Human Rights Is Essential For Every Day Survival - 990 Words

The famous philosopher Peter Singer said â€Å" Pain, Suffering, and death from lack of food, shelter, and medical care are bad.† Everyone deserves these basic human rights. We live in the worst of times due to the rise in poverty, homelessness, and starvation. Food is essential for every day survival, most people could survive for up to 21 days without eating, but their bodily organs would start to shut down. How does an era where we mass produces food, have the ability not to feed all the hungry men, woman, and children? This could be due to a world of selfish people who believe in the capitalist society. Basic human rights should not be included in this society. Not only are people hungry, sick, or homeless in third world countries, but even in our own country, the great United States of America. Parents work multiple jobs just to keep a roof over their children s head, and food in their bellies, but they don t have enough to feed themselves, except for the scraps on their children’s plates. Although there are many good things about the recent years, it does not take precedence over the amount of hungry and unsheltered people. 3.5 million people a year will experience homelessness. Thats 3,500,000 people in 365 days. The amount is unfathomable. The people are pushed aside and looked down upon, when what they really are is a person. Someone just like you and me. These people eat garbage, sleep in freezing cold conditions and have to watch their back to stay alive. We liveShow MoreRelatedReview Of The Heart Of The Sea 963 Words   |  4 Pagesof survival (are some of us predisposed? Is there a personality type that is more likely to? You might say living is something we are obligated to do. A gift we are given by our parents, a blessing in which we need to be grateful for. Well, not everything in life is easy to say the least. People in our world fight day by day to survive. You don t realize, but it is extremely easy to give up. But what keeps us going? What triggers our brain to gain endurance to not give up hope? The human brainRead MoreThe Land Ethic By Aldo Leopold Essay1620 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion 1 â€Å"The Land Ethic† written by Aldo Leopold was critiqued by J. Baird Callicott. â€Å"The Land Ethic† in short explained the idea that humans are not superior to animals or species on earth, but humans should live on earth as simple members. (Leopold, 2013) Callicott found three things that lead to the confusion, contempt, and contempt of Leopold’s writings. The first thing that Callicott discussed in reference to the neglect of Leopold’s writings was the fact that they could actually be doneRead MoreSurvival And Self Preservation : The Bee Flies1415 Words   |  6 Pagesmet in the presence of limited resources, one’s own needs would be considered above the needs of everyone else; an act of selfishness to ensure survival. Although competition is emphasized in the struggle for survival and self-preservation, cooperation reduces conflict and promotes survival as all parties receive benefit from working together. In survival situations, one’s physical capabilities can only take them so far. It is a strong mental fortitude that must be established through having motivationRead MoreEssay on the most dangerous game826 Words   |  4 Pagesof hunting: Humans are the cleverest creatures on earth, but does it give them a license to kill the other animals and even human beings weaker than themselves? I give below a short summary of the story to set the scene and then I will explore the ethics involved in hunting as a sport. quot;The Most Dangerous Gamequot; presents the story of a hunter, General Zaroff, who finds hunting human beings as the most dangerous and fascinating sport. He likes hunting humans because human beings, unlikeRead MorePrivatization Of Water Is A Human Right1050 Words   |  5 Pagesare affected by long-term water shortage problems. Everyone has the right to require access to enough clean water. Using and drinking clean, safe water is a human right. However, water privatization has been increasing, more and more corporations have purchased large quantities of fresh water resources to distribute, sale, and use. Because privatization of water leads the resources of distribution are growing inequity, harms on human health, and especially in the health of women, a legislative policyRead MoreThe Most Dangerous Game821 Words   |  4 Pagesmorality of hunting: Humans are the cleverest creatures on earth, but does it give them a license to kill the other animals and even human beings weaker than themselves? I give below a short summary of the story to set the scene and then I will explore the ethics involved in hunting as a sport. The Most Dangerous Game presents the story of a hunter, General Zaroff, who finds hunting human beings as the most dangerous and fascinating sport. He likes hunting humans because human beings, unlikeRead MoreThe Culture Of Australian Aborigines1533 Words   |  7 Pagespeople that have never seen each other have so many things in common? Although every single person may have their own identity, characteristics, interests and loves and fears, they are all still very similar. Instinct sameness is the term for every individual being alike. This can be seen in the human psyche, which is basically the same for every man and woman. Furthermore, every human being craves love and seeks survival. Both, coming of age- and marriage rituals are shared by most cultures. WhileRead MoreEthical Issues on the Treatment of Animals Essay722 Words   |  3 Pages Animals have always played an essential role in many aspects of this world. Some people look upon these roles with favoritism, some with disgust. Animals are considered different from humans by some people because of their behavior, mannerisms or actions. Some animals are used as food by humans and other animals, while others are trapped for their furs. Many times people acquire animals for pets, only to neglect or mistreat them. For many years, the ethical treatment of animals has beenRead MorePrivatization Of Water Is A Human Right1071 Words   |  5 PagesWater covers most part of our planet, only a small number of the world’s water is fresh water. People need freshwater to drink, bath, irrigate our farm fields, it is incredibly rare. Everyone has the right to require access to enough clean water. Using and drinking clean, safe water is a human right. But the shortage of water resources has become one of the main problems of the 21st century in many societies and the world. Although there is no global water resource shortage happening, but more andRead MoreHave Human Needs Changed?992 Words   |  4 PagesEvery human being has needs. On the most basic level, humans are animals, all animals, and all organisms, for that matter, have needs that act as a ‘motivation’ to ascertain their survival. Henry Murray defined needs as â€Å"potentiality or readiness to respond in a certain way under certain given circumstances (1938).One distinguishing feature between us and other organisms however, is that humans may also posses wants or ‘goals’ whereas animals do not. Wants do not occur until needs have been satisfied

The Not-so-Wonderful World of Eurodisney - 5487 Words

BONJOUR, MICKEY! In April 1992, EuroDisney SCA opened its doors to European visitors. Located by the river Marne some 20 miles east of Paris, it was designed to be the biggest and most lavish theme park that Walt Disney Company (Disney) had built to date—bigger than Disneyland in Anaheim, California; Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida; and Tokyo Disneyland in Japan. Much to Disney management’s surprise, Europeans failed to â€Å"go goofy† over Mickey, unlike their Japanese counterparts. Between 1990 and early 1992, some 14 million people had visited Tokyo Disneyland, with three-quarters being repeat visitors. A family of four staying overnight at a nearby hotel would easily spend $600 on a visit to the park. In contrast, at†¦show more content†¦A park services consulting ï ¬  rm framed the problem in these words: â€Å"The French see EuroDisney as American imperialism— plastics at its worst.† The well-known, sentimental Japanese attachment to Disney characters contrasted starkly with the unexpected and widespread French scorn for American fairy-tale characters. French culture has its own lovable cartoon characters such as Astà ©- rix, the helmeted, pint-sized Gallic warrior, who has a theme park located near EuroDisney. Hostility among the French people to the whole â€Å"Disney idea† had surfaced early in the planning of the new project. Paris theater director Ariane Mnouchkine became famous for her description of EuroDisney as â€Å"a cultural Chernobyl.† In fall 1989, during a visit to Paris, French Communists pelted Michael Eisner with eggs. The joke going around at the time was, â€Å"For EuroDisney to adapt properly to France, all seven of Snow White’s dwarfs should be named Grumpy (Grincheux).† Early advertising by EuroDisney seemed to aggravate local French sentiment by emphasizing glitz and size rather than the variety of rides and attractions. Committed to maintaining Disney’s reputation for quality in everything, more detail was built into EuroDisney. For example, the centerpiece castle in the Magic Kingdom had to be bigger and fancier than in the other parks.Show MoreRelatedCase2 the Not-so-Wonderful World of Eurodisney1743 Words   |  7 PagesMKTG 650-6T1 Global Marketing Management Professor: Prof. Nicholas Name: Tim Date: 2/25/13 Case study: The Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney Summary Euro Disney SCA formally launched its theme park to Europeans in April 1992 near river Marne, 20 miles East of Paris. It was the biggest and most lavish theme park that Walt Disney had built bigger than any of its Disney parks around the world. The location was chosen over 200 potential sites in Europe from Portugal through Spain, France, Italy and GreeceRead MoreThe Not-so-Wonderful World of Eurodisney: a Cultural Lesson2035 Words   |  9 PagesThe Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney: a cultural lesson by Emilio Gonzà ¡lez Introduction This paper introduces some thoughts about the Disney strategy choosing the place for its European park and about the beginnings of its operations; in some way related to cultural factors. It constitutes a personal answer to a case study placed in the book International Marketing 13/e by Philip C. Cateora and John Graham, McGraw-Hill 2007. Factors that contributed to Euro Disneys poor performance duringRead MoreThe Not-so-Wonderful World of Eurodisney-Things Are Better Now at Paris Disneyland3269 Words   |  14 PagesThe Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney Summary1 EuroDisney SCA opened in April 1992 its doors to the European public which was located 20 miles from Paris. This specific location was selected over 200 potential sites in Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France). Spain was threw out the selection period the most likely place to be chosen but due to the insufficient acreage of the land around Barcelona area as opposed to France government was generous with incentives and showed impressiveRead MoreCase Study: Disney Global Essay examples2214 Words   |  9 Pagesaspects that contributed to the poor performance that EuroDisney experienced in its first year of operations. The market place was extremely different along with the culture differences from our nation to the host country. The European’s were unwilling to spend the money required to enter the park for its attractions. For a European family to enjoy the park the admissions for a family totaled $280 (â€Å"Case 2-1. The not-so-wonderful world of EuroDisn ey†, 2013). In addition to the park entrance priceRead MoreNational Office Machines Case1355 Words   |  6 PagesCase 2-1: The Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney’--- Things Are Better Now at Disneyland Resort Paris 1. What factors contributed to Euro Disney’s poor performance during its first year of operation? What factors contributed to Hong Kong Disney’s poor performance during its first year?   The factors that led to Euro Disney’s poor performance were the lack of understanding of the French culture, mistaken assumptions, and ethnocentrism by the American management. Since the prices of the hotelsRead MoreCase 2-1 Eurodisney2938 Words   |  12 PagesCASE 2-1 Ali Zein Kazmi February 1, 1999 THE NOT-SO-WONDERFUL-WORLD OF EURODISNEY -THINGS ARE BETTER NOW AT PARIS DISNEYLAND- 1. What are the factors contributed to EuroDisney’s poor performance during its first year of operation? Walt Disney overestimated the magic that was to be in introducing Europes most lavish and extravagant theme park in April of 1992. The fiscal year 1992-1993 brought EuroDisney a loss of nearly $1 billion. Mickey, a major promotion tool of Disney managementRead MoreThe Failure of Disney Paris2387 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction: Disney, the very word evokes magic in the minds of people young and old. As a brand that has catered to audiences since early 1923, it stands as a symbol of redemption from the mundane existence of daily life for people throughout world. Over the last few decades, the Walt Disney Productions Company has been in the industry of producing cartoons and quickly diversified into an array of operations, riding high on its brand equity. Most famous amongst its flagship projects have beenRead MoreDisneyland analysis8865 Words   |  36 Pagesare not abstract notions; they are anchored in space where they create geographical landscapes. The company and its imagineers have been pushed by investors to create more and more circuits. The Bass brothers controlled nearly 25% of equity and so named Michael Eisner as the new company chairman in 1984, following other hostile takeover attempts, because the company was not exploiting it’s full potential to create more circuits of capital (Wallace, 1985; Taylor, 1987). The company, in 1984,Read MoreThe Walt Disney Company and Disney Management25371 Words   |  102 PagesE O F CASES 2-1 The Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney— Things Are Better Now at Disneyland Resort Paris 2-2 Cultural Norms, Fair Lovely, and Advertising 2-3 Starnes-Brenner Machine Tool Company: To Bribe or Not to Bribe? 2-4 Ethics and Airbus 2-5 Coping with Corruption in Trading with China 2-6 When International Buyers and Sellers Disagree 2-7 McDonald’s and Obesity 2-8 Ultrasound Machines, India, China, and a Skewed Sex Ratio CASE 2ïš º1 The Not-So-Wonderful World of BONJOUR, MICKEY! InRead MoreDisney Land9906 Words   |  40 PagesExecutive Summary This report is about the ‘not-so-wonderful world’ of Euro Disney a.k.a (also known as) Disneyland Paris. Euro Disney is Europe’s No.1 family entertainment park. All the same it has had its moments of ups and downs. This adventure that Euro Disney has been through has been full of surprise and anticipation. The management have had to re-evaluate their strategies in order to pull out of the crisis facing them. Every company must analyse the marketing mix, i.e. Product, Price

The Effects of Drugs on Our Society and Youths Free Essays

While most People use drugs to help, some choose to abuse them. This is what leads to crime, and it affects our kids and society. The increasing phenomenon of drug abuse in society impacts American society in ways that economically cost society almost $100 billion a year. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Drugs on Our Society and Youths or any similar topic only for you Order Now Illegal drug use has to stop! It hurts the society, it hurts us, and mainly, it hurts the user. Drug users feed of society’s money, insurance, and taxes. If we let this behavior continue the crime rate will shoot sky high. Drug use has increased over the years at an alarming rate and can be fatal to a person’s health. In this paper, I haven’t chosen to elaborate on any particular drug; just drugs in general and the effects they have on our society and our youths. A survey was conducted and showed that most people found it to be true that youths between the of 14-22 use recreational drugs. Recreational drugs are not limited to any particular group in society, meaning that a very wide variety of people choose to use the drugs; including teenagers, parents, business people, and often very dedicated students. As we possess an interest in how drugs affect a number of social groups. These groups range from teens to high-class elderly individuals who will have different reasons. It is generally known that most drugs do have negative effects on people. No matter race, sex, or age. Addiction is blind Drugs are substances used without medical supervision to alter a person’s feelings, or behavior, especially teens with a family history of substance abuse. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years. During these years, teens are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self-identity, learning to cope with authority, and searching for something positive that would give their life meaning. One of the most important reasons of teenage drug usage, is peer pressure. This is what represents social influences that effect teens. It could have a negative or positive effect, depending on a person’s social group. References The Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol. 14, No. 1, 24-48 (1994), Retrieved August 4, 2009 from http:/drugsandyouth. adolescence. com How to cite The Effects of Drugs on Our Society and Youths, Papers

Informative Speech on Violence free essay sample

It also can cause health problems that last a lifetime, and destroy children’s outlook on school and in life. The United States has made progress in the last few decades in addressing teen/ young adult violence – but there is more work to do to build the strategies that hold the most promise. These include teaching the next generation that violence is wrong, training more health care providers to assess patients for abuse, implementing workplace prevention and victim support programs, and making services available to all victims witnesses. I could talk to you this afternoon about the fact that 60 seconds from now someone will be assaulted, 6 minutes from now someone will be forcibly raped, and even 25 minutes from now somebody somewhere in our country will be the victim of murder. I could talk about all those things that we see, hear and read about every day. But the reality is that violence is simply a matter of a deeper emotion and psychological problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Informative Speech on Violence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Its that wound that will never heal or seemingly never heal because of the constant overwhelmed feeling that involves suffering and hurting. It continues to contaminate the mind of that wounded person and eventually forces that person into a lifestyle of survival instead of a life of hope for the future. Through expert opinions and research I will try to paint a picture of what we are up against and what we have to overcome. The continued cycle of violence in our society depends on its emotional and psychosocial impact and then the support structures each person has in place to provide stability. We will also identify the 3 support structures that every society needs to break that cycle of violence. That cycle continues because of the hurt and wounds not healing and eventually that will manifest itself in a physical sense. The U. S Today Article on January 6, 2011 tells a story of the study done by Christine Hine who showed a connection between childhood trauma and the onset of serious physical disorders later on in life like diabetes, stroke, ulcers, and hyper tension. All of these serious maladies come into an effect as a result of early childhood trauma. Another study of students, conducted by Debra Shavone, portrayed a picture of how some young students between the ages of 10-24, had grew up in inner city life and had been exposed to violence. She showed their struggle emotionally and psychologically with what they were up against and as a result of that they drop out of school and then got jobs but, then there would be no jobs available. And as a result of needing to pay the bills or take care of their necessities they are forced into a violent way of life in order to survive. When they get to that place where they have to make that decision just to survive, they that point in their lives need to be able to lean on some support structures of strength and stability. They need to go the emotional and psychological first aids providers that are found in the family. The family, the first support structure, should provide a place that is safe, a place where a child can develop in a loving environment free of all the chaos thats around them. The family should also teach their next generation that violence is wrong. And in doing so the second support structure, the community, comes into focus. A community that cares about the family and its development should train more health care providers to assess patients for abuse, providing victim support programs, and making services available to all victims witnesses. A community should also provide job opportunities so that they can take care of those necessities and are not forced into making decisions they didn’t want to do. And the last support structure is the church and the stability it proves. The church should be hospital for the hurting and help those that need encouragement and strength. And a church should also be a place where people can find help and encouragement whether it’s counseling to help them through the struggles of life or maybe a program. Mary Marcarthy said In violence we forget who we are. When an act of violence takes away a loved one or detrimentally injures a person you know physically or mentally and changes their life completely, it is at this point that a person depends on the strength, stability, and direction of their family, community, and church to steady them on their journey back to health and safety . Breaking the cycle of violence in society.  ·In the U. S an estimated 1. 6 million people lost their lives to violence in 2011. About half were suicides, one-third were homicides, and one-fifth were casualties of armed conflict.  ·In 2011 , 15% of the murders in the United States were committed by persons under the age of 18.  ·It is often assumed that older people are the population group most vulnerable to crime. However, it is people between 13-24 years of age who are most likely to be the victim of a crime. In 2011, 30% of all young people experienced a crime against their person, whereas, in the same year only 1% of the elderly population experienced a personal crime.  ·Over three-quarters of youths over age 15 who die in firearm accidents are shot by another person, 99. 9% of the time its another youth  ·81% of homicide deaths of 10-19 year olds are carried out with a firearm

Greenwood County Keeps Growing Every Year New Things Are Build , Like

Greenwood County keeps growing every year new things are build , like houses , industries and many other things. Greenwood County has a diversified manufacturing economy some companies have more than a century , others have only recently selected Greenwood as the location of new Industries. Greenwood Mills , Inc. , began operations in 1891 , the town's first textile manufacturing plant , is now a major producer of denim and other fabrics . With 7,000 employees in South Carolina , Georgia , Tennessee . George W. Park Seed Company has been in business since 1868 and is international mail - order supplier of gardening materials and seeds . In 1918 Southern Brick Company was established , when rich deposits of clay were discovered in Ninety Six Creek ,and continues to manufacture building materials. Fuji photo film, Inc. , was established in Greenwood in 1889 . In early 1994 , Fuji announced the construction of its largest and most technologically facility in Greenwood .This factory has recently been completed and is ready to supply color photographic paper to the US Market . Fuji announced on June 20 , 1995 , that the construction was completed and production had begun at the Greenwood site . The construction of a Central Distribution Center was announced in January , 1996 . This facility has been completed and serves of all the manufacturing facilities at the fuji Greenwood complex . The Distribution Center is over 3,000,000 square feet in size and represents as investments of 20 to 25 million dollars . Also in January of 1996 , Fuji of Greenwood announced the construction of new 100,000 square foot facility which will expand Fuji's ability to serve the graphic arts market . The new plant will be operational in early 1997 , will employ about 70 new Associates , and will represent an additional investment of approximately 25 Million .In February of 1996 , Fuji of Greenwood public announced an additional factory which will finish 35 mm color film . Sara Lee Knit products opened a modern production facility in 1994and produces textiles.

Definitions and Examples of Swear Words

Definitions and Examples of Swear Words A swear word is a word or phrase thats generally considered blasphemous, obscene, vulgar, or otherwise offensive. Also known as  swearing, bad word, obscene word, dirty word, and four-letter word. Swear words serve many different functions in different social contexts, notes Janet Holmes. They may express annoyance, aggression and insult, for instance, or they may express solidarity and friendliness (An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2013). EtymologyFrom Old English, take an oath Examples and Observations Spock: Your use of language has altered since our arrival. It is currently laced with, shall we say, more colorful metaphors, double dumbass on you and so forth.Captain Kirk: Oh, you mean the profanity?Spock: Yes.Captain Kirk: Well, thats simply the way they talk here. Nobody pays any attention to you unless you swear every other word. Youll find it in all the literature of the period.(Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 1986)Uses of Swear WordsA final puzzle about swearing is the crazy range of circumstances in which we do it. There is cathartic swearing, as when we hit our thumb with a hammer or knock over a glass of beer. There are imprecations, as when we suggest a label or offer advice to someone who has cut us off in traffic. There are vulgar terms for everyday things and activities, as when Bess Truman was asked to get the president to say fertilizer instead of manure and she replied, You have no idea how long it took me to get him to say manure . There are figures of speech that put obscene words to other uses, such as the barnyard epithet for insincerity, the army acronym snafu, and the gynecological-flagellative term for uxorial dominance. And then there are the adjective-like expletives that salt the speech and split the words of soldiers, teenagers, Australians, and others affecting a breezy speech style.(Steven Pinker, The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window Into Human Nature. Viking, 2007) Social SwearingWhy do we swear? The answer to this question depends on the approach you take. As a linguistnot a psychologist, neurologist, speech pathologist or any other -istI see swearing as meaningfully patterned verbal behaviour that readily lends itself to a functional analysis. Pragmatically, swearing can be understood in terms of the meanings it is taken to have and what it achieves in any particular circumstance. . . .Typically, a social swear word originates as one of the bad words but becomes conventionalised in a recognisably social form. Using swear words as loose intensifiers contributes to the easy-going, imprecise nature of informal talk among in-group members. . . . In sum, this is jokey, cruisy, relaxing talk in which participants oil the wheels of their connection as much by how they talk as what they talk about.(Ruth Wajnryb, Language Most Foul. Allen Unwin, 2005)Secular Swearing[I]t would appear that in Western society the major shifts in the focus of swearing h ave been from religious matters (more especially the breaching of the commandment against taking the Lords name in vain) to sexual and bodily functions, and from opprobrious insults, such as coolie and kike. Both of these trends reflect the increasing secularization of Western society.(Geoffrey Hughes, Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in English. Blackwell, 1991) George Carlin on Bad WordsThere are four hundred thousand words in the English language and there are seven of them you cant say on television. What a ratio that is! Three hundred ninety three thousand nine hundred and ninety three . . . to seven! They must really be bad. Theyd have to be outrageous to be separated from a group that large. All of you over here . . . You seven, you bad words.Thats what they told us, you remember? Thats a bad word. What? There are no bad words. Bad thoughts, bad intentions, but no bad words.(George Carlin with Tony Hendra, Last Words. Simon Schuster, 2009)David Camerons Jokey, Blokey InterviewDavid Camerons jokey, blokey interview . . . on Absolute Radio this morning is a good example of what can happen when politicians attempt to be down with the kidsor in this case, with the thirtysomethings. . . .Asked why he didnt use the social networking website Twitter, the Tory leader said: The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of ittoo many twits might ma ke a twat. . . .[T]he Tory leaders aides were in defensive mode afterwards, pointing out that twat was not a swear word under radio guidelines.(Haroon Siddique, Sweary Cameron Illustrates Dangers of Informal Interview. The Guardian, July 29, 2009) S***r W***s[N]ever use asterisks, or such silliness as b-, which are just a cop out, as Charlotte Brontà « recognised: The practice of hinting by single letters those expletives with which profane and violent people are wont to garnish their discourse, strikes me as a proceeding which, however well meant, is weak and futile. I cannot tell what good it doeswhat feeling it spareswhat horror it conceals.(David Marsh and Amelia Hodsdon, Guardian Style, 3rd ed. Guardian Books, 2010)Supreme Court Rulings on Swear WordsThe Supreme Court’s last major case concerning broadcast indecency, F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation in 1978, upheld the commission’s determination that George Carlin’s classic seven dirty words monologue, with its deliberate, repetitive and creative use of vulgarities, was indecent. But the court left open the question of whether the use of an occasional expletive could be punished.The case decided Tuesday, Federal Communications Commission v. Fox Televisi on Stations, No. 07-582, arose from two appearances by celebrities on the Billboard Music Awards.Justice Scalia read the passages at issue from the bench, though he substituted suggestive shorthand for the dirty words.The first involved Cher, who reflected on her career in accepting an award in 2002: I’ve also had critics for the last 40 years saying I was on my way out every year. Right. So F-em. (In his opinion, Justice Scalia explained that Cher metaphorically suggested a sexual act as a means of expressing hostility to her critics.)The second passage came in an exchange between Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in 2003 in which Ms. Richie discussed in vulgar terms the difficulties in cleaning cow manure off a Prada purse.Reversing its policy on such fleeting expletives, the commission said in 2006 that both broadcasts were indecent. It did not matter, the commission said, that some of the offensive words did not refer directly to sexual or excretory functions. Nor did it mat ter that the cursing was isolated and apparently impromptu. . . .In reversing that decision, Justice Scalia said the change in policy was rational and therefore permissible. It was certainly reasonable, he wrote, to determine that it made no sense to distinguish between literal and nonliteral uses of offensive words, requiring repetitive use to render only the latter indecent.Justice John Paul Stevens, dissenting, wrote that not every use of a swear word connoted the same thing. As any golfer who has watched his partner shank a short approach knows, Justice Stevens wrote, it would be absurd to accept the suggestion that the resultant four-letter word uttered on the golf course describes sex or excrement and is therefore indecent.It is ironic, to say the least, Justice Stevens went on, that while the F.C.C. patrols the airwaves for words that have a tenuous relationship with sex or excrement, commercials broadcast during prime-time hours frequently ask viewers whether they are battli ng erectile dysfunction or are having trouble going to the bathroom.(Adam Liptak, Supreme Court Upholds F.C.C.’s Shift to a Harder Line on Indecency on the Air. The New York Times, April 28, 2009) The Lighter Side of Swear WordsTell me, son, the anxious mother said, what did your father say when you told him youd wrecked his new Corvette?Shall I leave out the swear words? the son asked.Of course.He didnt say anything.(Steve Allen, Steve Allens Private Joke File. Three Rivers Press, 2000) Alternate Spellings: swearword, swear-word

Critial Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critial Review - Essay Example It is accepted that his concentration on Alf Laylah in particular to expand his thesis and Arab Islamic culture in general is the main point of the exercise. 1. The narratives of Alf Laylah (The Arabian Nights) are literary representations of traditional folktales. They were also probably in told orally at the time the book was being written. Scribes and clerics wrote them, using insha which can be termed style (rhetorical, bombastic, colored by the male viewpoint of the clerics and their religious nature in the Arab Moslem world at the time. 2. Folklore is learned by those who know it and share it, it encompasses all aspects of the learning process of motivation, stimuli, response, retention, recall etc. So it needs to be looked at in terms of learning rather than explained via psychological interpretations. or society which own it, and the way in which they present it. El-Shamy is concerned that the folk traditions of Arab Islamic cultures have either been ignored or misinterpreted thus far in research, interpretation and indexing and so his intention is to put this right, by the creation of a new Motif Index. He cites his goal as follows: Typology and Classification: The crux of these can be explained simply. The scholars seeking to examine cultures and methods of identification of various aspects of folklore tradition set up ways to classify their findings. Two of these were tale-type and motif. The history of how these were devised and implemented for use then follows, with a reference to the Finnish folk epic Kalevala and its indexing. We learn that Antti Aarne, with a Historical-Georgraphical method, used the tale-type as a research tool, (circa 1910) and that Stith Thompson adapted this and expanded it in 1928 and 1961. The way it works is then explained at length, with much numbering and listing, and also with much digression into who else has had a try

An insight into Japanese culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An insight into Japanese culture - Essay Example The essay "An insight into Japanese culture" discusses the novel "Snow Country" as an insight into Japanese culture which talks about two people, Komako, who is a geisha in the small village and Shimamaru, a wealthy visitor man from Tokyo. Shikamaru is shown to be unacquainted with the place, and refers it to as a ‘distant land’. The story revolves around the both of them, trying to establish a relationship and connect with each other; but they are unable to do so, in the long run, and they fail to realize this. The novel changed my thoughts regarding the Japanese culture as I got to know more about the customs and rules of the people over there. The restrictions imposed by them over the people who are living there comes as a surprise in this environment. Previously I presumed that geishas were fictitious but as I read the novel I came to know the importance of geishas in the Japanese culture. The hospitality in the Japanese culture can be witnessed by the actions of the individuals that play a role in the novel. Komako, although tries very hard to maintain the traditional geisha image, she is unable to. Her feelings for Shikamaru were too strong and she could not ignore them. This differed with the traditional role of a geisha. But Komako’s aim of becoming a geisha to pay for that man’s treatment aligns with the customary role of a geisha. Geishas are normally said to accept their professions, in order to provide sustenance to their families and to help out with the bills and payments.

A7 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A7 - Assignment Example When talking about permanent employment, public employers have a responsibility to provide the employees with a secure and predictable retirement plan. This is because the employer will most likely work with the employee for all his or her working years until he or she retires. In this perspective, the employer has the chance to plan with the employee for his or her retirement based on the position that the employee holds in the organization (Walsh, 2006). Even where the employee may leave the place of work for another place or be fired because of misconduct, the employer still has a responsibility to provide a secure plan so that the employee knows this beforehand. The plan can be cancelled when the employee leaves ahead of time. Public employers do not have a responsibility to provide employees with a secure and predictable retirement plan where the employee works for a short-term contract or where the organization offers employment only on short-term contract plans. In this perspective, it will be difficult to provide such a plan because the employee will not stay with the company until they retire. As much as the public employer might have the responsibility to provide employees with a secure and predictable retirement plan, employees must also plan for themselves because the organization might close down any time within the employment period because of money problems or other issues. This would definitely put pressure on the employee in case he or she did not have a proper retirement plan. Comment on first thread: the writer comments on the issue in an excellent manner because he links current practice to past practice. He also links the issue with the current problems making it difficult for retirement plans to work. Comment on thread two: while the second thread is short, the writer offers reasons as to why he feels that public employers should provide their employees with a secure and predictable retirement plan. The

The Government’s Respect Agenda

The Government’s Respect Agenda The current position The â€Å"respect agenda† emerged as a broad idea during the 2005 general election campaign. Tony Blair coined it as being about: â€Å"†¦putting the law-abiding majority back in charge of their local communities†¦.[how we] bring back a proper sense of respect in our schools, in our communities, in our towns and in our villages.†[1] A culmination of what has now been deemed as being â€Å"anti social behaviour† such as binge drinking, an increase in prostitution and vandalism as well as a rapid increase in low-level crime, the respect agenda was aimed at community spirit. Backing the proposals with an increase in police and local authority power to deal with families who â€Å"blight† communities with unacceptable behaviour emphasised one of its key principles as the importance of rebalancing the criminal justice system to benefit victims Supporters of the scheme have claimed that it focuses on low-level aggravation and so enables the community to maintain the traditional â€Å"neighbourhood watchdog† element that has almost disappeared from the streets of Britain. Complementing the respect agenda are other proposals such as a â€Å"Face the People† scheme where community meetings will be held to allow residents to hold officials exponible for community safety issues and to voice their concerns on community matters. The idea of respect within the anti-social behaviour agenda has also meant that the net has been able to be cast wider with further goals including the creation of a â€Å"task force† to clamp down on school discipline. Teachers and schools will be able to apply for parenting orders where a child’s behaviour requires it and local authorities being able to do designate housing or community safety officers to do the same.[2] Criticisms and legislative proposals As a whole the scheme has received criticism for, at best, being vague and at worst for being a clever PR slogan with nothing behind it.[3] Opposing the scheme some have said that it will not work unless the amount of police officers patrolling the streets increases in order to enforce the scheme’s proposals. Procedurally, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and Football Banning Orders have been criticised as being are two key examples of ‘Hybrid Law’, imposed as a response to criminal conduct, supported by criminal law sanctions, but operating under a civil law procedure providing fewer protections for defendants. These hybrid orders have the power to severely restrict the freedom of individuals, who have not been found guilty of any criminal offence. [4] Encouraging its use and claiming that local authorities do not use them sufficiently frequently[5] the ASBO was introduced by s 1 of the Crime and Disorder Act, 1998, generated heated debate at its inception and this intensified since its subsequent development.[6] Criticisms have also been levelled by a wide variety of organisations, but particularly by those involved with children, concerned over the increased powers schools will have in obtaining â€Å"parenting orders† as well as expressing concern over the way the homeless will now be treated. The Government has not only sought to rebut these criticisms, but has encouraged and facilitated the use of anti-social behaviour measures, as an active part of the respect agenda. Will the agenda make a difference? Contrary to this, huge support has been heard as the matters involved in the respect agenda mean that responsibility of penalising the â€Å"culprits† is at a community level rather than at an institutional one at the courts. This would ease the workload on the courts and also make way for more serious crimes rather than seeing that the low-level offences make their way through the criminal justice system swiftly. As the backbone of the proposal is a reform in granting certain powers and with that is the advancement of the use of the notorious ASBO. But with the intension of serving more ASBOs means that more of them are likely to be breached with statistics showing that currently one in four ASBOs are breached.[7]. This has meant that those who work in the criminal justice system have their doubts as to the performance of the scheme; saying that jailing people solely for breaching an ASBO seems extreme, especially if the reasons for the breach have not, in themselves, been ad dressed such as a drug, alcohol addiction or prostitution.[8] Although there has been speculation as to whether the attempted â€Å"control† of behaviour through the use of ASBOs is still hotly debated; a good indication of the working of such a scheme can be noted in society’s changing attitude toward anti-social behaviour as a whole. Drink driving was once common place but is now regarded as unacceptable by most people. This change in outlook can be said to lead back to the massive publicity campaign coupled with sanctions.[9] But once again evidence serves to the contrary using the examples of the increased use of cannabis as well as the increase in sexually transmitted diseases. Which both, despite long-standing advertising campaigns, have become increasingly widespread, with the likes of certain STIs on the increase and increased cannabis use saw the government reclassify cannabis to make its use and possession a less serious offence. The Human Rights issue Some writers, especially lawyers, have concentrated on the procedural aspects of on the main elements of the proposals and the manner in which â€Å"unruly behaviour† will be dealt with – via the use of ASBOs, criticising by considering whether the government strategy is consistent with its own human rights legislation.[10] Most controversially, the scheme has also proposed to go beyond the ambit of crime and is offering what has been coined as a â€Å"shut and seal† power. A new house closure order which would lead to people deemed guilty of causing serious nuisance to others being excluded from their own homes for three months, even if they own the properties. JUSTICE,[11] has expressed its concerns over the manner in which an ASBOs may be obtained and how procedural issues in dong so are likely to encroached on human rights. Using the case of McCann[12] where the House of Lords accepted that proceedings to obtain an ASBO in accordance with section 1 of the Crime and Disorders Act, 1998 the classification of ASBO proceedings as being civil would mean that hearsay evidence would be used in all cases, even where there is no indication of witness intimidation. Expressing it’s understating of the Government’s motivation was a perception that victims of anti-social behaviour have in the past been too fearful to come forward and give evidence. But still raised concern over its unnecessary restriction the right to a fair trial; adding to their argument that this is particularly so, now that the Criminal Justice Act, 2003 has relaxed the hearsay rule to allow courts to accept such evidence in individual cases where there is a demonst rated problem of witness fear or intimidation. Jeopardising civil liberties Police powers, under the agenda, have meant that greater powers have been granted to them concerning the dispersal of groups, even when there has been no bad behaviour. This unnecessary restriction on civil liberties will potentially result in a loss of respect for the police, and the law generally, amongst the groups singled out for attention (including blanket curfew imposed on people less than 16 years of age). This should be narrowed, in that only those groups where there is evidence of actual anti-social behaviour should there then be power for the police to order that people leave the area. So if the police believe that a certain area is especially affected then they can award themselves extra powers to deal with that location in particular. Not only are these extra powers likely to create unfounded discrimination against certain groups in society but will also confuse the police as to their powers and the public as to their rights. Further criticism of the use of the ASBO in preventing anti-social behaviour is that they contain prohibitions that are too wide in scope and infringe the rights of the recipient, making breach of orders very likely.[13] Parent power – Knowing what’s best? With regards to parenting orders and increased powers allocated to school when dealing with unruly pupills, literature has critisisied this for removing young people’s right to automotny.[14] Yet at a time when the government is emphasising parents duty to produce good moral citizens, a degree of confusion about the limits of parents power is perhaps understandable. Conflicting social norms prevent parents from controlling their childrens lives, while at the same time requiring them to take responsibility for their childrens moral education and to be accountable for their childrens actions and decisions. Parents may well wonder at societys expectations of them in seeking to find the balance.[15] Impact of the interest group and supporting organisations Defining â€Å"anti-social behaviour† The meaning of the term â€Å"anti social behaviour† is wide and so problematic in its definition. As different people associate different behaviour as constituted anti-social behaviour there are certain groups at more risk than others to be unjustly swept into its categorisation. So, the wide definition of anti-social behaviour has the potential to discriminate against those from ethnic minority populations, travellers and those who simply choose an alternative lifestyle. Another main concern is that the older members of society who believe that young people are predominately anti-social means that community ties may be jeopardised as well as community relations. The risk of unnecessary over policing of young people and perhaps the unnecessary criminalisation of (what to some may be perceived as being anti-social) activities may also be prejudicial to young people’s perception of the police and be detrimental to future associations between the two groups. With the majo rity of ASBO applications being made against persons under the age of 21[16] is seems that the creation of this tension would be extremely likely. How long is the punishment? JUSTICE has expressed concern over the duration of which an ASBO can be granted. ASBOs can be served against children as young as 10. The only criteria that the magistrate must use in deciding to impose the order is that the individual has behaved in a manner that caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Breaching the conditions of an ASBO is a criminal offence, punishable by up to five years in prison. This means that individuals are being sent to prison for committing acts which are not in themselves illegal.As has already been discussed the conditions impose through an ASBO may be wide so warranting a likelihood of breach yet the punishment may not necessarily constitute the level of the breach committed. An ASBO may only be imposed for the minimum of two years, and an application to discharge an ASBO lasting more than this duration may only be made after the first two years of it have passed. The granting of an ASBO is intended to prevent future anti-social behaviour. But a two year period in a young person or adolescent’s life is a long period of time, in which as a teenager much can change.[17] JUSTICE argues that a duration as long as this is unnecessary and in part may be detrimental in the development of children into adults. Curbing what some would see as â€Å"anti-social behaviour† which may have only lasted a short period of time if allowed to â€Å"run its course† may now be drawn out over a longer period of time as part of the young person rebellion. The example given by JUSTICE is that if a young person of 15 is given an ASBO including the ban on entering a town centre, 18 months on, the now mature 17 year old may miss out on offers of employment if s till unable to entering the town centre.[18] Controversially, it has been suggested that this matter will affect children much younger than those suggested by JUSTICE in that the respect agenda is leading to a generation of children being demonised because too many are being given anti-social behaviour orders. Prof Rod Morgan, the chairman of the Youth Justice Board, says some children as young as 10 are being labelled with the mark of Cain on their foreheads because of a misplaced hysteria over teenage crime.[19] The wide spread of restrictions such as ASBOS in an attempt to â€Å"clamp down† on anti-social behaviour means that perfectly lawful activities can become criminalised through the use of an ASBO, such as children playing on the street. The fact that anti social behaviour must cause or â€Å"be likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress† should be better defined and narrowed to incorporate an objective element and a need for actual harassment.[20] Ignoring the root of the problem Whilst the civil liberties organisation Liberty[21] is concerned that children and vulnerable people who need help and support are being served with ASBOs fearing that this will create greater problems for those individuals and their roles in society. Liberty argues that if individuals are committing crimes of intimidation or harassment, then the criminal law should be used to tackle their behaviour. Concluding A suggestion for the way in which anti social behaviour may be prevented by non criminal justice means has been initiated in the respect agenda. The agenda proposes to rekindle a sense of solidarity in the community building bridges between neighbours and creating community relations. Due to this there is great scope for the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques, neighbourhood mediation and restorative justice responses. This would directly involve the communities that may have once been, or are risk of being affected by anti-social behaviour be it by young people or not. These methods would also avoid the need for a corrective criminal justice response. It would also aid in preventing the behaviour before it escalates; solving the problem rather than punishing people or removing them from their homes. At present the ASBO does not appear to be working as an efficient mechanism in the fight against anti-social behaviour. Be this because the restrictive conditions of ASBOs are frequently breached, and this can lead too easily to the further criminalisation of children and young people and (in many cases) to incarceration[22] or the more controversial fact that the frequency to which ASBOs are granted the stigma behind them has disappeared, with many young people penalised by one considering it to be a â€Å"badge† of their disorderly behaviour. At a national level, criticisms relating to the lack of fairness in the use of ASBOs need to be addressed and urgently if the ASBO is to retain any weight in society.[23] Charities have suggested that more funds should be granted to voluntary organisations and youth groups in order for young people to channel their abilities into productive activities.[24] A strong argument for this suggestion is that youth groups, activity organisations and extra-curricular centres where children and young people could attend on a voluntary basis be created. The organisations could work hand in hand with schools and maintain feedback as to the progression of the young person’s development, enabling the young person to be proactive and productive and so prevent anti-social behaviour in the long term and boredom (which may result in this) in the short term. This would also prevent the need for schools to initiate the need for parenting orders if they felt that a child’s behaviour was likely to benefit from these types of activities. Obviously, statistics are not needed to understand that anti-social behaviour and low-level crime are affecting communities at both ends of the UK and rapidly seems to have become a mounting problem. But this combined with the fact that parenting skills are being blamed and children and young people are having their freedom of association as well as their civil liberties encroached upon is all but likely to break down community ties and encourage bad behaviour further. But by creating a parallel civil system of justice where the definition of anti-social behaviour is extremely broad means that non-criminal activity, is in effect, being made criminal by the imposition of an order as a result of non-criminal proceedings. In a country that respects the rule of law – is it necessary for an order to cater for the crimination of behaviour?[25] What is obvious is that the ASBO appears to be a bandage over a gaping wound. The matters behind the granting of an ASBO and other remedial p roposals set out in the respect agenda such as lack of parenting skills and discipline, teenage binge drinking, drug and alcohol addiction, unruly pupils and lack of adequate discipline in schools and prostitution are not even marginally being addressed. Aggravating this with an increase in powers for authorities such as councils, schools and police and lack of community ties and neighbourhood schemes those who are in need of help are more likely to be punished before the true problem is addressed. Reference list Bright, S. Eviction for Anti-Social Behaviour. 2006. Conv. 2006, JAN/FEB, 85-91 Burney, E. Talking Tough, Acting Coy: What Happened to the Anti-Social Behaviour Order? Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 41,Number 5, December 2002, pp. 469-484(16) Collins, D.M. Tenant Liability for Nuisance Children. J. P. L. 2007, May, 669 – 674 Guthrie, T. Anti Social Behaviour Legislation. 2006. S.L.T. 2006, 16, 103 Hall, A. Children’s Rights, Parent’s Wishes and the State: Medical Treatment of Children. Fam Law 36 (317) 2006 Hopkins Burke, R Morrill, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders: an Infringement of the Human Rights Act 1998? R. (2002) 11 Nottingham L.J. Koffman, L. The Use of Anti-social Behaviour Orders: An Empirical Study of a New Deal for Communities Area. 2006. Crim. L.R. 2006, JUL, 593-613 Matthews, R. Policing Prostitution: Ten Years on. November 2005. 45 Brit. J. Criminology 877 Robins, J. Focus Police: Serve and Protect. (2006) LS Gaz, 9 Mar, 20 Robson, G. Community Justice Centres Part 1: A Political Agenda with Possibilities? (2006) 170 JPN 584 5 August 2006 Thomas, D.A. Sentencing: Anti-Social behaviour orders on conviction. 2006. Crim. L.R. 2006, JUN, 569-572 Case Comment: Anti-Social Behaviour. Knowsley Housing Trust v McMullen [2006] EWCA Civ 539; [2006] H.L.R. 43 (CA (Civ Div)) L. T. Review 2006, 10(4), D61-62 [1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4597378.stm (Wednesday, 11 January 2006, 08:53 GMT) [2] Op cit [3] I bid 1 [4] R. Hopkins Burke and R. Morrill, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders: an Infringement of the Human Rights Act 1998? (2002) 11 Nottingham L.J. [5] Burney, E. Talking Tough, Acting Coy: What Happened to the Anti-Social Behaviour Order? [6] Hopkins Burke, R Morrill, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders: an Infringement of the Human Rights Act 1998? [7] Koffman, L. The Use of Anti-social Behaviour Orders: An Empirical Study of a New Deal for Communities Area [8] http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/public/article697842.ece [9] I bid 1 [10] I bid 6 [11] As per report via http://www.justice.org.uk/ [12] R. (on the application of McCann v Manchester Crown Court. [2002] UKHL 39 [13] I bid 6 [14] Hall, A. Children’s Rights, Parent’s Wishes and the State: Medical Treatment of Children. [15] Op cit [16] As per statistics included in Koffman, L. The Use of Anti-social Behaviour Orders: An Empirical Study of a New Deal for Communities Area as sourced from S. Campbell, A Review of Anti-social Behaviour Orders, Home Office Research Study 236 (Home Office, 2002), at p.8. [17] As per Memorandum submitted by JUSTICE: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmhaff/80ii/80we24.htm [18] Op cit at para 10 [19] Daily Telegraph, 24 April 2006, [20] I bid 17 at para 16 [21] http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/ [22] In accordance with the proposals set out by the respect agenda: referring to the campaigns use of refer to this campaigns use of simple, populist language, justifying tough enforcement. [23] I bid 7 [24] I bid 20 [25] I bid 17 at para 19

Importance of Early Invention Essay -- Children Education Learning Ess

Importance of Early Invention Early childhood researchers have repeatedly found and established that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the preschool years. Therefore, if the child’s most teachable years are not taken advantage of, it could result in the child difficulty of learning a particular skill at a later time (Kidsource, 1996). Karnes and Lee (1978) have noted that, â€Å"only through early identification and appropriate programming can children develop to their full potential† (Smith, 1988). One of the most important skills young children must learn during their early childhood years is how to expressively communicate. "At least 70% of preschool children with disabilities have communication impairments and 12% of all services provided to infants and toddlers in 1995 were for speech and language (Luze, Linebarger, & Greenwood, 2001). Communication skills are important for young children to further gather knowledge, to grow cognitively, and to interact appropriately with others in their environment. If a child is delayed of communication skills, it may further delay other developmental areas and create problems. This may include problems in early literacy, school achievement, behavioral development, and establishing relationships with friends and family. Benefits of early intervention Three primary reasons for intervening in a young child that I have found are: to enhance the child’s development, to provide support and assistance to the family, and to maximize the child’s and family’s benefit to society. The child will need fewer special education and facilitative services later in life. It has been proven that children involved in early intervention are less likely to be held back in a... ...ton, VA: ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children. (ERIC Document Service NO. ED295399). Retrieved February 26, 2002 from ERIC database. KidSource. What is early intervention? (1996, August 10). Retrieved February 19, 2002, from http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/early.intervention.html The Editors. (2002, January 10). In early-childhood education and care: quality counts. Building Blocks for Success, 21(17), 8-9. Retrieved February 27, 2002 from http://www.edweek.org/sreports/qc02/templates/article.cmf?=17exec.h21 Newspapers & Magazines: Smith, P. (2002, February 22). You can never be too early. The Times Educational Early Intervention 14 Supplement, 1841, 23. Retrieved May 7, 2002 from Lexis-Nexis. White, T. (2001, November 16). Getting back to basics. The Baltimore Sun, 1B. Retrieved May 7, 2002 from Lexis- Nexis.

Postmodernism and Politics Essay

Postmodernism has revealed how science has been political largely because of how postmodernism approaches science, for instance. Postmodern thought does not consider the scientific method as the sole basis for determining the truth or understanding the world as there are many other approaches which, for all we know, may also be more or less valid (Cole, Hill & Rikowski, 1997, p. 189). In doing so, postmodernism views the scientific method as one of the reasons why science has dominated not only the academic circles but the bastion of human knowledge in its entirety. Basically, anything that has been established by the methods of science has been collectively understood as the truth or the closest that we can get to truth (Mirchandani, 2005, p. 93). The result is simply staggering—science has become power itself in shaping the course of human civilization. One example is how the development of the atomic bomb through careful scientific research and experiment has led the way to the contemporary proliferation of nuclear power. Countries have become all the more powerful because of their possession of nuclear armaments that could easily wipe away the threats to their sovereignty. Another example is the way in which science has created technological means for hastening the production and distribution of goods across geographical boundaries. The scientific advancement in terms of cyber technology and the internet has contributed to the increase in the capabilities of local and global businesses. In effect, large corporations have gained more ways to expand their wealth and, therefore, their influence over governments. Postmodernism has made all of these circumstances clearer than before although critics point out that postmodernism merely reveals the power of science and the other ways of explaining why science has gained such wide influence over various societies (Lee, 1999, p. 744). In essence, postmodernism has revealed the breadth of the influence and power of science over humanity inasmuch as science has largely contributed to the assimilation of political power and force over the years. Other ways may be developed in explaining how science has behaved in more recent times in changing the political landscape of the world, but postmodernism will agree that those ways do not necessarily stand of lesser significance than the scientific approaches. References Cole, M. , Hill, D. , & Rikowski, G. (1997). Between Postmodernism and Nowhere: The Predicament of the Postmodernist. British Journal of Educational Studies, 45(2), 187-200. Lee, J. (1999). The Utility of a Strategic Postmodernism. Sociological Perspectives, 42(4), 739-753. Mirchandani, R. (2005). Postmodernism and Sociology: From the Epistemological to the Empirical. Sociological Theory, 23(1), 86-115.

How Many Days Congress Works - Annual Total and Average

How Many Days Congress Works - Annual Total and Average Members of Congress work fewer than half of the days in any given year, But those account for only the legislative days, defined as an official meeting of the legislative body to do the peoples business. The House works about one day out of three, and the Senate works a little more than that, according to federal records. Youve probably heard the phrase do-nothing Congress at least once in your life, and its often a jab at the inability of lawmakers to reach common ground and pass important spending bills. Sometimes its a reference to how little Congress appears to work, especially in light of the $174,000 base salary for its members - more than three times the amount of money the median U.S. household earns. Heres an explanation of how many days Congress works every year. Number of Days Congress Works in Session a Year The House of Representatives has averaged 138 legislative days a year since 2001, according to records kept by the Library of Congress. Thats about one day of work every three days, or fewer than three days a week. The Senate, on the other hand, was in session an average of 162 days a year over the same time period. Technically a legislative day in the House can span more than 24 hours. A legislative day ends only when the session is adjourned. The Senate works a little differently. A legislative day often stretches beyond the boundaries of the 24-hour workday day and sometimes week. That doesnt mean the Senate is meeting around the clock. It just means that a legislative session merely recesses but doesnt adjourn after a days work. Here are the number of legislative days for the House and Senate each year in recent history: 2016: 131 in the House, 165 in the Senate.2015: 157 in the House, 168 in the Senate.2014: 135 in the House, 136 in the Senate.2013: 159 in the House, 156 in the Senate.2012: 153 in the House, 153 in the Senate.2011: 175 in the House, 170 in the Senate.2010: 127 in the House, 158 in the Senate.2009: 159 in the House, 191 in the Senate.2008: 119 in the House, 184 in the Senate.2007: 164 in the House, 190 in the Senate.2006: 101 in the House, 138 in the Senate.2005: 120 in the House, 159 in the Senate.2004: 110 in the House, 133 in the Senate.2003: 133 in the House, 167 in the Senate.2002: 123 in the House, 149 in the Senate.2001: 143 in the House, 173 in the Senate. House Averages 18 Hours of Work a Week Theres a little more to this analysis than just the number of days lawmakers are scheduled to cast votes. A 2013 analysis conducted by The New York Times found that the House was in session for 942 hours that year, or about 18 hours a week. That level of work, The Times noted, was the least by any Congress in a non-election year in nearly a decade. By comparison, the House worked 1,700 hours in 2007,1,350 hours in 2005,and 1,200 hours in 2011. The same went for the Senate, which had 99 voting days in 2013. Some attempts have been made to force members of Congress to work full weeks. In 2015, for example, a Republican lawmaker from Florida, Rep. David Jolly, introduced legislation that would have required the House to be in session 40 hours a week when members of the House were in Washington, D.C.A work week in Washington should be no different than a work week in every other town across the nation,† Jolly said at the time. Jollys measure failed to gain traction. Constituent Services Theres much more to being a congressman than voting. One of the most important aspects of the job is being accessible and responsive to the people who voted them into office. Its called constituent service: answering phone calls from the public, holding town-hall meetings on important issues, and assisting members of the 435 congressional districts with their problems. The nonprofit Congressional Management Foundation has reported: Members work long hours (70 hours a week when Congress is in session), endure unequaled public scrutiny and criticism, and sacrifice family time to fulfill work responsibilities. The 70-hour work week reported by members of Congress is more than twice the average length of the work week for Americans. When Congress Adjourns Congressional sessions begin in January of odd-numbered years and typically end in December of the same year. Congress adjourns at the end of each session. There are two sessions for each sitting of Congress. The Constitution forbids either the Senate or the House to adjourn for more than three days without the permission of the other chamber.

Social Policy and Legislation essays

Social Policy and Legislation essays So what is Social Policy? When asked this question I find it quite difficult to explain in terms that are easy enough for everyone to understand, therefore I have done research in order to find a simple explanation. I particularly like Hartley Deans definition, Social Policy is the study of human well-being he also states that Social Policy, involves the study of human well-being, the social relations necessary for well-being and the systems by which well-being may be promoted. In my opinion this explanation is clear, concise and makes it easy to understand. (Dean, 2005). Our thoughts and ideas of childhood as a social construction have altered noticeably over the last ten years. The development of constructions of childhood has steadily become more intricate as the numbers of theories rise. Through research of early examples of childhood this essay sets out to describe how contemporary thinking of childhood has developed through complex patterns of sociological deliberation and political, cultural and historical pressures. (Kehily, p. 2-12). During the past 10 years, the changing attitudes and arising problems within the state-parent-child relationship has stirred a vast amount of concern leading to the need for further research; which in turn has lead to new policy proposals. It is widely believed that the lack of support given to families, due to the collapse of communities working together in harmony, is impacting on the current, wider spread, social problems within our families. It has become more predominant that state-parent-child relationships play an important role in the wellbeing of todays children. (Barnes et al. 2006). Having an understanding of Social Policy offers us guidelines which in turn promotes our abilities to ensure the well-being, needs and rights of children are being met. Working towards these guidelines set by the government we are able to help change and red...

Ready to Eat (RTE) Cereal Industry in 1994 Case Study

Ready to Eat (RTE) Cereal Industry in 1994 - Case Study Example A popularity of RTE cereal industry can be explained by the concentration of manufacturers in this sector. In 1972 there were the major tendencies of anti-monopolization in this field against the largest manufacturers, such as Kellogg, General Mills, and General Foods. The cereal industry was rather profitable and it is possible to explain such kind of antagonistic moods by an inappropriate level of competitiveness in this field. The major players in this field have used the following tactics in order to deal with the developing practices of trade dealing, in-pack premiums, and vitamin-fortification (Corts 1997, p. 3). The profitability in this industry was intimidated by a potential hazard of short-run advantages of the firms and its mimicking by other competitors. Moreover, in spite of the popularity of this field of industry, there were a lot of controversies and technological challenges in the manufacturing processes experienced by the firms operating in this field. For example, in 90s in order to manufacture a flake cereal, it was necessary to combine raw ingredients, which was not rather challenging process, actually. It was more complicated to implement the extrusion processes, which were mainly used in the production of children’s cereal. Therefore, in spite of a simple appearance of this industry, it had too intricate system of manufacturing and it was not for everyone to know those secrets. On the one hand it was not that easy to enter the cereal manufacturing market for private labels. They experienced numerous challenges and brand names prevailed over them. The way for the new companies was open, but it was necessary to facilitate the process of entrance by developing and implementing criteria of a fair price-policy and manufacturing strategies for these companies. Corts (1997) puts it in the following way: â€Å"When demand for natural cereals surged

School Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

School Activities - Essay Example Recommendations for strategic planning include conducting surveys among school teachers and officials regarding what changes they might like to be brought in the school environment and the curriculum; among students regarding any problems they might be having inside school premises like school bullying; and, among parents regarding what they think of school’s performance with respect to their children’s academic results. An activity needs to be arranged which should address such situations like a parent coming with a complaint or a community member raising a conflict. The administrator will need to arrange a meeting with the complaining party. When the parents come, they should first be made comfortable with tea and snack. Then, their complaint will be listened to and recorded. After that, relevant persons who can solve the issue will be called and they will meet the parents. A shared collaboration will be carried out in order to reach a solution that is equally accepta ble to all involved. If the conflict is so big that it cannot be solved through meeting, then a mediatory party will be arranged who will listen to the conflicting parties and will reach an unbiased solution. This activity relates to the school administrator in that all parents who have complaints about the school or their children’s performance always come to the administrator to get the issue resolved hence, it is necessary for him to arrange meetings with them so that the atmosphere remains calm and parents are satisfied. This all adds to the school’s repertoire and is beneficial for the whole of school community because when issue get resolved there and then, it results in overall satisfaction of everybody involved in the conflict. On the other hand, when issues remain unresolved, it results in tension between the parties which are the teachers and parents in this case, and this weighs heavily on children’s academic performance eventually. To sum up, this ac tivity involves arranging meetings with the parents and entertaining them in the best possible way. 3. Lunch supervision is very important if the aim is to achieve discipline among students. It is a common practice that students do not follow any rules and regulations during lunch time and since they are feeling hungry, so lunch lines become a mess as every child tries to get his turn first. Activity will include arranging a queue supervisor who will be a teacher or a class monitor. He will make the students form queues and will be present there for the whole of the lunch time to keep a check in students. He will make sure that no student breaks the queue and tries to get ahead of his turn. He will note down the names of students breaking the rule and will notify them to the school administrator. Students who follow the rule strictly will also be notified to the administrator and they will be appreciated in front of their classes. Doing so will motivate the students to keep a check on their own selves and with the passage of time, they will learn to stay in disciplined queues without the need for having a supervisor keeping an eye on them constantly. This activity relates to the school administrator in that he is responsible for the maintenance of discipline within school premises. He has to take steps to ensure that no student gets indulged in an activity that is a threat to school discipline. This activity will be beneficial to the overall school community because discipline will be achieved through control. Also, lunch time will be very peaceful with properly arranged lunch lines.

Risk Reflection Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk Reflection - Coursework Example This quotation is mentioned just below the title of the news; so that readers get persuaded into reading further. The news also reports the exact quotation of the Muslim woman. The fact that the report explicitly mentioned the comment of the Muslim woman where she has expressed that she no longer feels like being a Canadian citizen indicates that challenging or criticizing the religious practices of an individual tarnishes the image of the country as a whole. It is a short news report mostly filled with quotations nicely selected to convey the crux of the problem. For the rest of the content, phrases are highlighted in quotation marks to emphasize their importance e.g. â€Å"feel afraid†, â€Å"a human being†, and â€Å"suitable dress†. The communicator focuses on these phrases because they project how challenging the dress code makes a religious person feel. The communication could have been improved by not highlighting specific phrases so that readers could form their independent opinion. Specifically, choosing the phrase, â€Å"†¦I felt that Im not Canadian anymore† (El-Alloul cited in â€Å"Canada court denies†) generalizes the threat for Muslims all across Canada. Reading this report makes Muslims feel unsafe and threatened in Canada as a whole, although Quebec has its own distinct culture and laws within Canada and incidents happening in Quebec cannot be generalized for the liberal and democratic Canadian society as a whole. Fact of the matter is; when a person in Quebec is treated like this Muslim woman, his/her confidence in the whole of Canada is shattered. This can be explained in light of the ‘mental noise’ and ‘negative dominance’ theoretical model of risk communication. The mental noise model implies, â€Å"when people are in a state of high concern because they perceive a significant threat, their ability to process information effectively and efficiently is severely impaired† (Baron et al., cited in Infanti et al. 6). Also, the

Second World War Essay Example for Free

Second World War Essay After the Second World War, there were many organizations that were formed to take care of different interests, mostly political and economical. The General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) was one such organization that was formed in 1947 to protect and trade between member countries (Bagwell, Staiger, 2002). The major aim of the organization was to look at the tariffs and restrictions that affected trade among the member countries and how to harmonise them. To ensure that the objectives of GATT were achieved, the members laid down some principles that were to be followed by all members and be guidance in all their activities. The principles formed the basis for the GATT agreements. Hence, it was not right for any member country to come up with policies that were contrary to the agreed principles. The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) is one major principle that was to be observed by the member countries. This was the first principle that was passed to guide trade. This principle says that no member country should discriminate another member in trade. If a member gives a favour to another, (for instance, lowering the customs duty), then this has to be applied to all other members. Furthermore, in this principle, it means that goods or services from one member country is treated no differently from goods or services from another country. In addition, when the goods of a foreign country are in another’s domestic market, they have to be treated no less than the other commodities (Leonard, 2006). The second principle calls for the member countries to protect their domestic industry by applying customs duty, instead of using trade barriers. In essence, the principle called for the member countries to be transparent in carrying out their trading activities. Thirdly, the reciprocity principle called for the member countries to consult one another on matters that concerned trade between them. The principle required that as one member country called for the other to reduce her tariffs; she should as well reduce hers. This principled was thus aimed at giving mutual benefit to the trading partners. The fourth major principle dealt with improving new trade tariffs. The members agreed that by imposing a new tariff at one point, it needed to maintain the balance. These principles thus provided a framework in which the member countries were to negotiate any trading activities (Faye, 1996). GATT principles emphasised on membership trade as opposed to individualistic trade. Taking the case of non discrimination trading, it meant that only a member country could not be discriminated, but non members could not enjoy such privileges. This meant that competition between GATT members and the non members could not be a healthy competition. However, even though the principle stipulated for non discrimination between members, it was not possible to ensure that this was upheld. This was brought about by the endowment and the technology factor that existed between the member states, causing differences members have in the competition position. If there are no differences in the competitive environment, there can not be any economic welfare benefit that will be found as a result of international trade (Dowlah, 2004). GATT was formed on the principle of reciprocity. This principle has contributed to having negative impact on liberalising trade. If a nation combines the Most Favoured Nations principle and reciprocity, it can force the government to make sure that importation tariffs are lowered further, which again will be a very big disadvantage to the non member countries. When a member country lobbies for the lowering of importation tariffs, it will generally transform to other members reducing their tariffs as a way of reciprocating. This has led to a fight between the exporters advocating for liberalised trade, while the importers fighting to protect their firms. Non GATT members who were interested in liberalising their markets on a non reciprocal form have found it very hard as the members are never willing to liberalise their markets on a non reciprocal manner. This implies that the non GATT members find it very hard to trade and compete on the same level with the GATT members. For the members to liberalise their markets, they have first to see what benefit they are going to get from the others. Off course this goes against the free trade principle, since no member will be willing to trade with a country that is not going to give them any benefit in the trading pattern. Therefore, for any country to trade with another, there has to be tangible benefit that has to be proven between the nations. This is generally very difficult to be found between a member and a non member, as only the members will benefit from the agreements. Through reciprocity principle, a nation will ensure that it benefits from a trade concession by giving out another trade concession. Therefore, if a nation does not have any given concession, then it will be impossible for it to trade with others. The effect of this is that it might inhibit further liberalisation of the markets. This is due to the fact that individual members might be forced to carry out liberalisation of trade, without doing the same to the GATT members. In essence, this action will lead to having trade concessions that GATT members do not have to necessarily match (Brett, 2001). The GATT agreements have contributed to members harming others, especially the new members. Looking at the welfare gain that is supposed to be generated from the free trade, it has to be reflected to the whole members (Cannon Bland, 1993). However, on distributive, it occurs on individual level. This effect can be offset by a shift that can occur in the free trade. The problem is that this is a political decision that can affect how the free trade will occur. In more powerful nations, the governments have been forced to take up trade policies that are detrimental to the weak nations (Narlikar, 2003). There are many other problems that have been facing GATT members but being swept under the rug. Some of these problems have been advantageous to one nation while being disadvantageous to another. For instance, this was witnessed when the Japanese cars entered the American markets. Japan was faced with invisible pressure that it had to voluntarily limit the number of vehicles it was exporting to the United States (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). This is a clear evidence of how GATT members and those who supported these ideologies were bending matters so as to suit their own needs. Some powerful members like the European Union have also been taking the interpretation of GATT principles at liberty and no action has been taken against them. Many of the conflicts that have occurred in the trading patterns within GATT have been mostly solved in a very mystifying manner. It has mostly been in favor of the powerful states leaving the less powerful and the new members at a loss. In coming up with the non trade barriers, there were many other challenges that members faced in the implementation. For instance, France had a requirement that all VCRs that were being imported into the country had to undergo an inspection and pass it before being allowed into the country. The major problem with the policy is that there was a big congestion since the country depended on a single inspector (http://www. busmgt. ulster. ac. uk/modules/eco811m1/Group%201. doc. ). It was also difficult to know if some non trade barriers were genuinely motivated by policies of other partners or it was just a matter of interfering with trade. This can be explained by the instance in which the US limited the exportation of tuna as a way of protecting the dolphins. On the other hand, Mexico was taking a large number of the tuna catches into the American markets disregarding how the mode in which they were caught. After some time, Mexico was blamed on how the number of dolphins had declined. This was challenged but GATT did not do anything on the matter, hence benefiting a few nations (Collins, Bosworth, 1994). The GATT rules were so much concerned with protecting the industrialized countries leaving the poor countries that depended on agriculture out. Hence, it led to the feeling that GATT was out to protect only the rich. GATT principles seemed to be more biased in protecting the rich nations all along leaving the poor nations out. In trying to resolve the matter, the developed countries tried to be flexible with their rules, but it still did not deter the developing countries from agitating for more GATT rights (Dowlah, 2004). As earlier argued, most of the GATT principles were political, hence did not put in effect such issues as the environment (White, 1998). Taking the case in which the GATT principle calls for the member countries to treat imported goods from a member country in the same manner as locally produced goods, it was later changed and the decision only based on finished commodities being sold to the public. In this case, if the goods that had been imported were the same as the domestically produced goods, then it was not necessary to consider the mode at which the commodities were produced (Kahler, 1995). This implies that it is not possible to impose environmental issues on the products being manufactured by the member countries into others that are environmentally vulnerable. This meant that countries that disallowed the importation of especially food products that had been produced by the use of a lot of pesticides and other chemicals to be at the risk of getting its markets flooded with such commodities. This also affected small and medium sized farmers. The farmers who had diversified their productions could not be able to compete at the same level with those dealing with one type of crops at a large scale (Wold, 1996). It is thus true to argue that GATT played a significant role in developing trade and liberalizing the markets. It created a co-operation between the markets that was initially not there (Barons, 1991). However, the system outlived its purpose by benefiting few nations at the expense of others; hence the Uruguay roundtable that led to the formation of the world trade organization was timely. Bibliography Bagwell, K Staiger R. W (2002): Economic Theory and the Interpretation of GATT/WTO; Journal of American Economist, Vol. 46,Barons L (1991): Amending Section 337 to Obtain GATT Consistency and Retain Border Protection, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 22, Brett W (2001): Influence and Lack of Influence of Principles in the Negotiation for Chinas Accession to the Word Trade Organization, The George Washington International Law Review, retrieved on 20th October 2008 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa5433/is_/ai_n21481317. Cannon J. R Bland K. L (1993): GATT Panels Need Restraining Principles, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 24, Collins, S. M Bosworth B . P (1994): The New GATT: Implications for the United States; Brookings Institution, Dowlah C (2004): Backwaters of Global Prosperity: How Forces of Globalization and GATT/WTO Trade Regimes Contribute to the Marginalization of the Worlds Poorest Nations; Praeger, Faye A. A (1996): APEC and the New Regionalism: GATT Compliance and Prescriptions for the WTO, Journal of Law and Policy in International Business, Vol. 28, Hoekman, B. M . Kostecki M. M (1995): The Political Economy of the World Tr

Systems Analysis: History, Concepts And Theories

Systems Analysis: History, Concepts And Theories One could unarguably suggest that systems exist, in various forms, since the dawn of time. From the Solar System, to our planets ecosystem, to the human societies where people gathered into teams to hunt animals or farm the land to be able to survive, all are prime examples of thousand years old systems. By definition, a system could be described as any entity, conceptual or physical, which consists of interdependent parts (Ackoff, 1960). As the human-controlled systems (i.e. society, organizations, information systems and business systems) started to become increasingly more complex, various issues appeared like an increase of costs, harder maintenance and more administrative complexities. The need to overcome and solve all these problems led to the appearance of the field of Systems Analysis. Systems Analysis: History, Concepts Theories The analysis, as defined in the Oxford Dictionary, is the separation of a substance into parts for study and interpretation; detailed examination. Subsequently, Systems Analysis could be described as the early process in the development of a new system, or the evaluation of an old one, where the analysts try to investigate a given situation, identify the main problems that need to be solved, break them up into sub-problems if needed, and finally recommend the most efficient and costless way to solve them (Yeates et al, 1994; Silver et al, 1989; Bingham et al, 1978). Plato once said: the beginning is the most important part of work. Nowadays, Platos words are proved far from wrong in the case of developing or evaluating a system. The first steps of working on a new project are probably the most important ones to guarantee any fair chance of success. This is the main reason why many organizations, companies and governments prefer to spend a significant amount of money in the early stag es of development, in order to be able to minimize the risk of potential disaster later on (Daniels et al, 1981). After all, the sooner a mistake is identified, the sooner it will be fixed, saving a lot of effort, time and money. There are many types of human-controlled systems, as previously mentioned, ranging from large-scale, complex human societies (whose boundaries are usually not so easy to define as they constantly interact with other societies near them), to small-scale computer information systems (whose boundaries are easier to define). Although each key author and researcher tried to describe his own concept of what analysis is and why it is critical to apply it in the development process, their thoughts and views share many common elements. Depending on the type of system they concentrated on, various definitions where given. To begin with, Systems Analysis is the process of investigating a systems boundaries, users, processes, inputs and outputs with the aim of suggesting more efficient and economical ways to solve the problems in question (Silver et al, 1989). Another, more general suggestion is that Systems Analysis refers to an orderly, structured process for identifying and solving problems (Gore et al, 1983). Finally, according to George Marshall in his book Systems Analysis and Design: Alternative Structured Approaches, Systems Analysis is the process of defining precisely what a computer system should do (Marshall, 1986). Igor Hawryszkiewycz describes in his book Introduction to Systems Analysis and Design that analysis is mainly used in order to effectively understand the structure of a system and what its requirements are (Hawryszkiewycz, 1994). John Bingham in his book A Handbook of Systems Analysis describes the analysis in six steps: the project selection, the feasibility study, the definition phase, the design phase, the implementation phase and finally the evaluation phase (Bingham et al, 1978). Perhaps one of the most straightforward explanations of Systems Analysis main objective is that it aims to transform user needs into specifications for programmers (Marshall, 1989). To achieve this, the systems analyst has to complete five tasks and responsibilities: to plan, investigate, understand, document and communicate with the rest of the team (Yeates et al, 1994). Firstly and probably most importantly too, the analyst must study the feasibility of the system. This means that he has to thoroughly search and decide if it is humanly possible to develop the system and how much effort in time and money it will cost to do so. Second step is to discuss with the systems target group and find out their needs in order to be able to understand and elicit the requirements. Third step is to research the existing data, human recourses and available computer procedures to find out the limitations, techniques or methods that will be used in the later stages of development. Usually from this phase and on the analyst works close together with the designers, programmers and testers in order to establish a successful communication between the team and share feedback with them (Parkin, 1980; Daniels et al, 1981; Open University, 1982). Although the human-controllable systems are in existence ages now, Systems Analysis as a scientific field is quite more recent, and its roots can be traced back a few decades. Before computers became mainstream, the first analysts where using more traditional approaches to analyze and solve the given problems. They followed two main steps: firstly they analyzed the projects requirements and secondly they specified these requirements. Although this practice was logical and theoretically correct, it depended too much on the human factor, which means it was prone to mistakes. Among the disadvantages of the traditional approach was that it required vast amounts of written documentation, many times there was a lack of communication between the analysts and the designers and last but not least it was very time consuming. All these negatives caused a great number of system development projects to face difficulties during the analysis phase in the 1970s (Yeates et al, 1994). Researchers in the field of Systems Analysis, in an effort to overcome all the problems caused by the traditional approach, focused their attention to develop new, more efficient methods of analysis. The result of the above efforts was a structured approach to analysis (Yourdon, 1976; DeMarco, 1979; Bansler, 1993). This approach, as described in the book Systems Analysis and Design by Don Yeates et al, follows three general principles: modeling, partitioning and iteration. Modeling is the extended use of models, diagrams, data flow charts and other graphic representations, which aim to provide a non-confusing, realistic image of the system to the rest of the development team. Partitioning is the method of dividing the system in question to sub-systems with the aim of making them more understandable to the rest of the team. Moreover, partitioning helps the analyst to decide which part of the whole problem every member of the team will be given to solve. Iteration is the method of cons tantly repeating the analysis stage, as many times as needed, in order to reach the best possible solution. The need for iteration arises from the fact that it is rare for a system to be represented correctly the first time, as many repetitions are usually needed, in order to achieve a standard of accuracy (Yeates et al, 1994). Following the appearance of a more structured and formal way of analyzing a system, researchers were trying to come up with various models, which held a central role for Systems Analysis. These models, if strictly followed, would significantly enhance the development process. The early software development models though, such as the Waterfall Model (Royce, 1970), did not allow a lot of room for feedback and changes because of their linear structure. In contrast to these early models, modified approaches like the V-Model (German Ministry of Defense, 1992) and the Spiral Model (Boehm, 1988) gave the analyst the flexibility to interact with the rest of the team even in the later development phases. This is particularly important for the sole reason that, as discussed earlier, Systems Analysis is one of the most crucial phases during a systems creation. By providing the team the option to interact with the analyst on the go, it can minimize the time needed for system revision and most im portantly save a lot of time and money. Although return of investment and risk minimization are two of the most salient reasons of why Systems Analysis is so important, there are a lot more benefits to be gained in the long term. The efficiency of the project team is greatly enhanced as goals are reached faster and the available resources are used more wisely. Furthermore, errors are recognized earlier which translates to less time invested in testing during the final phases of a project, which in its own turn leads again to more profit (Silver et al, 1989). It is very important also to mention that nowadays systems become so complex that usually consist of multiple subsystems, each one playing a key role in the whole process. These subsystems coexist and highly depend on each other. Any change that may occur in any of them could affect multiple other subsystems of the whole. It is critical for the analysts to spend a considerable amount of time and effort to understand the system as one single entity and identify all of its problems. Only after a thorough study of the system they will be able to really understand its purpose and support the development team in creating a system that will be safe, robust and effective (Hawryszkiewycz, 1994). In 1994, a study by the Standish Group provides a better understanding of how valuable the correct application of analysis during a systems development phase is. The company studied eight thousand software projects undertaken by 350 different companies in order to see how successful the development process was. The results were disastrous as around 31% of the projects were cancelled before they make it to the production phase (Standish, 1994). When in further study, these companies were asked about the reasons for these failures, more than 54% answered that it was various problems during the analysis phase (Standish, 1995). Systems analysis though is not a cure-all medicine. Like all approaches in system development, it has its own disadvantages and limitations. Some company, for example, could have so many internal problems, financial or not, that a single Systems Analysis, even the best one possible, could not be enough to save it from bankruptcy. Another disadvantage is that Systems Analysis costs a lot of money and time (Silver et al, 1989). Although, it has been proven many times that projects that went through a thorough System Analysis phase had greater chances to become successful, its still not a guarantee. As the human factor never stops to play a vital role in the whole development process, there is always the risk that something is mistakenly overlooked (i.e. a bug in the code that escapes the final testing phase), which leads to a fault product in the production line, which in turn leads to less sales or even stigmatize the organizations good name. Conclusion Systems Analysis has become a necessity, a highly important and integral tool that development teams, governments and companies use to enhance their productivity and raise their profit margins (Silver et al, 1989). As people say: money makes the world go round, and this is especially true nowadays that organizations put even more effort to identify and satisfy their needs in the most effective and efficient way. Systems and projects become even more sophisticated, even more advanced, even more complex and even more critical for the safety of the users. Developers must be able to adapt in this ever-changing environment if they want to survive in the highly competitive world of today. For all these reasons, Systems Analysis continues to play a key role, and researchers are trying constantly to find new ways to make it even more efficient in the future.