History Genocide Alert in Sudan Essay

Recently, newspapers and journals discussed the plight of the millions of people of Sudan as there has been the government sponsored genocide. This victimization of a few people has been discussed in the press as well as in the various websites. These various forums have condemned the atrocities committed against the innocent people. Hence, at different levels one can find the call for alert regarding the indiscriminate killing of large number of the people in Sudan. The Sudanese government has indirectly and sometimes directly sponsored the atrocities committed against the civilians. The government has encouraged the local militias to loot, murder and rape the innocent people in the southern region of Sudan. They have attacked the churches, buildings providing relief to the victims, and the market places. Ethnic and tribal warfare in the southern Sudan has been encouraged in order the keep the south divided. The government has destroyed the food supplies which have led to the death of large number of people due to starvation. People are persecuted based on their race, ethnicity, and religion. The main reason for this atrocity is that these people have opposed the imposition of extreme form of Islamic law. The government has been persecuting non Islamic and non Arabic people in an attempt to destroy those people who were politically opposed to the plans of the government. An important reason for this persecution is the attempt to control the oil fields which have been owned by the victims of the genocide atrocities. In fact, after the government signed agreements with the foreign oil companies, the atrocities against the civilians have increased. The government has used all the armaments and military vehicles to destroy the villages and areas inhabited by those people who opposed the government policies. Consequently, many civilians have been forced to leave their land as their villages, lands, churches, and schools have been destroyed due to the bombings. This government attempt to clear these lands has been termed as â€Å"scorched earth strategy†. (Survivors’ Rights International, 2001) However, the new settlements of displaced Sudanese have been earmarked for the future oil exploration which would imply that in the future the government may attack the people in this region. With the help of this genocide, the government has been able to multiply its oil revenues. However, a major part of this revenue has been spent on military machinery. Unfortunately, the government of Sudan believes that it can win the war with the help of oil money. This has led to killing of more than 2 million people. In addition to this, 4 million people have suffered internal displacement. Another 3 million people are facing starvation. In such a situation, international community including USA should pressurize the Sudanese government to stop its atrocities. (Survivors’ Rights International, 2001) The victims have argued that the government of Sudan has targeted the â€Å"blacks† as there is attempt to destroy the all the black population. This shows the racial and ethnic discrimination of the government actions. In the region of Darfur, even now thousands of people are dying due to the military attack and food shortage. This genocide has been noted by the US government agencies, international human rights bodies, and the United Nations. The displaced people are afraid of returning to their homeland because they are afraid of persecution. The Sudanese government has mainly attacked the Africans belonging to Fur, Zaghawa, and the Masaalit ethnic groups. The government sponsored militia is also termed as the Janjaweed who belong to the Arab tribes. Due to the ethnic wars, the civilians are suffering. This crisis has continued to bother the international human rights activists. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2005) Many international government and non-government organizations have established their associations to fight against the atrocities committed against the particular ethnic and racial component in Sudan. For instance, one can notice the establishment of Genocide Intervention Fund (GIF) which is a non government association of the civilians. GIF has supported the UN supported African Un ion Mission in Darfur. The main aim of this association is to support the peace keeping forces to protect the life of the innocent civilians in Darfur. In fact, African Union needs greater funding in order to manage the financial requirements to send the troops, supply food, and equipments to the peace keeping soldiers fighting for the lives of the people in Sudan. GIF has started the campaign to protect the lives of the Sudanese from the government attack. In fact, it aims to send 100000 letters to the government officials urging them to take action against the Sudanese government. This organization has requested the support of the government officials and civilians to raise $100000 to fight against the atrocities of the Sudanese government. The UNO has commissioned few committees to submit report regarding the nature of atrocities committed by the Sudanese government. In January 2005 International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur report was published. This report gave information regarding the recent developments in Darfur. This report can be used by the international agencies to take action against the government of Sudan. However, there is difference of opinion among the permanent members of the Security Council. The US government wants to create an ad hoc tribunal for Darfur. However this can delay action for many months. Further, Russia and China, which have strategic trade ties with Sudan, also halted the decisive action against the Sudanese government. However, the US senior officials have accepted that genocide is being committed in Sudan. In spite of this realization, international organizations are reluctant to take action against the government of Sudan. (Preventgenocide. org, 2005) In spite of the statistics available regarding the genocide in Sudan, media did not give much importance to these events. However, the film maker Jen Marlowe decided to present the human face of the disaster in Sudan. This film is given the title: â€Å"Darfur Diaries: Message from Home†. Marlowe visited Darfur and the refugee camps in the neighboring region of Chad. Marlowe obtained information by interviewing the victims of the government sponsored genocide. The filmmaker has discussed with the children regarding their sufferings. Marlowe considers that children are the most vulnerable groups in the society. Further, it is necessary to provide protection to the lives of large number of civilians who face the threat of losing their lives and properties due to the government policy. The attempt of Marlowe has succeeded in providing a human face of the genocide in Darfur. This has also showed the failure of the journalists to cover this topic as very few journalists have covered the story narrated by the refuges in Chad. (Ellis, 2005) Recently, attempts have been made to redress the grievances of the victims. However, most of these attempts have failed due to the increase in the intensity of the conflicts and the international organizations have failed provide aid to the victims. Ellis, 2005) I learnt from the above research that greatest importance should be given to protect the lives of millions of people in Darfur. To achieve this objective, the members of the international organizations such as UNO should take immediate action against the Sudanese government. Secondly, the associations should increase the funding to help the peacekeeping forces to provide aid to the victims of genocide in Darfur. The media also should give more coverage to the developments in Darfur.

Parliamentary sovereignty Essay

Critically discuss this statement. A.V Dicey gives an introduction to the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty as, â€Å"the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty means neither more nor less than this, namely, that Parliament thus defined has, under the English constitution, the right to make or unmake any law whatever; and, further, that no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having the right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament’. However, there are many discussions as to whether the UK joining with the European Union and adherence to the Human Rights Act 1998 renders sovereignty irrelevant. It will be argued that although following these rules may appear to be contradictory to sovereignty, co-operation is entirely voluntary, necessary, and there are many examples as to why sovereignty is not irrelevant, nor archaic. Firstly, Parliamentary sovereignty is not a constitutional relic. It may seem to be the, as part of the UK constitution continues to rely on extremely early Acts such as The Magna Carta or the Bill of Rights Act , however, these statutes continue to remain as they set out important constitutional principles. Even since 1215, it has been recognised that it is important to limit the power of the monarch, and transfer powers to parliament, in interest of balance, and the separation of powers. Up until present day, supporting Dicey’s summary above, UK courts cannot strike down an Act of Parliament, this is unlike many Supreme Courts in other countries, for example the USA, who are bound to reject legislation which contradicts the written constitutional rights. For example in the case of Mortensen v. Peters , it notes that in the event of a contradiction between international law and Act of Parliament, courts within the UK are bound to apply the UK legislation, and discount the international law. This shows that, while Parliamentary sovereignty is based on ancient fundamental principles, it still has a modern, every day importance, which is key to our constitution, as supported by Jennings ; ‘The supremacy of Parliament is the constitution’. The doctrine of legislative sovereignty dictates that  parliament has power to legislate on constitutional matters, thus parliament can change the constitution by an act of parliament. There is a challenge posed to parliamentary sovereignty by EU law, as in 1973 the UK joined the European Union. Member states must not be permitted to deviate from EU rules common to all, thus overriding Parliamentary sovereignty. This seems to conflict with Dicey’s view of sovereignty. The European Communities Act 1972 tries to establish the relationship between domestic law and EU law ; ‘Any enactment passed or to be passed†¦ shall be construed and have effect subject to the foregoing provisions of this section’. This provides a problem with sovereignty, as it means that the UK will have to adhere to the EU court, rather than our own supreme court. Parliament in the future may no longer be considered as sovereign, as they may no longer be free to make or unmake law. However, courts have tried to find a middle ground with EU and Parliamentary sovereignty, in the case of Macarthys . Lord Denning stats that if Parliament every clearly and deliberately passes an act which is inconsistent with EU law, ‘the duty of our courts to follow the statute of our Parliament’. This shows that Parliament has retained some of its independence, and only acts in accord with EU voluntarily, and because the UK agrees with the EU laws. Leading on from the UK’s voluntary cooperation with the EU laws, is the case of Factortame (No. 2) . Justification for the decision in Factortame was offered by Lord Bridge, which emphasised that; â€Å"whatever limitation of its sovereignty Parliament accepted when it enacted the European Communities Act 1972 was entirely voluntary†; the ECA 1972 was the domestic source of the supremacy of EU law; and there was nothing novel about this decision. Lord Bridges’ speech traces the source of the limit of legislative power to the ECA 1972, suggesting that if Parliament wishes to create a new Act, contradicting EU law, it need only expressly state in the new statute that it is to take place regardless of the ECA 1972. This, supported by Denning’s Obiter in Macarthys , brings us in a compete circle, to Dicey’s view; ‘that no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having the right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament’, as it suggests that the UK can decide not to follow EU law, therefore Parliamentary sovereignty is not obsolete or irrelevant.

Blitzkrieg Essay Research Paper The foundation of

Blitzkrieg Essay, Research PaperThe foundation of Mobile warfare has its roots in Ancient and Medieval World. The German Army tardily in World War I ab initio developed basic tactics that finally evolved into modern nomadic warfare. Germans developed those tactics in an effort to get the better of the inactive trench warfare on the Western Front. Elite # 8220 ; Sturmtruppen # 8221 ; infantry units were created to assail enemy places utilizing the impulse of velocity and surpass but finally failed because of the deficiency of mobility and support needed in order to go on progressing farther into enemy controlled district. During 1920s, British military philosophers Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart, General J.F.C. Fuller and General Martell farther developed tactics of nomadic warfare. They all postulated that armored combat vehicles could non merely prehend land by beastly strength, but could besides be the cardinal factor in a new scheme of warfare. If moved quickly plenty, of armore d combat vehicles could nail through enemy lines and into the enemy # 8217 ; s rear, destructing supplies and heavy weapon places and diminishing the enemy # 8217 ; s will to defy. All of them found armored combat vehicle to be an ultimate arm able to perforate deep into enemy district while followed by foot and supported by heavy weapon and airfare. In late 1920s and early 1930s, Charles De Gaulle, Hans von Seekt, Heinz Guderian and many others became interested in the construct of nomadic warfare and tried to implement it in an organisational construction of their ground forcess. Heinz Guderian organized Panzers into self-contained Panzer Divisions working with the close support of foot, motorized foot, heavy weapon and airfare. From 1933 to 1939, Germany was on a pursuit to to the full mechanise their ground forces for an approaching struggle.German High Command used Spanish Civil War ( 1936-38 ) as a testing land for Blitzkrieg tactics, which proved to be a formidable combinat ion of land and air action. In September of 1939, Germany invaded Poland utilizing mechanized land force ( Wehrmacht ) working with the close support of the airfare ( Luftwaffe ) to breakthrough and perforate deep behind Polish lines of defence # 8211 ; Polish Campaign. In May of 1940, during the invasion of the Low Countries and France, the Germans one time once more used same tactics ( including the usage of Fallschirmjaeger # 8211 ; paratroops ) to floor and disorganise the guardians. From October of 1940 to March of 1941, Germans conquered Balkans utilizing the same proved tactics. When in June of 1941, Germany invaded Russia ; tactics of Blitzkrieg allowed them to make the outskirts of Moscow in December of 1941. Erwin Rommel in North Africa ( 1941-1943 ) besides implemented tactics of Blitzkrieg with great success. Since late 1942, outnumbered German Army was contending a defensive war on two foreparts and was unable to establish any major offenses with excepti on of Kursk ( June of 1943 ) and Ardennes ( December of 1944 ) offense. Overall, tactics of Blitzkrieg were the chief subscriber of early German triumphs ( 1939-1942 ) , when German supply base and logistics were able to keep the velocity of the progressing units. This was non the instance on the Eastern Front and in the North Africa, when limited German supply base and logistics were unable to get by with transit and conditions conditions diminishing effectivity of German onslaughts and armed forces in general. At the same clip, potency of Blitzkrieg was to the full appreciated by the Allies, who implemented its tactics on all foreparts. US Army General George Patton used Blitzkrieg tactics in his European operations of 1944. After World War II, tactics of Blitzkrieg were used by Israeli forces during their legion struggles with the Arab Nations every bit good as by American forces during the Operation Desert Storm.Overall, tactics of Blitzkrieg are based on co-ordinated, concentrated and precise air and land onslaughts to supply a rapid and powerful clout through the enemy lines in order to finally encircle the enemy. Important factor behind nomadic warfare was communicating between the HQ and field units and vice-versa, every bit good as prepared get downing points along with supply base and logistics to keep the velocity of the initial onslaught. Although, it is frequently forgotten that surpass was besides really of import to the success of Blitzkrieg and that is why Germany neer declar ed war on any state that it attacked. The radical tactics of Blitzkrieg formed a base for future development of arms and warfare.Concepts of Blitzkrieg1. Airfare attacks enemy front-line and rear places, chief roads, landing fields and communicating centres. At the same clip foot onslaughts on the full front-line ( or at least at chief topographic points ) and engages enemy. This restrains the enemy from cognizing where the chief force will assail.2. Concentrated armored combat vehicle unit # 8217 ; s breakthrough chief lines of defence and progress deeper into enemy district, while following mechanised unit # 8217 ; s chase and engage guardians forestalling them from set uping defensive places. Infantry continues to prosecute enemy to mislead and maintain enemy forces from retreating and set uping effectual defence.3. Infantry and other support units attack enemy wings in order to associate up with other groups to finish the onslaught and finally encircle the enemy.4. Mechanized groups spearhead deeper into the enemy district go arounding the enemy places and paralysing the rear forestalling retreating military personnels and guardians from set uping effectual defensive places.5. Main force links up with other units encircling and cutting off the enemy.

Politics of Ancient Greece Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Politics of Ancient Greece - Term Paper Example Such situation was highly untypical for the rest of contemporary societies that mostly relied on the tribal principle. The core factor that could be held responsible for the fragmentation of ancient Greece into numerous city-states was the country's geography, namely numerous mountains, hills and rivers that served as natural barriers between the regions. Despite self-identification as 'one people' the poleis fiercely defended their independent status and almost never considered the option of unification. Therefore, the political system of Ancient Greece had at least two specific characteristics that distinguished it from the rest of contemporary political systems: Furthermore, even small city-states that could not compete with their larger neighbors were rarely conquered or ruled directly another polis. Instead the common practice in Ancient Greece was grouping of poleis into confederations or leagues, members of which constantly changed. In the Classical Period (5th and 4th centuries BC), these leagues became larger and fewer with one powerful polis being the dominant member. Athens, Sparta and Thebes were the three poleis that played the key roles in respective leagues. Prior to the birth of democracy in Athens, the poleis we... Rapid development of trade followed by the emergence of a middle class by the 6th century BC led to transformation of the traditional aristocratic rule. In some poleis such as Corinth the middle class revolted, overthrew the rule of aristocracy and replaced it with the dictators (tyrants). However, the rule of the tyrants was highly unstable because the aristocracy desperately wanted to regain control and used any methods in doing so (Rhodes, 2006, p.256-257). In other poleis, the process of transformation was more peaceful because the ruling class reasonably admitted the power of middle classes and included their representatives into the ruling council. This type of government successfully existed in Sparta and became known as oligarchy, or 'rule by the few'. Athens also fell under a tyranny in the second half of the 6th century, but already in the 5th century BC the polis managed to establish the first democratic system or 'rule by the people'. Athens was described as having the most innovative and sophisticated democracy among all political structures that existed at that time and had democratic features (Dahl, 1989). Political ideals and aims of the classical Athenian democracy were expressed by the outstanding Greek philosopher Aristotle in The Politics dated between 335 and 323 BC. Aristotle identified liberty as one of the founding principles of the classical democratic constitution. The philosopher argues that liberty has two major aspects, namely: 1) ruling and being ruled in turn; 2) living as one chooses (Aristotle, 1984) The ideals of Athenian democracy - equality among citizens, liberty, and respect for the law and justice - have had great influence in the Western political thought, "although there are some central ideas, for

Cinematographic Representation of Violence and Abuse of Women Essay - 1

Cinematographic Representation of Violence and Abuse of Women - Essay Example Norindr main concept that he examines deeply is modernity and he stresses that it has been an ongoing manifestation of the omnipotent cultural force, an incomplete project in the West. As a result, Norindr examines the active participants in the transformation to be the ‘modern subjects’ of the emerging modern societies who are negotiating imaginative ways; their place in the postcolonial spaces in some cities such as Saigon. In his film vision, he identifies Tran Anh Hung Film which, although it had been shot from a Vietnamese ‘aura’, the movie is a selection of Vietnam that had lost its traditional innocence. Prostitution, capitalism, and torture are what the filmmaker wants to debunk as being the clichà ©s about Vietnam, similar to what has been conveyed in Vietnam Hollywood war movies. The film shows people living in hopes, ambitions, and frustrations engraved in a culture of crime, prostitution, and uncannily no respect for humanity. In his thesis, Nor indr believes that the violence, capitalism, and misrepresentation of women in Tran Anh Hung Film is a manifestation of emerging modernity that has taken the shape of Western colonialism such as the crime business which is evident in the film. Paul Narkunas is also critical about the life of frustration that has been experienced by the Vietnamese due to the influence of the West. Narkunas is very descriptive about the 1986 market liberalization in Vietnam and directly begins his analysis by describing Tran Anh Hung Film. Narkunas examines the economic transition of an eighteen-year-old cyclo, and the camerawork emphasizes on the diagramming of flow of money and bodies.  

International Student Support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

International Student Support - Essay Example This research demonstrated that students from United Arab Emirates had little choice or input in the choice of course and college, and this affected the ability to motivate themselves for the course. Some of these students probably have no interest in learning English, and the research shows that there is a preference to learn more practical subjects such as engineering as they would be immediately useful in their home country. . The students from the United Arab Emirates are also restricted by their respective armies in terms of movement, and this restricts their ability to integrate with other students. For instance, the other part-time students will have experienced similar processes from pre-arrival to induction and this process would have allowed them to construct relationships. The part-time students are also able to work, and this experience increases their use of the English language as they are using it in the practical context. Therefore, the lack of integration and choice is severely hampering the ability of the UAE students to access the college's service support. Table of Contents Introduction The research on which this report is based concentrates on international students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who are currently enrolled on programmes that focus on teaching the English Language. This group has been selected because of the unique enrolment process they undertake. They also constitute a significant proportion of full-time English language students at Salisbury College. Most of these students are this college as it has been chosen by the military organisation they represent, and therefore they have had no choice in the selection. Salisbury College is one of twelve colleges that receive army personnel for technical training through a private army contract. These students' first language is Arabic and they were selected in their respective states for tuition at this college. As the choice to attend Salisbury College was not an individual choice, these students have not gone through the normal application route, which would have involved contact with Student Services, which would have helped them arrange their visas, police registration and other details. Instead this has all been centrally, and all they had to do was to get on a plane and attend lessons. As a result of the omission of this important step, these students are presenting with a different set of issues when compared to other international students. For instance, they feel isolated because their English is noticeably poorer than other students, and this probably stems from the lack of integration and socialising which would have been arranged by the college's Student Services. They feel no arrangements have been made to involve them with

Security Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Security Intelligence - Essay Example The powerful intelligence agency of United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was "created in order to encourage competitive analysis within the intelligence community and to ensure that policy makers did not tailor intelligence to suit their interests."2 An intelligence agency's function is to offer an international clandestine capability to endorse and protect economic well-being of a nation and to protect from internal turmoil. Historians have only recently begun to investigate the role of intelligence and intelligence services in the formation and implementation of political, military, and economic policies which enrich, in many cases change, our understanding of personalities, events and decision making process.3 An analysis of the history of intelligence agencies reveals that there were many instances of involvement in democratic infringement activities. In the words of John McDermott "the CIA, which insisted that the US engage itself in a major way in Vietnam in spite o f the coolness of the State Department and considerable opposition in the Pentagon"4 is a fine example of repressive activities of intelligence agencies that misguided government to engage in a futile exercise in Vietnam. It is necessary to put check and balance on intelligence agencies for successful existence of democratic nations and also to archive records of regression to have a clear picture to future generation. Instruments of repression: The specifically created instruments of repressive institutions include 1) intelligence services; 2) paramilitary bodies; 3) special tribunals; 4) concentration camps; 5) special prisons; and 6) psychiatric centres for re-education. After Second World War the repressive institutions, over the period of 1974-1994, includes Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe. "Among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which had been within the orbit of the Soviet Union since the Second World War, in a world divided by the Cold War, there began a process, starting in Poland, which would culminate in the 1990s with the total collapse of the existing political structures, the most symbolic element of this process was the fall of the Berlin Wall and the German re-unification. In parallel with these European developments, another unstoppable process of demolition of repressive political regimes began in Latin Amer ica to discard conservative military dictatorships. African continent also saw the end after a period of prolonged struggle."5The documents of repression are part of the patrimony of the people. They must be preserved in their integrity, serving as a memento of intolerance, racism, and political totalitarianism. Analysing the documents of primary repressive institutions reveals the political violence perpetrated on the people and the process of transition to democracy and necessity to exercise individual rights: amnesty, indemnity, pensions, and general civil rights in the new political situation. Records available with police or intelligence agencies will help evaluate an individual's personal, family or

Whole food study case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Whole food - Case Study Example gh it recovered and has started increasing its profits from an average of $300 million to $500 million, it has yet to clear its debts of over $700 million which were accumulated during the period mentioned above. There are several ways to solve this problem and ensure that even if the economy plunges again, they will have no debts accumulating on top of what they have now. The first way is to dispose of some of their assets which are not helping them much through selling them. This is bound to bring in a bit of money to offset the debt. The other way is to increase the number of shares to the public and this will raise money. It can also increase gradually the prices of their commodities especially now that people like the natural and organic products they sell. Even if the money will not repay all the debt, it will at least offset a large sum of money and the rest can be paid off slowly through the proceeds from the company. Thompson, Arthur, Margaret Peteraf, John Gamble and A. J. Strickland. Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011.

What is the relationship between homeless young adult transitional Research Paper

What is the relationship between homeless young adult transitional housing program and job readiness - Research Paper Example Dependent variables include reason for being homeless, level of education, educational attainment, age, length of time spent in transitional housing, current employment status (or duration in employment), program referral, job retention capacity, mental health status, and substance use. Survey method will be used to source for data, which will involve 251 participants between the age of 18-24. Study outcomes will be analyzed using statistical methods, that is, SPSS and Intercooled Stata. Finally, an analysis of implications of the study on policy and practice reveal relevance between this research and social work values and ethics. Over the past years, the number of homeless people in many states has been on the increase, and the United States has particularly focused much attention on the plight of homeless young people as well as those that age out of foster care systems (Bloom, 2010). Researchers have explored the various challenges these two groups face, especially in connection to job readiness, thus the federal, local and state legislators have endeavored to devise means of facilitating change the lives of these young people. Instituted policies mostly focus on increased funding for support of independent living skills, housing, and education. It is in this respect that the Transitional Housing Program for Homeless Young Adults (THP) was founded. It provides a wide range of services including housing, which comprises payment for utilities and rent; food vouchers, employment assistance, training on life-skills, transportation resources among others (Baider & Frank, 2006). Research has shown a close linkage between homelessness and job readiness, where people, especially the youth who transit from childhood to adulthood, as well as those that age out of foster care systems, stand higher chances of being unemployed due to lack of

Research paper on Faith Wilding (An Artist) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On Faith Wilding (An Artist) - Research Paper Example She is the frontrunner of cyber-feminism in the U.S., where cyber-feminism is relatively a new term that studies the relationship between technology and women. Her main focus is on improving the contribution of women in the field of biotechnology. Faith Wilding frequents the U.S. and Europe and her audio lectures are â€Å"broadcast by RIAS Berlin; WDR Cologne; and National Public Radio, USA† ("Faith Wilding"). Her list of publications include; â€Å"MEANING, Heresies, Ms. Magazine, The Power of Feminist Art† ("Faith Wilding"). She has also published many other magazines and books. The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded her â€Å"two individual media grants† ("Faith Wilding"). At present, â€Å"she is the faculty member at the School of Art Institute of Chicago and the MFA in Visual Art Program at Vermont College of the Union Institute and University† ("Faith Wilding"). Wilding has been very active the feminist art movement since her support for the founding of Feminist Art Program in California (Jones & Heathfield 253). This program proved to be a stepping stone for politicizing and theorizing the feminist art. She and her husband participated in antiwar movements during the 60s. This laid the foundation for her future feminist art endeavors. Her artwork tells the story how she observed the enforced patriarchy throughout her life. This context gives her the energy to express the prejudiced and biased social structure of the world. Wilding creates artwork based on feminist themes. Many of her artworks depict satire aimed at the patriarchal attitudes of the society. Her artwork themes have evolved with time. The 1970s is generally marked with highly politicized Anglo-American feminist art movements. Wildings early works certainly depict that era but as time progressed her artwork also evolved and modified incorporating other elements of the social injustice towards women. The politicized feminist art form generally criticized the

Discourse on the Method by Rene Descartes Essay Example for Free

Discourse on the Method by Rene Descartes Essay Discourse on the Method is Descartes attempt to explain his method of reasoning through even the most difficult of problems. He illustrates the development of this method through brief autobiographical sketches interspersed with philosophical arguments. Part 1 contains various considerations concerning the sciences. First, all people possess good sense, the ability to distinguish truth from fiction. Therefore, it is not a lack of ability that obstructs people but their failure to follow the correct path of thought. The use of a method can elevate an average mind above the rest, and Descartes considered himself a typical thinker improved by the use of his method. Descartes benefited from a superior education, but he believed that book learning also clouded his mind. After leaving school, he set off traveling to learn from the great book of the world with an unclouded mind. He comes to the conclusion that all people have a natural light that can be obscured by education and that it is as important to study oneself as it is to study the world. In part 2, Descartes describes his revelation in the stove-heated room. Contemplating various subjects, he hits on the idea that the works of individuals are superior to those conceived by committee because an individuals work follows one plan, with all elements working toward the same end. He considers that the science he learned as a boy is likely flawed because it consists of the ideas of many different men from various eras. Keeping in mind what he has learned of logic, geometry, and algebra, he sets down the following rules: (1) to never believe anything unless he can prove it himself; (2) to reduce every problem to its simplest parts; (3) to always be orderly in his thoughts and proceed from the simplest part to the most difficult; and (4) to always, when solving a problem, create a long chain of reasoning and leave nothing out. He immediately finds this method effective in solving problems that he had found too difficult before. Still fearing that his own misconceptions might be getting in the way of pure reason, he decides to systematically eliminate all his wrong opinions and use his new method exclusively. In part 3, Descartes puts forth a provisional moral code to live by while  rethinking his views: (1) to obey the rules and customs of his country and his religion and never take an extreme opinion; (2) to be decisive and stick with his decisions, even if some doubts linger; (3) to try to change himself, not the world; and (4) to examine all the professions in the world and try to figure out what the best one is. Not surprising, Descartes determines that reasoning and searching for the truth is, if not the highest calling, at least extremely useful. For many years after his revelation, Descartes traveled widely and gained a reputation for wisdom, then retired to examine his thoughts in solitude. In part 4, Descartes offers proofs of the existence of the soul and of God. Contemplating the nature of dreams and the unreliability of the senses, he becomes aware of his own process of thinking and realizes it is proof of his existence: I think, therefore I exist (Cogito ergo sum). He also concludes that the soul is separate from the body based on the unreliability of the senses as compared with pure reason. His own doubts lead him to believe that he is imperfect, yet his ability to conceive of perfection indicates that something perfect must exist outside of himnamely, God. He reasons that all good things in the world must stem from God, as must all clear and distinct thoughts. Part 5 moves from discussion of a theory of light to theories about human anatomy. Descartes considers the fact that animals have many of the same organs as humans yet lack powers of speech or reason. He takes this difference to be evidence of humankinds rational soul. He considers the mysterious connection of the soul to the body and concludes that the soul must have a life outside the body. Therefore it must not die when the body dies. Because he cannot conceive of a way that the soul could perish or be killed, he is forced to conclude that the soul is immortal. In part 6, Descartes cautiously touches on possible conflicts with the church over his ideas about physical science. Finally, he implores his readers to read carefully, apologizes for writing in French rather than Latin, and vows to shun fame and fortune in the name of pursuing truth and knowledge.

Surveillance and the State Essay Example for Free

Surveillance and the State Essay Introduction The UK is increasingly sleep walking into a surveillance society[1] to the extent that it has become an inescapable part of life.[2] Every time we make a telephone call, send an email, browse the internet, or even walk down our local high street, our actions may be monitored and recorded.[3] The increasing prevalence of surveillance has perhaps led to the state being viewed by its citizens as the Big Brother of Orwellian fame. This essay intends to focus on the impact of government surveillance and data collection has upon the privacy of citizens and, as a consequence, their relationship with the state. To effectively answer this question there needs to be an examination of the various forms of surveillance and data collection and whether they are constitutionally proper or improper, intrusive or legal, and whether there should be limitations to the quantity of information collated. The advancement of technology in the 21st century has enhanced the quantity and integrity of surveillance information which begs the question are we as a nation ‘too stupid’ to realise how intrusive the UK’s surveillance regime is? Is a citizen’s liberty and privacy at stake with the effects of surveillance from both public and private sector? Furthermore is the legislation governing this issue sufficient in its application? All these matters will be addressed. However, as there are so many forms of surveillance, there will be a particular emphasis on mass surveillance and the use of CCTV and databases. The need for a widespread belief in the importance of individual freedom and executive accountability is undoubtedly a prerequisite to the success of a constitutional democracy. Understanding Surveillance and its Components. The term ‘surveillance’ can be briefly defined as ‘watching over’ which indicates monitoring the behaviour of persons, objects, or systems.[4] There are two broad types of surveillance, mass surveillance and targeted surveillance. Mass Surveillance is not targeted on any particular individual and gathers information for future use, further, it has the potential to erode privacy. Whereas targeted is directed at particular individuals. It can be carried out under a covert or overt means If it is carried out under a covert operation, it is important to note, that the citizen is unaware of the use of targeted surveillance, so therefore the relationship with the state is unaffected by the use of this type. However if in the event where there was unlawful targeted surveillance and the individual was to become aware, the consequences can be detrimental to the relationship between the citizen and the state. It is important to note that alongside the state there are non state agencies and organizations which also occupy an increasingly significant component of surveillance systems today. The case of Patton v Poole Borough council where, only after the surveillance had been completed by the council on a family, were they made aware of this. The council believed they were acting in accordance with RIPA, and that ‘it was necessary for the prevention and detection of crime and it was proportionate for determining the genuineness of information supplied by Ms Patton.’ [5] The tribunal in this instance found the council was in breach of RIPA and did not act in accordance with Article 8. In coming to this conclusion the court had to determine the issue of whether the actions carried out by the council was necessary for the prevention or detection of crime and was it proportionate to what sought to be achieved. The legislation governing Surveillance and the protection of citizens is outlined in the Data Protection Act 1998, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the 1995 European Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The Data Protection Act governs the protection of personal data; however this act does not mention privacy of the individual. Privacy The need for privacy is fundamental in a high surveillance society such as the UK. Privacy Internationals survey in 2007 which covered 47 countries indicated there had been in an increase in surveillance in the past year to the detriment of privacy safeguards. 8 of these 47 countries were rated as being ‘endemic surveillance societies’ which included the UK. [6] The need to protect and facilitate the development of privacy of the citizen in order to maintain healthy functioning of society is a necessity with the advancement of technology. Privacy is recognised as a fundamental right by various legal instruments,[7] although Article 8(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights provides limitations.[8] However in English law it is a known fact that there is no right to privacy, it has been suggested that privacy is of such importance to humanity that in the past it needed little formal protection.[9] The high profile case of Kaye v Robertson[10] illustrated the need for the right to privacy in the UK, where photographs of Gorden Kaye were published as he lay suffering from injuries in a car crash. Governments The government’s evidence does not itself explain how the collection of information helps in the pursuit of their objectives, or whether existing processing practices are proportionate to those objectives.[11] The need for this may result in a conflict between the interests of the citizen and the aims of the state. Concerns were also raised about whether government agencies and other public bodies understood how the principles of necessity and proportionality operate in the context of privacy and limitations set out in article 8(2). In order to justify a an interference with article 8’s stipulations, the state must be able to show that it is acting lawfully and for a legitimate aim and the interference is both necessary and proportionate [12] (Hugh Tomlinson p 440) CCTV and how it relates to citizens A Home Office Study concluded that ‘the CCTV schemes that have been assessed had little overall effect on crime levels.’[13] Critics further argue that mass intrusion into peoples movements may not be proportionate and a breach of their rights to privacy under the Human Rights Act.[14] On the roads, camera based restrictions of speed has increased from 300,000 in 1996 to over 2 million in 2004 where an estimated  £113 million in fines have been generated per annum.[15] These statistics have not been welcomed by citizens and have received negative press on the issue. However the overall increase in CCTV on the roads has no doubt contributed to a reduction in deaths and injuries. The state acknowledges how CCTV is valuable in preventing and detecting crime and the overall safety of society. Citizens can be reassured that they can go about their daily business with confidence, it gives members of the business community added security and sends a clear message to those engaged in crime or anti social behaviour that they will be caught and will be prosecuted.[16] Further councillor Hazel Harding acknowledges how CCTV is popular with law abiding members who see it as a preventative and feel much safer [17] agreeing with many members of society who believe, if ‘you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide.’ However the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) recognised the contribution of CCTV images is not recorded in a systematic manner.[18] For example, the increased use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition, where cameras can read number plates and then check them against police databases to see if the cars are wanted for any reason, such as road tax, insurance and MOT. However this is not the only purpose of these cameras, every road userâ€℠¢s journeys are stored on a PSNI database for a minimum of two years regardless of the innocence of the subjects. There are about 10 billion innocent people movements stored on the UK database to date. 15 million innocent people’s details are logged and stored everyday.[19] The use of sophisticated data mining software such as ‘Northgate BOF 2.3, Advanced Data Miner’ is used by all police forces in the UK, which allows every journey a person makes to be tracked, traced, mapped and spied upon for the previous two years. Furthermore this is done without individuals consent. Furthermore to date, there has been no parliamentary debate nor legislation passed regulating its use. The system has no safeguards or independent scrutiny in place. The view that ‘there is not and never can be justification for harvesting and storing data information from innocent law abiding citizens by a government without the explicit permission of the individual.’ On the other hand ANPR can be seen as an internationally recognised tool that can significantly reduce volume crime, provided the police use their ANPR system in a lawful, ethical and accountable manner; for the purpose of preventing and detecting terrorism, serious crime, volume crime and road traffic offences.[20] The question arises are the benefits of this outweighing the costs. Such technology enhances the notion that we are living in a surveillance society, others might argue that anything seen as aiding the police to catch murderers and combat crime is necessary. The information Commissioners Office, which advices organisations on the use of CCTV, says cameras must be reasonable and proportionate to maintain public trust and must not breach the Data Protection Act.[21] The Data Protection Act 1998 states that it should be clear from the outset that the purpose of the CCTV recording is to be stipulated and any subsequent deviation from that purpose constitutes a breach of the legislation. This can be applied to any form of information collation where it should only be used for the purpose it was originally intended. Databases ‘There is a need to gather and access personal information to: support the delivery of personalised and better public services; fight crime and protect security; reduce the burden on business and the citizen, and tackle social exclusion through early intervention.’[22] This quotation reflects on the acceptable intention of surveillance and is perceived as an indispensable tool in the day to day operation of social systems. Whereas once it was fairly safe to assume that personal records kept for purposes such as health, policing, social insurance, banking and driver licensing would be stored in relatively watertight containers, the computerization of these records means that they are readily amenable to different forms of integration. Given the immense value placed on personal data, both for commercial exploitation and for risk management, huge pressure is placed on these containers to yield their secrets in shareable ways..[23] Surveillance in this context means focused attention to personal details aimed at exerting an influence over or managing the objects of data or data subjects as they are sometimes called. [24] It can be considered an aiding instrument to organise. Under the Data Protection Act, bodies that are collecting and collating data, be it health records, revenue information or even a school recording pupil information, are legally required to pay an annual fee of  £35 to register with the Information Commissioner that they are collecting and storing such information. There is a two tier structure based on the organisation’s size and turnover, notification fee’s of  £500 applies to data controllers with a turnover of over  £25.9 million or employs over 250 members of staff.[25] What is of concern is who monitors how this information is being used and how secure it is, or to put it another way, who watches the watchers? These questions concern the accountability of data collection. It is only when there is a breach of security that there is awareness that not all bodies are compliant with the Commissioner’s requirements. These breaches tend to become of real public concern when they come to the attention of the media, affecting public relations with the governing bodies to the level of mistrust. For instance in December 2007, it was revealed that a computer hard drive with the details of 3,000,000 UK learner drivers had gone missing in the USA and that the details of 7,500 vehicles and their owner had been lost by the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland. Also in DATE the junior officers of HMRC lost personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16. The corroborative of data collection this is in the combating of fraud. This can be considered as a law enforcement activity which uses data collection. Statistics have indicated that the use of this form of surveillance to combat fraud can be considered proportionate to combating its aims as success in respect of NHS savings of  £189 million in 2005, the National fraud Initiative savings of  £111 million in 2005-06, and  £10 million saved in respect of cheque and plastic card fraud.[26] Where revenue databases are concerned it is not unreasonable to assume that every individual is treated as a suspect. Innocent people are investigated. Here the question arises again, is the invasion of an individual’s privacy necessary in order to prevent fraudulent claims? Conclusion In conclusion, the advances in technology in this field have permeated our society resulting in the citizen subconsciously accepting surveillance as part of every day life. Surveillance data can be very powerful and can enable consumers to perform a wide range of functions, which can be perceived as part of the issue – how wide should that use deviate from the initial intention before it can be deemed explorative and ultimately exploitive. Among these functions include assessing banking information, health records, constructing consumer profiles in the name of facilitating efficient services, the topical issue of mobile phone calls, and sending and receiving electronic mail.[27] It is important to realise that these same advantages can be considered a threat to certain aspects of society through misuse and mismanagement. There are two sides to this argument of proportionality. And no conclusive all-embracing solution. Perhaps we are due a sequel of George Orwell’s publication, possibly titled â€Å"2084†. One wonders what premonitions would he postulate if he were here today. The introduction of CCTV was viewed as a tool to reduce the amount of crime. To date there is very little substantive research evidence to support this.[28] Perhaps if the state were to provide more community policing on the streets of the UK this may be more productive. Further, a review carried out by the Home Office that looked at street lighting found a significant reduction in the levels of crime to the order of 20%.[29] The results from a YouGov Poll[30] have indicated that 79% of people believe that Britain is increasingly being described as a surveillance society. And a further 66% do not trust governments of whatever political party to keep information on databases confidential. Although 97% agree to CCTV in banks and building societies and a further 85% In my opinion the state wishes to control us absolutely, and to achieve this, it must know absolutely everything about us, every minute of our day. Surveillance Web – the rise of visual surveillance in an English city Bibliography Legislation Textbooks Goold B and Neyland D, New Directions in Surveillance and Privacy (2009 Willan Publishing.) Haggerty K and Samatas M, Surveillance and Democracy, (2010 Routledge.) Hier S and Green J, The Surveillance Studies Reader, (2007 Open University Press) Mattelart A, The Globalization of Surveillance, (2010 Polity Press.) Barendt, Privacy as a constitutional Right and Value, (1997 Oxford University Press) Journals Taylor N, ‘State Surveillance and the Right to Privacy’ Surveillance and Society 1(1):66-85. Lyon D, ‘Everyday Surveillance, Personal Data and social classifications’ Information Communication Society, (2002) Routledge. vol 5 issue 2, Websites Privacy International Leading Surveillance Societies in the EU and the World Survey 2007 accessed 3December 2011. Nidirect Government Services, How is CCTV used in the Community, accessed 05 December 2011. http://www.bigbrotheriswatching.co.uk/ http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/notification/cost.aspx Information Commissioners Office website. Newspaper articles R Ford, ‘Beware Rise of Big Brother State, warns data Watchdog’ The Times,16 August 2004. Sunday Times, A Camera network designed to catch criminals is being turned on innocent motorists reports David Leppard. 4/4/2010. Philip Johnson, Home Affairs Editor, Your Life in their Lens, 02 November 2006 The Telegraph. Q A Birmingham Terrorist Cameras, 17 June 2010. YouGov/ Daily Telegraph, 28th- 30th November 2006. Miscellaneous Surveillance: Citizens and the State Volume 1: Report House of Lords select committee on the Constitution 2nd Report of Session 2008-09. M Gill and A Spriggs Assessing the Impact of CCTV, London Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorie, 43, 60-61. Surveillance, Order and Social Control End of Award Report to the Economic and Social Research Council in respect of grant L210252023 Clive Norris Department of Social Policy, University of Hull State Surveillance and the Right to Privacy Nick Taylor1 Jane Clift Respondent and Slough Borough Council Your life in their lens the telegraph [1] R Ford, ‘Beware Rise of Big Brother State, warns data Watchdog’ The Times,16 August 2004. [2] Surveillance: Citizens and the State Volume 1: Report House of Lords select committee on the Constitution 2nd Report of Session 2008-09 para 1. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid para 18 [5] Patton v Poole Borough Council (2010) IPT/09/01/C) para 8. [6] Privacy International Leading Surveillance Societies in the EU and the World Survey 2007 accessed 3December 2011. [7] See UN General Assembly, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, Council of Europe, European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, 4 November 1950, Directive 95/46/EC on the Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data. Privacy regulations aimed at governing how personal information is processed were introduced in the 1970’s and 1980’s. [8] European Convention on Human Rights, Article 8(2) There shall be no interference by public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well being of the country. [9] Barendt, Privacy as a constitutional Right and Value, (Oxford University Press 1997) p 7. [10] Kaye v Robertson [1991] FSR 62. [11] Surveillance: Citizens and the State Report, (n2) at 69. [12] Surveillance: Citizens and the State Report, (n2) at 127. [13] M Gill and A Spriggs Assessing the Impact of CCTV, London Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorie, 43, 60-61. [14] Sunday Times, A Camera network designed to catch criminals is being turned on innocent motorists reports David Leppard. 4/4/2010. [15] Philip Johnson, Home Affairs Editor, Your Life in their Lens, 02 November 2006 The Telegraph. [16]Nidirect Government Services, How is CCTV used in the Community, accessed 05 December 2011. [17] Councillor Hazel Harding, Leader of Lancashire County Council and chair of the Local Government Association Safer Communities Board. [18] Surveillance: Citizens and the State (n2) at 74 [19] http://www.bigbrotheriswatching.co.uk/ [20] Police Service of Northern Ireland, Policy Directive PD 01/08 PSNI ANPR Systems, 17 December 2007. [21] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10341867 Q A Birmingham Terrorist Cameras, 17 June 2010. [22] Ibid at p 21. [23] Surveillance studies Reader – Get in short loan lib [24] D Lyon, ‘Everyday Surveillance, Personal Data and social classifications’ Information Communication Society, vol 5 issue 2, (2002) Routledge. P 1. [25] http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/notification/cost.aspx Information Commissioners Office website. [26] Surveillance state and citizens report. [27] S Hier and J Green, The Surveillance Studies Reader, Open University Press, (2007) pg. 77. [28] R Armitage, ‘To CCTV or not to CCTV’ (2002) Nacro, Crime and Social Policy Section [29] Ibid. [30] YouGov/ Daily Telegraph, 28th- 30th November 2006.

Threats to Prosperity and Stability of Developed Countries

Threats to Prosperity and Stability of Developed Countries Adrian Ma Over the past few decades many developed countries have taken the wrong steps to maintain peace with foreign states and have substantially increased the size of their government. Consequently, it becomes detrimental to any countries’ prosperity and stability; economic freedom is proportionate to size of government and war always affects the civil and moral progression of a society. When a government ignores the notion that â€Å"the individual† is the basic unit of social analysis, then the citizens cannot live life to their fullest potential. The problem perpetuates as more and more youth are becoming liberal because they are also becoming more liberal than the previous generation. The ongoing growing concept of liberalism is determining a lot of age groups to openly seek out help from the government and this strips away the dignity of each individual entailing rights and responsibility. According to an article, the average annual income per household in 2007 was appro ximately 53,000 and in 2013 it dropped to 48,000(Economist’s). The percentage of extra income the average person makes also made a noticeable drop from 5 to 4 percent meaning that it would take 5 extra years for them to double their income. This is an indicator that societies’ focus has transitioned from setting goals and seeking out to excel in certain areas to getting paid to support their financial situations, simply because of the expectation that the government is going to solve their problems. Individuals are the root of any prospering and stable economy, not the government. One top of government programs killing individualism, they also destroy millions of jobs. If citizens are constantly required to pay more and more taxes every year for government programs, not only will their financial situations get worse but competition will drastically decline as well. At the time government wasn’t involved in healthcare, it was cheap because private sectors fought to keep their businesses alive by competing with others and that factored in by lowering prices. All of these amazing â€Å"benefits† that the government forces insurance companies to provide us must be paid for by somebody and it’s those of us who aren’t in any allocations, work for the government, or have lobbyists to get us exemptions. Let’s look at Obamacare; there are so many faults because it tries to make every person happy. It centralizes on ensuring that people are covered rather than addressing the cost of care in the first place. It doesn’t benefit th e youth because they tend to be healthier and they don’t need as much coverage as the older age groups. It also increases the cost of everyone’s insurances because insurance companies are required to cover sick individuals. Healthcare in 2002 for a family of 4 cost approximately 9,235 dollars per year and after the government got involved it rose to a staggering $20,728 in 2012 (Milliman Medical Index). Another problem with government expansion is that it causes inflation; the increased debt ceiling from overspending and the Federal Reserve is just a cataclysmic combination for stability. Here’s the dilemma, whenever the government needs money instead of issuing their own notes backed back their own credit they issue treasury bonds, then they sell these bonds to the Federal Reserve which buys them with money they created out of thin air. The money that the Federal Reserve creates later goes to the government meaning it has to pay interest on the money the Federal Reserve lends to the treasury. This means that there will never be enough money in circulation to pay off the debt. The liquidation of debt is what makes an economy prosper and stabilize. Looking back at how the depression ended, a number of people believed the gold standard was the gold standard but they were mistaken, the countries that were able to liquidate their debt first got out of it. After World War 2, the g overnment cut 60% of the budget, 30% on tax rates, and around 9 million military personnel came home causing all the bad debt to be liquidated, hence, ending the depression. The constant printing of money may have bailed out major corporations during the depression but the problem originated from a governments belief that they can run the economy. The price stability reduces and a side function of an unstable dollar is the large swing in consumer prices. Another issue that developed countries overlook is the importance of economic freedom, it is more than just the freedom to buy and sell products and services. It allows us to be free in our interactions with other people. It also empowers people to travel, to say what they want to say, and to do what they want to do. It is about being free to make our own choices. A lot of those things are positive indicators of a healthy country and for a government to interfere may form impairment. Based on facts, the more economic freedom country has indicates that everyone is better off. The economic freedom of North America Index indicate that states with more economic freedom have higher growth rates of the economy, 4.6% GDP in the 25 least free states and 5.5% in the 25 most free states; lower unemployment rates, 5.5% in the 25 least free labor markets and 4.9% in the most free labor markets; less debt per GDP than states that are less free, 16.2% in the 25 states with least tax freedom and 15 .7% in the 25 states with the most tax freedom (2000-2009, LearnLiberty). All of these things people associate with economy health are also associated with economic freedom, and the same phenomenon also occurs with the countries of the world. The most economically free countries have GDP’s per capita that are about 10 times the size of less economically free countries. Some of the counter arguments I’ve encountered is that the GDP per capita only measures average income but it is untrue. It’s possible to have a country with a small number of elite rich people and a large number of destitute people, and if people examine inequality measures what they should see is that the countries that are more economically free also have more equitable income distributions. Economic freedom is not only associated with higher income levels on average but it is also associated with more equitable income distribution. Skeptics have argued that economic freedom achieves economic i ncome because of exploitation, people and the environment. Based on the data, they are wrong. On average women in more economically free countries have more gender equality and child rates tend to be a lot lower. Some may say that child labor rates are lower in economically free countries because they are more prosperous and can import from but they are also mistaken. The same phenomenon occurs even amongst the poorest countries; the least free poor nations have 40% child labor rates and the freest poor nations have 37% child labor rates (2000-2009). The biggest threat to the prosperity and stability of any developed country is war and the longer it is the more it will cost. An administrator in the Bush Administration told American taxpayers in a hearing before the Iraq War that it would only cost 1.7 billion dollars. According to numerous sources, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will now cost taxpayers roughly 5 trillion dollars, and that isn’t even taking into account the long-term medical care and disability compensation for service members, veterans and families; military replenishment and social and economic costs; expensive repairs to a force depleted by just perpetual fighting. More problems arise with government healthcare because the government owes it to them for fighting their wars. In the United States alone, a quarter of a million troops have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) putting a bigger toll on the government healthcare system. Even the war on drugs also threatens the stability and prosperity of a country but that’s another issue. Governments should learn to take care of their own people before trying to solve other people’s problems. Our ability to cooperate, to help each other out develops when there is no conflict and when individuals have a smaller reliance on government. They recognize themselves in each other and are programmed for compassion. All of those things make them stronger, faster, and smarter. It relates to why communism doesn’t work as well as it should because human beings are biologically engineered to be competitive in nature and freedom drives then to work harder for success. If a government takes away our rewards and shares it with others then a specific majority will feel less rewarded, thus, competition and innovation is automatically promoted by limiting the government’s role in an economy. In a free economy, people will constantly find ways to create and offer better values to customers than their rival firms. Competitors that do well focus on reality, inventions, innovations, and methods opposed to rivals per se. Citizens are given more of an inclination to be independent, unconventional, and rebellious towards societies’ opinions and norms. It is no wonder why most of the greatest discoveries came from the countries that are the most free. Works Cited Dominguez, J. (1995). The Caribbean in a new international context: Are freedom and peace a  threat to its prosperity? New Dynamics in Trade and Political Economy. Miami: North-South Center, University of Miami, 1-23. Picciotto, R., Weaving, R. (Eds.). (2013).Security and development: investing in peace and   prosperity. Routledge. Meltzer, A. H. (2010).A History of the Federal Reserve, Volume 2. University of Chicago Press. Berger, A. N., Hannan, T. H. (1988).The price-concentration relationship in banking(No. 23). Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (US). Dincecco, M. (2009). Fiscal centralization, limited government, and public revenues in  Europe, 1650–1913.The Journal of Economic History,69(01), 48-103. Paul, R. (2008).The Revolution: A Manifesto. Hachette Digital, Inc.. Davies, Antony. Learn Liberty.Learn Liberty. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.  http://www.learnliberty.org/>.

Lennie And George :: essays research papers

Lennie and George: In what ways are they 'mates'? Is this a true friendship, as you understand friendship? George and Lennie are in every instance 'mates'. I suppose that some opposition comes from the book where George often says that Lennie is a nuisance, and he got stuck with him because of an auntie of Lennie's. In the novel you get an idea that this is an act, and he cares for Lennie because Lennie says, "'Cause you got me, George and I got you" and George agrees. George is a reasonably intelligent, hardworking ranchman. Lennie on the other hand always manages to find trouble. He is equally as hardworking and honest as George but his simple childlike mind always finds him trouble wherever he goes. However they have one thing that unites the two of them as close as any bond can. This is that they both share the same dream of owning their own ranch - and after many hard working years, moving from ranch to ranch, living in complete poverty and working for next to nothing they finally try to achieve this life long dream. To maintain a companion you must have things in common, you must be able to disagree with a sort of respectful understanding, and finally you must care legitimately about that person. Lennie and George's friendship meet and implement all the needed requirements for being friends. They are a textbook example of loyal friends. They, together, are like two old people living their life in companionship. Lennie gives George someone to talk to and someone to keep him on track. George gives Lennie insight on the world and someone that will respect him even though he isn't intelligent. They, more importantly, give each other something to live for. If Lennie didn't meet George he would of died soon after his aunt did, because he would either have got himself in a bind with no one to help him or he would of simply wondered off and died of loneliness. Although, no matter how much he tries, George cannot make up for the huge gap in Lennies mind. Lennie is so childish it is hard to believe, for example when he sees things he wants to grab and touch them. Throughout the book, the stress of Lennie's retardation begins to weigh down on George. Because of Lennie, they are nomads. Wherever they go, Lennie gets them in trouble.

What is the Future of Social Security? Essay -- essays research papers

What is the future of Social Security?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is much-heated debate on the issues of Social Security today. The Social Security system is the largest government program of income distribution in the United States. People are concerned that they won't see a dime of what they worked so hard to contribute into the Social Security system for so many years. Social Security provides benefits to about forty-three million Americans. Not only to retired workers, but also to their spouses and dependents of the workers who die prematurely. It also provides benefits to disabled workers and their dependents. Social Security appears to most people like a simple retirement saving’s account. After all, you generally contribute through payroll deductions, then get money back after you retire. Nonetheless, Social Security is a complex and intricate communal program. By design, Social Security involves massive subsidies from the next generation of retirees to the present, from single workers to married couples. Now that the gigantic post World War II baby boomers generation approaches retirement age, there is concern about the consequences it will have on Social Security. There are basically three options, we can do nothing and allow Social Security to run it’s course, revise Social Security, or consider privatization of the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Historically, the Democratic and Republican parties have clear and opposing viewpoints. Quite simply, the Democrats whole-heartedly oppose change to a program initiated under Roosevelt's New Deal. The Republicans consider this social program contrary to capitalism. However, over time the Republicans learned that it's popularity with the voters has made this issue untouchable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Congressman Richard Gephardt, the social security was not meant to be the sole source of retirement income but rather as a foundation for retirement to give all working Americans a safety cushion. There will be money in the fund until 2029, so distressing baby boomers don’t have to worry. After that money is depleted the revenue from the payroll tax will be sufficient enough to pay 75% of every social security benefit for the subsequent 75 years. But how many burdens should be put on the young and middle age individuals, whose taxes basically pay for government retirement ... ...s for generations to come, which in essence, needs to start now. Using a conservative economic projection should be one of the steps taken for the growth of future social security. We all know there are no free rides in life; someone is always taking the bill, much less in social security. Any of the changes discussed in this report would impose a real alteration in the level of benefits, taxation and risks. Ultimately, we need to look forward with complete understanding and full acceptance of changes, while keeping faith in a system, which has served us so well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard A. Gephardt, Being Careful with Social Security [article online], Newsweek Inc. Accessed 15 January 1997; Page A19. Social Security Administration. Available from http://www.ssa.gov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Robert J. Samuelson, Justice Among Social Security [article online], Newsweek Inc. Accessed 1 July 1998; Page A23. Social Security Administration. Available from http://www.ssa.gov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

never say never :: essays research papers

"Ok, so let me see if I've got this straight." I was on the phone with my friend Bob. I've known Bob for years. He's a former Navy guy who now does electrician work at Disneyworld. He's seriously bright, but doesn't know squat about computers. And he was trying, once again, to figure out what the heck I was doing with my life. "You're starting another Notes publication?" He stretched out the word "another" so it seemed that he was entirely incredulous of my actions. "Well, yeah," I responded with some enthusiasm. "But this one's on both Notes and Domino." "I think I understand Notes. It's this kinda email, database, group-think thing from IBM, right?" I hadn't heard it described exactly like that, but he was certainly in the ballpark. "But what the heck is Domino? Didn't Kim Basinger play Domino in Never Say Never Again? You're writing about a Bond girl?" I shook my head. Of course, he couldn't see that through the phone. "Uh, no Bob. We're not doing a journal on James Bond, as cool as that might seem. We're doing a journal on Lotus Domino, a very cool server technology, and on Notes. They work together." "So you're not writing about Claudine Auger, who plays Domino Derval in Thunderball. And you're not writing about Kim Basinger, who pretty much remakes the character as Domino Petachi in Never Say Never Again," Bob was spouting Bond flick facts with a scary degree of finesse. "You're just doing another techy journal on this Lotus Domino thing?" "Yep." "But haven't you done this before?" Bob was right. We had done this before. In fact, we'd created no less than four Lotus journals, and a book. Back in 1993, I wrote a book called Lotus Notes 3 Revealed! It was the second book ever on Notes and was quite popular. Based on the success of the book, we did our first journal, Workspace for Lotus Notes. Since we were new to the whole journal publishing business, we partnered with The Cobb Group division of Ziff Davis. Ziff, as you probably know, is the largest independent publisher of computer magazines, and Cobb is their division that produces journals and newsletters. The other part of the "we" in this, by the way, is Managing Editor and Vice President of Publishing, Denise Amrich. While I've been responsible for the overall direction and technical vision of the publications (the editor-in-chief), Denise has been responsible for making it all happen.

Kate Chopin’s “Desiree’s Baby” Essay

Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is a short story set in Louisiana in the late 1800’s. Slavery was still prominent in society, and the color of a person’s skin chose what caste he or she would occupy. Desiree has married Armand Aubigny, a wealthy bachelor. The origin of Desiree’s family is shrouded in mystery; she was found by her adoptive parents, the Valmonde’s, when she was young. Years later, Armand and Desiree have a son, whom they both adore. But after three months, their son has gotten darker in skin tone. Armand instantly recoils from both him and Desiree. His coldness towards them eventually leads Desiree to the bayou, their son in hand. After weeks of no contact from his wife, Armand burns all of her things, where he stumbles upon a letter from his mother. It reveals that he is the son of a slave woman. The major theme Chopin was using throughout â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is the impact society has on race. If a person was white, he or she was considered superior to other races. A white man could vote, own property, and run for council; though a white woman wouldn’t receive these rights until the 1960’s, she was still held in a higher position than a black woman or man. Blacks had little rights given to them, and it still took a hundred years before they were viewed as equals. Mixed children weren’t exactly rare; some white slave owners thought little of taking advantage of one of their black house-keepers or slaves. If the child had lighter skin, sometimes they were treated better. Such is the case with Armando. By the end of the story, Chopin drops a bomb that leaves her audience with a chill: Armand’s mother was African-American, meaning Armand was a slave’s son. It wasn’t Desiree who gave their son his dark skin, it was Armand. Armand was incredibly narrow-minded, as he no longer cares for either his wife or his child because he thought Desiree’s genes gave their son dark skin. Although intolerance towards blacks wasn’t exactly unpopular back in the 19th century, Armand takes it to a new level when he doesn’t attempt to stop Desiree from leaving. He was smitten with her from the moment he laid eyes on her, and yet at the thought of having a diluted bloodline, his adoration transformed into hatred. Chopin was making a point when she allowed the story to end the way it did. She is noted for writing about taboo topics that women normally didn’t breach, such as women’s role as subservient characters to the male-dominated society. Although she was just writing a short story, she also wanted to leave the reader with lasting emotions once the story ended. Desiree killed herself, as well as her son, because she couldn’t stand the repulsion Armand felt towards her. With ethnicity being the major theme of this short story, I have chosen that topic as my critical approach. It’s clear that Chopin was focusing more on the injustice served to blacks then any sort of injustice women were handed in 1800’s society.

Coffee Benefits Essay

IntroductionI.I mean there is something special in our modest e preciseday moments, from that first wonderful potable of hot, milky hot chocolate in the sunrise to those ten stolen minutes of me. II.Not only does cocoa bask sizable, it basis stimulate my oral sex to refresh and relax. III.Coffee stimulates your senses from its caffein content which stimulates metabolism and supports psychogenic watchfulness and concentration.IV.Coffee whitethorn furnish you beside its advantage of relaxing. a.Because water is the main section in a loving cup of burnt umber, it attend tos you invent towards your daily water needs and is practically free of calories. V.Coffee refreshes you with its wealth of polyphenols.a.Polyphenols are nutrients that help sustain your body in good wellness over time. VI.Today I would appoint with you guys about the three major health benefits of coffee coffee and antioxidants, coffee and your caput and coffee and your body. (Transition Lets slit with the coffee and antioxidants)BodyI.Research has shown that a cup of coffee naturally comes with antioxidants, which are rightfully good for you. a.Your body is constantly give the bouncedid to particles called free radicals. i.Particles which are caused by factors want exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, environmental pollution, stress and smoking. b.scientific studies suggest that free radicals can damage your body tissues, affect the ripening process and cause diseases like cataracts, crabby person and cardiovascular diseases.c.Antioxidants in your body squander the free radicals and protect your body cells from damage. (Transition direct that you know something about the coffee and antioxidants, lets look at coffee and your mind)II.Many studies suggest that coffee drinking can improve overall cognitive achievement. a.The cognitive military operation which includes important mental skills like perception, attention, memory, problem solving and rep ly or response abilities. b.There is some differentiate to suggest potential benefits of coffee and caffeine in situations which require increased alertness e.g. night shifts and jet lag.(Transition Now I have brief about the coffee and your mind. So lets send away to the last)III.Upping Your Physical slaying and weight commission aid a.Increasing your capability and capacity for exercise.b.This mean that you can keep going at a more than intense pace, for a longer period and gain more from your workouts c.Did you know that a plain contraband cup of coffee contains a very small amount of calories? i.In fact, coffee may be able to help maintain a healthy weight remnantI.As we have seen, Coffee provides numerous health benefits which are contains antioxidants, improve cognitive performance and physical performance. II.Thus, the next time you drink a cup of coffee, just deem of all its benefits go beyond taste. BibliographyBooksS Rautiainen et al, 2012. Total antioxidant Capac ity from pabulum and Risk of Myocardial Infarction A prospective Cohort of Women. The American journal of Medicine, Volume 125.R Sinha et al, 2012. Caffeinated and decaffeinated and tea intakes and peril of colorectal pubic louse in a large prospective study. American journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 96 374-381. phraseSin CWM, et al (2008). Systematic polish on the effectiveness of caffeine self-restraint on the quality of sleep. J Clin nurse 1813-21.Internet sourcesCoffee & wellness From The Institute For Scientific Information On Coffee. Cancer. (27 Jan, 2012) Retrieved 26 Sept 2012 from http//www.coffeeandhealth.org/topics/cancer/Coffee & Health From The Institute For Scientific Information On Coffee. Mental Performance . (2 Feb, 2012) retrieved 26 Sept 2012 from http//www.coffeeandhealth.org/topics/mental-performance/.