The First Amendment Essays - Freedom Of Expression, Censorship

The First Amendment No other democratic society in the world permits personal freedoms to the degree of the United States of America. Within the last sixty years, American courts, especially the Supreme Court, have developed a set of legal doctrines that thoroughly protect all forms of the freedom of expression. When it comes to evaluating the degree to which we take advantage of the opportunity to express our opinions, some members of society may be guilty of violating the bounds of the First Amendment by publicly offending others through obscenity or racism. Americans have developed a distinct disposition toward the freedom of expression throughout history. The First Amendment clearly voices a great American respect toward the freedom of religion. It also prevents the government from "abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Since the early history of our country, the protection of basic freedoms has been of the utmost importance to Americans. In Langston Hughes' poem, "Freedom," he emphasizes the struggle to enjoy the freedoms that he knows are rightfully his. He reflects the American desire for freedom now when he says, "I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread." He recognizes the need for freedom in its entirety without compromise or fear. I think Langston Hughes captures the essence of the American immigrants' quest for freedom in his poem, "Freedom's Plow." He accurately describes American's as arriving with nothing but dreams and building America with the hopes of finding greater freedom or freedom for the first time. He depicts how people of all backgrounds worked together for one cause: freedom. I selected Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 as a fictitious example of the evils of censorship in a world that is becoming illiterate. In this book, the government convinces the public that book reading is evil because it spreads harmful opinions and agitates people against the government. The vast majority of people accept this censorship of expression without question and are content to see and hear only the government's propaganda. I found this disturbing yet realistic. Bradbury's hidden opposition to this form of censorship was apparent throughout the book and finally prevailed in the end when his main character rebelled against the practice of burning books. Among the many forms of protests are pickets, strikes, public speeches and rallies. Recently in New Jersey, more than a thousand community activists rallied to draft a "human" budget that puts the needs of the poor and handicapped as a top priority. Rallies are an effective means for people to use their freedoms effectively to bring about change from the government. Freedom of speech is constantly being challenged as is evidenced in a recent court case where a Gloucester County school district censored reviews of two R-rated movies from a school newspaper. Superior Court Judge, Robert E. Francis ruled that the student's rights were violated under the state Constitution. I feel this is a major break through for students' rights because it limits editorial control of school newspapers by educators and allows students to print what they feel is important. A newly proposed bill (A-557) would prevent school officials from controlling the content of student publications. Critics of the bill feel that "student journalists may be too young to understand the responsibilities that come with free speech." This is a valid point; however, it would provide an excellent opportunity for them to learn about their First Amendment rights that guarantees free speech and freedom of the press. In his commencement address to Monmouth College graduates, Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School defended the broad right to free speech. He stated, "My message to you graduates is to assert your rights, to use them responsibly and boldly, to oppose racism, to oppose sexism, to oppose homophobia and bigotry of all kinds and to do so within the spirit of the First Amendment, not by creating an exception to it." I agree that one should feel free to speak openly as long as it does not directly or indirectly lead to the harm of others. One of the more controversial issues was the recent 2 Live Crew incident involving obscenity in rap music. Their record, "As Nasty as They Wanna Be," was ruled obscene in federal court. They were acquitted of the charges and quickly became a free speech martyr. Although many stores pulled the album, over two million copies sold as a result of the incident. I feel

This essay is a short topic Hieroglyphic Symbols and their beginning and my personal experiences with them.

This essay is a short topic Hieroglyphic Symbols and their beginning and my personal experiences with them. Hieroglyphic Symbols BeginningIn 1996 I was stationed in Cairo, Egypt assigned to perform infectious disease research for the Middle East. While their, I had an opportunity to do some research on hieroglyphic symbols. My research shows where these symbols came from and the importance of this fascinating language; that is "Greek" to most people today.In the ancient times between 4000-30 B.C., the Egyptian Pharaohs were the most powerful people in existence. Although they had sophisticated methods for building and irrigation, one area that they lagged in sophistication was the basic form they used for writing their language. The ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphic symbols that were often expressed through pictographs that are stylized pictures used to express words and subjects.The use of pictographs was a very primitive form of communication that took lots of time and energy to inscribe. They did not describe the subject in great detail whereas in the English language you can describe the subject in great detail with little or no effort.The Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Sphinx of Giza...When using pictographs the Egyptians didn't use connectives, adjectives, verbs, or nouns. They would simply sketch a series of pictures in reference to the subject that they were addressing. Also when using pictographs it leaves most of the interpretation of the writings up to the reader's imagination, therefore often not accurately describing and communicating the findings or ideas to the author.Using the writing system in the English language a person is able to tell the reader exactly what you're writing about and do so in great detail. In our current system of writing we use a series of twenty-six letters; six of the letters are vowels and the rest are consonants. We arrange these letters in different sequences to create many different expressive words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and pronouns.

Financial Corporations and Financial Accounting Essay

Financial Corporations and Financial Accounting - Essay Example ement, Tax planning, Notional values in the eyes of the public, advantages & disadvantages and Identity phenomenon, etc.   The discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation would be very meaningful with background analysis of the other factors governing incorporation.  Ã‚   The World Bank has launched a new online discussion on ‘Business Registration.’   †¦Ã‚   ‘Over the past two years many OECD countries have greatly improved their regulatory burdens with regards to business incorporation.’   (World Bank Private Sector Development Blog, 2010).   Needless to say, the importance of incorporation and the need for minimizing the burden of red tape culture in this respect, for the encouragement of private sector has been recognized throughout the world.  Ã‚   However, its utility to a particular business enterprise is governed by the factors referred above. The size of the venture, nature of the business and the purpose of the enterprise are the important factors in deciding the suitable form of ownership.   For example, in the case of a venture capital company, where the risk element is inherent in the business, the promoters would like to go for incorporation for the obvious reasons.   The investors with the risk taking ability and propensity to speculate would invest in the venture capital business, taking chance with regard to the  viability of the project, where the risk reward ratio is very high. For big projects with long gestation periods, from the angle of capital formation, credit facilities, employee strength, etc. incorporation of the business is necessary. Raising funds through initial public offerings of stock is easier for the big projects. Now fundraising is the world phenomenon with an array of instruments such a Global Depository Receipts (GDR), American Depository Receipts (ADR), etc. does not arise.   Therefore long term capital appreciation is the feature of the growth oriented companies,  Ã‚   and the continuity is

Building on prior success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Building on prior success - Assignment Example This version comes with a secure socket tunneling protocol from Microsoft, which would work efficiently with other supporting security protocols in providing secure connections. This tunnel provides a mechanism for safely transporting encryptions through almost all proxy servers and firewall. Incorporation of new servers into the system would include numerous activities of upgrading the current system, and ensuring compatibility with the operating system. Extra servers remain fundamental in increasing the available storage space within the company network system. Installation of extra servers would follow centralization of the servers; hence ensuring information retrieval from a central location. The company’s head-office could potentially serve as the central location for new servers. This would essentially enable regional offices’ users to access information from company, servers through the internet. Similarly, remote employees would also access required files contained in central servers from different locations. Central server installation remains fundamental in enhancing information security as information could be protected from a single source (Hallberg, 2009). Confidentiality of the information could become immensely enhanced through sender authent ication at the central server, enabling secure information movement. The best way for employees to remotely access Ocper Inc. network would be through utilizing mobile virtual private network. Mobile VPN setting functions efficiently in situations where the endpoint VPN contains multiple access points. The mobile network can also be accessed using cellular devices carrying data between several Wi-Fi access points. These individuals could utilize modern I-phones, with capability to access VPN connections, as the network connection enables seamless roaming between networks through utilizing wireless connections. The advantage of utilizing

Effect of Unethical Behavior Article Analysis (ACCOUNTING COURSEWORK) Assignment

Effect of Unethical Behavior Article Analysis (ACCOUNTING COURSEWORK) - Assignment Example Hence, enabling wise investments; this will not only benefit the individual firms but also augment the state’s economic stability. Accounting malpractices presently assume numerous forms that are evident both in the regime’s institutions and in individual corporations. For illustration, inaccurate financial records that result from an intentional manipulation by the responsible individuals (Bisoux, 2005). Since, they do have hidden intentions meant to benefit themselves via presenting false figures that would derail the key organizations’ auditing process. Primarily, these staffs encompass the accountants who are responsible in the daily handling of accounting books. The individuals usually manipulate figures to equal a false amount after colluding with fellow workers and have chopped some amount, hence trying to make a cover up. In some incidents, these malpractices may entail the top officials, but mostly evident amid the middle staffs (Bisoux, 2005). Additionally, the malpractices may entail misusing funds via channeling them in diverse directions to cater for expenses not intended for or inappropriate. For illustration, overspending especially in a venture where the undertakers or those pioneering team would benefit in some way. This deprives the firm the necessary financial resources meant for boosting its sustainability or expansion and instead starts encountering difficulties in its management (Bisoux, 2005). Consequently, this financial misappropriation will indirectly will feature in its accounting standings. This would be via meticulous study by potential investors who will notice the evident misappropriation and decline in investing in it. Since the inception of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, numerous organizations and even regimes have recorded an growth of their economic stability (Bisoux, 2005). This emanates from the accountability, which the act has instilled

Promoting human development

Promoting human development Promoting Human Development Summary Conceptual framework The goal of human development is to enable groups and individuals to exercise their choices to be what they want to be and do what they wants to do . It puts people at the center of the analysis and advocates for strategies that combine equity, efficiency, sustainability and empowerment. Social exclusion hampers choices and opportunities, thus reduce human development. Inclusion is therefore the goal to achieve, through economic, cultural, social and political processes and policies. Social inclusion and reducing social exclusion are therefore means of achieving human development by addressing the discrimination, powerlessness and accountability failures that lie at the root of exclusion. Social inclusion adds the process dimension of exclusion (the agents, groups, and institutions that exclude) to the human development concept. Working definitions Social exclusion refers to the processes which hamper people and groups opportunities to exercise the full range of their choices as well as to the outcome of marginalization ensued. It results from direct or indirect discrimination rules and behavior, processes, policy, regulations, and institutional practices can impose, advertently or inadvertently against one or some groups of population compared to the others as well as from social traditions and values among different social groups of population. Social exclusion is multi-dimensional and often involves economic, political, cultural, social and spatial exclusion. Multiple deprivations often reinforce each other. Social inclusion: The European Commission defines social inclusion as a process which ensures that those at risk of poverty and social exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. Human development refers to the process of enlarging peoples choices to be who they want to be and do what they want to do by expanding their capabilities and functioning. It refers to processes and outcomes of development about people, by people and for people. The case of the ECIS There are patterns of exclusion among individuals and groups in the ECIS region, based on their ascribed characteristics (gender, ethnicity, geographical location, language, religion, age, sexual orientation, beliefs and disability) or their achieved status ( income status, health status, employment, educational attainment, access and assets, etc) Exclusion is manifested through and results in exclusions from political, social, cultural and economic life in societies. Exclusion in one domain reinforces exclusion in others Exclusion in the region is the result of the dynamic interaction between legacies, policies and institutions Patterns of exclusion are hampering progress towards human development in the region, albeit or unevenly. The analysis and policy prescriptions for the regional report can be informed by the experiences of the EU common social inclusion objectives and the Open Method of Coordination mechanisms. The Regional Human Development Report for Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS for 2010 examines social exclusion in the region through the lens of human development. The report analyses the different facets and causes of social exclusion in Europe and the CIS region and provides recommendations for promoting social inclusion. This chapter sets the scene by looking at the conceptual linkages between human development and social inclusion, analyzes social exclusion as a process and state of being excluded from the life of a community, and explores the potential of a social inclusion-based analysis to better understand and address the social dynamics of poverty and inequality in the ECIS region. Part I: Human Development and Social Inclusion: An Analytical Framework The concept of social inclusion, which is at the heart of social policy-making in regional institutions like the European Union, is very much congruent with the human development approach that has been advocated through UNDP global, regional and national human development reports since the 1990s. The European Commission defines social inclusion as a process which ensures that those who are at the risk of poverty and social exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. Social exclusion thus conversely refers to both the processes which hamper individuals and groups opportunities to exercise the full range of their choices and to the outcome of such processes. As a result, this bears a strong co-relation with the absence of human development, which by itself requires processes of enlarging peoples choices to realize their own potential by a heightened capability. Together with the human rights framework, these approaches are all multi-dimensional and interlinked, and take into account all entitlements relevant for enlarging the choices of individuals to live a decent and meaningful life. In addition, they share a common concern about equity, non-discrimination and inclusive participation. As this Report will argue, there are a multiplicity of exclusion patterns among individuals and groups in the ECIS region, based on myriad ascribed characteristics-linguistic, geographic, gender-based, economic, religious, educational, etc- which all reinforce each other. The inescapable consequence of such a vicious interaction leads to the denial of human development. 1. Human Development: A People-Centered Approach The human development paradigm, founded in 1990 by Mahbub ul Haq, Amartya Sen, Frances Stewart, Paul Streeten and others and advocated through the UNDP Human Development Reports, sets itself apart from previous development theories by arguing that economic growth does not automatically trickle down to improve peoples well-being. Human development proceeds from the perspective of the individual, which, by virtue of his or her existence, has a moral right to develop his or her inherent capacities to the fullest extent possible and to exercise the greatest possible freedom of choice in shaping his or her own life within society. As has been already argued in a series of global, regional and national Human Development Reports, The human development concept thus advocates putting people back at centre stage, both as the means and ends of development and defines the end of development as the expansion of human choices, freedoms and capabilities. In the words of Mahbub Ul Haq, The basic purpose of development is to enlarge peoples choices. In principle, these choices can be infinite and can change over time. People often value achievements that do not show up at all, or not immediately, in income or growth figures: greater access to knowledge, better nutrition and health services, more secure livelihoods, security against crime and physical violence, satisfying leisure hours, political and cultural freedoms and sense of participation in community activities. The objective of development is to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives (Mahbub Ul Haq, 1990). As Amartya Sen argues, economic growth provides one with the necessary passport to other good things in life, but it is not an end in itself. Those other things constitute the quality of life which, in its turn, goes to expand peoples capabilities and provide them with larger freedom and choice to embrace a kind of life that they may have reason to value (Sen 1999) Human development thus emphasizes two simultaneous processes: One is the formation of human capabilities as an explicit development objective, the other is the use that people make of their acquired capabilities for functioning in society and fulfilling the choices they make in all aspects in their lives. It is therefore both a destination, a goal for social and political processes, as well as a road to get there, one that allows for agency for people themselves. While the human development concept avoids prescriptions and concentrates more on the ultimate goal of development, it suggests a simultaneous, not sequential achievement of five policy principles: Efficiency/productivity: the optimal use of human capital through investment in the education, health, aspirations and skills of people as well as efficient use of resources and pro-growth policies. Equity: distributive justice and the fair distribution of incomes and assets through equal access to opportunities Sustainability: concern for not only present generations but future ones as well Empowerment/participation: enabling people to attain a level of individual development that allows them to make choices close to their hearts. These choices can be developed through emphasising on developing freedom as both a constitutive value (value by itself) as well an instrumental value ( as a means to efficiency and to equity) (Sen) With its emphasis on choices and freedoms, the significance of access to education, health care and other social services, as well as guarantees of basic political rights and freedoms, including gender equality and freedom of movement, and the ability to participate in the activities of the community with self-respect and without shame are highlighted. Lack of education, poor healthcare, inadequate economic possibilities, violation of political freedom, and the neglect of citizens rights, could restrict peoples choices and freedoms. If the objective of development is to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and fruitful lives, social exclusion both as a process and as an outcome can categorically hamper choices and opportunities, thus reducing human development. The first imperative is therefore to identify the socially excluded groups, their characteristics, as well as the social, political, cultural and economic processes that may lead to the production and reproduction of exclusion. 2. Social Inlusion and Social Exclusion As defined in the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union, social inclusion is a process which ensures that those at risk of poverty and social exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. It ensures that they have greater participation in decision making which affects their lives and access to their fundamental rights. The European Union defines people as living in poverty or social exclusion, when they are prevented from participating fully in economic, social and civil life and/or when their access to income and other resources (personal, family, social and cultural) is so inadequate as to exclude them from enjoying a standard of living and quality of life that is regarded as acceptable by the society in which they live (European Commission 2001). Among the different defitions of social exclusion, there is a broad agreement that it consists of exclusion from social, political and economic institutions resulting from a complex and dynamic set of processes and relationships that prevent individuals or groups from accessing resources, participating in society and asserting their rights. (Beall Piron, 2005). Within a discourse of citizenship, social rights and social justice, social exclusion is not understood as lack of access to goods but as lack of access to rights. Accordingly, the opposite of social exclusion is not inclusion but participation. Such view of the concept is very closely linked to the human development approach and highlights the agents that lead to social exclusion: discriminatory practices and institutional barriers that prevent the access to public services and political participation (Lister 2004). For Sen (2000), social exclusion almost reflects the Aristotelian perspective of an impoverished life where one does not have the freedom to undertake important activities that a person has reason to choose[2]. This Report posits therefore that social exclusion constitutes an infringement on the rights of individuals and groups. If unchecked, such infringement may lead to serious constraints on individual personal development, wellbeing, freedoms and choices. From the human development point of view, social exclusion is the process and outcome that hampers the wide range of human fulfilment. It refers to limited and inequitable opportunities and capabilities of individual and groups to fully take part in economic, social, political and cultural life. The social exclusion lens thus provides a new perspective on the human development approach by assigning a central role to relational connections and emphasizing on the process dimension of exclusion (the agents, groups, and institutions that exclude). For the purposes of this report, then, a definition of social exclusion that encorporates the human development approach is as followed: Social exclusion refers to the processes which hamper people and groups opportunities to exercise the full range of their choices as well as to the outcome of marginalization ensued. As Sen argues, people may be excluded from some opportunity because of a deliberate policy or practice prevalent in the society they live in, which he calls as instances of active exclusion. This may result in the constitutive part of their capability deprivation. And once they are burdened with this deprivation in one field, they are leading a handicapped life and this might be responsible for their deprivations in other fields in life. Sen calls the second category capability failures and assigns instrumental role to the factor of social exclusions for that. The potential remedy lies in changing certain specific policies that should target the groups or communities which are at a disadvantageous position because of such exclusionary practices. Yet, there are many capability deprivations that result from a complex web of deep institutional issues intertwined with systemic configurations on economic and socio-political fronts. In such cases, the deprivation comes about through social processes in which there are no deliberate attempt to exclude. Sen calls them cases of passive exclusion (Sen 2000). For example, cases of unemployment among a particular community of people, eg. migrants in their host country, on account of certain legal restrictions would constitute an instance of active exclusion, which is in this case a constitutive exclusion as well. The other capability deprivations among this community of migrants, which follow from their unemployment could be termed as their capability failures. This too can be explained as active exclusion. When unemployment is the result of complex web of multiple institutional and systemic factors, passive exclusion occurs, in that the people are after all excluded from the opportunity to be employed. The Human Development paradigm would be effective in understanding these cases because it looks at the perspective from an inter-systemic point of view and presents them more in a holistic perspective. 3. Convergence and Relationships Social exclusion and human development As discussed above, the human development approach stresses the significance of education, access to adequate social services (health, education, access to water and utilities, social protection, housing, etc), environmental sustainability, gender equality, human security and respect for individual rights. Social exclusion, which prevents access through institutional, community- and personal-level barriers to important social goods and services, whether as a result of deliberate discrimination or lack of capacity to deliver, whether as a result of active or passive exclusion, impedes peoples ability to live a full life. Social inclusion adds the process dimension of exclusion (the agents, groups, and institutions that exclude) to the human development concept. A social inclusion perspective can thus help sharpen the strategies for achieving human development by addressing the discrimination, exclusion, powerlessness and accountability failures that lie at the root of poverty and other development problems. Both concepts are complementary in policy terms: human development bears a stronger focus on what needs to be achieved; while social inclusion focuses on how it should be achieved. The Relationship between Social Exclusion and Human Development What can limit freedoms and choices is social exclusion, both as a process and as an outcome. However, there are limitations of freedoms in all societies that affect the mainstream population without creating exclusion. Exclusion hampers choices and opportunities, thus reduce human development. From the human development point of view, social exclusion is the process and outcome that hampers the wide range of human fulfilment. Inclusion is one of the goals to achieve, there might be others (e.g. environmental sustainability, conflicts etc) that do not directly depend on social exclusion. Both concepts are complementary in policy terms: human development bears a stronger focus on what needs to be achieved; while social inclusion focuses on how it should be achieved. Social inclusion adds the process dimension of exclusion (the agents, groups, and institutions that exclude) to the human development concept. Social inclusion is also focused on those that are excluded, thus emphasizing the equity principle. Human Development does look at broader societal improvements that affects also those that are not excluded (once again, environmental sustainability can be an example), although it is true that guaranteeing the inclusion of all can have broader positive repercussions on the rest of society. A social inclusion perspective can thus help sharpen the strategies for achieving human development by addressing the discrimination, exclusion, powerlessness and accountability failures that lie at the root of poverty and other development problems. Social Inclusion as the path to human development: What follows as the logical consequence that human development is the larger goal to achieve. Can the social inclusion approach be the best practice in this regard? Social inclusion policies, in principle, are ways to achieve human development: They are designed to correct negative outcomes of exclusion which can be ascribed to gender; age; ethnicity; location; economic, education, or health status or disability, etc., be these intentional (e.g., systematic discrimination) or unintentional (i.e., the failure to recognize the differential impact of policies on individuals or groups). The EU charter of Fundamental Rights defines social inclusion as a process which ensures that those at risk of poverty and social exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. It ensures that they have greater participation in decision making which affects their lives and access to their fundamental rights. The significant element of phraseology used in this definition is greater participation, which implies that the social inclusion approach is not just satisfied at present with tendering a so-called platform of equality to all. Rather, it is more concerned with a futureobjective of achieving equality for all. Thus, the social inclusion approach acknowledges the need to proffer to those excluded a greater say in the scheme of things than what they receive now, i.e. a greater participation in comparison with that of the non-excluded. In terms of legalese, this is known as positive discrimination in favour of the excluded with a view to bringing them at par with others, i.e. including them in the mainstream of life. Social Inclusion approach thus is more about redistribution of social opportunities among all sections of population so that everyone gets a plausible opportunity to flourish and thus, to contribute to the cause of enhancing efficiency of a society as a whole. A prosperous society provides more opportunities for personal fulfillment which is not to be viewed just in terms of economic freedom but also in terms of everything else that provides the necessary yardstick to evaluate the quality of life. Social exclusion and rights based approach A social exclusion perspective shares with a Rights-Based Approach (RBA) a common concern with equity, non-discrimination and the importance of participation that should be inclusive. In this respect, a social exclusion perspective is concerned with governance and citizenship rights, with the institutional dimension of exclusion and with the organizations, institutions and processes that exclude. The mainstreaming of human rights in development programming is a way of tackling certain forms of social exclusion and strengthening inclusion policies. Social exclusion, poverty and vulnerability Although the concept of poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability share certain common characteristics, they also have important distinguishing features. People who are not poor can be excluded, but many may also become poor due to exclusion from economic activity, and may thus become vulnerable. The analysis of exclusion and vulnerability may not necessarily be the same as that of poverty. The three phenomena, however, are inextricably related. Traditional thinking about income poverty focuses on individual subsistence level as against a standard conventional change. The concept of human poverty, instead represents a measurement of well being as not a static but a dynamic multi-dimensional experience, and is closer to the concept of social exclusion. People may experience poverty not just because they lack access to goods and services but also because there are systematic constraints that limit the mobilisation and the allocation of resources to the particular group. The EU, for example, which has set social inclusion at the heart of policymaking, conceives of exclusion as distinct from income poverty. Poverty is a distributional outcome, whereas exclusion is a relational process of declining participation, solidarity and access. Indeed for some, exclusion is a broader term encompassing poverty; for others, it is a cause or a consequence of poverty. But it is likely that causation runs in both directions. Highlights on vulnerability are essentially to reduce/manage the risk of the loss of livelihoods and the threat to security which more often than not is influenced by ones poverty status. Vulnerability is often obviously worsened by poverty which, therefore, points to an important interface between poverty alleviation and social risk management. Social exclusion as compared to poverty and vulnerability is intended to focus more attention on structural bottlenecks to equity and social justice. To overcome social exclusion, therefore, it is obvious that there has to be a deliberate effort to reform customary and legal codes of conduct to create opportunities for excluded groups to become empowered. This particular objective has been taken into account in current thinking on poverty reduction and social risks management. An advantage of the concept of social exclusion/inclusion over an approach based on poverty and other material deprivation is its focus on processes, i.e. the dynamics of the interaction between an individual and his or her social, legal, political, cultural and economic environment. Asking whether a person is able to participate equally in mainstream society, leads to identifying barriers to participation. These barriers can be institutional (discrimination, lack of infrastructure or absence of services, or in the case of people with disabilities, can also be the physical accessibility of buildings or schools), in the community (prejudice, marginalization), or personal (lack of education, withdrawal, rejection, or fears). Different population groups may experience different and overlapping vulnerabilities or face different barriers, which require different strategies to overcome them. Convergence of concepts towards a social inclusion approach Human development, the Human Rights Based Approach and Social Inclusion proceed from a moral or philosophical belief in the intrinsic value of human life and a commitment to the dignity and equality of each human being. Another value added of both the social inclusion and human development approaches is that they look at groups/communities dynamics and interaction within society, beyond the rights-holders vs. duty bearers approach Each of these conceptual frameworks places human well-being within a social and political context, and posits aspects of the interaction of the individual with society that cannot be represented by a money-metric proxy. Each also expresses explicitly or implicitly the vested interest of society in the provision of supportive social policies by a state actor in realization of the social contract. A social inclusion approach implies addressing need or alienation wherever it exists. Social inclusion reaches beyond the enforcement of rights in legal terms by tackling material deprivation, stigmatization and social separation; hence the approach seeks to understand this complex social phenomenon in terms of causes as well as outcomes. It also has an operational bias, devising workable policy responses, effectively recognizing that the state has a duty to care, include and involve all members of society in political, economic, cultural and social processes. 3) Causes and Drivers of Social Exclusion People may be excluded by several reasons, some owing to their individual characteristics (old, sick, disabled, poor, immigrants, vulnerable women and children); others from their societal/cultural characteristics (such as religion, race, caste/ethnicity, language). These can often interact and influence each other, thus creating a spiral of multiple deprivations. Exclusion can also be triggered by circumstances of birth. Being born into poverty or to parents with low employable skills, for example, places one at a serious disadvantage in relation to future life course survival chances. Finally, social exclusion can also be an outcome of shocks, such as conflicts and abrupt socio-economic transitions. The process dimension of social exclusion is also multi-dimensional and often involves economic, political, cultural and social exclusion. These dimensions are interrelated and reinforce each other. For example, the most excluded groups often have the worse access to education, poorer land, worse sanitation and health services, which contributes to lower productivity and incomes on the one hand, as well as limitation on engagement in political processes that could improve their position. For this Report, we have chosen to focus on mutually related dimensions: Exclusion from economic life results in and from inequalities in ownership of assets, incomes and employment opportunities. Exclusion from social services results in and from inequalities in access to a range of services education, health, housing, social protection, etc and in human outcomes (including education, health, and nutrition). Exclusion from political participation results in and from unequal access to political opportunities, justice, freedoms, institutions and power at many levels (from national to community level). Cultural status exclusion results in and from differences in recognition and (de facto) hierarchical status of different groups cultural norms, customs and practices. Thus, the causes or drivers of exclusion include not only the ascribed characteristics of individuals and groups, but the way that institutions and processes contribute to marginalization. For the purposes of this report, we can cluster the potential causes and drivers, many of which prevail in the ECIS region, in three broad categories: discrimination, institutional inadequacies and horizontal inequalities: NOTE TO ALL: I WILL ADD CONCRETE EXAMPLES FROM THE REGION LATER FROM THE CHAPTERS 1) Discrimination: Ø Discriminatory practices, especially as a result of bias Social exclusion mostly results from direct or indirect discrimination that rules and behavior, processes, policy, regulations, and institutional practices can impose, advertently or inadvertently against one or some groups of population compared to the others. These can be based on but not limited to gender, ethnicity, religion, race, geographical location, age, income status, health, educational attainment, and disability. Prejudice and discrimination resulting from social and political biases may also cause social exclusion. For example, discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and gender may result in exclusion on the labour market, etc. In extreme cases, outright hostility and violence against certain groups may lead to social exclusion Ø Discriminatory social values and cultural practices Social exclusion can also persist in the cultural and traditional set-up and result from social traditions and values among different social groups of population. EXAMPLE FROM TATJANA CHAPTER 2) Institutional inadequacies : Ø Policies and institutional barriers Public institutions or organizations can aggravate social exclusion through lack of understanding of the dynamics of exclusion, or through sheer oversight. Decision making may not be effective in protecting excluded groups largely due to the lack of commitment and inadequate resources. Ø Inadequate or weak institutional support mechanisms The weakness of institutions is exhibited in their inadequacies, poor functioning, poor quality, non responsiveness and the inability to create opportunities for those who are likely to fall prey to social exclusion. Sometimes institutions are purposely designed to favour those who are already included in the mainstream (e.g. language requirements to access education, job opportunities or other services). Private institutions and civil society organisations such as non-government institutions and community based organizations, as well as some private financial institutions and other service providers also contribute to social exclusion by failing to develop programmes to support the interests of excluded groups or by deliberately excluding some from social services. Ø Discriminatory laws or inadequate enforcement Poor legislation may deepen the exclusion of some social groups.. In some circumstances, adequate legislation may be in place to protect the interests of the underprivileged, but poorly enforced legal regimes can make such legislation meaningless. 3) Horizontal inequalities: Ø Inequalities between groups Inequalities that exist de facto or de jure among groups can increase exclusion. These can include, for example, inequalities in terms of

Feminist Perspective of Paulina in Shakespeares The Winters Tale Ess

A Feminist Perspective of Paulina in The Winter's Tale  Ã‚     Ã‚   Feminist criticism explores gender themes in literature, assesses the worth of female characters, promotes unknown women writers, and interprets the canon from a politically-charged perspective. Shakespeare has proven more difficult to categorize than other white male masters of the written word, precisely because of the humanity of his female characters. Critic Kathleen McLuskie urges feminists to "assert the power of resistance, subverting rather than co-opting the domination of the patriarchal Bard" (McLuskie 106). Yet many feminists find strength in Shakespeare. Irene Dash, for instance, proclaims that "Shakespeare's women characters testify to his genius .... they learn the meaning of self sovereignty for a woman in a patriarchal society" (Dash 1). Paulina of The Winter's Tale provides support for Dash's argument. With courage and passion, Paulina defends Hermione against chauvinistic paranoia and enshrines female virtue.    Perhaps the best testimony to Paulina's power is the historical reaction of male critics. In 1733, editor Lewis Theobald condemned Paulina as "too gross and blunt" for daring to call the King "downright a Fool" (Dash 135). In 1863, scholar Charles Cowden Clarke whined that Pauline was excessive: "... she does play the tattoo upon his skull with amazing vivacity  ­ and after he is down, too .... Paulina cannot forego the gratification of punching him in his maundering distress" (Clarke 356). In 1969, Fitzroy Pyle acknowledged Paulina's "goodness" but applied the label "militant" (Pyle 41).    With a similar sentiment but more blatantly hostile language, the fictional King Leontes abuses his adversary Paulina with sexist insults... ...ti. Webster's First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language. Boston: Beacon Press, 1987    Dash, Irene. Wooing, Wedding, and Power: Women in Shakespeare's Plays. New York: Columbia University Press, 1981    McLuskie, Kathleen. "The Patriarchal Bard: Feminist Criticism and Shakespeare." Political Shakespeare: New Essays in Cultural Materialism. Jonathan Dollimore and Alan Sinfield, editors. London: Cornell Univ. Press, 1985    Neeley, Carol Thomas. "The Winter's Tale: Women and Issue" (1985).   Reprinted in the Signet Classic Edition of The Winter's Tale. New York: Penguin, 1988.    Pyle, Fitzroy. The Winter's Tale: A Commentary on the Structure. New York: Routledge & Paul, 1969.    Schweickart, Patrocinio. "Reading Ourselves." Speaking of Gender. Elaine Showalter, editor.   New York: Routledge, Chapman and Hall, 1989.   

Importance of a Team Charter

Similar to developing a solid foundation when building a home, the team charter is the foundation for building a strong team. The team charter acts as a contract between the members of a team communicating contact information and establishing the ground rules and guidelines for the team. â€Å"Chartering is the process by which the team is formed, its mission or task described, its resources allocated, its goals set, its membership committed, and its plans made† (University of Phoenix, 2011, para. ). The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it clearly defines the expectations of the team, permits agreement regarding communication and participation as well as provides the basis for conflict management. The implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group because it will help to eliminate conflicts before they arise. By identifying the likely kinds of issues that might bring team members into conflict and agreeing beforehand how to deal constructively with those conflicts, team members will help to ensure the optimum functioning of the team† (University of Phoenix, 2002, para. 8). An area of conflict that tends to arise often is a team member feeling as if he or she is doing all of the work. It is best to try to avoid this by the agreement that has been reached collectively in the team charter. Each individual has contributed to the formulation of the charter and in doing so, has agreed to abide by its guidelines. This should bring about a sense of duty and responsibility to each member to contribute equally to the team. The charter will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and the consequences for non-participation. This will provide the basis for establishing trust within the members of the group. Each individual in the group has his or her own level of trust that he or she is capable of giving. This will influence how much they are willing to share and give of themselves. It is important that the members respect the privacy and boundaries of the other members, especially if they are less trusting. The same is true of listening skills. One must accept that some individuals are more outspoken than others and may not be as advanced in their listening skills. Others have honed these skills well and will pick up on the smallest nuances. The most important reason the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group is that it clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. It is imperative that each member is aware of the objectives of the team and what he or she is trying to accomplish. Each member must know what his or her individual contributions to that goal is and understand that it is the expectation of the team that he or she will complete his or her portion in a timely manner. Although some may say that developing a charter is an unnecessary step that requires too much time, the benefits of forming a charter are well worth the time invested. A charter is the foundation by which the team will collaborate to accomplish their goals. In conclusion, although some believe that the charter is not a useful tool and is not worth the time investment, the implementation of a team charter will improve the performance of the group for two main reasons. First, it will allow the team to come to an agreement regarding communication, participation, and consequences for non-participation. Second, and more important, the team charter clearly defines the expectations of the team so that each member is clear of his or her responsibilities. Just as a person would never think of driving cross country without first checking the oil in his or her car, one should never initiate a group without first developing a team charter. The most successful and productive teams always start with the foundation of a well developed team charter.

Research on the profit of an organization

Research on the profit of an organization The purpose of this paper is to establish whether there is a direct correlation between employee retention and the overall profit growth of an organization. The study utilizes 6 articles and explains how they relate to the problem or purpose.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Research on the profit of an organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The article on â€Å"Keep Your Turnover Low† by Todd Donnelly shows there is a relationship between retention and profits of call centers. This article explores some of the causes of high turnover in call centers which include; unfavorable working environment and dissatisfied work force. Donnelly (2012) explains that high turnover in call centers, has impacts on profits due to high operational costs. The author also, gives strategies to reduce turnover in order to reduce costs and increase the profits. The article by Thinking Leaders on â€Å"Calculating the High Cost of Employee Turnover† is directly related to problem. This article shows that there are direct and indirect costs incurred by a company or an organization when a high turnover occurs. These costs include; exit interview costs, litigation costs, outplacement costs, hiring costs and human resource processing costs (Thinking Leaders 2011). The article also shows high turnover can lead to decreased productivity hence reducing profit margins of a company. The article shows that high turnover leads to reduced profit margin of a company, hence showing the correlation between turnover and profit margin. Ways of retaining employees are mentioned in the article. Article by Arnold Anderson on â€Å"A Turnover Rate’s Effects on an Organization† also is directly related to the topic. According to Anderson (2011), when an employee is fired or resigns, the organization is likely to be affected negatively. The author further explains that employee turnover affects the growt h and productivity of an organization. Anderson (2011) also identifies the impacts of turnover, which include; high cost, loss of talent, loss of competitive edge and loss of identity or culture. The article by Chris Young on â€Å"Employee Retention Strategies Drive Revenue Growth in Sears† shows there is a direct correlation between turnover and profit margins of an organization. One of the key strategies the author discuses is employee satisfaction (Young 2007).The author also explains that, employee satisfaction and attitude play a crucial role in productivity and retention of employees thus affecting the profits of the company. Young (2007) gives a case study of Sears Company, to show how employee satisfaction had great impacts on the profits of the company. The article shows there is direct co-relation between retention and profit margin of an organization.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Article by David Ingram on â€Å"The Definition of High Turnover Rate† contributes to the topic of the relationship between employee retention and profit margins of a company. Ingram (2009) defines high employee turnover as employees leaving their jobs at a high rate. He further explains the employee turnover in different industries. The author also explores ways of reducing employee turnover, so it directly contributes to the purpose of the study. The article explores ways of employee retention, which has direct impact on the profit margins of an organization. According to Ingram (2009) the key to employee retention is satisfaction. The article by Ruth Mayhew on â€Å"How to Solve Employee Turnover Rate† shows there is a direct correlation between retention of employees and profit margin of a company. The writer highlights the importance of solving employee turnover to reduce the negative impacts on productivity of workforce. Th e article comprises of steps to solve employee turn over in order to keep a steady profit margin. The article is related to the purpose of the study (Mayhew 2011). References Anderson, A. (2011). Effective Communication and Organization. A turnover rates  effects on an organization. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/turnover-rates-effects-organization-10084.html Donnelly, T. (2012). Human Resources. Keep Your Turnover Low. Retrieved from articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/keep-your-turnover-low-5907675.html Ingram, D. (2009). Calculate interest rates. The Definition of High Turnover rate. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/definition-high-turnover-rate-11272.html Mayhew, R. (2011). Managing Employees: Employees. How to solve Employee Turn  over Rate. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/solve-employee-turnover-rate-11152.html.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Research on the profit of an organization specificall y for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thinking Leaders. (2011). Calculating the high cost of employee turnover. Retrieved From thinkingleaders.com/archives/1253 Young, C. (2007). Employee retention strategies drive revenue growth at Sears. Retrieved from articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/employee-retention-strategies-drive-revenue-growth-at-sears-115115.html

Interpreting Statistics and Political Polls

Interpreting Statistics and Political Polls At any given time throughout a political campaign, the media may want to know what the public at large thinks about policies or candidates. One solution would be to ask everyone who they would vote for. This would be costly, time-consuming and infeasible. Another way to determine voter preference is to use a statistical sample. Rather than ask every voter to state his or her preference in candidates, polling research companies poll a relatively small number of people who their favorite candidate is. The members of the statistical sample help to determine the preferences of the entire population. There are good polls and not so good polls, so it is important to ask the following questions when reading any results. Who Was Polled? A candidate makes his or her appeal to the voters because the voters are the ones who cast ballots. Consider the following groups of people: AdultsRegistered votersLikely voters To discern the mood of the public any of these groups may be sampled. However, if the intent of the poll is to predict the winner of an election, the sample should be comprised of registered voters or likely voters. The political composition of the sample sometimes plays a role in interpreting poll results. A sample consisting entirely of registered Republicans would not be good if someone wanted to ask a question about the electorate at large. Since the electorate rarely breaks into 50% registered Republicans and 50% registered Democrats, even this type of sample may not be the best to use. When Was the Poll Conducted? Politics can be fast paced. Within a matter of days, an issue arises, alters the political landscape, then is forgotten by most when some new issue surfaces. What people were talking about on Monday sometimes seems to be a distant memory when Friday comes. News runs faster than ever, however, good polling takes the time to conduct. Major events can take several days to show up in poll results. The dates when a poll was conducted should be noted to determine if current events have had time to affect the numbers of the poll. What Methods Were Used? Suppose that Congress is considering a bill that deals with gun control. Read the following two scenarios and ask which is more likely to accurately determine the public sentiment. A blog asks its readers to click on a box to show their support of the bill. A total of 5000 participate and there is overwhelming rejection of the bill.A polling firm randomly calls 1000 registered voters and asks them about their support of the bill. The firm finds that their respondents are more or less evenly split for and against the bill. Although the first poll has more respondents, they are self-selected. It is likely that the people who would participate are those who have strong opinions. It could even be that the readers of the blog are very like-minded in their opinions (perhaps it is a blog about hunting). The second sample is random, and an independent party has selected the sample. Even though the first poll has a larger sample size, the second sample would be better. How Large Is the Sample? As the discussion above shows, a poll with a larger sample size is not necessarily the better poll. On the other hand, a sample size may be too small to state anything meaningful about public opinion. A random sample of 20 likely voters is too small to determine the direction that the entire U.S. population is leaning on an issue. But how large should the sample be? Associated with the size of the sample is the margin of error. The larger the sample size, the smaller the margin of error. Surprisingly, sample sizes as small as 1000 to 2000 are typically used for polls such as Presidential approval, whose margin of error is within a couple of percentage points. The margin of error could be made as small as desired by using a larger sample, however, this would require a higher cost to conduct the poll. Bringing It All Together The answers to the above questions should help in assessing the accuracy of results in political polls. Not all polls are created equally, and often details are buried in footnotes or omitted entirely in news articles that quote the poll. Thats why its important to be informed on how a poll was designed.

The Biology of Sleep Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Biology of Sleep - Essay Example Human beings often underestimate the importance of sleep in their lives. Contrary to popular belief, sleep is not a passive phenomenon. It is a dynamic process during which the body recharges, recovers and recuperates. Several physiological systems of the body undergo repair while we sleep. Thus, sleep deprivation can lead to serious health implications. According to the National Sleep Foundation in the United States, human infants require as much as sixteen hours of sleep, while human adults require about eight to nine hours of sleep every night. Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual. The amount of sleep a person needs also increases if he or she has been deprived of sleep in previous days. Sleep is particularly important for the brain. Even 24 hours of continuous wakefulness can lead to reduced memory and concentration ability, hallucination and mood swings. Precisely how sleep affects human beings is still an area of intense research. Scientists are still trying to comprehend the molecular and physiological functioning of the body in the sleeping stage. But studies conducted so far have only reiterated that sleep is essential for survival. One such study conducted on rats revealed that sleep deprived rats had a severely shortened life span and a breakdown in the immune system. The normal life span of rats is 2-3 years, however sleep deprived rats live for only 3 weeks. These rats develop abnormal low body temperatures and sores on their tails and paws. (Mostaghimi, 2005) Researches conducted over the ages have theorised about the possible functions of sleep. As mentioned earlier, healing and repair are two of the key functions of sleep. A study conducted revealed that sleep hastened the healing process of burn wounds in rats. (Gumustekin et al, 2004) Sleep also forms an important means of energy conservation especially when a person is ill. This probably happens because cytokines, chemicals our immune systems produce while fighting an infection, are powerful sleep-inducing chemicals. Sleep may help the body conserve energy and other resources that the immune system needs to mount an attack. The body is in a quiescent stage while sleeping and considerably less energy is spent in the physiological functioning of the body. Sleep might also be an anabolic state marked by physiological processes of growth and rejuvenation of the organism's immune, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems (with some exceptions). When a person is in deep sleep, growth hormo nes are released in the body. Also, proteins, which form the building blocks of the body, are produced in large numbers during sleep. The most important function underway in a sleeping human being is memory processing. Scientists have successfully correlated sleep to memory. Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. More specifically, working memory was shown to be adversely affected by sleep deprivation. Working memory keeps information active for further processing and supports higher-level cognitive functions such as decision making, reasoning, and episodic memory. (Turner, 2007) Stages of Sleep A human being usually passes through five stages of sleep. The first four stages can be

Management. Performance Based Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management. Performance Based Budgeting - Essay Example While traditional budget tends to attach budget based on expense on specific items, PBB is concerned with general event outcomes (Last, 2009 p.2456). The planned and actual performance are both evaluated in terms of efficiency and effectiveness and the assessment used to allocate resources rather than using blind resource allocation system which emphasizes on organizational units and line item expenses. PBB has an objective of improving efficiency and effectiveness in public expenditure by linking allocation of funds to public organizations to their actual and projected performance (Guajardo, 2001 p.457). A basic form of PBB has a design, which ensures that the participating decision makers provide a systematic consideration to the results achieved by the expenditures at various government units when formulating budget on government expenditure. Performance Based Budgeting needs the following essential elements for proper budgetary planning. First it requires a measurable quantity of inputs available for the given project. These include monetary value of all resources ready to be injected in the project. Another requirement is units of output from the project. This involves assessment of the outcome of the project (Hughes, 2012 p.1004). Next is calculation of efficiency. This involves assigning an amount of input to each unit produced in order to get productivity per unit unit or activity. Lastly is analysis of achievement of the predetermined level of performance. The organization must have set goals, which it wants to accomplish; hence, it is necessary to measure the effectiveness of the management system used in terms of objectives achieved. Policy objectives and organizational goal development is the starting point in the PBB process. The achievement of goal and objectives should be reflected using developed performance measures. In the process of budget preparation, the main considerations are, past performance, current performance and projected future per formance information (Hood, 2009 p. 456). A detailed decisional analysis is undertaken in order to come up with the best and the most appropriate decision. The final decision should be the best in interlinking resources allocations to the measures, objective and goals. The outcome is a final report financial details and the recommended performance information. The report has a description of how the initiated measures taken influence the strategic plan and the projected result from the project. PBB is effective in Periodic project evaluation as regularcheckup is performed as the project proceeds. Financial information and performance information should be appropriately aligned and coincided during the duty execution in order to enhance efficiency in its implementation. Performances audit is done at the end of the financial period or project to determine the effectiveness of the PBB system used. PBB is beneficial in the sense that it raises accountability of an organization, as it se ts targeted outputs that enable the organization to work hard towards achieving. It encourages proper decision-making that are aimed at reducing the gap between the desired level of output and the actual level of output. PBB ensures that government strategic decisions are carefully implemented in terms of financial analysis. It is a tool of trigger to policy makers, customers and service