stink. Once, I heard this story that at the Somme Line, approximately 200 000 men were killed and it stank out the entire place, I mean dead corpses and noses just don’t go together well. The smell of creosol in the morning is OK now but when I first came, I almost killed myself.Well that’s all I can think of on the top of my head right now, got to go and do morning hate soon you know. Writing whilst I am meant to be sleeping doesn’t exactly help my sleeping problems but it does comfort in me knowing I’ll have the time to write it. You could come and help out one day, I mean they don’t ‘need†™ you back home working with the land girls and business men to grow and sell the food that you are making on mom’s farm.You’re sincerelyChristopher, your dear Brother A Letter from the Trenches My Dear BrotherI had attended to write earlier, however the Germans had us covered with the constant rain of shells falling, we had to stay on Guard duty to make sure they did not get here. On the way back, Zack got caught in a mudslide after one of the bombs hit the nearby hill. He went out like the others. My company just acquired some new novices to fight and obviously they hadn’t seen rats before, consequently they were scared and it wasn’t helped by our stories of how the brown rats ripped through the Germans brains and was still hungry. In fact, he got scared so much, we tried to hide in No Man’s Land to get away but their snipers shot through him quite literally.By the time it was safe, we had finished breakfast from the last of our uncontaminated supplies. And just after that we got on ‘Lice Duty’, picking out all those eggs was futile, as there were some hidden in the seams of the clothing. Those slugs and beetles were worse than ever, crowd ing the walls of the little area for themselves. Just got a haircut so I am bald again so I have avoided the new nits problem.During when I am free, I like to do loads of stuff but I decided to make a war poem, I mean everyone else does. How does it sound? (Extract from Jesse Pole, ‘The Cole’)Who's for the trench– Are you, my laddie? Who'll follow French– Will you, my laddie? Who's fretting to begin? Who's going out to win? And who wants to save his skin– Do you, my laddie?What I am not going to include, is that rat problem. It is just to insensitive in my opinion as they killed 1.7million people so far because of their diseases and their extremely high fertility rate makes it almost  impossible to get rid of them. Them are like a swarm of bees they will constantly annoy you. You know that trench foot I had, I finally got rid of it, I am cured no more shall those fungi on the side of the wall get the better of me.Stand to and Morning Hate wasnâ₠¬â„¢t any different, repairing those bayonets. Those 3 hours of peace while breakfast was just amazing, the relief of not having to be in a trench, but there is Guard duty. You know, when someone out of each company waits behind at the machine guns, it’s yet to be me, but I’ve leaving the front line soon thankfully it’s been 70 days and the whole trench cycle thing will take over and I’ll be free for a year.Our platoon is quite lucky in my opinion as we are being provided free rum for our duty along with breakfast, because some of the others don’t get anything. Breakfast is during stand to and morning hate. Just cause the guns stopped firing, doesn’t mean there is rest, I mean if you come here, you will find yourself scurrying across like a mouse, because of the cleansing and checking of equipment. Both of the sides unofficially declare a truce I think, I mean at the time we are most off-guard; there is no gunfire. Just wait until a SO, seni or officer, finds out that it happened again, he will send out one company to the German’s trenches through No Man’s Land and deserters were just killed.The kind of things we have to do after breakfast can be tiring I mean it is fun refilling sandbags and repairing duckboards but the amount of time it takes is forever. We would normally find out what we do by our NCOs. They’d assign us each a chore everyday just to try and make it more comforting to stay. After another heavy storm last night, I suspect we have to spend at least 2 hours reshaping the walls of the trenches to the correct shape because what usually happens is that the rain deforms the walls and makes the floor super muddy and almost impossible to work in. But that is not as hard as it seems, the equipment here is actually quite good compared to back out at home.The pumps functioned and all the muddy water was taken away without all the hard labour. There were a few other small roles that the NCOs w ould give us, that is to repair the trenches from yesterdays shelling  for todays and also to prepare all the ammunition.The main problem out here is boredom, the snipers on the Germans side look out over the 500 yard gap between us and them so it is almost impossible to move during daylight, otherwise you would be ‘moving’ ducks. Whilst stand to and morning hate was going on, if you finished your chores you do personal stuff like reading or writing letters back home. Most of them are censored, luckily being an Officer, I can write these types of things.Today I’m on patrol duty so I’ve been training in hand to hand combat skills such as knifing and boxing because whilst patrolling if we find a German patrol, we would have to either fight or run, and to me, running is not an option. Out on No Man’s Land, there is a variety of things to do such as repairing barbed wire and going to listening posts. However the most gruesome thing you could possibly do out there is retrieve the dead bodies,, I mean that is gross.When you see dusk coming, you know you have to get ready for a big fight or probably a small battle, you would know it’s coming cause the general will launch a special cannon into No Man’s Land just to tell you to get ready. During these times supplies are normally shipped over because you would be likely to see enemy and friendly movement, and also that crawling over long grass to repair barbed wire can make a lot of sound and theoretically, get you killed Sometimes, lucky men would be sent to the supply trenches to pick up rations and ammo, whilst we are all on firing duty.During these times there is some one normally operating a machine gun for 2 hours. Any longer and they’d fall asleep. If they did, the penalty of risking the lives of everyone, is getting killed by the firing squad, but I don’t see how that is fair, I mean we are all sleep-deprived.Men were relieved form their roles as ma rksman and ground troops at night as well, these men would then cross the maze of networks to get back to safety. It once took an hour or two, because our equipment is heavy and it takes forever to actually get anywhere.Something you’ll have to get used to around here is that horrid smell. When something dies, it rots away and if not disposed of, it can really stink. Once, I heard this story that at the Somme Line, approximately 200 000 men were killed and it stank out the entire place, I mean dead corpses and noses just don’t go together well. The smell of creosol in the morning is OK now but when I first came, I almost killed myself.Well that’s all I can think of on the top of my head right now, got to go and do morning hate soon you know. Writing whilst I am meant to be sleeping doesn’t exactly help my sleeping problems but it does comfort in me knowing I’ll have the time to write it. You could come and help out one day, I mean they don’t ‘need’ you back home working with the land girls and business men to grow and sell the food that you are making on mom’s farm.You’re sincerelyChristopher, your dear Brother

Biography and Profile of Susan Rice

Biography and Profile of Susan Rice Name: Susan Elizabeth Rice Position: Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by then President-elect Barack Obama on December 1, 2008 Born: November 17, 1964 in Washington, DC Education: Graduated National Cathedral School in Washington, DC in 1982 Undergraduate: Stanford University, B.A. in History, 1986. Graduate: Rhodes Scholar, New College, Oxford University, M.Phil., 1988 Oxford University, D.Phil. (Ph.D) in International Relations, 1990 Family Background Influences: Susan was born to Emmett J. Rice, Senior VP at the National Bank of Washington and Lois Dickson Rice, Senior VP for Government Affairs at Control Data Corporation. A Fulbright Scholar who served with the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, Emmett integrated the Berkeley Fire Department as its first black fireman while earning a Ph.D. at the University of California; taught economics at Cornell as the only black assistant professor; and was a governor of the Federal Reserve from 1979-1986. A Radcliffe graduate, Lois was a former VP of the College Board and chaired an advisory council of the National Science Foundation. High School College Years: At the elite private girls school that Rice attended, she was nicknamed Spo (short for Sportin); she played three sports, was student council president and valedictorian. At home, the family entertained distinguished friends such as Madeleine Albright, who would later become the first female Secretary of State. At Stanford, Rice studied hard yet made her mark via political activism. To protest apartheid, she established a fund for alumni gifts with a catch - the funds could only be accessed if the university divested from companies conducting business with South Africa, or if apartheid were abolished. Professional Career: Senior foreign policy adviser to Senator Obama, 2005-08 Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy, Global Economy Development, Brookings Institution, 2002-present Senior adviser for National Security Affairs, Kerry-Edwards campaign, 2004 Managing Director Principal of Intellibridge International, 2001-02 Management consultant, McKinsey Company, 1991-93 Clinton Administration: Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, 1997-2001 Special Assistant to the President Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council (NSC), 1995-97 Director for International Organizations Peacekeeping, NSC, 1993-95 Political Career: While working on the presidential campaign of Michael Dukakis, an aide encouraged Rice to consider the National Security Council as a future career path. She began her stint with the NSC in peacekeeping and was soon promoted to senior director for African affairs. When she was named Assistant Secretary of State for Africa by President Bill Clinton at age 32, she became one of the youngest ever to hold that position. Her responsibilities included overseeing the actions of more than 40 nations and 5000 foreign service officials. Her appointment was regarded with skepticism by some US bureaucrats who cited her youth and inexperience; in Africa, concerns over cultural differences and her ability to deal effectively with traditional African male heads of state were raised. Yet Rices skill as a charming but firm negotiator and her unflagging determination have aided her in difficult situations. Even critics acknowledge her strengths; one prominent Africa scholar has called her dynamic, a quick study, and good on her feet. If confirmed as US ambassador, Susan Rice will be the second-youngest ambassador to the UN. Honors Awards: Co-recipient of the White House’s 2000 Samuel Nelson Drew Memorial Award for distinguished contributions to the formation of peaceful, cooperative relationships between states. Awarded the Chatham House-British International Studies Association Prize for the most distinguished doctoral dissertation in the UK in the field of International Relations. Personal Life: Susan Rice married Ian Cameron on September 12, 1992 in Washington, DC; the two met while at Stanford. Cameron is executive producer of ABC Newss This Week with George Stephanopoulos. The couple have two young children. Sources: Berman, Russell. Meet Obamas Tenacious, Take Charge Dr. Rice. NYSun.com, 28 January 2008.Brant, Martha. Into Africa. Stanford Magazine at Stanfordalumni.org, January/February 2000.Brookings Experts: Senior Fellow Susan E. Rice. Brookings.edu, retrieved 1 December 2008.Emmett J. Rice, Education of an Economist: From Fulbright Scholar to the Federal Reserve Board, 1951-1979. University of California Black Alumni Series, transcript of an interview conducted 18 May 1984.Stanford Alumni: Black Community Services Center Hall of Fame. Stanfordalumni.org, retrieved 1 December 2008.Times Topics: Susan E. Rice. NYTimes.com, retrieved 1 December 2008.WEDDINGS; Susan E. Rice, Ian Cameron.  New York Times, 13 September 1992.

I Just Got Wise to Comprise

I Just Got Wise to Comprise I Just Got Wise to â€Å"Comprise† I Just Got Wise to â€Å"Comprise† By Mark Nichol I have a confession to make. I’ve been doing it wrong all these years. Throughout my long editing career, I have corrected writers who erroneously use the word comprise, as in â€Å"The federal government is comprised of the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches.† Comprise means â€Å"to include, to be made up of, to constitute,† so what I’ve always considered appropriate here is consists: â€Å"The federal government consists of the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches.† â€Å"Is comprised of† wrong. â€Å"Consists of† right. So far, so good. But though I usually follow the advice of various writing and editing guides that recommend, because of the perils of comprise, avoiding the use of the word altogether, I occasionally resort to it in my own writing not in the erroneous usage shown above, but on its own. However, as I discovered just today while working on a post about problem words, even then, I’ve been using it wrong all along. For some reason, somewhere along the line, I misread the dictum that when it comes to comprise, the whole comprises the parts. (â€Å"The federal government comprises the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches.†) Instead, I’ve always constructed the sentence the wrong way. (â€Å"The executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches comprise the federal government.†) See for yourself. Search for comprise on this site. I’ll wait. I (along with other DailyWritingTips.com contributors) have routinely gotten it backward. How could I misunderstand that rule in all the grammar guides I’ve read? I readily admit that I have not yet mastered the English language. While editing and while writing alike, I have to look things up all the time but I thought I had this one down. Now, you can be sure, I really do have it down (though I expect that I’ll start shaking uncontrollably every time I see . . . that word . . . and from here on out, because of this painful revelation, I’ll probably recast sentences with . . . that word . . . every time I see it- and, it should go without saying, refrain from using it myself. So, what’s the point of this post? For one thing, I want to acknowledge my error. On this site, I both prescribe and describe many rules about English usage and grammar, and I almost invariably stand by my statements when a visitor, in a comment, challenges me (or when I admit that in a given case, perhaps we’re both right). But when I’m wrong, I have to say so. I’m wrong. But there’s more to this issue: Merriam-Webster’s Online points out in a usage note that . . . that word . . . is increasingly used incorrectly (both in the reversal of â€Å"the whole . . . the parts† and in the phrasing â€Å"is . . . of†), but it advises readers against following that trend because â€Å"you may be subject to criticism for doing so.† (Oh, so William Styron can get away with it, but I can’t?) My main point is this: The English language is in flux. It always has been (at least since its inception), and it always will be (at least until its extinction). Just as languages evolve from one species to another Anglo-Saxon becomes Middle English becomes Modern English they are always, within themselves, in turmoil, and we suffer along with them. Merriam-Webster’s print and online dictionaries, in general, have a don’t-sweat-it approach when it comes to iffy usage, but my philosophy has always been to accept the dynamism of language without surrendering to usage that is both ephemeral and erroneous or that may someday be accepted but is still considered substandard in formal writing. Standards in language are like those in law: We have to be able to get along, and just as if each of us does whatever we want to in life, community shall cease, disregarding writing rules as they stand at the time will render us unable to communicate. So, when it comes to all right, I’ll say it comprise, the whole comprises the parts, not the other way around. Comprise is a one-way street. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesProved vs. Proven10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

Training and Employee Development Annotated Bibliography

Training and Employee Development - Annotated Bibliography Example Undeniably, training is a very important component of any profession and as such every organization has to provide for the training needs. The provision comes in varying forms, for instance, large enterprises can have dedicated training departments while small organizations can outsource the services from individuals or dedicated training institutions( Carliner 2003, p. 45). There are is need to have a form of training, whether it is outsourcing or having an established and dedicated department. First, training is beneficial to the company staff in many ways and to the company since they are the company’s critical asset. It improves organizational efficacy through the use of refined skill imparted to the trainees. It also transforms the organization by improving the capabilities of the human resource department (HRD). The HRD is able to perform effectively and deliver its mandate to supply the company with a motivated and equipped workforce. The fundamental aim of training is to develop the capacity to realize and accomplish a company’s aims. Developing this capacity requires learning new skills, communication patterns, attitudes, and knowledge. In some instances, the aforementioned already are in the trainees and the training comes in handy to refresh or hone those requirements. The initial form of training was developing organizational skills of workers. In the early ages, industrialization, and development, workers were required to work together and in groups. To enhance coordination, groups were required to have a common understanding of the tasks and role-playing. In this century, training progress is relentless. The training activity assumes that you can prepare individuals for the future by taking them through what worked in the past. Training department has had challenges from the changing times.     

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Business plan - Essay Example Thus, a business plan is essentially a road map for the organization to achieve its stated objectives (Tyson and Schell 2008). A bird’s eye view of the new institution and the education it proposes to impart With a veritable explosion in globalization and consequent exponential increase in business activities that span across continents and political frontiers the need for suitably educated and properly trained individuals to manage such gargantuan work load in an efficient and effective manner has also increased manifold. People who have an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) are equipped with precisely those skills that are required to manage transnational corporations and thus the craze for obtaining an MBA degree is increasing by leaps and bounds with each passing day (Scalzo 2008). GSBM intends to impart these much needed skills to young individuals who aspire to be dynamic managers of tomorrow. Thus, the mission statement of this new institution would be: To make st udents aware of the techniques and tools of management and how they could be applied in practical contexts To encourage students to develop their independent line of thinking and foster innovative ideas regarding various management issues and situations To adequately equip them to navigate the extremely competitive environs of global business To make students aware of cultural differences that exists across countries and continents as that is extremely necessary to successfully conduct a global business. The subjects that are intended to be taught at GSBM would include strategic management, marketing management, human resource management, adequate knowledge and expertise in finance and accounts, proper induction in the nuances of information technology, imparting the tools and techniques employed by managers in collecting business, and, most certainly, a sufficient knowledge about diverse cultures as cultural competency of an organization is imperative to survive and prosper in glob al market conditions. There is an immense impact of culture on negotiating process as negotiating practices vary from culture to culture and the manner in which people conduct themselves during negotiation process depends almost entirely on the cultural context of each country (Weiss 1994). Thus having a broad idea about prevailing cultures and being careful not to transgress the sensitivities of people belonging to alien cultures is an important lesson that any aspiring global manager needs to learn (Salacuse 1991). Market analysis of the proposed business school The institution would be a business school funded through private investments and would commence its operations initially in London with subsequent plans to open up subsidiaries, franchises or branches in Australia and India. The level of education and the course content would be totally at par with what is being

Inside a Computer Laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Inside a Computer Laboratory - Lab Report Example Some offer specialized functions such as transaction processing, discrete mathematics, statistical data analysis while others simply offer an internet connection. Additionally, computers can use for gaming and entertainment and develop software. Purchasing a laboratory or business PC can be sometimes a frightening experience and sometimes very confusing. When making the purchase, it is probable that you will have a general idea of what you may want in the PC and how you would like to make the configurations work for you. Computer systems as you may be aware consist of both software and hardware. The hardware components are tangible components of the system: main memory, CPU, peripherals such as a monitor, video display etc. The software part is the set of instructions that define what the actions of the computer hardware (Alagar and Peryasammy 2011). Typically a computer requires both the system software In the process of purchasing it is important to that you ask yourself some quest ions regarding the computer specification. First, you need to list down how the computer is going to be used. Secondly, the software that will be used can follow and here you determine whether any specialized functions are going to be used. ... The ICT department decided to purchase Desktop PCs with the following specifications: Central processing unit AMD, Hard Drive Storage - 80 Gigabytes Random Access Memory - 4GB SDRAM Hard Disk Speed: (5400 RPM) Visual display unit -Graphics Card. Motherboard Monitor – Liquid crystal display. Operating System - Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Desktop Case Optical Drive: DVD Reader and Writer Justifying the above selection. Central Processing Unit (CPU) - AMD A highly effective processor assists the computer to function optimally. The CPU is the center or brain of the computer and it executes and controls the highest percentage of the work done by the PC. CPUs are major of two types; Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel processors and the procurement manager in the ICT department made the choice from the options. CPUs are commonly defined by their processing speed and power- gigahertz (GHz) or in megahertz (MHz) - and this directly refers to the number of commands and operations they can execute per second (Shiva 2007). The higher the processing speed value, the faster and more efficient the PC will perform and it follows that it will be more expensive. The most recent dual-core CPUs have two processors embedded on a single chip and they operate more efficiently at lower speeds, for example, AMD’s Athlon X2 CPU and Intel’s Pentium family. Most recently more scalable and powerful processors that use a 64 Bit internal architecture, compared to the previous 32 Bit internal architecture models, have been deployed in the market. Computers built with a Dual-core CPU can perform comparatively faster than those using Mono-core processors, specifically when multitasking. It is therefore advisable to make the choice of computers

Views on bullying in schools Essay Example for Free

Views on bullying in schools Essay a) Legal View The legal system rarely deals with cases of bullying though there are some laws that have been set up to fight against it. This is mainly because there are many cases of bullying that are not very serious. The legal system hence allows the school to deal with these small minor cases. Schools and the parents are given a chance to work together to come up with strategies that help prevent and stop it. It is important for the bullying cases to be handled quickly and efficiently before they bring more damages when they become too serious (Antibullying, n. d). This however does not eliminate the chances of legal action being used to stop the bullying. There are circumstances that call for legal intervention as a last resort due to the seriousness of the incident. The parents, victims and other bystanders have the responsibility to report the incident to the police. Legal action can also be carried out if the other methods that have been used to intervene by the parents and the teachers have failed. It is also encouraged when there is a possibility that the bullying will reduce once the case is reported. When the bullying also takes place outside the school compound, the parents and teachers together with the community can cooperate with the police to prevent and stop it. Bullying is treated as an offence that is against the law when it becomes too serious and the consequences are very damaging. It is seen to affect the rights of other individuals and their freedom. When it is carried out against other students on the basis of race and cultural differences it is termed as being racism (Antibullying, n. d). b) Parents, Teachers and School Administrators View Despite the seriousness of the matter, some views exist that portray the behavior of bullying as acceptable. Parents have been known to have views on bullying that encourage the practice even further especially if it is their child who is bullying others. Some parents hold the view that boys will be boys. This view tends to imply that physical bullying is an acceptable behavior and hence they encourage the children to be more aggressive and physically abuse other children. Research has proven that the aggressive behavior to bully is learnt and it is not a natural response (The National ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, 2003). Some other views that are used by parents include the view that words cannot hurt. This view is argued that even though the words do not leave any physical marks or bruises on the children they are able to leave emotional scars that are more damaging than the physical bruises and words. The words spoken tend to have long term consequences and effects on the victims as they affect the self esteem and confidence. Some bullies are able to learn this from an early age and they use this approach to intimidate other children (The National ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, 2003). Bullying by some parents is viewed as a natural part of childhood and they tend to dismiss their children when they disclose the fact that they are being bullied in schools (The National ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, 2003). Parents normally take up this view since the occurrence of bullying is so common hence it looks like a normal thing to occur to children when they are in school. The truth of the matter is that the aggression that is both physical and emotional should not be taken to be a normal part of childhood and action should be taken against it. Some parents are of the view that bullying is carried out to make the children become tougher. They hold the opinions that the more that the children are bullied the more they are able to toughen up and become strong emotionally and physically. The truth however is that bullying lowers their self esteem and makes them more afraid. It also lowers their self worth and affects their academic and social life even in their adulthood. Bullying is normally carried out with an intention to harm the victim and inflict a sense of power among the bullies (The National ALLIANCE for Parent Centers, 2003).

discourse on method by descartes :: essays research papers

DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD OF RIGHTLY CONDUCTING THE REASON, AND SEEKING TRUTH IN THE SCIENCES PREFATORY NOTE BY THE AUTHOR If this Discourse appear too long to be read at once, it may be divided into six Parts: and, in the first, will be found various considerations touching the Sciences; in the second, the principal rules of the Method which the Author has discovered, in the third, certain of the rules of Morals which he has deduced from this Method; in the fourth, the reasonings by which he establishes the existence of God and of the Human Soul, which are the foundations of his Metaphysic; in the fifth, the order of the Physical questions which he has investigated, and, in particular, the explication of the motion of the heart and of some other difficulties pertaining to Medicine, as also the difference between the soul of man and that of the brutes; and, in the last, what the Author believes to be required in order to greater advancement in the investigation of Nature than has yet been made, with the reasons that have induced him to write. PART 1 Good sense is, of all things among men, the most equally distributed; for every one thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that those even who are the most difficult to satisfy in everything else, do not usually desire a larger measure of this quality than they already possess. And in this it is not likely that all are mistaken the conviction is rather to be held as testifying that the power of judging aright and of distinguishing truth from error, which is properly what is called good sense or reason, is by nature equal in all men; and that the diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some being endowed with a larger share of reason than others, but solely from this, that we conduct our thoughts along different ways, and do not fix our attention on the same objects. For to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it. The greatest minds, as they are capable of the highest excellences, are open likewise to the greatest aberrations; and those who travel very slowly may yet make far greater progress, provided they keep always to the straight road, than those who, while they run, forsake it. For myself, I have never fancied my mind to be in any respect more perfect than those of the generality; on the contrary, I have often wished that I were equal to some others in promptitude of thought, or in clearness and

Direct Democracy

In the United States, direct democracy takes its most evident form in ballot initiatives. According to the president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute, M. Dane Waters, a version of this practice was said to have existed as early as the 1600s in New England. The practice then was for proposed ordinances to be placed on the agenda to be discussed by the whole town and later approved by voting on them during their town meetings.However, Dane Waters continued, ballot initiative as it is known today started during the 1900s – specifically in 1978 when Proposition 13 reduced the property taxes in California from 2. 5 percent to 1 percent. That California initiative resulted to limitations in the property taxes of 43 states and a reduced rate in the income taxes in 15 states (Cato Policy Report). A Washington Post columnist, David S.Broder described ballot initiatives as a tool designed to enable the people to directly write laws and in the process, check the influence being wielded by interest groups in the legislative process. Unfortunately, Broder explained, the initiative process is flawed since the opinion of those who are in disagreement is not being heard. Because of this defect, he maintained, statutes approved through ballot initiatives are not being subjected to checks and balances, effectively robbing the minority of their right to be heard.Broder argued that this contradicts the intent of the founding fathers (Cato Policy Report). The chairman of the Cato Institute, William A. Niskanen, disagreed. He stressed that the initiative process is actually a system of checks and balances since it regulates the power of legislatures. In other words, it does not weaken the American system of government. Dane Waters supported the view of Niskanen. He maintained that ballot initiatives were not meant to introduce adverse changes in the American system of government but to enrich it.In fact, he said, even the founding fathers had recognized its wisdom. To prove his point, he quoted James Madison, one of the founding fathers, who said that As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the Constitutional Charter under which the several branches of government hold their power is derived, it seems strictly consonant to the republican theory to recur to the same original authority whenever it may be necessary to enlarge, diminish, or new-model the powers of government (Cato Policy Report).Ellen Ann Andersen, in â€Å"OUT OF THE CLOSESTS & into the Courts, demonstrated how a ballot initiative works. In her search for a suitable illustration, she decided to look at the effects of the initiative process on the civil rights of lesbians, gays and bisexuals (lgb’s). Her decision was baaed on the fact that until 1993, the focus of approximately 60 percent of all ballot initiatives in the country was the civil rights of lgb’s.She therefore concentrated on the most famous of these initiatives à ¢â‚¬â€œ Amendment 2 which was approved by the voters in Colorado in 1992 (Andersen). Amendment 2 was sparked by a proposed ordinance on human rights which was heard by the Human Rights Commission of Colorado Springs in 1991. The proposal sought to prohibit discrimination of any kind based on â€Å"race and color, their religion and creed, their national origin and ethnicity, their age, marital status, their sexual orientation, or their disabled condition.† It immediately encountered stiff opposition mostly from big fundamentalist Christian groups which included the biggest Christian radio ministry in the country – the Focus on the Family. Due to the relentless assault that they made against the proposed ordinance, it was finally defeated in the city council by a vote of 8-1 (Andersen). Things did not end there, however. The defeat of the proposed human rights ordinance started a statewide campaign against gay rights which culminated to the framing of Amendment 2.A grou p named Colorado for Family Values (CFV) was organized at the behest of three individuals, namely: Tony Marco, an anti-gay activist; David Noebel, head of anticommunist Summit Ministries, and Kevin Tebedo, who was the son of Maryanne Tebedo, a senator of the state of Colorado. CFV was able to establish links with national conservative organizations. It obtained the assistance of the â€Å"National Legal Foundation† in drafting Amendment 2 and used the handbook which was written by a lawyer who represented the â€Å"Concerned Women for America† as a guide for its efforts to promote the amendment.The proponents of Amendment 2 appealed to the moral values of the people and capitalized on their lack of adequate knowledge about homosexuality as they painted gays and lesbians as a hazard to society. It distributed a bulletin which alleged that Lately, America has been hearing a lot about the subject of childhood sexual abuse. This terrible epidemic has scarred countless youn g lives and destroyed thousands of families. But what militant homosexuals don’t want you to know is the large role they play in this epidemic.In fact, pedophilia (the sexual molestation of children) is actually an accepted part of the homosexual community (Andersen)! CFV also declared to the people of Colorado that homosexuals represented a great danger to the overall health of the community because they are the most relentless carriers of â€Å"sexually transmitted diseases; they are the most fertile breeders of diseases; and that by the middle of the 1990s, hospital bed would be difficult to come by due to the large number of homosexuals who are infected with AIDS (Andersen).Black propaganda such as these, coupled with the findings of a poll which was commissioned by the Denver Post which showed that 46 percent of respondents considered homosexuality to be morally wrong, 40 percent tolerated homosexuals, and 14 percent declared their neutrality, enabled the anti-gay secto rs of Colorado to deal a crushing blow to the gay militants. The CFV campaign also argued that lgb’s should not be granted protected status or â€Å"special rights† because they were not â€Å"legitimate† minorities having failed to satisfy the criteria set forth by Supreme Court decisions, namely:1. A group wanting true minority rights must show that it’s discriminated against to the point that its members cannot earn average income, get an adequate education, or enjoy a fulfilling cultural life. 2. The group must be clearly identifiable by unchangeable physical characteristics like skin color, gender, handicap, etc. (not behavior). 3. The group must clearly show that it is politically powerless (Andersen). In spite of the sting that black propaganda caused, it was the â€Å"no special rights† campaign slogan that dealt the greatest damage to the gay militants.Lawyer Jean Dubofsky said that The â€Å"no special rights† slogan was very cleve r, particularly given a time when at least white males don’t like affirmative action. The Amendment 2 people spent a lot of time talking about (how) you don’t want gays and lesbians getting in front of you in line for jobs or scholarships or college. Of course, that wasn’t what Amendment 2 was all about overall, but that’s the way it was sold†¦. People I talked with voted for it because they felt gay and lesbians should not get affirmative action (Andersen).In other words, Amendment 2 was ultimately approved by the voters of Colorado, thanks mainly to the underhanded campaign tactics employed by its proponents. Thus ended the political struggle waged by the gay activists. They were decidedly beaten in the political battle. However, it turned out that they were far from accepting defeat. Defeated in the political arena, they then turned to the legal battle. Amendment 2 proponents had only nine days to savor the taste of victory before the lgb’s petitioned the federal district court.A complaint was filed in the name of the following: Richard Evans (he was a former employee at the Mayor’s office of Denver who was open with his being gay); five other lgb’s; and a heterosexual male who was infected with AIDS. The cities of Boulder, Denver, and Aspen were also included as complainants because they had ordinances which protected the rights of lgb’s which Amendment 2 would effectively nullify (Andersen). The second aspect of the initiative process (the legal battle) turned out to be a different matter altogether.Prepared even before the election day as a â€Å"fallback† strategy, the complaint included several allegations. First, it argued that Amendment 2 violated the equal protection clause of the constitution. Then it claimed that the amendment denied lgb’s of their freedom of expression as well as association. Finally, it alleged that Amendment 2 was in violation of due process and the â₠¬Å"right to petition government for a redress of grievances† (Andersen). The difference between the political and the legal aspects of the initiative became immediately evident.Whereas the voters were the center of decision-making in the political exercise, the legal battle transferred the power to decide to the judges. A total of thirteen judges heard the arguments whether Amendment 2 should be considered constitutional. One was a district court judge; three were justices of the Supreme Court of Colorado; and nine justices came from the United States Supreme Court (Andersen). The two sides presented the same arguments that they used during the campaign.The proponents of the amendment argued that they were simply against granting homosexuals special rights and that they were interested in safeguarding the well-being of children and the family, and allow the state to allocate its resources to assisting the legitimate minorities. The gay advocates, on the other hand, argued that in fact â€Å"special rights† as employed by the proponents of the Amendment was merely a red herring to mislead people and that the Amendment would effectively deprive them of their rights and constitutionally-guaranteed protection.They further claimed that Amendment 2 was only motivated by the hostility of its proponents towards lgb’s and that homosexuality was in fact not only a â€Å"life-style choice† but is comparable to race and sexual orientation (Andersen). What happened, however, was while their arguments won for the proponents the battle for the ballot, the same arguments caused them to lose their case in court. Ironically, a dissenting judge claimed that the act of the majority justices from the Supreme Court in striking down the Amendment had been an act â€Å"not of judicial judgment, but of political will† (Andersen). Direct Democracy The assumption underlying the discussion on the initiative process is that the employment of paid petitioners is a harmful development reducing the quality of our democracy and privileging money over true commitment to causes that are put on ballot. However, this assumption is a questionable one, and counterevidence is abundant.Therefore, this essay will have the following structure: first of all, it will show little harms in employing paid signature-gatherers that are offset by possible benefits of such design of the initiative process, and, secondly, the essay will criticize the workability of the solutions offered in the concluding section of the chapter. The perceived danger in allowing paid petitioners is that only causes that enjoy considerable financial support can make their way to the ballot. Another threat, as opponents of this policy argue, is associated with the fact that it is devastating to the spirit of volunteerism and civic involvement.There is a view that ‘[p] aying petitioners degraded the signature gatherer because it came to be seen as a sales job rather than as the precious province of the public-spirited citizen’ (Ellis, 2002, p. 48). Thus, the need for mobilizing and engaging citizens becomes virtually irrelevant to policy-making process. However, there is little persuasive evidence that paid petitioners signify the death of grassroots and the advent of the ‘greenback democracy. ’ Issues that arouse strong public sentiment can recruit a sufficient number of volunteers to push their case through.There are several reasons why volunteer signatures drive will survive in the future. First of all, using volunteers in the qualification phase can help save money for the electoral contest. Secondly, volunteer petitioners often gather signatures with higher validity rates, thus the number of signatures needed decreases whenever volunteers are used. Thirdly, volunteer-based signature gathering campaigns constitute a way to mobilize and inform citizens. Fourthly, volunteer signatures drive is a powerful public relations tool, since such initiatives usually enjoy positive publicity (Ellis, 2002).Volunteer campaigns have potential to succeed only if a campaign issue can easily generate strong feelings among the public. Yet issues arousing strong public sentiment are few and far between; more often, it is an interest of a smaller group of people that is at stake, but it is undemocratic to disregard the plea of such groups of citizens only because their case does not excite hearts and minds of their fellow citizens. In the modern democracy, there are few deeply appalling wrongs that need immediate remedy and can attract crowds of concerned citizen, like the case of African Americans in the 1960s.In the modern democracy, incremental changes need to be made to accommodate different interests and to make their coexistence more efficient and pleasurable for all. Numerous notable initiatives, serving community interests best, made their way to the ballot thanks to paid petitioners. Furthermore, the ban on paid petitioners will affect different states in different ways. It will create a dangerous disparity in the quality of the initiative process in states with smaller and bigger populations.For example, it will create considerable complications for signature gathering in such states as California, where the number of signatures that are necessary for an initiative to be put on ballot can be several times higher than in other states. It is especially relevant given the everyday life constraints on citizenship and civic participation. Consumerist ideology makes long working hours an imperative and leaves people with less time to participate in politics and community affairs. People volunteer in their leisure time, and leisure is a competitive sector.It is hard to expect a large number of citizens to sacrifice their spare time for gathering signatures in favor of their cause, however strongl y they feel about it. Indeed, ‘[t]he main hurdle that most initiative proponents face is finding enough people willing and able to dedicate a large number of hours to gathering signatures’ (Ellis, 2002, p. 53). Moreover, there are legitimate concerns that the ban on paid petitioners will privilege people with abundant amount of spare time over those possessing more financial resources. In fact, paid petitioners democratize the initiative process by making it more inclusive.Many citizens do not hold strong opinions on some issues, but it by no means indicates that these issues should be excluded from the democratic debate. There are issues that are hard to frame in the way that solicits a passionate positive or negative attitude. In addition, privileging people with spare time over those with money borders on classism. For example, unemployed citizens with a lot of spare time can recruit a large number of volunteer to campaign for a welfare reform, while middle-class bus inessmen do not have such time to petition for a tax reduction.In a democracy, all groups ought to have equal access to the mechanisms of democratic participation and should be allowed to make the best use of resources available to them to ensure such participation. Therefore, as Ellis (2002, p. 54) notes, ‘the rise of paid petitioners and professional signature-gathering firms promotes democracy by increasing the involvement of a wider diversity of groups. ’ The ban on paid petitioners will not significantly decrease the role of big interests and money in the initiative process.A fact that is often overlooked by the opponents of paid petitioners concerns the evidence that recruitment, training, and coordination of volunteers mean considerable costs to an initiative sponsor, although volunteers work for free (Ellis, 2002). Moreover, the ban on paid petitioners will give an unfair advantage to organizations with better access to human resources. It ‘would advantage firms that employed large numbers of people and would make it impossible for all but the most popular causes to exercise the right of direct democracy’ (Ellis, 2002, p. 48).The opponents of paid petitioners also overlook the fact that signature gathering firms have a more professional approach to the initiative process. One of the possible advantages, as Ellis (2002) acknowledges, is that such firms have more experience in planning signature gathering campaigns and can offer a clear timeline for the process. However, there is another important advantage in employing signature gathering firms. Professionals working there can inform citizens more efficiently by presenting information about the issue at stake in a more accessible and understandable way.Thus, the indirect benefit of using paid petitioners is greater awareness of the citizenry on a wider array of issues. The proposal to ban paid petitioners also underestimates people’s ability to choose whether to sign a p etition. It is argued that signatories to petitions do not express their real opinion but agree to sign them ‘for a variety of reasons, among which are desire to be rid of the solicitor or to help him earn a day’s wages’ (Register, 1913; in Ellis, 2002). However, citizens are often more aware and concerned than this notion assumes.Many of them refuse to sign petitions that contradict their convictions. If ignorance was the case, volunteer signature drives would be as futile as professional signature gathering firms. Having proven that the harms involved in the process of employing paid petitioners in the initiative process are often exaggerated, there is a need to critique the proposed solutions to the perceived crisis. Providing more information about signature gathering will have little effect, as citizens are already overwhelmed with information on public issues.Few would dedicate their time to studying booklets on how certain initiatives made their way to the ballot. There are cognitive constraints on the amount of information citizens can consume. Furthermore, few would have enough spare time to devote it to reading booklets with information on how many volunteers and how many paid petitioners were employed to gather support for a certain initiative. The proposal to leave petitions with county registration officers can be dismissed on similar grounds: citizens do not have enough spare time to dedicate to public affairs.Valuing signatures collected by volunteers over those collected by paid petitioners is simply non-enforceable. Abandoning signature gathering altogether is also not a viable alternative, since the process of petitioning presents at least some checks on the power of large interests. Paid petitioners ensure that issues of at least some interest to at least some groups of citizens make their way to the ballot. In fact, it does not quite matter how issues are placed on ballot; what matters most is the citizens’ abilit y to express their opinion about different initiatives in a popular vote.