Pack Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pack Journalism - Essay Example And this, makes the journalist work never be the same again. Sometimes, the government that should have been protecting its citizen, including journalists, is the one allegedly involved in the killings of people in the media. Moreover, it is surprising to know that this is happening all around the world. Each country has its own stories of murdered journalist. What we can read in the news are American tank fired at the Reuters office, journalist abducted allegedly by Philippine Army, brutal murder of a journalist in Indonesia condemned, an American aircraft fired a missile at the al-Jazeera office, to mention a few. This situation is getting serious and must be stopped. Journalists are here to provide independent reporting and to deliver documentation of realities in life to the society. As years go by, the journalist work is getting riskier and scarier. From a mere observer who just re-tell stories from those involve, first hand sources, they are now largely moving into the limelight, but not for any better. Instead, the future of journalist anywhere in the world is getting dimmer and dimmer as what we can see unfolding through this rising incidence of media killings. The phrase "being read" is slowly changing its real meaning. Journalists are being read because of the news about other people or current events they wrote, which they have no involvement totally. This time they are still being read and that is only because they themselves are what the news story is all about. They are being harassed, threatened, and arrested. Just like the recent report from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Two French TV journalists were arrested in Northern Cyprus, which believed the incident overshadowed plans of the Turkish authorities to reform press freedom laws. Journalists once again are becoming the victim of outworn laws and their practitioners. Moreover, this time it is more frequent, worldwide, and fatal. Locale and international organizations, like the IFJ, European Federation of Journalist (EFJ), The Union of Cyprus Journalists, continuously condemn such cases of violation of the journalists' rights and of the press freedom. The rights and freedom being blatantly violated today includes, In pursuance of this duty, the journalist shall at all times defend the principles of freedom in the honest collection and publication of news, and of the right to fair comment and criticism. Journalists worthy of the name shall deem it their duty to observe faithfully the principles stated above. Within the general law of each country the journalist shall recognise in matters of professional matters the jurisdiction of colleagues only, to the exclusion of any kind of interference by governments or others. There is no more freedom in the collection of publication of news. In many countries, they are being threatened in the reports being collected and in the news being printed. One female radio broadcast journalist after giving her comments and criticism on a particular government official, she was gunned down right outside the station. Previous to this incident, another radio broadcast journalist was shot and killed in his house. These two journalists happen to be husband and wife. Moreover, in the country they were is a democratic country with laws assuring freedom of speech and of the press. They need not to be in the midst of war to be hit by a bullet. There is enough bullet really intended for them and not

ACD-IP PBX Request for Proposal (RFP) Research Paper

ACD-IP PBX Request for Proposal (RFP) - Research Paper Example This paper will focus on comparison and assessment of different vendors for IP PBX. It will focus on the requirements of the organization. PBX is a VoIP phone system that is used to manage communications and phone calls. There are many SIP phones which have been connected and working together to achieve the desired results. It is a private branch exchange that is used to switch private calls between different VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) users that are using local lines. The users are allowed to share a certain number of external phone lines. It also has the possibility of switching calls between a VoIP users and a local user who is using local telephone lines. It can also switch two users who are using traditional lines to communicate. It does this switching in the same manner that a conventional PBX would have done. In a PBX, there would be a need to have several networks that would be used to handle voice and data communications. One of the advantages of using IP PBX is that it does not have to have different networks in order to handle voice and data communications. With IP PBX, there is converged data and voice networks. It means that it is possible to have internet access and at the same time have someone using VoIP using one line. With the use of IP PBX, there is reduced operation costs and decreased cost of maintenance. The IP PBX is owned by the enterprise. There are SIP phones, an IP PBX server, and a VoIP Gateway. In this case, the VoIP Gateway is optional. The IP PBX is the same as that of Proxy Server. The SIP clients can either be soft telephones to hardware based phones. These phones will be used in the entire process and will have the required aspects that will be used in the communication. The SIP clients will have to be registered with IP PBX server. When they want to make a call, they will have to establish a connection with the IP PBX server. The IP PBX

Positive Effects Of Globalization Economics Essay

Positive Effects Of Globalization Economics Essay To date, the concept of globalization still sparks mixed reactions in the public domain. Skeptics of globalization believe that globalization is bad for economies, and that should be controlled. However, others maintain that it is a great thing to have happened to the worlds nations as thus should be seen as a positive move in the right direction. This essay acknowledges that although there are costs associated with globalization, the resultant benefits clearly outweigh the costs to society. Therefore, this paper contends that efforts to increase globalization should be promoted. Globalization, according to Schmidt and Weitzel, results from increased international integration (Schmidt and and Weitzel). According to them, globalization results from a host of factors, amongst them technological advancement, political changes, and choice of economic policies. Technological advancement makes production, communication, and logistics and transport much cheaper and faster than before. Economic policies encouraging liberalization and open economies to FDIs also encourages globalization (Schmidt and and Weitzel). Political changes expose economies that were previously isolated into the international market, promote regional blocs, and support reforms that support the rule of law thus, encouraging investments in infrastructural sector. Globalization brings with it both positive and negative effects. Positive effects of globalization The gains from globalization are as a result of its effect on the flow of ideas, information, technologies, capital, finances, goods, services and people. The gains are normally triggered by cross border integrations resulting from globalization, which have several dimensions-economic, social, cultural and political (Nistor). Thus, in the analysis of the benefits from globalization, there are three channels through which the benefits accrue. The channels include (a) movement of capital; (b) trade in goods and services and (c) financial flows. Besides, there is also a channel through movement of people. Movement of capital Technological advancement and the resultant infrastructural development, globalization has opened up nations to carry out international trade. The net effect of the economic integration and liberalization has enhanced capital flows between different nations. The capital flows across these countries has served the important role of enhancing the capital base. This was very much evident in the 19th and the 20th centuries. With capital flows, it is possible to distribute the total world savings among countries with high investment potential. The ease of capital flows ensures that growth and development of a country is not constrained by its own domestic savings. For instance, most of the East Asian countries are beneficiaries of foreign capital inflow. Capital flow can take either the form of foreign direct investments (FDI) or portfolio investments. For developing countries, they benefit more from the FDIs than from portfolio investments and thus, most of them will place restriction to portfolio investments due to their volatile nature. Capital flows increases the rate of growth of countries beyond their domestic potential, a condition that would not otherwise be achieved, except with globalization. Increased trade in goods and services Globalization opens up economies to international trade in goods and services, which results in the allocation of resources consistent with their respective comparative advantages. Globalization therefore, promotes specialization thus, enhancing the countries productivity. Globalization facilitates the removal of restrictive trade that impedes growth. Technological advancements from globalization allows countries to produce what they are best endowed, in terms of resources, technology and labor. In turn, these countries will benefit from what they cannot produce from elsewhere. Specialization enhances productivity, efficiency and promotes good relations across borders. Financial flows One of the major characteristics of the globalization process is a rapidly growing capital market. The growth in both foreign exchange and capital market facilitates the transfer of resources across countries. The most significant outcome of the growth in the flows of capital and foreign exchange markets is the gross turnover in the foreign exchange markets. According to Frankel, the gross turnover is estimated to be about $ 1.5 trillion worldwide, per day (Frankel). The turnover is in the order of 100 times greater than the volume of goods and services traded. Therefore, currency trade has become an end in itself. However, an expansion of the capital markets and foreign exchange markets is a vital prerequisite for effective capital transfer. Negative effects of globalization Concerning the impacts of globalization, two major concerns arise on the mention of the phenomena (Nistor). This are often described as fears of globalization. The first and major concern of globalization is that it leads to unequal distribution of income and other resources amongst countries. Secondly, is that globalization infringes on the sovereignty. That globalization makes it difficult for countries to follow their domestic policies (Centre for Economic Policy Research). Most of the explanations given for these concerns are genuine while others are farfetched. Iniquitous income distribution This argument is premised on the fact that since globalization places more emphasis on efficiency, the phenomena will in most cases benefit countries that are favorably endowed. Skeptics, though justified to some extent, globalization benefits, as much as they accrue on the most endowed countries as claimed, these countries have had their own fair share of benefits. Developed countries have a head start in terms of technological base, natural as well human resources as compared with the developing nations. The skewed advantage relatively eats away the benefits of developing countries from trade, capital flows, and financial flows as well as specialization benefits. While the benefits from trade benefits all countries, much of the gains accrue to the advanced economies. This is perhaps one of the reasons while provisions for preferential treatment are catered for in todays trade agreements. The loss of state autonomy in pursuit of economic policies is another concern raised in regard to globalization. With the increased degree of economic integration, it is true that one country cannot pursue autonomously, policies which are not in consonance with the general worldwide trends. With globalization, some level of sacrifice with regards to national sovereignty becomes inevitable. Hus, with regard to globalization issues, constraints to pursuing domestic policies should be acknowledged. Further concerns over increased globalization, involve the fear of deteriorating national and international security, cultural erosion, drug trafficking, and other social evils. There is loss of craftsmanship as a result of increased use of technology. Globalization has served to increase dependence of states on other states over essential products that enhancing the economic vulnerability. Conclusion The contributions of globalization to the developments witnessed today cannot be ignored. Globalization has led to increased development of the world economies, diffused technological advancements and improved people lives. Its role, in enhancing production, productivity and efficiency as well lowering production costs of economies is well clear. These developments, besides having greater benefits, they have their own negatives. However, a succinct review of the benefits against the costs, it is without a doubt that globalization has made the world a better place. With the relevant measures being put in place to mitigate the costs arising from globalization, this essay concludes that, although there are costs to Globalization, the benefits clearly outweigh the Costs to Society. Therefore, efforts to increase Globalization should be promoted.

2 Samuel 12 1-31 Essay -- Scripture Analysis

2 Samuel 12 1-31 The story line begins with God sending Nathan the prophet. Who is Nathan the prophet. He is described as a messenger, a courtroom advisor a man of great integrity. A man firm in his faith to God, his social status Places him in the position to know the inner working of the royal household and with revelation from God. Nathan is skilled, faithful and willing to serve a powerful Prophetic message from God. In today’s account Nathan would be looked upon as a role model. Nathan techniques would describe him to be a great storyteller. The bible tells us Nathan, served King David and his son King Solomon. There are three major revelation accounts Nathan was involved in expressing God’s message. 1. "A House For My Name† 2 Samuel 7:4-7,12-13 2. "You Are The Man!"2 Samuel 12:1-9 3. Adonijah's Attempt To Take The Throne 1 Kings 1:9-14 More information concerning Nathan reigns of both King David and King Solomon? 2 Chronicles 29:29 and 2 Chronicles 9:29 Scripture verse 2 Samuel 12 1-4 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him 4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him." The confrontational m... ...on my face and I hung on to every word my Pastor preaching because God had told me my deliverance was at hand. What kind of fried was Nathan He was not a friend who Gossip He was not a friend who pointed his finger He was not a friend who discredit his friend He was not a friend to make fun of the situation Nathan was a real friend to King David The bible gives us instruction on how to be a real friend and how to seek Godly counsel. God often uses other believer to strengthen, encourage and enrich our lives regardless of the negative situation or circumstances. Gal. 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. John 15: 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John. 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his Master’s business. Instead I have called

Great Divergence primary themes and main arguments by Timothy Noah Essay

Great Divergence: primary themes and main arguments by Timothy Noah Introduction            The most striking change in American society in the past generation roughly since Ronald Reagan was elected President has been the increase in the inequality of income and wealth. Timothy Noah’s â€Å"The Great Divergence: America’s Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do About It†, a good general guide to the subject, tells us that in 1979 members of the much discussed â€Å"one per cent† got nine per cent of all personal income. Now they get a quarter of it. The gains have increased the farther up you go. The top tenth of one per cent get about ten per cent of income, and the top hundredth of one per cent about five per cent. While the Great Recession was felt most severely by those at the bottom, the recovery has hardly benefitted them. In 2010, ninety-three per cent of the year’s gains went to the top one per cent.            Since rich people are poorer in votes than they are in dollars, you’d think that, in an election year, the ninety-nine per cent would look to politics to get back some of what they’ve lost, and that inequality would be a big issue. So far, it hasn’t been. Occupy Wall Street and its companion movements briefly spurred President Obama to become more populist in his rhetoric, but there’s no sign that Occupy is going to turn into the kind of political force that the Tea Party movement has been. There was a period during the Republican primary campaign when Romney rivals like Newt Gingrich tried to take votes from the front-runner by bashing Wall Street and private equity, but that didn’t last long, either. Politics does feel sour and contentious in ways that seem to flow from the country’s economic distress. Yet much of the ambient discontent is directed toward government the government that kept the recession from turning into a depression. Why isn’t politics about what you’d expect it to be about?            Traditionally, class figured less in politics in America than in most other Western countries, supposedly because the United States, though more economically unequal, and rougher in tone, was more socially equal, more diverse, more democratic, and better at giving ordinary people the opportunity to rise. That’s what Alexis de Tocqueville found in the eighteen-thirties, and the argument has had staying power. It has also been wearing thin. During the five decades from 1930 to 1980, economic inequality decreased significantly, without imperiling â€Å"American exceptionalism.† So it’s especially hard to put a good face on the way inequality has soared in the decades since. Even if you think that all a good society requires is according to the debatable conservative mantra equal opportunity for every citizen, you ought to be a little shaken right now. Opportunity is increasingly tied to education, and educational performance is tied to income and wealth, when it comes to social mobility between generations, the United States ranks near the bottom of developed nations.            Noah writes from what might be called a neo-progressive standpoint. Like the original progressives, he seeks to blend an emotional and moral commitment to the causes of the left with the intellectual rigor of the best available economic and social science research. As in the case of the original progressives, the result is a powerful, if sometimes flawed, perspective that is likely to influence the course of American debates on issues of economic policy and justice. Noah’s central contention is that government policy can and should do more to reverse the trend toward greater income inequality that has developed in the United States since 1979. Some of his policy prescriptions, such as substituting carbon taxes and value-added taxes for the deeply regressive payroll tax, could win bipartisan support; others would have to await much larger Democratic majorities than currently exist in Congress. Still, although the analysis in this relatively short and very acc essible book is necessarily incomplete, and some of its contentions are more powerfully stated than convincingly argued, The Great Divergence is an excellent guide to the emerging center-left economic policy consensus likely to inform Democratic Party thinking and policymaking for some time to come.            In â€Å"The Great Divergence,† the journalist Timothy Noah gives us as fair and comprehensive a summary as we are likely to get of what economists have learned about our growing inequality. Noah is concerned about why inequality has widened so markedly over the last three to four decades, what it means for American society and what the country can and, he argues, urgently should do about it. As he makes clear, what has mostly grown is the gap between those at the top and those in the middle. The principal influences on inequality that Noah examines include the failure of America’s schools to keep pace with the step-up in skills that advancing technology demands from our labor force; America’s skewed immigration policy, which inadvertently brings in more unskilled than skilled immigrants and thereby subjects already lower-income workers to greater competition for jobs; rising competition with China, India and other low-wage countries, as changi ng technology enables Americans to buy ever more goods and even services produced overseas; the failure of the federally mandated minimum wage to keep up with inflation; the decline of labor unions, especially among employees of private-sector firms; and what he sees as an anti-worker and anti-poor attitude among American politicians in general and Republicans in particular. Along the way, he enlivens what might otherwise be a dry recounting of research findings with fast-paced historical vignettes featuring colorful characters like the novelist Horatio Alger, the labor leader Walter Reuther and the business lobbyist Bryce Harlow.            What’s to blame, then, for America’s widening inequality? Leaving aside the politicians, Noah reviews economic research supporting the familiar hypotheses. Indeed, each of them is probably part of the explanation. But the goal of research in a policy-oriented inquiry like this one is quantitative establishing just how much of the explanation to assign to separate influences one by one, even if all of them contribute to the story. We want not merely to portion out the blame but to know what to do, and different explanations call for different remedies. It would make little sense, for example, to invest huge sums in reforming K-12 education and reducing the cost of college if the mismatch between graduates’ skills and what the economy requires accounts for only a small part of the problem. By contrast, if my Harvard colleagues Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz are right that education is the core of the issue (Noah draws extensively on their recen t research, especially their aptly titled book â€Å"The Race Between Education and Technology†), then what and how we teach young Americans should be at the top of the agenda.            It is not Noah’s fault that economic research has yet to reach consensus on how much of the blame for inequality to place on which explanation, and it is to his credit that he does not try to portray a consensus that is not there. His summary of what we know from the relevant research is faithful to what the researchers have found. Part of the problem here, which â€Å"The Great Divergence† also accurately conveys, is the tension inherent in concentrating on the American facet of a worldwide phenomenon. As Noah makes clear, inequality is increasing almost everywhere in the industrialized and postindustrial world, even if the increase has been much greater in the United States. We need to know how much weight to give to America-centric explanations like the shortcomings of our schools or our immigration system or the demise of unions. But to understand a global trend, we would like a more universal explanation.            Noah’s own explanation is, in effect, â€Å"all of the above,† and his policy recommendation is therefore to take action on all fronts. His chief concern is the fear that ever widening inequality will undermine our democracy: â€Å"Americans believe fervently in the value of social equality, and social equality is at risk when incomes become too dramatically unequal growing income inequality makes it especially difficult to maintain any spirit of e pluribus unum.† He rightly emphasizes that while the potential for individuals to move up is essential to what makes inequality acceptable, at least to most Americans, economic mobility in the United States is now more limited than it appears to have been in earlier times and contrary to the popular image more limited than in many other countries. (It also matters that in America today incomes are becoming more unequal at the same time that most families’ incomes have been stagnant for more th an a decade after allowing for inflation a point that Noah notes but does not emphasize.)            How much inequality can the Republic stand before the social and political fabric frays? Noah does not answer the question, in part because he doesn’t know, but mostly because he feels he doesn’t need to. â€Å"You’d have to be blind,† he writes, â€Å"not to see that we are headed in the wrong direction, and we’ve been heading that way for too long. The worst thing we could do to the Great Divergence is get used to it.† What economics terms â€Å"the Great Divergence† has until now been treated as little more than a talking point, a club to be wielded in ideological battles. But it may be the most important change in this country during our lifetimes-a sharp, fundamental shift in the character of American society, and not at all for the better.            The income gap has been blamed on everything from computers to immigration, but its causes and consequences call for a patient, non-partisan exploration. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah delivers this urgently needed inquiry, ignoring political rhetoric and drawing on the best work of contemporary researchers to peer beyond conventional wisdom. Noah explains not only how the Great Divergence has come about, but why it threatens American democracy-and most important, how we can begin to reverse it.            Fortunately, however, we might comfort ourselves by knowing that the United States remains a land rich in opportunity much as it was in the past, unique among nations in its lack of a rigid class structure and its social mobility. But we’d be deceiving ourselves. In The Great Divergence, Timothy Noah of The New Republic posits that, since 1979, there has been a â€Å"particularly extreme† divergence in income inequality in the United States. Noah synthesizes the work of economists, political scientists, and sociologists to argue that income inequality has increased, and that this is not good for American society. In the book’s final chapter, he advocates specific actions and policies that he believes would help reverse this trend. His suggestions are largely politically progressive proposals, including increasing taxes on the super-rich, bolstering the federal workforce, and breaking up the too-large-to-fail banks. While there are likely some c onservative-libertarian policy wonks that would be amenable to his proposal to break up the large banks, few would likely support Noah’s proposal to revive organized labor.            The author takes the title of the work comes from a phrase used by Paul Krugman, an outspoken advocate for Keynesian stimulus, in his 2007 book, The Conscience of a Liberal. Noah defines the Great Divergence as a socio-economic phenomenon as one not primarily involving the poor. Rather, it â€Å"is about the difference between how people lived during the half century preceding 1979 and how they lived during the three decades after 1979.† The story he tells, however, is not just about income inequality; it is about diminishing access to the top. According to Noah, over the past several decades, opportunities for upward social mobility have not increased.            Unlike some pundits who rehash talking points, Noah commendably cites ample scholarship to support his claim. In The Great Divergence, the reader learns that the United States now offers its citizens less intergenerational economic mobility than northern and western European nations. (I would venture, however, that the United States still allows for greater social mobility for children of first-generation immigrants than do Scandinavian and other western European countries.) Noah also highlights an intriguing sociological finding which indicates that Americans tend to overestimate the degree to which American society fosters upward socio-economic mobility.            Notable within the pages of The Great Divergence then is the fact that Noah challenges Paul Ryan for an October 2011 speech in which the Wisconsin Congressman contrasted what he perceived to be American social mobility with a rigid European welfare state class structure. Ryan, according to Noah, â€Å"had it exactly backward.† In truth, European countries now offer more social mobility than the United States. While Noah penned his study of income inequality prior to Mitt Romney’s choosing Ryan as his running mate, The Great Divergence takes on a more salient political implication in this new found context.            So what caused the Great Divergence? According to Noah, the Great Divergence did not result from prejudice against African-Americans or women. The failure of the American educational system to meet the demand for higher skilled workers is part of the story, as is trade with low-wage nations such as China and the increase of business lobbying in Washington. The decline of organized labor also played a role. Noah also refers to the rise of extremely wealthy (â€Å"stinking rich,† in his parlance) as a â€Å"separate and distinct phenomenon† that can be thought of as â€Å"the Great Divergence, Part 2.† The last several decades have been witness to the emergence of what are, in essence, new social classes within the top 1%, namely the top 0.1% and the top 0.01%. Wall Street, according to Noah, played a substantial role in the emergence of these extremely wealthy individuals. Top income shares are rising faster in the United States than in other de veloped countries.            Overall, Noah may succeed in persuading the reader in that income inequality not only is on the rise and that it is problematic for society. He is less convincing in his policy proposals to remedy the situation. To be fair, he does rightly acknowledge that many of his proposals, many of which are further to the left than President Obama, are not â€Å"politically salable today.† Noah could have bolstered his work, and perhaps the reception to it, had he offered a list of concrete and specific policies that would both reverse income inequality and be palatable to a large slice of the American electorate. The work also suffers from the fact that it is largely a summary of other scholars’ work, much of it very technical; making it less accessible to a general audience that it deserves to be.            In conclusion, one can think of The Great Divergence as a plea to the American public to recognize that income inequality is a problem. It is also to acknowledge that social mobility is no longer operating the way in which it used to. I would contend that the frustration that many Americans feel with Washington in many ways reflects the fact that the system is not producing the same results as it did for people’s parents and grandparents. Income inequality currently is a topic of concern among the country’s economists, political activists, and pundits. Whether it will be a broadly discussed national concern remains to be seen. It would be heartening to see at least one moderator in the upcoming presidential debates ask each of the candidates where they stood on the topic of income inequality. References Noah, Timothy. The great divergence: America’s growing inequality crisis and what we can do about it. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2012. Print. Bottom of Form Source document

Everything your American history textbook got wrong Essay

During my period of time that I had to read this very persuasive book into believing that you’re casual every day period of History class is basically nothing but a waste of time if not taught in the correct context. Which would include the good, the bad, and the all in between of the subject of that person or situation in history that would be important enough for generations to come to know and remember about in all its entirety. This book also includes how Americans have lost their touch with their history, and in this thought-stimulating book, James Loewen shows just why. After surveying twelve leading high school American history texts, he has concluded that not one of them does a decent or even good enough job of making history interesting or memorable. Flawed by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless hopefulness, upright misinformation, and outright lies, these books leave out almost all the uncertainty, passion, conflict, and drama from our past. In ten powerful chapters, Loewen reveals that: Surely textbooks should include some people based on not only what they achieved but also on the distance they traversed to achieve it, as written in page 9 of chapter 1. Also in chapter one mainly in page 17, Woodrow Wilson, known as a progressive leader, was in fact a white supremacist who personally vetoed a clause on racial equality in the Covenant of the League of Nations. James also had written that â€Å"Woodrow Wilson’s administration was openly hostile to black people†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Wilson was not only anti-black†. To the history in chapter 4 page 116, about the truth of native Americans, â€Å" Six of the twelve histories I studies avoid this clichà © of Indian naitives about land ownership†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦several of them even point out that the problem lay in whites not abiding by accepting concepts of land ownership.† From the truth about Columbus’s historical voyages to an honest evaluation of our national leaders in chapter 8 page 230, Loewen revives our history, restoring to it the vitality and relevance it truly possesses. In the book, Loewen covers: faulty heroic personification of false heroes vs. th e lowering worth of America’s real heroes; the need to reference primary sources; our country’s forward moving belief which tends to ignore historical foreshadowing; the importance of students to think for themselves and question important events in history; and the ruin that the textbook industry has turned into. As you can see, there is a lot covered here, and this isn’t any of the lies. As I said, there is a lot explained in this book about why each historic lie was established. There is a point in the book where Loewen refers to a passage from 1984. In 1984, George Orwell says, â€Å"†¦he who controls the present controls the past.† When Loewen refers to this quote, he is referring to the upper class and whites controlling the educational system and textbook publishing. I believe there could’ve been a better use for this quote. While it may be true that most history textbooks bend or throw shade history in favor of the upper class or whites, I am deciding to use this particular quote in another fashion. â€Å"Who controls the present controls the past.† That, my friends, should be a charge; a mission directed at all those in the history teaching profession. Take control of the knowledge dispersed in your classrooms (the present) and teach the correct past. Discard the provided textbooks (not really ofcourse) and teach what you know should be taught. Allow yourself to step out of your teaching comfort zone. I have a teacher (not going to say anyone’s name) that likes to grill his students to push their knowledge on all that pertaining to the subject that we speak on, that teacher was never afraid to put his neck out to stir up discussion in the classroom. Worst case scenario, a question would arise that the teacher did not know the answer to and he would simply say, â€Å"I will look into it.† He wasn’t afraid to show he wasn’t all-knowing. Loewen’s book has a great underlying theme: that children should be taught that history is not restricted, and that possibilities should be discussed to further rational skills and to promote an understanding of our nation’s history. But I wish he had gone the extra step and challenged history teachers. I would recommend this book to anyone who like to read history and more on going in dept. While an appreciation for history would certainly make this book more enjoyable, it is an optional read either way. For real this book criticizes the way history is presented in current textbooks, and suggests a fresh and more accurate approach to teaching American history. This is a real eye-opener to anyone who thinks they learned about U.S. history in high school. Loewen spent eleven years reviewing the 12 most commonly-used U.S. history textbooks and found all to be seriously wanting. Textbook publishers want to avoid controversy (so, apparently, do many school systems), so they feed students a white-washed, non- controversial, over-simplified version of this country’s history and its most important historical parts. To make his point, Loewen emphasizes the â€Å"dark side† of U.S. history, because that’s the part that’s missing from our education system. So, for example, we never learned that Woodrow Wilson ran one of the most racist administrations in history and helped to set back progress in race relations that had begun after the Civil War. Helen Keller’s socialist leanings and political views are over-looked and we only learn that she overcame blindness and deafness. John Brown is portrayed as a wild-eyed nut who ran amok until he was caught and hanged, rather than an eloquent and dedicated abolitionist who uttered many of the same words and thoughts that Lincoln later expressed. Loewen’s book vividly illustrates the maxim that â€Å"those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.† Ignorance of our real history also renders us incapable of fully understanding the present and coming to grips with the issues of our time. For example, from the Civil War until around 1890, real racial progress was underway in the United States and civil rights laws were Federally enforced in the South. The military was integrated and former slaves had the right to vote, serve on juries and as witnesses in trials, own property and operate businesses. They also received mandatory public education, which was automatically extended to white children for the first time in the south. But, between 1890 and 1920, the Feds gradually disengaged and allowed southern racist governments to strip these rights from blacks and relegate them to virtual non-citizenship. Only within the last half-century has that policy been gradually reversed, again through Federal intervention. This history casts current racial attitudes and issues in a different light than most of our high school students are likely to see unless they are taught the complete history of their country. It is clear that Loewen is not out to bash the United States or offer up an equally one-sided, negative version of its history. He gives a balanced account of many of the figures whose weaknesses he exposes. Thus, we learn that, although Columbus was an unimaginative fortune hunter, a racist tyrant and slave trader, he (and Spain) were not much different than most people at the time. He points out that all societies, including Native Americans and Africans, kept slaves and that it is unfair to single out Columbus as singularly evil. The problem is that kids never learn both sides of these stories, so history becomes a bland repetition of non-opposing â€Å"events† that appear to have or had no vague causes. Historical events are not related to issues that people disputed or serious conflicts that placed them at irreversible odds with one another, the very stuff that drives history. No wonder kids are bored and uninterested. They are left with the distorted impression that, down deep, the United States always means well and, in the end, is always â€Å"right.† Loewen has presented fair accounts of key events in our history and indicated why our high school students know and care so little about it. He also suggests ways to correct this serious shortcoming that every American should give a round of applause to.

7 Facts about a Career in Logistics

7 Facts about a Career in Logistics A typical logistics career means working in supply chain management- making sure materials and products make their way from vendor to merchant in a timely and efficient fashion, while minimizing costs along the way. If that sounds like a match for your skills of organization and multi-tasking, read on for some helpful tips from Elizabeth Xu from the Rasmussen College blog. 1. Logistics jobs are growing faster than the national average.Any growth is good, but if you’re hoping to break into the logistics career path, knowing that it’s growing twice as fast as all the other occupations out there should be especially encouraging!2. There aren’t enough candidates to fill logistics positions.With great growth comes great opportunities, and behind-the-scenes work like coordinating logistics is great example. Currently there is greater demand than readily available employees. Take advantage of a shortage of qualified candidates to get your foot in the door!According to F ortune.com, logistics companies will be looking to fill 1.4 million jobs in the next 3 years. Start polishing your resume today!3. Education is the keyYou can get by associate’s degree for some positions, but 70% of employers prefer candidates who’ve secured their bachelor’s degree as the field becomes more demanding and complex thanks to globalization, technology, and a rapidly expanding industry. Consider degrees in business, communications, and any project management certifications available to you as an undergrad.4. Work locations can varyIt helps to be flexible if you’re looking for a career in logistics- you may find yourself dashing from factories to offices or on the road performing industry research. Know what your options are and be ready to hustle to be the right fit for the job.5. It’s a high-pressure jobAs a logistics officer you may be the last line of defense when it comes to explaining why a shipment was late or a delivery mis-sched uled.   Can you stay calm and collected when the heat is on and your clients need answers? Be reliable and accountable, and you can find your way to  a promotion  up the ladder and out of the more stressful entry-level positions.6. SCM (Supply Chain Management) understanding is crucialWhile logistics are an essential cog in the machine, it’s even more important to understand how you contribute to the big picture. The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) offers courses and training to help you understand your role and how the other moving parts work together.7. It’s been dubbed a â€Å"Best Business Job† by U.S. News and World Report!Logistics has been ranked number 26 on their list of 100 Best Jobs for its median salary ($73,400), job prospects, and stress level. Best cities to work in logistics included Washington D.C. and San Jose, California.If you’re ready for a complex, rewarding, and intense career path, logistics just mig ht be the dream job for you!7 Things You Need to Know About a Career in LogisticsRead More at www.rasmussen.edu

How a bill becomes a law Essays - Statutory Law, Free Essays

How a bill becomes a law Essays - Statutory Law, Free Essays How a bill becomes a law How does a bill become a law? A bill is an idea for a new law, or an idea to change or do away with an existing law. Prior to a bill becoming a law, it must be approved by the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and the President of the United States. Anyone can come up with an idea for a new law. However, only a member of Congress can introduce legislation so any one with new ideas for a new law must contact their Representatives to discuss their ideas. Once their idea is researched and agreed upon, the Representative writes it into a bill and talks it over with other Representatives to try to get others to back up the bill and sponsor it. When the bill has been supported and sponsored by Representatives the bill can be introduce to the House of Representatives. Then a bill clerk in the House of Representatives assigns it a number and a reading clerk then reads the bill to all the Representatives, and the Speaker of the House sends the bill to one of the House standing committees. A t the committee member who are experts review, research, revise and closely examines the bill then opinions are gathered before voting on whether or not to send the bill back to the House floor. Oftentimes, bills are referred to a subcommittee for study and hearings. Hearings provide the opportunity to put on the record the views of the executive branch, experts, other public officials, supporters, and opponents of the legislation. When the committee has approved a bill they send it back to the House of Representatives to discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it, or have changes then the bill is ready to be voted on. If the majority of the Representatives vote in favor of the bill, the bill has passed in the House of Representatives. It is then certified by the clerk of the house and delivered to the United States Senate. At the Senate, when a bill reaches there it goes through many of the same steps it went through in the House of Representatives. The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then sent to the Senate floor to be voted on. If the majority of the Senators agree to approve the bill it passes in the Senate and is ready to go to the President. When a bill reaches the President of the United States, he can make one of three choices. He can sign and pass the bill into law, refuse to sign it, or veto the bill and send it back to the. House of Representatives with his reasons for the veto. If the bill should be vetoed by the President, back at the House of Representatives the bill will be voted on again. As a result, with two thirds of the Representatives and Senators support of the bill it can override the President?s veto and the bill can become a law after all.

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid

The Secret Six, the Men Who Financed John Browns Raid The Secret Six was a loosely affiliated group which provided financial backing to John Brown before his raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in 1859. Money obtained from the northeastern abolitionists of the Secret Six made the raid possible, as it enabled Brown to travel to Maryland, rent a farm to use as a hideout and staging area, and procure weapons for his men. When the raid on Harpers Ferry failed and Brown was captured by federal troops, a carpet bag containing documents was seized. Inside the bag were letters establishing the network behind his actions. Fearing prosecution for conspiracy and treason, some members of the Secret Six fled the United States for a brief period. None of them were ever prosecuted for their involvement with Brown. Members of the Secret Six Gerrit Smith: Born into a wealthy family in upstate New York, Smith was a vigorous supporter of various reform causes, including the American abolition movement.Thomas Wentworth Higginson: A minister and author, Higginson would go on to serve in the Civil War, commanding a regiment of black troops, and would write a classic memoir based on the experience.Theodore Parker: A minister and prominent public speaker on reform topics, Parker had been educated at Harvard and was affiliated with the Transcendentalist movement.Samuel Gridley Howe: A medical doctor and advocate for the blind, Howe was active in the abolition movement. His wife, Julia Ward Howe, would become famous for writing The Battle Hymn of the Republic.Franklin Benjamin Sanborn: A Harvard graduate, Sanborn was connected to the Transcendentalist movement and became involved in anti-slavery politics in the 1850s.George Luther Stearns: A self-made businessman, Stearns was a manufacturer and was able to financially support var ious causes, including the abolitionist cause. Actions of the Secret Six Before John Brown's Raid All the members of the Secret Six were involved in various ways with the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement. A common thread in their lives was that, like many other northerners, they believed the Fugitive Slave Law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 had made them morally complicit in slavery. Some of the men were active in what was called vigilance committees, which helped protect and hide fugitive slaves who otherwise could have been arrested and taken back to slavery in the South. Discussions in abolitionist circles often seemed to focus on theoretical ideas which would never be implemented, such as plans to have New England states secede from the Union. But when New England activists met up with John Brown in 1857, his account of what he had done to prevent the spread of slavery in what was called Bleeding Kansas made a convincing case that tangible actions had to be taken to end slavery. And those actions could include violence. It is possible that some members of the Secret Six had dealings with Brown going back to when he was active in Kansas. And whatever his history with the men, he found an attentive audience when he began talking about a new plan he had to launch an attack in hopes of bringing an end to slavery. The men of the Secret Six raised money for Brown and contributed funds of their own, and the influx of cash made it possible for Brown to see his plan into reality. The vast slave uprising which Brown hoped to spark never materialized and his raid on Harper Ferry in October 1859 turned into a fiasco. Brown was arrested and put on trial, and as he had never destroyed documents which could implicate his financial backers, the extent of his support quickly became widely known. The Public Furor John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry was, of course, highly controversial, and generated enormous attention in the newspapers. And the fallout over the involvement of New Englanders was also a topic of considerable discussion. Stories circulating naming various members of the Secret Six, and it was alleged that a widespread conspiracy to commit treason went far beyond the small group. Senators known to be opposed to slavery, including William Seward of New York and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts were falsely accused of having been involved in Browns plot. Of the six men implicated, three of them, Sanborn, Howe, and Stearns, fled to Canada for a time. Parker was already in Europe. Gerrit Smith, claiming to suffer a nervous breakdown, admitted himself to a sanitarium in New York State. Higginson remained in Boston, defying the government to arrest him. The idea that Brown did not act alone inflamed the South, and a senator from Virginia, James Mason, convened a committee to investigate Browns financial backers. Two of the Secret Six, Howe and Stearns, testified that they had met Brown but had nothing to do with his plans. The general story among the men is that they did not fully comprehend what Brown was up to. There was considerable confusion about what the men did know, and none of them was ever prosecuted for involvement in Browns plot. And when the slave states began seceding from the Union a year later, any appetite for prosecuting the men faded.

International Banking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

International Banking - Assignment Example Bank regulation incorporates detailed regulations and guiding principles overriding the operations, activities and acquisitions of the banking organisations.1 The regulation of the banking business activities has seen a number of policies under implementation. This section aims at analysing the different objectives of the regulation in regards to the deposits and investment related business. Further, the disadvantages in the regulation of the businesses due to the behaviours they encourage in the regulated entities of their customers analysed critically. 1.2 Banking Regulation Policy Highlights Financial regulations’ role in influencing the growth of banking business principles has become a key policy issue. The regulation of corporate governance in the financial sector has initially been regarded as a special area with standards, and rules to achieve the objectives of financial regulation involving the safety and soundness of the financial system and consumer, as well as inve stor protection.2 With banking regulation, the traditional principle-agent model used to analyse the relationship between shareholders, directors and the managerial team has given way to broader policy concerns aimed at maintaining financial stability, while ensuring that banks operate in a way that promotes broader financial growth as well as enhancing investor worth.3 The main reason why banking regulation is of much essence is due to systemic risks.4 These are risks whereby, economic problems at one or more banks spill over to a great number of other banks or financial systems as a whole. Regulation whether created at initial stages or after new models are fully operational, ought to obey two principles, which are proportionality and effectiveness. Poorly designed or timed regulation can obstruct responsible providers from entering and competing profitably on a level playing field. Thus, a well equaled approach incorporates recognizing the tradeoffs between protecting customers a nd fostering financial access.5 The laws pertaining to banking regulation appear complex and confusing, but in the real sense, with understanding of the objectives, it brings out a clear understanding of the intended application and projected achievements. 1.3 Main objectives of bank regulation Prudential: involves reducing the level of risk exposure to the bank creditors considerably. Therefore, the regulation aims at protecting the depositors. The concept of prudence is integral to bank regulation and supervision as it connotes the notion that, regulation requires banking activities be undertaken with reasonable care.6 Systemic risk reduction: This aims at reducing the peril of distraction resulting from unpleasant trading circumstances for banks, that in turn cause numerous or prime bank failures. This can also be referred to as ensuring monetary stability. Banks play a pivotal role in controlling the volume of money circulating in the economy of any given state. This in turn,

Faculty of Business Environment and Society Essay

Faculty of Business Environment and Society - Essay Example I began by explaining to the producer what the requirements and contents of a legally binding agreement actually are, and how they apply specifically to this case. I also gave a general summary of what the show could expect, as per liabilities and legal redress, if the hostess backed out or tried to renege on the deal. The conversation was long and extensive, covering the main points of the legal issues as outlined herein. The first issue I advised Simon on was the need to be careful in what he might assume to be small talk or simple, informal negotiations, because one needed to consider that oral and written contracts are considered to be on the same standing when it comes to law. In order to take this into account, I advised, the director should be explicitly clear with Davina when they were negotiating informally, and in the best case scenario, to have a legal advisor present at all formal negotiations. This is not to say that if the two had drinks together and Simon promised the moon to Davina while under the influence all would be binding, but simply the need to be clear and careful in all communications. At this point, I decided it was a good time to explain that the common law accepted both objective and subjective proofs of legal contract agreements. As Mindy Chen-Wishart explains in Contract Law: â€Å"The subjective approach, which favors what a party's actual intention is, regardless of appearances; and The objective approach, which refers to how a reasonable person would interpret a party's intention from his conduct in all the circumstances.† (Chen-Wishart, 2007) Chen-Wishart also quotes Smith vs. Hughes (1871) as the main case law precedent related to the objectivity test, which posits a test of â€Å"reasonability† to determine how the average person would interpret a party’s intention in negotiation in forming a contract as decisive. (Chen-Wishart, 2007) When Simon asked how he could make sure he was not bound by informal ag reements or understandings when talking with business clients, I reiterated this was the overriding need for keeping legal representation present at all times when officially discussing business terms. While the handshake agreement remains popular in some circles, it is a dangerous way to conduct business in modern times, I concluded, precisely because of the lack of witnesses and clarity of situation involved in private, two-party negotiations. After this, Simon asked exactly what requirements were considered most important to make a contract legally binding for all parties following the initial negotiation. While there is a broad corpus of case law referencing contracts, I replied, the main factors could be considered: 1. â€Å"Agreement - where one party makes an offer and the other accepts it; 2. Consideration - where one party gives something in exchange for something from the other party; 3. Intention - where both parties intend to abide by the contract; 4. Capacity - where b oth parties are mentally capable of understanding a contract; 5. Genuine consent - where both parties agree to the contract of their own free will; and 6. Legality - where all of the parts of the contract are legal.† (Victorian Law Foundation, 2011) The principle of agreement, I said, could be applied to either the verbal or written contract and was based on mutual

Compare and contrast the consequences of World Wars 1 and 2 for the Essay

Compare and contrast the consequences of World Wars 1 and 2 for the United States and its citizens - Essay Example The overall losses incurred by US as a result of its involvement in war were however, small as compared to the massive destruction faced by Europe. One of the most important consequences of the World War 1 was the increase in military posture of America in the world. Over the period of the war, US established itself as one of the suppliers of military equipment to the allies and established itself as one of the emerging manufacturing economy of the world. War also resulted into massive transfer of wealth from Europe to America as US not only provided equipment and military support but also offered loans. As a result of this, American economy got a boost as transfer of wealth has resulted into increased revenue for the government and also created jobs. At the social level, for Americans, war however, brought significant racial differences and social divisions. German Americans were harassed as well as racial tension gripped specially the migration of Southern Blacks. On home front, World War 1 therefore was something which further highlighted the differences between Americans within American society. Overall economic progressed was witnessed by the Americans as farmers put in more and more acreage to the use of the crops which were being readily sold. Gross farm income increased and as a result of this, the overall prosperity increased for ordinary Americans despite the fact that War has also brought losses in terms of shifting most of the government resources to the war. Though Second World War was fought far from the American borders but it believed to have created more lasting impacts on the American society as compared to the impact First World War had. In terms of the overall impact, second Great War had more serious and far reaching consequences for US. It is important to note that US was largely unprepared for Second World War and was forced to enter into the war when it was attacked by Japan. In first

HSBC Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HSBC Social Responsibility - Essay Example Their coperate and social reponsibilites are degined in the areas of housing, community, Education, including the environment. HSBC invest in many educational programmes, they provide financial and economic welfare and scholarships to the students and also support the organizations that educate youth age 3-19. They also provide online guidelines to people who need financial assistance. Through their website "www.yourmoneycounts.com", they give financial and credit education in English and Spanish. The site is designed to help people in understanding more about saving and investing money on usefull measures. They also provide Financial Education Grant programme. HSBC has supported 36 organizations and granted over 3million dallars in order to develop financial literacy programs in the communities. They say they are committed to provide access to education. In order to find motivated and deserving students who can receive scholarships, they have formed partnerships with many organizations. Organizations like The United Negro College Fund, TheHispanic Scholarship Fund(HSF), University of Maryland University College (UMUC), and the Bennett College for Women. HSBC is also in patnership with Junior Achievement, the world's largest non-profit youth economic organization. ... Owning a home doesnot only meand providing a shelter and building persnil wealth but it also creates a scence of pride, resposibility, gives self satisfaction and a feelings of accomplishment which strengthens community. It provides a wide veriety of programs to promote home ownership. They support IDAs (industrial develepment accounts) with grants so that they could help people to save for down payment. They also contribute to those groups that educate and train people on the importance of financial aspects of homeownership. One programme coming up with solutions of neighbourhood housing problems is HOPI (Homeownership Preservation Initiative) and also with the city of Chicago, the institution known as Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and many other institutions. Such groups help in providing better shelter in affordable housing to the families in the neighbourhood of Chicago. It also helps in reducing foreclosures. The work day and night to provide people with loans, loans that are right for them and ensure that they follow and understand each rule and condition made by the firm and pay accordingly. But if the problems arise in repayment they also help people by offering programmes like the Foreclosure Avoidance Program, and the Consumer Rescue Fund. Green electricity in Australia, Brazil, the UK, and the US is also another example of its projects. HSBC group is trying to buy green electricity, which can be generated without the use of fossil fuels. Offsetting some remaining carbon dioxide emissions by the help of carbon allowances or credits. The Bank Working Ground that comes under the banner of the Climate Group is having its founder member as HSBC. In order to speed up the process of

American Eagle Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Eagle Marketing - Research Paper Example Airline operation is dependent upon many related entities; the primary ones are airport authorities which allow the airlines to carry out the operation at the particular station. The catering service providers along with aircraft equipment manufacturers and suppliers also play contributory role in the operation. In case of American Eagle, it is quite possible that the flight frequency is restricted at a particular station. The aircraft manufacturer may also enforce strict conditions for aircraft maintenance. Customer’s Bargaining PowerAviation industry is strongly characterized by time based fares which enable the customers to fly cheap if they plan their journey well ahead of time. The threat of customer’s bargaining power is limited as the pricing is purely online and regulated by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).Threat of SubstituteIt is a serious point of consideration for American Eagle as many low cost carriers can threat its profitability. It goes without saying that there is no substitute of air travel in the aspect of time and ease. The drawback can be in terms of connections to multiple stations and the facilities provided during transit if direct flight is not operated.Threat of New EntrantAs mentioned earlier, entry of new low cost carriers can threaten the business of American Eagle. The low cost carrier saves cost on catering, in flight entertainment and baggage limit. They focus on the basic requirement of air travel which is quick transportation of individuals and baggage.

Work and how it has changed in the past 100 years and what effect it Essay

Work and how it has changed in the past 100 years and what effect it has had on resource managers - Essay Example There is email that promises communication without delay, facebook that shows the current status of friends, colleagues and peers, and skype that allows the people to interact with one another without having to visit one another or spend money on calling one another. In the contemporary age, people do not need to pay a dime in order to communicate with one another live 24 / 7 if they pay their internet and electricity bills in time. Skype plays the role of videoconferencing in both the e-businesses as well as the brick and mortar businesses. As the name implies, the human resource department has approach to many candidates who want to be part of the firm. Human resource department is a department that supplies humans to an organization for work just like a mineral resource provides us with minerals. From time to time, as per the need of the hour, human resource department keeps hiring new employees. The employees are hired according to the gaps identified in the existing organization structure, so that it becomes stronger and more effective when the gaps thus identified are filled in. The difference between the work culture that existed 100 years ago and that which exists today is fundamentally that of the difference between a brick and mortar business and an e-business. In the conventional brick and mortar business, candidates are necessarily interviewed before their selection into the organization.

American Eagle Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Eagle Marketing - Research Paper Example Airline operation is dependent upon many related entities; the primary ones are airport authorities which allow the airlines to carry out the operation at the particular station. The catering service providers along with aircraft equipment manufacturers and suppliers also play contributory role in the operation. In case of American Eagle, it is quite possible that the flight frequency is restricted at a particular station. The aircraft manufacturer may also enforce strict conditions for aircraft maintenance. Customer’s Bargaining PowerAviation industry is strongly characterized by time based fares which enable the customers to fly cheap if they plan their journey well ahead of time. The threat of customer’s bargaining power is limited as the pricing is purely online and regulated by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).Threat of SubstituteIt is a serious point of consideration for American Eagle as many low cost carriers can threat its profitability. It goes without saying that there is no substitute of air travel in the aspect of time and ease. The drawback can be in terms of connections to multiple stations and the facilities provided during transit if direct flight is not operated.Threat of New EntrantAs mentioned earlier, entry of new low cost carriers can threaten the business of American Eagle. The low cost carrier saves cost on catering, in flight entertainment and baggage limit. They focus on the basic requirement of air travel which is quick transportation of individuals and baggage.

Human Trafficking Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking Essay Human trafficking is a very prevalent issue in today’s societies throughout the world. Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. The extremely high demand for sex and cheap labor are two of the leading factors in the expansion of human trafficking. Despite efforts from various individuals and organizations, millions and millions of men and women are illegally traded each year. Many agree that human trafficking is a horrific injustice but fail to acknowledge the underlying conditions that enable the growth of this industry. The various reasons most individuals fail to think deeper than the surface issues to address the underlying issues are discussed in depth in The Sociological Imagination by C.Wrighr Mills. Until the underlying issues are acknowledged and corrected, more and more humans will be illegally traded. According to The Sociological Imagination, many problems of society are overlooked because the issues do not directly impact the individual’s life. Many individuals do not make the connection between their own life and the big picture, in this case the relevance of human trafficking. They fail to see that although human trafficking may not directly impact one’s life, the illegal trade of humans may indirectly impact their life. The humans illegally traded, not only face sexual and labor exploitation but many are forced into marriage. Others are forced to become street beggars or child soldiers. In some of the worst cases the humans trafficked are killed and their organs are sold on the organ black market. Individuals not aware of these alternate forms of human trafficking usually fail to see how common it is and do not see the indirect impact human trafficking may have on their life. Another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking on the global scale are the efforts to stop human trafficking are being concentrated on the wrong principles. Organizations like SafeHorizon, Called to Rescue, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Deborah’s Gate all focus on rescuing individuals from trafficking or helping individuals assimilate back into society after being trafficked. I acknowledge these are very useful tactics but these organizations are only addressing the victims after they have been traumatized instead of addressing the underlying issues of why there is human trafficking and developing ways to prevent it. Some of their efforts should be transferred to implementing procedures or strategies that prevent individuals from becoming victims instead of for after they become victims. The corruption of government officials and police force in countries where human trafficking is most prominent, also play a large role in the growth and expansion of human trafficking in certain regions. Bribes are taken so certain businesses are not investigated or raided. These businesses are known to illegally trade human beings but they are allowed to continue their illegal actions. Authorities are aware certain individuals are partaking in human trafficking but merely look the other way. Until this changes or the corrupt government officials and police officers are removed from power, the number of humans illegally traded will continue to rapidly grow. But even honest government officials and police officers face difficultly in combating human trafficking. Human trafficking is such a lucrative business because of the high demand for sex that even when authorities are able to apprehend individuals who are trading humans illegally, new individuals pop up and pick up where they left off. Another obstacle authorities face is that many individuals who are involved in human trafficking operate at such a small scale, it is very difficult to know about their actions. Numerous individuals illegal trade humans in small rural homes or small businesses and keep their actions very discrete. Authorities trying to end human trafficking face almost insurmountable odds. The Sociological Imagination touched on the idea that individuals feel trapped by the problems of today. They are unable to look beyond the immediate troubles and issues. Humans are too consumed with the struggles off everyday life to invest time in correcting large-scale social injustices. Individuals feel as if their vision and powers are limited to the smaller scale of their jobs, family and neighborhood. This idea is another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking on a global scale. If one feels as if they are powerless and cannot change or do not have the time to change large scale issues, then change is not brought about. One individual can make change no matter how big or small the injustice they are trying to combat is. Until one internalizes and begins to believe they can make a difference, their efforts usually are consumed by irreverent problems of everyday life. Another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking is that many individuals are distracted from the larger social injustices. The media chooses which stories to shed light upon and in turn decide the importance of issues. If an individual is exposed to the same story numerous times, they are inclined to believe that story is more relevant and important than a story that receives less coverage. Some forms of media purposely give more coverage to celebrity drama or irreverent issues to distract individuals from the larger issues. The larger issues can more easily be swept under the rug if â€Å"the people† are not addressing them. If the horrors and alarming statistics of human trafficking where displayed in the media more often, people would be more inclined to correct the conditions that enable the construction and expansion of human trafficking. The Sociological Imagination opened my mind to the conditions that prevent individuals from dealing with the troubles and issues that matter. Individuals are seldom aware of the intricate connections between the patterns of their own lives and the course of the world. Because they do not make this connection most individuals cannot cope with their personal troubles in an efficient enough way to be aware of the structural transformations that lie beneath them. Sociological Imagination is having the ability to grasp reality by putting everything into perspective to make sense of the non-sense by thinking below the surface. Until more individuals possess this sociological imagination, things will not change.

Overview of Japanese Festivals and Matsuri

Overview of Japanese Festivals and Matsuri Japanese Festivals are the traditional occasions. They gather people to celebrate shrines deity, four seasons or historical events. People sing and dance to express their hopes and appreciation. Matsuri is the name of Japanese Festivals. The festival can be held for several days. There are lots of Japanese Festivals, but they usually have the traditional ways to celebrate. Procession is one of the most important things during those matsuri that celebrates shrines kami(deity). People carry deity and go around the town. It is the only period that deity leaves the temple in the year. There are entertainments during the festival. People wear specific traditional costume. They play music with Taiko(Japanese drum). Fireworks light up the matsuri too; there are always fireworks during the festival. The Japanese festivals are energetic and powerful. The Japanese Festivals are held also for the four seasons. In Spring, people celebrate for the rebirth and awakening of the new life. In summer, people thought its a bad season that brings humid weather with epidemic, so they hold festival to scare the evil spirit away. In autumn, people celebrate for the mellow foods from the farmer. The festivals of thanksgiving are held. In winter, people celebrate for the new year. Major Japanese Festivals In Japan, there are hundreds of matsuri. Some of them are local and unknown, and some of them are famous, which even foreigners come to Japan to feel these matsuri. In the following, the report will introduce several major Japanese Festivals. Gion Matsuri A living symbol of Kyotos 1,200 years of rich, colorful history the description of Kyoto Visitors guide. The Gion Matsuri is a festival in Kyoto. Its one of the best festival of Kyoto. Its in the top three matsuri in Japan. Japanese also put this matsuri into the top three prettiest matsuri in Japan. It is the most famous and biggest Japanese Festival, which is held for one month. The Gion Matsuri is from July 1st to 29th every year in Tasaka-jinja Shrine, Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City. The Gion Matsuri Festival is above 1100 years old. In the year 869 A.D., Kyoto was suffering from epidemics, floods, fires and earthquakes. To pray for the end of plaque and placate the gods, procession of the Yasaka shrine began. That was the first festival, the men carried numbers of wooden floats to please the gods. The plague soon ended, so the festival became popular. People did the procession every year. Soon, it became the festival with music, dance, comic plays, and artistic treasures. People started to make giant floats with beautiful decoration. The elaborate floats are the highlight of the Gion Matsuri. There are 32 floats, which are divided into two types, yama and hoko. Yama floats are about 6 meter and weight about 1400kg. It shows the scenes from Japanese history and mythology with bear pine trees, shrines, and mannequins. The hoko are massive 2-storied, nearly 10-ton combinations of music hall and museum that are hauled by teams of up to 50 men. Hoko are giant floats, which are about 25 meter and 12,000kg on large wooden wheels and pulled by 50 men. People describe them as a mobile art museums. During the parade, there are people wearing tradition costume and playing drums and bells. The are seated on the floats. Some dolls are put on the floats. The floats are displayed form the 14th to the 16th , the main event of the Gion Matsuri. The displays are full of food stands and drink vendors. Traditional Japanese Festival Music is played. The climax of the Gion Matsuri is that the boy, standing on the top of the floats, uses sword to cut the rope that represents bad luck. This event is the most important, so the boy cant mess up. He needs to practice for 3 months before this event. With the Gion Matsuri, the city is flourish. Today, Japanese is still using their traditional way to pray for a auspicious year. Sapporo Snow Festival The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japans largest winter events. It holds for 7 days, starting in the second week of February. It takes place in Odori Site, Susukino Site,and Satorando Site in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. About 2 millions of visitors come to this festival every winter. Hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures that made by artists from around the world line up on the Odori Park, the community Dome Tsudome, and the main street in Suskino. The Snow Festival started in 1950 with six local high school students. They built six snow statues in Odori Park. In 1955, the Japan Self-Defense Forces built the first massive snow sculpture. This made the Snow Festival become famous. In 1974, there began to have the International Snow Statue Competition. Year by year, it became the Sapporo Snow Festival. Till today, It is the 62nd Sapporo Snow Festival. The main site of this festival is in Odori Park. It is 1.5 kilometer long. The snow statues and ice sculptures make this place a snow museum. There are about 400 statues in total every year. You can see many creative and realistic works. There are not just statues. Skating Rink, Snowboard Straight Jumping Platform,The Slide, and Bush-walking on Skis are also the events in Snow Festival. The snow festival light up Sapporo. The whole world can see Japaneses creativity. The art of snow and ice shows how Japanese appreciates this season. Tanabata Tanabata is known as the star festival. It is a nationwide festival in Japan. It takes place in the seventh day of the seventh month each year in Japan. It is originated from a Chinese legend in 2,000 years ago. There were two stars, Altair and Vega, the lovers. They were separated by the Milky Way and allowed to see each other in only the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, so every region will have different date of this festival. This story spread to Japan in the 8th centery. Tanabata is celebrated on July 7th or August 7th in Japan,which is around the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. The most famous event in Japan for celebrating Tanabata is to write your wishes on a piece of paper, and hang that piece of paper on a bamboo tree. The reason Japanese does this is that they think the meeting of Altair and Vega will bring luck. In some place, people put lantern on the bamboo and let it float on the river. The Tanabata festival in Sendai is most famous in Japan, which is held from August 6th to 8th. People wear yukata(the Japanese garment) and watch the fireworks. They fireworks is about two hours non-stop. 12,000 of fireworks will be shot and light up Sendai. Aomori Nebuta Matsuri Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is known as one of the most famous matsuri in Japan. This is a summer festival held in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture from August 2 to 7. The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is one of the greatest three matsuri in the Tohoku region, which are the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, the Akita Kanto Matsuri and the Aomori Nebuta matsuri. Every year, more than 3,000,000 people come to see this matsuti . Aomori Nebuta matsui is a parade of colorful float lanterns called Nebuta with Japanese drum and dancers called haneto from all over the world. Usually Nebutas are shape of samurai warriors, but is can be shape of any historical people and legend characters. Reasons that this msaturi is very popular are that rhyme of drums and sounds of bamboo flute make people to feel happy and this parade is free to join so anyone can go up there and join the parade and dance along with those music. No one knows the theory of the origin of this matsuri, but there are two possible theories about the origin of this festival. One of the theories is that in the 8th Century in Aomori, there was one Shogun called Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. He wanted to expand his territory so he ordered his army to create something large and that looks like human to scare his enemy. Those large creatures called Nebuta. Place where he used Nebuta to scare people is now called Aomori city and thats why some people believe this can be one of the theories. Next theory is that development from Tanabata festival of China. During the Tanabata festival people light up a candle inside of toro that made by wooden frame and paper and float it on the water. As time passed, this toro became bigger and bigger and it became the unique shape like today. Today, the Nebuta can be 9 meter wide, 5 meters high and more than four tons of weight. It is not easy to make because it needs more than three months to create it and some of the Nebuta cost even more than $200,000. Hakata Dontaku Festival Hakata Dontaku Festival is one of the most famous and well known festivals and also one of the largest festivals in Japan. Every year, more than 2,000,000 people came to see this festival from all over the world. This festival takes place only for two day on May 3 and 4 in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Hakata Dontaku Festival used to call as Matsubayashi Festival that started in Kyoto in the time of Muromachi period (1333-1568). During that time this festival is for only farmers and people in towns to greet their landowner and leader as a New Years greeting. Name of the festival changed to Dontaku from Matsubayashi during the Edo period (1603-1868). During Edo period Japan let people trade with all other countries because of this many people from other countries came to Japan and gave Japanese people to culture of other countries. Many culture from different counties mixed with former Japanese culture. Word Dontaku came from Dutch word zondag, which means holiday. Main event of this festival is Dontaku parade which is 1230 meter long. Any one can join to this parade and dance freely. This festival is very closely related with Japaneses three good fortune gods called Fukurokujyu, Ebisu and Daikokuten. During parade of time festival people need to wear custom as those gods. Conclusion Festivals and matsuri are very important things for Japanese and those are part of their culture that has been passed so many years. Japanese festivals affect Japanese life a lot because many people will back to their home to see their regions festivals even they are busy and thats time to see their parents. So festivals for Japanese are not only time to enjoy, but also backing to their home place and good time to spend time with their parents. For the worldwide, Japanese Festival is unique to every other countries festival. The Japanese Festivals usually have long history. And they are held every year. Form this part, we can see how Japanese organizes well in these things. Japanese concentrate on every little part on the festival, from music, clothes, decorations, to foods. Thats why they can attract that much foreigners to visit their country. Words: 2,369

Drilling Alaska: America Needs to Adopt Conservation Practices! Essay

Drilling Alaska I recently read an article in Scientific American (May 2001) titled â€Å"the arctic oil & wildlife refuge.† The article addresses the issue of whether or not science has the ability to clarify the potential economic benefits and the ecological risks of drilling into the nation’s last great coastal wilderness preserve. What I began to wonder after reading the article is, if we humans should continue our scientific and technological petroleum endeavors even though we are causing irreversible harm to our earth. My feeling is that we should not drill in Alaska’s Arctic. In the early twentieth century, science and technology brought the automobile. In less than one hundred years, humans especially Americans have grown increasingly dependant on the conveniences born from widespread use of the automobile. In turn Americans are the most reliant population in the world on petroleum. Last year, Americans consumed 19.5 million barrels per day. It is estimated that our use will rise to 23 million by 2010 (Gibbs 2001)! Our insatiable appetite for petroleum has sparked a fiery debate within this country and this congress on whether or not taping into the Arctic oil supply is necessary. Proponents of drilling cite that exploration and production can be done without causing any adverse impacts on the Arctic wildlife. Critics however believe drilling will cause unretractable consequences on the pristine Arctic ecosystem. The debate is now in the hands of Congress to decide. Senate bill S.389 could potentially open the 1002 Area of Alaska to oil and gas exploration and production. The bill would allow for the Bureau of Land Management to control activities to ensure that activities â€Å"will result in no significant a... ...y’s population is reliant on science and technology to get us through the challenges we face, I know that we can develop other means to meet our needs, conservation being the key. More Americans must learn to accept conservation as a science. Conservation on practices that require enormous amounts of petroleum and conservation of our environment must be adopted. It is amazing that the US, the most developed country in the world, is so far behind our friends in terms of conservation. It is about time we drill into the American conscious and extract conservative practices. While humans remain here on Earth we will further science and technology and hopefully our betterment will not come at the cost of our world. Work Cited Gibbs, W. Wayt. â€Å"the arctic oil & wildlife refuge.† Scientific American May 2001:pages 62-69. Drilling Alaska: America Needs to Adopt Conservation Practices! Essay Drilling Alaska I recently read an article in Scientific American (May 2001) titled â€Å"the arctic oil & wildlife refuge.† The article addresses the issue of whether or not science has the ability to clarify the potential economic benefits and the ecological risks of drilling into the nation’s last great coastal wilderness preserve. What I began to wonder after reading the article is, if we humans should continue our scientific and technological petroleum endeavors even though we are causing irreversible harm to our earth. My feeling is that we should not drill in Alaska’s Arctic. In the early twentieth century, science and technology brought the automobile. In less than one hundred years, humans especially Americans have grown increasingly dependant on the conveniences born from widespread use of the automobile. In turn Americans are the most reliant population in the world on petroleum. Last year, Americans consumed 19.5 million barrels per day. It is estimated that our use will rise to 23 million by 2010 (Gibbs 2001)! Our insatiable appetite for petroleum has sparked a fiery debate within this country and this congress on whether or not taping into the Arctic oil supply is necessary. Proponents of drilling cite that exploration and production can be done without causing any adverse impacts on the Arctic wildlife. Critics however believe drilling will cause unretractable consequences on the pristine Arctic ecosystem. The debate is now in the hands of Congress to decide. Senate bill S.389 could potentially open the 1002 Area of Alaska to oil and gas exploration and production. The bill would allow for the Bureau of Land Management to control activities to ensure that activities â€Å"will result in no significant a... ...y’s population is reliant on science and technology to get us through the challenges we face, I know that we can develop other means to meet our needs, conservation being the key. More Americans must learn to accept conservation as a science. Conservation on practices that require enormous amounts of petroleum and conservation of our environment must be adopted. It is amazing that the US, the most developed country in the world, is so far behind our friends in terms of conservation. It is about time we drill into the American conscious and extract conservative practices. While humans remain here on Earth we will further science and technology and hopefully our betterment will not come at the cost of our world. Work Cited Gibbs, W. Wayt. â€Å"the arctic oil & wildlife refuge.† Scientific American May 2001:pages 62-69.

Innocent Victims :: essays research papers

Innocent Victims   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The news came one late afternoon. My girlfriend told me that Naomi had given birth. Instead of feeling joyous over the birth of my one time friend’s child, I felt both saddened and angry about this occasion. So I asked the inevitable question, â€Å"Is it OK?† The response to my question was just what I had hoped would not happen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Naomi is a heroin addict. She had just given birth to a premature baby boy that was addicted to the same drug his mother was shooting up. This innocent little guy was born with what doctors say is a mild form of brain damage. For the first few weeks of his life, he had to be treated with methadone to combat his withdrawal symptoms. Despite the severe damage Naomi caused to her baby, she still walks the streets of Carlsbad looking for her fix. The last I had heard of the little boy was that he was taken by Child Protective Services and placed in foster care waiting for a home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mothers who prenatally expose their babies to hard illegal drugs cause serious damage to these children and should be criminally prosecuted. The physical, neurological, and behavioral effects on babies caused by drug use during pregnancy are disheartening. In spite of this blatant disregard for the child’s life, it is not considered a form of child abuse in most of our states. If a mother injected drugs into the tiny arm of her baby, causing permanent brain damage or death, surely the mother would be arrested and prosecuted. Yet that is exactly what addicted mothers do when they consume drugs throughout their pregnancy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In California, when a woman gives birth to baby with illegal drugs in its system, not much happens to the mother. According to an official from San Diego County’s Child Protective Services, the baby is placed on hold and is put in foster care. The case is then referred to family court for review. A judge then looks at the extent of the mother’s drug use and decides if it is safe to return the child to its mother. Depending on the amount of drug abuse, a mother is referred to a drug treatment program. If the mother completes her assigned program, she is reunited with her child. If she does not complete the program, the baby is then left in foster care and goes up for adoption.

Accounting for Decistion Makers Essay

The Question: Charlie and Maribelle Brown have owned and operated a retail furniture store for more than 20 years. They have employed an independent CPA during this time to prepare various sales tax, payroll tax, and income tax returns, as well as financial statements for themselves and the bank from which they have borrowed money from time to time. They are considering selling the store but are uncertain about how to establish an asking price. Prepare a brief written answer (no more than a couple of paragraphs) about what type of information is likely to be included in the material prepared by the CPA that may help the Browns establish an asking price for the store. Assignment #1 Reviewing the past and present financial statements prepared by their CPA, would allow the Browns to trend historical data such as cash flow and cost of operations. This, coupled with the current and projected economic climate as well as current and projected cost of living, would help the Browns to understand how much they spend to keep their business running as well as how much they’ve profited over time. Although the information provided in the financial statements is not a concrete indicator, it is a good gauge of how the Browns’ business will perform in the future. Unless major economic changes or other unforeseen circumstances occur, historical performance often tends to remain constant. The Browns would be able to use most of the information provided by their CPA to determine a fair asking price for their retail furniture store.

History of the Ashanti Kingdom

Otumfuo Opoku Ware II from 1970-1999. The Asante kingdom was founded by the great King Osei Tutu in the eighteenth century. His fetish priest was Okomfo Anokye, who unified the Asante states through allegiance to the Golden Stool, which miraculously descended from heaven. Okomfo Anokye planted two trees in the forest and predicted that one tree would live and become the capital of Ashanti. Hence is derived the name Kumasi (the tree lived); the place in which the other tree was planted became Kumawu (the tree died). Although located in the heart of the forest, Asante dominion was extended by military action and political skill towards the European occupied castles on the coast to the south, and also into the dry savannah lands to the north. This led to various wars with Britain. Kumasi was captured by the British Army in 1873 (as a result of which much of the magnificent Asante gold regalia can be seen in Londo n in the British Museum). After a final uprising in 1901, led by the Queen Mother of Ejisu (Yaa Asantewaa) Asante came into British Protection and finally became a region of the Gold Coast colony. In 1957, after a period of internal self-government, the Gold Coast becam e the first African colony to achieve independence under the charismatic leadership of Kwame Nkrumah. Kumasi Getting to the end of the 17th century Anokye Komfuo planted three â€Å"KUM† trees at different places. One at Kwaaman ruled by the Nananomayokofuo , a second one at Apemso-Bankofo ruled by Nananomaduanafuo and a third a village near Fomena and Amoafo called Oboani ruled by Nananomekuonafuo. The Kum tree at Kwaaman flourished and became a very big tree under which the King and his people often sat and so Kwaaman became Kum-ase meaning under Kum. The tree at Oboani was however very tiny and for no apparent reason was relatively short. According to oral tradition this small tree however produced a couple of other trees which were all small in size. The name of the village was changed to Kuma meaning small KUM. The Kum tree at Apemso-Bankofo did not grow at all. After some few weeks the leaves got rotten and the tree fell down and so it was said that the Kum tree has died or the Kum tree was dead and so the village became Kum-awu and this later chnaged to become Kumawu.

Article Critique on Video Game Play and Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior Essay

The study by Vincent Cicchirillo and Rebecca M. Chory-Assad (2005) entitled Effects of Affective Orientation and Video Game Play on Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior investigates the effect of violent video game on aggressive thoughts and behavior and the mediating role of affective orientation on this relationship. This study is prompted by the scarcity of research examining the role played by an individual’s personality in the processing of media effects. The underlying concept which frames the study is that of priming which is the idea that a certain stimulus will activate similar stimulus present in the mind of an individual, thus enabling a reproduction of the outside or presentation stimulus to occur (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Media effect is based on this concept. It also supported by the neoassociatve perspective on cognition. In the neoassociative model, the mind is a network of nodes that corresponds to certain emotions, behaviors and thoughts. These nodes are connected by pathways that are strengthened by frequency of use and relatedness. When a particular node is activated, related nodes will be activated as well through the networks, resulting to production of other emotions, behaviors or thoughts which were not directly stimulated. Researches found that media such as video game can activate cognitive nodes (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). According to Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad (2005), personality traits such as affective orientation play a part in the processing of media effects. They define affective orientation as the tendency of an individual to utilize his emotions as a guide for behavior and decision-making (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). A person with a high affective orientation will respond to emotional cues and act accordingly, while one with a low affective orientation will act based on factual variables. The independent variable in the study is the administration of video game varying in content. The first video involved violence and the other involved non-violence. A second independent variable is the level of affective orientation of the participants. The dependent variables in the study are aggressive thoughts and aggressive behavior. Each dependent variable is measured with an appropriate scale to determine its interaction with the independent variables. Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad (2005) make two hypotheses in the study. First, participants who played violent video games will exhibit more aggressive thoughts and behavior than those who played non-violent games. This hypothesis is based on the gathered research supporting it and the concept of priming (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Second, participants with high affective orientation who played violent video games will exhibit more aggressive thoughts and behavior than participants with low affective orientation who played the similar game and participants who played non-violent games (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). This hypothesis is based on the assumption that affective orientation mediates on the effect of violent video games on thought and behavior. To test the hypothesis, the researcher randomly asked 80 communication students at the beginning of the semester to answer questionnaires measuring their affective orientation. This was the first phase of the methodology. Thereafter, the second phase which is a laboratory test was initiated. The students who participated in the first phase were called back to participate in the second phase which involves the actual playing of video games. The students were divided randomly into two groups. One group was assigned to play a violent video game; the other group assigned to play a non-violent game. After playing for ten minutes, the students were asked to take a word completion test for three minutes to measure aggressive thoughts. Upon completion of the test, the students were told to evaluate the researcher on the pretext that this evaluation will be the basis for a research grant which the researcher was applying for. The evaluation form asked the students to assess the researcher’s courtesy, competence and deservedness of a financial support. The test was designed to measure the students’ aggressive behavior after playing the video game. A debriefing about the whole research was conducted after the students completed the evaluation. The results show that violent video games do not directly prime aggressive thought but it does prime aggressive behavior. They further conclude that some other process other than aggressive thoughts mediates the relationship between violent video games and aggressive behavior (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). In addition, the study also shows that affective orientation does not mediate between video games and affective behavior, but between affective behavior and aggressive affect (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). In other words, video games stimulate the aggressive affect which may increase aggressive behavior depending on the level of affective orientation. A participant with a high affective orientation is more likely to exhibit aggressive though and behavior after playing violent video games than one who is otherwise. The methodology designed by the researchers is experimental to test both hypotheses. In the first hypotheses, they measured relationship between the independent variable (violent video game play) and dependent variable (aggressive cognition and aggressive behavior). In the second hypotheses, they measured the correlation between affective orientation and video game play in predicting the level of aggressive cognition and behavior. In measuring affective orientation, student participants were asked to answer Booth-Butterfield Affective Orientation 15 scale which was used in previous studies about the influence of affective orientation in behavior(Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). To measure aggressive cognition, mean scores from the word completion task were analyzed, while scores obtained from the evaluation of the researchers were used to measure aggressive behavior. The researchers decided to separate the scores obtained from three items in the evaluation of aggressive behavior because the correlation is low and the alpha reliability is unacceptable (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The psychometric tools used by the researchers in measuring the variables of the study were culled from previous investigations of similar nature to ensure reliability and validity (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Thus, the tools can be considered appropriate for the variables present in the hypotheses. There is a concern though about the nature of video games used in the experiment. From what Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad (2005) related, it can be observed that the violent video game [Grand Theft Auto] is relatively more complex than the non-violent game [etris)] As such, the researchers took a longer time in explaining the mechanics of the violent video game which may have affected the students’ evaluation of the researchers in the last phase of the experiment (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The length of playing time and number of video games used may also have affected the correlative scores between variables. In previous studies, participants were allowed longer exposure to a number of media compared to the exposure used in this study (Anderson cited in Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). A significant result may have arisen if this method was appropriated. In addition, the instrument used in measuring aggressive condition, a word completion task, may also have influenced, or more specifically, limited the responses of students. According to the recommendations of the researchers, an alternative instrument, such as thought listing, may record accurate and significant results obtained during the actual playing of the game; a less constricted instrument may allow for a precise mapping of aggressive thoughts (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Moreover, the method of word completion is a novel psychometric method in that only two studies have used it (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The researchers reported that during the period between the first and second phase of the test, some of the student participants who answered the affective orientation questionnaire did not show up during the lab test (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The original sample of 80 students was cut down to 59 and an additional 5 students who were not present during the first phase participated in the lab test. This significantly affected the results of the study. According to Kazdin (2003), in terms of sample selection, attrition, or the difference in the number of participant drop-outs in the groups, has significant effect on the result. He further suggested that to avoid attrition, researchers should select participants who are not likely to pull out of the experiment (2003). Considering that the experiment was done in a school setting, which is relatively easier to supervise than a broader setting such as a community, the researchers could have avoided the huge drop out of participants. The number of sample is crucial in arriving at a more definitive result as demonstrated in a similar study involving a sample of 65 participants (Anderson, C. ited in Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The partial validation of both hypotheses in the study may be different if the following changes are adapted in the study. As mentioned, an increase of sample size will yield to a significant relationship between aggressive thought and aggressive behavior. A close (but not intrusive) monitoring of participants may enable researchers to avoid the occurrence of attrition. In addition, utilizing a more naturalistic setting for the lab tes t may result to significant changes. According to Kazdin (2003), one factor influencing the external validity of a research design is the level of a participant’s awareness that he or she is undertaking an experiment. The â€Å"reactivity to experimental arrangements† may be lowered if the researchers utilized non-artificial and informal setting. Another improvement applicable to the study is the distribution of sample. According to the researchers, there was a random uneven distribution of the participants in terms of gender and number, and this may have affected the results. Increasing the sample size and close monitoring of the participants will resolve this discrepancy. The statistical analyses used to measure the relationship of the variable are appropriate for testing the hypotheses. The impact of violent video-game play to aggressive thought and behavior, which is the first hypothesis, was determined using a one-tailed t-test. This test determines the relationship of two groups—in the studies case, the players of violent video games and players of non-violent video games—to a single variable. Cicchirillo & Chorry-Assad (2005) reports that violent video-game play influences aggressive behavior, but not aggressive thought. Since the second hypothesis involved a the relationship of two independent variables—that is, level of affective orientation and video-game play—the researchers appropriately used regression analyses to determine the closest fit in this relationship. The results show that high scores on affective orientation and playing violent video games influence some aggressive behavior, but, similar to the first hypothesis, not aggressive thoughts (Cicchirill & Chorry-Assad, 2005). Because of the numerous variables present in the study, an alternative method may present more disadvantage than otherwise. However, to accommodate the use of a more naturalistic set-up, the study may require a longer methodology in terms of time. The researchers may involve a sample of much younger participants—for instance, high school students. To measure their affective orientation, school departments such as the guidance office may be utilized to administer tests at the beginning of the school year. Instead of a laboratory test for the second phase, a survey may be done to gather data on violent video game use of the specific sample chosen for the test. Methods to measure aggressive thought and behavior may be similar to the Cicchirill & Chorry-Assad study, but may include observation of actual behavior of the participants in a natural school setting. The disadvantages of this method involve the constraints on time and money resources inherent in a longer experimentation, and the bigger probability of attrition also due to time element. The research may be extended by exploring cultural factors involved in determining affective orientation. According to Zimbardo et al (2005), personality types, such as thinking versus feeling, are influenced by cultural affiliations. For instance, some cultures do not distinguish thought and emotions as much as Americans do (Zimbardo et al, 2005). Further research such as this may enlighten recent issues involving mass killings in US associated with violent behavior adapted by young people from media. It may also explore the role of gender differences in determining affective orientation, the results of which may establish empirical grounds for gender associated aggression.