The Human Lives Depending on Technologies

As we approach the new millenium, it has become obvious that more than ever before, we need technology. And yet every new technology places new demands upon us creating new forms of frustration and stress. We can not live with it, but we can not live without it. If we fail to conform ourselves, will we remain the ignorant victims of the computer age? Will we become its slave? This is the focus of this paper. We have learned from our readings that the Luddites learned about the technology that was being abused in their time. They worked on the cotton gin machines and were skilled technicians. They understood that it was not the power of a useful machine they were fighting but the power of those who mismanaged it. The same can be said for the management of computer technology. There is not doubt that computer technology has become central to the operation of global multinationals, financial markets, security surveillance, and as well as everyday life. There is little we can do with a computer interface device that will preserve our identity. Governments acting as a global police force protecting us from ourselves can easily monitor the electronic trail of commands and transactions. Perhaps the Luddites could see farther into the future than anyone suspected. With regards to the downfall of technology and the role it would play on people's lives, as they became dependent upon technology for survival. Let's take for example the huge technological dilemma of the fast approaching twenty-first century; the issues surrounding Y2K. It has been feared that people's lives will be totally devastated, as the technology they have grown to depend on will suddenly fail them on January 1, 2000. It is thought by many that all of the technology that we have come to depend upon for survival will cease to function successfully. The cars which we depend on for travel, the coffee we depend on to start our day, the electronically controlled furnaces we depend on for heat, and the elevators we depend on to bring us to work will suddenly fail us all together. Even the traffic lights will become chaotic as the computers that control them will be tricked into believing it is January 1, 1900. Even the great mastermind computer programmers of our time could not think of anything more than a band-aid solution to the transportation problem. It appears that the Transportation Department of the City of Calgary will solve their traffic light dilemma by tricking the computer system that controls the traffic lights into believing it is January 1, 1972. Obviously this band-aid solution will not solve all problems, as this will still be a problem for the next generation of transportation programmers. It appears as the New Millenium fast approaches we need to return to an age that does not depend on technology for survival. People are concerned that since no technology is reliable enough to survive the Y2K dilemma that we will have to return to the ways of our ancestors for survival during this time of technological uncertainty. Heaven forbid if we could not get a fresh loaf of bread from our technologically advanced breadmakers. Information technology is a valuable extension of our power of perception and reasoning, but when we rely on it exclusively it has a debilitating effect. When we were first confronted with this new technology it absorbed all of our human resources in order to learn and adapt to the magnitude of this new technology. Many of us overextend ourselves and become obsessive allowing computers to consume all of our attention; therefore, losing our perspective of reality and purpose. If this remains the permanent attitude resulting in the overextension of our own resources, which this technology was meant to serve, then we have become the servants of this technology.

Literature of War and Peace Essay

Sir Winston Churchill British statesman, orator, and author who was elected prime minister twice in 1940s and 1950s. He is regarded as one of the finest military leaders in history and is credited to rallying the moral of the British people during world war two and leading them from the brink of defeat to victory against the axis powers. How he did this was not only though his leadership but arguably through his speeches as well, one of Churchill’s greatest assets was his words and how he used them to inspire and motivate his people. Despite having a lisp throughout his career He was known for his excellent speaking, the speeches he made throughout his life in particularly dark times for the British were always inspiring, while presented in a way that made them understandable to any person no matter whom they were. Now this was seen particularly in Churchill’s speech â€Å"the defence of freedom and peace† which he presented in October 16th 1938 near the start of world war two in an appeal to British and Americna public to prepare for the strong possibility of war against Nazi Germany. In the speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill uses a variety of persuasive yet simple literary devices such as allusion, rhetorical questions, imagery and Tricolon and wording to arouse, influence and encourage American and British listeners to ready themselves for a possible war against Germany. Now prior to this speech Britain’s foreign policy regarding Nazi expansion was one of appeasement. British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain believed that Germany had been unfairly treated by the allies after its defeat in the 1st world war. His view was that Germany had sincere grievances that needed to be resolved; he also thought that by agreeing to some of the propositions being made by fascist powers Germany and Italy such as the Munich agreement than Europe could potentially avoid the outbreak of another world war. Meanwhile in the United States a combination of events such as the great depression and the losses suffered in world war one had pushed the American opinion and policy towards isolationism. Many Americans argued that the United States shouldn’t intervene in European conflicts or politics that did not concern them. Churchill however believed that not only did Nazi Germany and Facist Italy pose a threat but that the rights, traditions and fundamental beliefs of western civilization were in jeopardy and so he made it his mission to ready the British people for war and appeal to the US for aide against this threat. Now in his speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill utilizes a number of literary devices the first of which is Allusion. Allusion is a figure of speech that makes reference to a place, person or event real or imaginary and can refer to anything which includes artist paintings, opera, mythical figures and bible passages. Churchill uses this to grab his audience’s attention and engage them into the subject while also getting his message across to them without having to go through tedious details. The first example of allusion is when he states â€Å"he (meaning Hitler) must blood his hounds and show them sport or else like Actaeon of old, be devoured by them†. Here he is referring to an ancient tale in Greek mythology Actaeon was a man who was punished by the goddess Artemis for boasting that he was a better hunter than she as a consequence she turned him into a stag, and his hounds turned on him and killed him. What Churchill is trying to get across to his audience is that if Hitler does not constantly lead his allies and soldiers to victory, they will eventually turn against him, taking his power for themselves. Allusion was further demonstrated when Churchill states to his audience that the American people wash their hands of the whole buissness.

Money cannot buy happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Money cannot buy happiness - Essay Example But, this is paradoxical as money can’t really buy happiness. It is written in many spiritual texts that money can only buy the source but not true content of happiness. For example, money can buy a house but not a home filled with love and affection; it can buy a bed but not sleep; it can buy companions but not friends. Money is required for satisfaction of material wants, and there is no end to human wants. In the race of achieving more and more material needs, man tends to forget to be happy. Man is a social animal and cannot live in isolation. Rich men attract people, but hardly have any friends; or, tend to lose friends in due course because their focus is towards making more money rather than to give time to their beloved ones and value their affection (Jet, 15). As a result, men having money become lonely with no people to care for by the end. Such life is certainly not a happy one. Happiness lies in being cared for and caring for others. Money cannot prevent one from losing his/her life; only love and affection can be cherished even after the loss. Jet Magazine quotes that the psychologist, Dr. Lewis-Jack believes that real happiness is ‘peace of mind, good health and being content with yourself and where you are at this point in your life; having goals and a willingness to work toward achieving those goals’ (p.18). This is very true because chasing after money will affect one’s health in the due course of time, which will necessitate treatment and care. For this, the person will have to rush to health care where he will receive care upon paying money; but, this care will not be original and true to his/her internal satisfaction. Secondly, chasing after money causes mental and emotional stress; this will manifest in the form of quarrels, misunderstandings, depression, anxiety and fear. Greed for money will also

Executive Summary Memo for Market Analysis of Parkinson's Disease Research Paper

Executive Summary Memo for Market Analysis of Parkinson's Disease - Research Paper Example The exact cause of such effects is not known, although aggressive research in this area is underway. Irrespective of the cause, a patient with full-blown Parkinson’s disease will have four cardinal symptoms, tremor at rest, bradykinesia, rigidity, and difficulties with balance. Such patients due to difficulty in movement control are virtually rendered nonfunctional, and the quality of their life is severely affected (1). From the market point of view, thus there is huge untapped potential in the Parkinsons disease therapy market. The exact cause of the disease is not known, but a considerable number of individuals suffer from this problem. The medical therapy assumes a central role in the management plan, and therefore a variety of medications are available for symptomatic treatment. Despite new research to discover newer drugs, there is no medication as yet which has shown promise in arresting the pathological process of the Parkinsons disease. Therefore, this existing gap can create opportunities newer modalities of therapies, therapeutic agents, or curative agents (1). The Worldwide market of Parkinson’s disease is huge, since it is a common neurological disease with a disease burden of 4.1m affected individual. It is expected that its prevalence will rise in the coming years with increased clinical interventions in different forms. Current treatments or therapeutic choices are unsatisfactory making the unmet needs of this market a huge one, creating significant market opportunity. Although the market is global, in developed world, almost all counties constitute the major markets of such drugs. These countries are USA, Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the UK. Compared to last evaluation of 2006 the market has been predicted to grow beyond $4.6bn from its base of $2.2bn, which interestingly was 11% larger than its base of 2005. The market is expected to increase in an exponential rate due to the fact that

Social Performance of Organizations (Apple) Essay

Social Performance of Organizations (Apple) - Essay Example The nature of the company, like many other companies, is that it has a mother company and other regional subsidiaries. All the products are identical irrespective of which subsidiary produces them. The organization structure is simplified depending on Apple Inc.’s regional distribution. Below the Apple Operations International are Apple Operations Europe, distribution retail holding and sales international. The structures below the operations are themselves very large. Critical decision-making that affect the entire Apple Inc are made at the top and directives communicated to subsidiaries as policies. Some of the services that Apple offers its customers include an online store from which customers can find many updated software and applications free of charge. Such free services give customers the confidence to consume the company’s products with the knowledge that there is always service beyond purchase. In regard to the organizations external environment, competition and product incompatibility with related technology are factors that may affect its success. Before Google launched and sold out android software, Apple Inc gave Google such a stiff competition in the market. Apple’s iPhones dominated the US market in a manner that was unprecedented. Although Microsoft also had Windows Phones in the Market, Apple still led the pack. However, Google’s launch of Smart Phone application at affordable price to other competitors soon weakened Apple’s grip on the market. In fact, Google had intended it to be so. By the year 2012, Apple Struggled to catch up with Samsung. That is because whereas Apple’s products are relatively expensive, Samsung came up with a strategy, which involved making cheap quality phones that targeted the wider Asian and African market majorly. Based on Android technology, such cheap phones appealed to a wider audience. Despite the fact that Apple may not be the leader in smartphone

Life's Greatest Miracle Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Life's Greatest Miracle - Term Paper Example The processes such as meiosis are critical for the variation that makes the offspring to possess better traits than their parents do. The division of the cells and development of the embryo into a fetus through the formation of vital organs results in the birth of a child. The documentary indicates that the sexual and asexual reproduction is significant in the propagation of life. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plays an important function that involves the carrying of human genetic information, which is useful for the development of new human life. The DNA offers each human being unique traits. Sexual reproduction creates variation and improves the survival rate of the species. The process of meiosis, which entails the combination of genes, confers a unique set of characteristics. Fundamentally, the human body has an unquestionable urge to reproduce and the union of the sperm and ovum results in an embryo. Fertilization leads to the combination of hereditary information and forms the building blocks of the new human life. Melinda and Sergio’s story underpins the significance of the DNA in passing the hereditary information from one generation to the other. Evident in the documentary, the two partners wonder the appearance of their baby. Melinda an d Sergio contemplate whether the baby will have its father’s eyebrows or that of the grandmother (PBS). The conversation between the two shows that the offspring have a certain percentage of DNA from the previous generation. Hence, DNA is a crucial molecule that carries hereditary information. The embryo undergoes developmental stages to become a fetus and eventually a fully developed baby. The multiplication of cells results in specific body parts. Notably, blood vessel forms at the first three weeks, followed by the development of the primitive backbone, brain, and the eyes, as well as other organs that comprise a functional body system (PBS). Genes play a critical role in turning on and off various

Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress Essay

Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress in the Workplace and Work-Life Balance - Essay Example This essay explores the several causes of stress in the workplace that may result in poor performance and other negative impacts in the workplace. These may include employees facing conditions of overwork, low levels of job satisfaction, job insecurity, and lack of autonomy and/or harassment in the course of work. Workplace stress has detrimental effects on the well-being of employees as well as an effect on health. Work-life balance refers to the policies that aim at achieving a greater complementary and equality or balance between work and various home responsibilities. The policies apply to all workers whether parenting or not. Lack of these policies would result in different forms of stress in the working environment. Failure to meet the work-life balance may result to stress in employees and may affect organizational performance. Individuals and organizations should be able to identify the stressors in workplace and design amicable solution to combat the issue. If there is an ea rly address on potential stressors, individuals and organizations may be able to alleviate the negative effects associated with stress. To handle the menace well, employees need to identify signs and possible stressors. On the other hand, managers need awareness on the effects of stress on employees and general performance of the company in terms of output. It is necessary for an individual to learn how to keep away from stress as it is necessary too for employers. A person who is subject to stress may show various signs. These signs may be inward or outward depending on the different people. Inward signs may consist of immediate body changes such as the change in heart rate, nausea, or vomiting. Other internal signs may include a feeling of anger, protest, frustration, guilt, embarrassment, memory loss, prolonged sleeplessness, and strange dreams. These indicate stress and require attention before affecting work and personal life. Outward signs are noticeable by colleagues and thos e in the managerial sector. They include increased smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug taking. Reduced performance, irritability, absenteeism, complaints about ill health and deteriorating relationship with colleagues may indicate stress.

Rules and Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rules and Legal System - Essay Example This will also ignore rules set down by extra-systems and will not come up with a definition of law. Every legal philosopher agrees on and presumes the presence and necessity of rules in every legal system. They only bicker on the manner of their validity and normativity. Rules are inherent in the very definition of law and of legal system and are very significant in legal process. Analytic Jurisprudence views the legal system as constitutive of norms and differentiates and severes it from other non-legal systems extant in every possible society. According to Austin (1995)1, analytic jurisprudence seeks to put a handle upon "the essence or nature which is common to all laws that are properly so called." (p. 11) The existing works of analytic jurisprudence exist in a continuum which on one end stands theories of natural law and on the opposite, that of legal positivism with strains of both theories in between. More modern theories diverge from both theories forming classifications of their own. This law of nature, being co-eval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force, and all their authority, mediately or immediately from this original. (p.41) Neo-classical natural law theory use the said thesis to provide the basis for justification of legal obligatoriness and consequent state coercion. For John Finnis (1980)3, "the principles of natural law explain the obligatory force (in the full sense of 'obligation') of positive laws, even when those laws cannot be deduced from those principles" (p.23-24) Fuller4, on the other hand, lists eight (8) principles of procedural morality requirements, all concurring, which every law should satisfy. According to him (1964), these features serve "the enterprise of subjecting human conduct to the governance of rules." (p.106) On the opposite, legal positivists proffer criteria for validity of law other than morality. Legal Positivism asserts that "it is in no sense a necessary truth that laws reproduce or satisfy certain demands of morality, though, in fact they have often done so. (Hart, p.181-2)5 Legal Positivism. For all positivists, the law is a social construct. The Conventionality thesis insists that social convention serves as the rule of recognition of the authoritativeness of a law. The Social Fact thesis require particular facts such as the presence of a sovereign or of primary and secondary rules as rules of recognition that provide legal validity. The Separability thesis denies any overlap between

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) Essay - 1

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) - Essay Example SHRM is regarded as an approach to the management of human resources, which offer a strategic system in support of long-term business objectives, goals, and outcomes. SHRM entails long-term issues of the people within the organization which include structure, culture, quality, commitment, values, and matching resources with the future needs. Strategic human resource management is a complex endeavor that evolves over time (Nankervis et al., 2008). The opinions regarding the relationships of SHRM with business strategy and planning are varied from one scholar to another. This paper will explore the issue of SHRM as it relates to health services organization. Just like other organizations, health service organizations are under great pressure from customers to maintain quality as well as pressure from other organizations. This changing business environment through competition calls for advanced strategic approaches. In the case of John Hopkins hospital, which falls under health service organizations, the issue of SHRM has been adequately considered. The organization has been steadfast in addressing employee issues through training and development, motivation, leadership, and rewards system. The organization is much aware on the importance of SHRM through prioritization of employee needs (Schulz & Johnson, 2003). In aligning the organizations to SHRM, several strategies have been put in place. The main issue of concern is that SHRM entails the prioritization of the needs of human resources in the organization. Some of the factors put into consideration in positioning the organization include investment in the people. Since human resources play a fundamental role in the organization, training and development is a key issue. Introduction and encouragement of learning and development to the employees is a strategic move of increasing employee efficiency. Strategic human resource management by educating employees is essential for increasing capability. Learning process helps in aligning employees with skills to address the organizational needs. Training and development of employees is a strategic move in HRM, which positions the employees for dealing with all production requirements of the organization (Brand & Bax, 2002). Health service organizations seeking to strategize their human resources need to align their human resource capacity with the organization’s vision and mission. Development of intellectual capital of the employees is essential in SHRM. By educating employees and increasing their intellectual capital, an organization is able to benefit from realization of its goals. This is mainly on the aspect of customer service and quality, whereby the employees are empowered with skills and knowledge of dealing with day to day organizational operations (Fegley, 2006). Another aspect of strategic human resource management is the definition of required behaviors and alignment with the organizational culture. It is essential to note that that establishment of a good organizational culture helps in enhancing human capital and performance. Managers should be steadfast in setting organizational standards, which match the vision and mission of the organization. This includes the setting of values and norms which every member of the organizati

An Honest Farmer Essay Example for Free

An Honest Farmer Essay The dictionary defines integrity as â€Å"an uncompromising adherence to a moral code† and ssys the word traces its origins to a Latin term meaning â€Å"untouched. † Here is integrity, untouched and unshaken by altered circumstances. There was a war in Germany long ago, and thousands of soldiers were scattered over the country. A captain of the cavalry, who had a great many men and horses to feed, was told by his colonel that he must get food from the farms nearby. The captain walked for some time through the lonely valley, and at last knocked at the door of a small cottage. The man who opened it looked old and lame. He leaned on a stick. â€Å"Good day, sir,† said the captain. â€Å"Will you kindly show me a field where my soldiers can cut the grain and carry it off for our army? † the old man led the soldiers through the valley for about a mile, and in the distance they saw a field of barley waving in the breeze. â€Å"This is just what we want. We’ll stop here,† exclaimed the captain. â€Å"No, not yet,† said the old man. â€Å"You must follow me a little farther. † After another mile or two, they came to a second field of barley. The soldiers dismounted, cut down the grain, tied it in sheaves, and rode away with it. Then the captain said to the old farmer: â€Å"Why did you make us walk so far? The first field of barley was better than this one. † â€Å"That is true, sir,† answered the honest old man, â€Å"but it was not mine. † farmer

Education Is Considered As An Investment Economics Essay

Education Is Considered As An Investment Economics Essay Education is considered as an investment in human capital. Human capital can be described as the knowledge, abilities and skills of an individual, acquired through education, training and experience, which help the latter to be more productive and thus improve his potential income earning. Ismael (1998), Becker (1964) and Mincer (1974) have emphasized on the fact that, by investing in human beings, we will gain from some forms of benefits in the future. However, Blankneau and Simpson (2004) find no clear evidence on the link between government spending on education and economic growth. Human capital is one of the most important components of sustainable economic development of a country as illustrated by Lucas (1988) and Romer (1990) in their new growth literature. The expanded neoclassical growth model developed by Mankiw, Romer and Weil (MRW) (1992) and the endogenous growth models developed by Lucas (1988), Romer (1990), Barro (1990) and others have only recently stressed on the importance of human capital in growth theories. Even though human capital incorporates health, experience, skills, education and other social factors, in this paper we will concentrate only on the role of education and its effects on the economic development of Mauritius. One problem that arises is when dealing with the measurement of human capital. In fact, there is no agreed definition of which proxy should be used to represent human capital. Generally, the average number of years of schooling has long been seen as a convenient proxy. For example, Mankiw et al. (1992) use secondary enr ollment as proxy for education and Barro (1998) uses enrollment in different levels of education, i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary, and also enrollment by gender as proxies. In our study we will be using the average number of years of different schooling levels as proxies for education. Petrakis and Stamatakis (2002) have stressed on the fact that each different level of education has different impact on growth. For example, they find that the effect of primary and secondary education on the economic growth of developing countries is more significant than that of tertiary education, and for developed countries it is the opposite that takes place. Since it improves human capital, we could say that education does affect economic growth predominantly, but actually, the impact of education on the economic development is quite ambiguous. There were countless debates over the years by researchers over whether education has a positive, negative or no relationship at all with the economic growth of a country. Barro (1991) finds that education has a positive and significant impact on economic growth. He observes that any rise in enrollment rate, raises GDP too. De Meulmester and Rochet (1995) provide evidence that this relationship may not always be true. Devarajan et al. (1996) find that education has a negative impact on economic growth for some developing countries. They deduce that developing countries are not productive at the margin because these countries do not fairly allocate their public capital expenditure and this explains the opposing relationship between education and economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to dete rmine the impact of education on the economic growth of Mauritius. Empirical Evidence Barro (1991) finds that education and economic growth are highly correlated. He uses enrollment rate as a proxy for education and per capita GDP as a proxy for economic growth. Data are collected across more than 100 countries during the years 1960 to 1990 and Barro finds that each additional year of enrollment increases per capita GDP. Bils and Klenow (2000) also come across similar results in their research. They find that variation in schooling explains approximately one third of the variation in economic growth. Although Bils and Klenow (2000) provide evidence of the positive relationship between education and economic development, they also claim that more growth would result in more education and not the opposite, i.e. a reverse causation effect. Akcabelen (2009) uses the ARDL approach to determine the short-run and long-run effects of different levels of education on Turkeys economic development. Secondary enrollment and tertiary enrollment are used as different proxies for education and this enables us to examine the impact of each level of education on the economic growth. Akcabelen concludes that there is positive correlation between all levels of education and the long-run economic development of Turkey. Loening (2002) uses time-series data from 1951 to 2000 and applies the error-correction methodology to analyze the impact of education on the economic growth of Guatemala. He observes that output per worker increases by 0.16 percent following a 1 percent rise in the average years of schooling. So he agrees on the fact that education does have a positive impact on the overall economic development of the country. Afzal et al. (2010) use time series data from 1970-2009 to analyze the relationship between education, physical capital, inflation, poverty and economic growth in Pakistan. According to their findings, education and physical capital have both a positive and considerable effect on economic growth in the short-run as well as in the long-run. They also find that inflation slows down economic growth in the long-run and poverty has no effect at all on the economic development of Pakistan. Other researchers, such as Kakar et al. (2011), have used time series data for the time span 1980-2009 and apply the Error Correction Model (ECM) and come to the conclusion that education influences Pakistans economic development only in the long-run. They also observe that the quality of education is more important than the quantity of education in achieving economic growth, so the government should increase its investment in education with the aim of enhancing the quality of education further. Since Mauritius is part of Africa, it is also good to see the results of researches conducted in other African countries. Fonkeng and Ntembe (2009) use enrollment and GDP as proxies for education and economic development and they notice that education at higher level, i.e. at tertiary level, is positively correlated with economic growth of Cameroon. Musila and Belassi (2004) use government expenditure on education as proxy for education for the years 1965 to 1999. They apply the cointegration and the ECM methods and find that there is positive correlation between average workers expenditure on education and the economic growth of Uganda. Ndiyo (2007) uses time series data from 1970 to 2000 on real education expenditure, real capital formation and GDP, and employs the VAR technique. Based on the results obtained after computations, Ndiyo (2007) demonstrates that education does not have a positive effect on the economic development of Nigeria. He suggests that this result can be explai ned by various factors such as labor market distortions, redundancy, brain drain, industrial disputes and job discontinuities, and government failure etc. Khorasgani (2008) analyses the impact of higher education on Irans economic development for the period 1959 to 2005. The proxies used for human capital are education attainment and research expenditures. Khorasgani (2008) also uses Cobb-Douglas production function together with the ARDL method to determine the short-run and long-run effects of higher education on the economic growth. The study demonstrates that real output increases by 0.314 percent in the long run and 0.198 percent in the short run following a 1 percent increase in higher education attainment. Hence, higher education has a positive and significant impact on the economic development of Iran.

Drugs in United States Essay -- Drug Trafficking Drugs Essays

Drugs in United States Drugs are a complex problem with widespread political, economic and social implications for producing, transit, and consumer nations. In the area of foreign policy, political and economic instability in drug producing areas around the world-and particularly in Latin America is an epidemic that cannot be ignored. The objective of this paper is to asses the past issues, current status, and future prospects of the US war on drugs in Latin America - specifically Panama. It begins with a brief overview of the basic problems of drug use in America, and examines how the United States has handled the specific situation of General Noriega and the Panamanians. Finally, I will examine an array of policy options presently available to the United States in its campaign against drug trafficking in Panama and other Latin American countries. During the late 1980's, the presence of narcotics trafficking in the world grew rapidly. Many claimed that the United States was facing a national security crisis as far as drugs were concerned. In 1988, as may as 75 percent of more criminals arrested in major American cities tested positive for drugs[1]. A Justice Department study backs up this allegation finding that one-half to three-quarters of the men arrested for serious crimes in 12 major cities tested positive for the recent use of illegal drugs whereas a similar study done four years prior showed that only 56 percent of those arrested for serious crimes were abusing drugs prior to their arrest[2]. In addition, out of 1.2 million intravenous drug users in America, 250,000 of them are infected with AIDS. It was estimated that the cost of drugs to American society measured in terms of death, illness, crime, lost ... ...ngton, D.D. (30 September) [11] Sciolino, E. & Endelberg (1988) ?Narcotics Effort Failed by US Security Goals.? New York Times (April 10th): Y [12] Sciolino, E. & Endelberg (1988) ?Narcotics Effort Failed by US Security Goals.? New York Times (April 10th): Y [13] ?Columbia and the War on Drugs.? Foreign Affairs, 67, 1 (Fall) 70-92. (1988) [14]? Drugs, Law Enforcement, and Foreign Policy: Panama? Hearings before the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics and International Communications of the Committee on Foreign Relations United States [15] Sciolino, E. & Endelberg (1988) ?Narcotics Effort Failed by US Security Goals.? New York Times (April 10th): Y [16] Moss, A. (1988) ?Drugs and Politics in Panama.? Paper prepared for the ?Drug Trafficking in the Americas? Conference. The Wilson Center, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.D. (30 September)

Appearance vs. Reality in Julius Caesar :: Julius Caesar Essays

Appearance vs. Reality in Julius Caesar In life, people and things are not always as they appear. William Shakespeare displays this idea throughout his play, Julius Caesar. The play portrays the historical murder of one of ancient Rome's most precious leaders, Julius Caesar. The play takes its readers through the minds of the conspirators as they plot this massive murder and deal with the responsibilities of its consequences. During the aftermath of Caesar's death, Octavius talks to Antony about how they should bring peace back to Rome. He states, "And some that smile...have in their hearts...millions of mischiefs" (4.1.50-51). Here, Octavius is referring to the false appearance of the conspirators. He says that they might appear harmless, but behind their false smiles is a heart full of dirty tricks. He is also saying that someone's outward appearance doesn't always symbolize how he or she feels inside. This theme of appearance versus reality can be seen various times throughout Julius Caesar. It is developed through the personalities and actions of Antony, Brutus, and Cassius. These characters deceive their friends and add to the intriguing plot of the play. First of all, there is Antony, a raging triumvir after the death of Caesar. Anotony is a dear friend of Caesar and is truly devastated after his beloved friend's death. Antony feels that justice must take its course, for over Caesar's dead body he states, "O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth/ That I am meek and gentle with these butchers" (3.1. ). Antony then decides that he must get back at the conspirators and convince the public that the motives behind killing Caesar were unjust. In funeral speech Antony even makes it a point to refute what Brutus said in speech moments ago. However, the nether neither the public nor the conspirators comprehend his motive at first. Antony appears like he is just presenting another side to the story, but in reality he is refuting Brutus' speech and swaying the public towards his side. During his speech he even states, "I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke" (3.2. ). To the conspirators Antony appears like "one of Caesar's man y limbs"( ). In reality he is plotting revenge.

Beowulf Vs. Grendel :: essays research papers

Grendal, a descendant of Cain, is one of the main antagonist of the poem Beowulf. He lives under an inherited curse and is denied God’s presence. Throughout the story Grendal causes enormous grief and fear to the people of Herot. After so much pain and agony the king of Herot, Hrothgar, sends for the protagonist of the poem, Beowulf. He is a Geat and the epic hero of the poem. The wide variety of distinctions between Grendal and Beowulf is what develops the climax of the composition. Beowulf kills Grendal, so he is honored by the people of Herot for his heroic act. Since Grendal and Beowulf play opposite roles in the poem, Beowulf, they let the reader know how contrasting characters can develop the plot of the story. Grendal is known as a monster and portrays one of the many villains in the poem. He is referred to as the "guardian of his sins". Grendal depicts a heathen the physical image of man estranged from God. Basically, Grendal reflects a physical monster, an ogre who is hostile to humanity. Grendal’s constant visits to Hrothgar’s mead hall for bloody feasts made him feel powerful over God’s humanity. Unfortunately, the night Beowulf lies in wait for him, he assumes that his bloody feasts will continue and Grendal gives no attention to his method of attack. Grendal is then killed. Beowulf, the heroic figure in the poem, is known throughout the land as a courageous man who performs great deeds of valor. He is a Geat, who later becomes the king of the Geats. Beowulf’s strength seems to be a gift from God. As a noble and kind man, Beowulf comes to Herot to save them from God’s foe. Before Beowulf initiates battle with Grendal he exhibits a sense of fairness in not using a weapon against the monster. This demonstrates a great difference between the two characters. Had Beowulf’s attack not been unexpected, Grendal surely would have used a weapon. Beowulf’s defeat against Grendal sets one of the first stepping stones to his long legacy of heroic deeds. Both of these characters remain static throughout the poem. Beowulf portrays the heroic figure who saves everyone, while Grendal always remains evil with bad intentions. Grendal attacks mead hall because of jealousy. Grendal envies the fellowship and happiness he observes. He dislikes living in the outer world, excluded from the company of men; thus he stalks the moors, jealous of the pleasures of mankind.

Casey Anthony Essay

Courtroom trials are very interesting to me and I really enjoyed clerking for judges and being able to watch everything from beginning to end. The case I have chosen is a jury trial and that jury ends up being seven women and five men. The criminal laws that were violated were many starting with Child Neglect, making false official statements and obstructing an investigation. Forging checks, fraudulent use of identification and petty theft, first degree murder, aggravated child abuse aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to law enforcement. Heading the prosecution was the District Attorney of Orange County Florida with several of the Assistant District Attorney’s. The defense has Jose Baez and what they were calling a ‘team’ of defense counsel, which actually ended up only being 3. Judge Belvin Perry was on the bench and all of the witnesses that were on both the states list of witnesses to call but the defense as well. The outcome of this trial rocked the nation as the verdict was read live which were Not Guilty of Aggravated Murder, Aggravated Child Abuse and Aggravated Manslaughter. The defendant was found guilty on 4 counts of the forgery of checks and was credited for time served, then released from jail. Casey Anthony made national news for several days and remained the top story. She had been charged and arrested with murdering her two year old daughter, Caylee Anthony. Casey denied ever knowing anything to the police of her whereabouts and told law enforcement that her nanny had taken Caylee by force and she had been looking for her in different avenues, to supposedly protect the child. Also stating she should have contacted police sooner than 31 days prior, but she was in fear for her daughter’s life was the story she stuck to. After being jailed and held without bond pictures of the young mother were posted all over â€Å"My Space† portraying Casey Anthony as nothing but a party girl. It wasn’t until the actual trial started and the story took a huge flip and George Anthony who is Casey’s father and grandfather of little Caylee, was being accused of sexually molesting his daughter since she was 8 years old and covering up the truth about the whereabouts of the two year old. Since Casey had been a child, she had been taught to cover up and lie about certain situations if it was going to cause embarrassment to the family. It was George who had found the lifeless body of Caylee Anthony, lying face down in their pool and the cover-up began. George Anthony did not want it to get out that the family was irresponsible and left the ladder out to get into the pool. Which the story reads, little Caylee climbed up that ladder and got in the pool herself, due to no supervision and drowned. Skeletal remains of a small child were found 3 months later within a mile of the Anthony home. The body had been discarded like a piece of trash, and her remains had been duct taped in a black garbage bag and tossed into the woods. It became media frenzy and, Orlando, Florida became the busiest it had ever been since the child had gone missing. It was in fact the remains of Caylee Anthony and to this day, the young mother sticks to her story and accuses her own father of covering the death of her child up and forced Casey to go along with it. She had been taught to obey her father and did not want to go against his strictness and allowed George Anthony to dispose of the body. The trial that began on May 24, 2011 went to the jury on July 3rd 2011. Deliberations were suspended over the 4th of July holiday and resumed July 5th. During its deliberations, the jurors did not ask to review any of the 400 exhibits, request any clarifications of the law or ask for any of the trial testimony to be read back. After deliberating for 10 hours and 40 minutes, the foreperson informed the court that the jury had reached a unanimous verdict that afternoon. More often than not when a jury returns a verdict that quickly and without asking for any type of assistance from the court, it bodes ill for the defendant. This jury, however, was about to prove the old maxim that juries are unpredictable despite what all the talking heads predicted it would conclude. The jury found her not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse and manslaughter. She was however, convicted of four counts of lying to police officers. Judge Perry sentenced Casey to one year in jail and $1,000. 00 in fines for each of the providing false information counts. She was released from jail on July 17, 2011due to time already served. While Casey had been acquitted in her daughter’s death, Casey’s problems were not at an end. The defamation suit of Zenaida Gonzalez who Casey accused of kidnapping her daughter (one of the false statements) is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. Gonzalez states she lost her job as a result of Casey’s allegations which led to the loss of her apartment by eviction and she and her 6 children continue to be harassed and threatened. (Kumar) It has changed how society works today by taking more â€Å"child missing stories† more serious and not to the facts of the case, but the simple fact that the 12 person jury could not convict her due to lack of evidence. The State of Florida had not proved their case and she was walking free except with a few misdemeanor charges of lying to law enforcement. How could this have happened, with all the circumstantial evidence of her guilt was obvious, the jury stood by the law? The evidence did not prove that Casey had been involved at all without finding any DNA or any other minute evidence. At almost the end of the trial, Casey asked to be evaluated by Psychologist and Psychiatrist to see if she was mentally capable to continue with the trial. She was found competent and the trial continued til the end finding her not guilty. All of America disagreed with the verdict except the defendant and the defense counsel and still held her responsible for her daughter’s death. Society even went to the extreme as to calling the jury â€Å"idiots† I believe Casey Anthony led a not so great life, but was also a spoiled brat who always got her way. So with the news that she was walking free didn’t surprise me, as I couldn’t see any physical evidence either. Sad but true, she is out living her life without her daughter and it does not seem to bother her a bit. Casey is in hiding though as of today and knows there are people out there who hate her. She has started to learn and recognize her lies and what they did to people, and has told friends she has a lot of regards. Other sources say she plans to receive psychological counseling. She is young and optimistic and realizes she can’t change the past but she can move forward.

North American Civilization

North American Civilization Elizabeth Smith HIS 115 North American civilization began about 35,000 years ago in the time of the last ice age. A large land mass connecting Eurasia and Alaska brought the first Native American ancestors into North America. As the Ice Age ended, the sea levels rose, submerging the land bridge into the Ocean, thus leaving the ancestors of the Native Americans deserted on a remote continent. After crossing the land bridge, the Native Americans increased and shaped a mixture of cultures and several civilizations. Early North American Cultures The route from Siberia to Alaska led the first descendants as well as animals to this new land. Over many years, settlement broadened throughout America, Central, and South America of the first inhabitants (Axia College, 2010). These early American’s were nomadic. Hunting and gathering as the main source of surviving is how the first American civilizations grew and adapted to the land. The cultures of early Americans grew vastly, learning economic, social, and political skills. Early Americans adapted to the land by hunting the terrain and the water. Animals became a major source of food as well as fish and other aquatic organisms. Native Americans had to adapt to the environment to strengthen their civilization. Many families organized male members to hunt and gather food to share with the neighboring settlements. Women also contributed to society. Agriculture dominated the role of the women. Planting, harvesting, and other domestic roles helped settlements to grow and flourish in their environments. Advancements in agriculture of Mesoamerica strengthened civilizations of many early Americans such as the Mayas and the Aztecs (Axia College, 2010). Cities developed, small villages, many languages, and cultures evolved through economic, religious, and political advancements. Essentially, an empire formed through the efforts of early civilizations; however, new exploration from Europe would soon expand North American civilization. Changes in European society fueled the need to discover new and vast lands. This great conquest began with the Portuguese in the forefront of discovery. The Portuguese created much advancement in shipbuilding, which helped with successful voyages into the Atlantic Ocean (Axia College, 2010). The voyages led to the discovery of Newfoundland as well as a new trade route along the African and Asian coasts. During this time, Europeans were eager to explore new routes for trade, as well as the possibility to expand land opportunities (Axia College, 2010). With the advancement of technology, economics, and political evolution, Europeans were eager to discover new lands for expansion. Factors such as overpopulation, religion, and government politics were creating situations for Europeans to explore the possibilities of transatlantic expansionism (Axia College, 2010). Spain dominated the first efforts of exploration and colonization. Explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortez, and the Pizarro brothers, were the first to discover the new land of the America’s. As the Spanish continued to explore the civilizations of the Mayas and the Aztecs became dominated and conquered. Spanish colonization was easily established due to the diseases brought to the land, the Native Americans could not adapt to such sicknesses and therefore, the Spanish conquered Central and South America (Axia College, 2010). An Empire created, the Spanish soon convinced other Europeans to expand to settlement of the Americas. English expansionism became top priority of Queen Elizabeth I. English merchants, politicians, and reformation encouraged expansion and colonization of America. Many efforts took place; however, English colonization did not occur until the later in the fifteenth century. Over a span of many of thousands of years, settlers of America migrated, adapted, and flourished with great societies. Early Americans traveled to the continent through the land bridge, forming an environment that flourished with great economic, political, and religious advancements. With new, land discoveries, the Spanish, Portuguese, and English colonized and explored the America’s with the ambition to produce new wealth, land, and religious freedoms from their own lands, thus expanding and colonizing across the Atlantic. Gutierrez Map How and where are Native Americans presented on this map? Native Americans are presented on this map along the coasts of the Americas. Some were given descriptions of being cannibals, other societies were reflected as wealthy with temples and other riches, and others reflected the types of animals that inhabited the land. How might have the map’s indication of where Native Americans lived strengthen European claims of sovereignty? The map’s indication of Native American societies strengthened the European claims of sovereignty through its imperial claims. What do the Spanish and French coats of arms in the upper left hand corner of the map represent? The Spanish and French coat of arms in the upper left hand corner of the map represents the treaties of Cateau Cambresis signed between Spain, France, France, and England in 1559, which brought peace to Europe. What does the Portuguese coat of arms in the lower right corner of the map represent? The Portuguese coat of arms in the lower right corner of the map represents Portugal’s fleet off the Coast of Africa, which is dominating the southern Atlantic. Reference Axia College. (2010). Week One Overview. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from Axia College, Week One, rEsource. HIS115—U. S. History to 1865 Course Website.

Praying for Sheetrock: A Work of Nonfiction Essay

So emphatic is Melissa Fay Greene that Praying for Sheetrock is a work of nonfiction that she includes the phrase as a part of the title. Perhaps she feared that her use of novelistic techniques might lead the reader astray into believing that the stories she tells, the history she recounts, are imagined or distorted. Without resorting to journalese, she employs some of the reporter’s tricks to make her work more immediate: background stories, anecdotes of local color, repetition, and just enough narrative tension to push her tale forward. Consciously or subconsciously, she absorbs and uses to great effect some of the techniques Truman Capote developed for In Cold Blood (1966). She re-creates conversations without unnecessary asides and, more important, in the language she heard in McIntosh County. This skillful use of dialect establishes character in ways that expository description could not. Her own narrative voice is distinctive, assured, often poetic, as in her introduction to the place about which she writes: â€Å"McIntosh County, on the flowery coast of Georgia-small, isolated, lovely.† She never forgets that it is home to the men and women, black and white who help tell her story. She says, â€Å"If the Messiah were to arrive today, this cloudless, radiant county would be magnificent enough to receive Him.† Its beauty, however, is deceptive. The grinding poverty of its residents is all too real and ugly, and, until recently, the corruption so pervasive that the county’s name was synonymous in the state with good-old-boy political chicanery. For example, one of the effective ploys to keep the black citizenry in line was to allow them to plunder wrecked transport trucks on busy U.S. 17. From the aftermath of just such a wreck, the book gets its title, and for a people as dependent on miracles as on the economy to get by, God took on the epithet of â€Å"Sheetrock- Deliverer.† Finally one man, a disabled black boilermaker named Thurnell Alston, decided his community could no longer depend on the whims of God or the vagaries of white men for justice. The men and women of McIntosh County had lived so long under a time- honored, not always benevolent despotism that, at least on this local level, Alston was revolutionary in thinking that law could be impartial and that each man and woman deserved a voice in deciding how he or she would be governed. If  McIntosh County resembled a feudal realm, it was because the sheriff, Tom Poppell, had made himself lord and master, and under him certain whites and one or two chosen blacks as his nobles. Poor blacks and whites were, pure and simple, the serfs, destined to await the largesse of Sheriff Poppell and the other elec ted white officials. Yet, as the author describes the place, it was peaceful for the inhabitants, if not for the unlucky transients who stopped enroute to Florida: â€Å"For most of this century, there was a strange racial calm in the county, consisting in part of good manners, in part of intimidation, and in part because the Sheriff cared less about the colors black and white than he did about the color green, and the sound it made shuffled, dealt out and redealt, folded and pocketed beside the wrecked trucks and inside the local truckstop, prostitution houses, clip joints, and warehouse sheds after hours.† It was a place, then, where everyone knew what was going on and, in general, accepted it, a place where problems for the old were taken to the church and for the young to the juke joint. Greene emphasizes that special local circumstances, at least particularly Southern ones, dictated that â€Å"when angry groups of blacks and whites faced each other, everyone would know everyone else’s names and addresses, and know their mamas.† They would also all be armed to the teeth, a dangerous stalemate that ironically forestalled violence. The confrontation came when a white deputy, annoyed by the drunken bantering of courtship, shot a black man in the mouth and threw him in jail without medical attention. The black community, abuzz with the news, came together in protest, and the Civil Rights movement in McIntosh County was born. Its undisputed leader was Thurnell Alston, who along with Sammie Pinkney, a retired policeofficer, and Nathaniel Grovner, a preacher, brought the tactics of protest and confrontation to bear on a system of patronage controlled by Sheriff Poppell. He had actually employed black deputies and had â€Å"allowed† blacks to register to vote in the past. He depended on their voting in a bloc for his hand- picked candidates after 1966. Until that time, he manipulated the process so that no black man or woman could have been elected to the county commission, but he was a wily and astute politician who thought that he could control the shape of the inevitable  changes he saw elsewhere when they came to â€Å"his† county. In that year, his black candidate, a 78-year-old man, was elected to the commission so that federal minority participation guidelines were satisfied. Poppell guaranteed federal funding of county projects, and although he was never indicted for any crime, some of those funds are said to have lined his and his relatives’ pockets. Sheriff Poppell already had, therefore, a respected black churchman, Deacon Thorpe, on the commission, and when Thurnell Alston ran against him the year after the shooting, the at-large voters returned the sheriff’s yes-man to office. Once again, Poppell proved his clout. Among other things he controlled in the county was the selection of grand juries, and soon after the first election Alston lost, these white men exercised what they thought would be a routine bit of county business by appointing the brother of the county grand jury’s foreman to the county board of education. â€Å"And to create that opening, they displaced Chatham Jones, the only black member of the board of education. Thus, operating out of a system of patronage and nepotism, the all-white grand jury created in its own likeness the all-white school board to preside over the majority-black public schools.† The grand jury also had the responsibility of selecting trial juries, and in such fashion, the system took vengeance on blacks who had demonstrated a raw, as-yet undisciplined, power after the shooting. The black community organized, and its leaders contacted lawyers with the state’s legal-aid network, the Georgia Legal Services Program. These â€Å"young, upper-middle-class, mostly urban, mostly Yankee lawyers,† most of whom were white and nearly all of whom shared the messianic idealism of early 1970’s radicalism, were eager to help once they realized that enfranchised blacks-the county had roughly 44 percent of its blacks registered to vote-could effectively be cut out of local politics even when they constituted a majority of the population. With help from the legal-aid attorneys, the black community eventually won a series of suits that by 1979 stipulated a random, nondiscriminatory jury selection process and that divided Darien, the county seat, into two wards, one of which is majority black, and McIntosh County into four districts, two of which are majority black. To achieve these ends, the black community transformed itself into an activist, cohesive bloc not at all reluctant to use tactics of confrontation, including boycotts, that had been successful elsewhere. They had a charismatic leader in Thurnell Alston, who appeared to relish the challenge. He became the first independent black man, untethered to the Poppell political machine, to be elected to the county commission. Greene’s description of that long, hot election day in August, 1978, combines levity with suspense to emphasize the historic nature of the occasion. She says that the celebration that night, one she recounts in vivid, you-are-there prose, was over a principle, hardfought and won, â€Å"the principle that if a person is freezing to death in the winter, she shouldn’t have to pray for sheetrock. Municipal services ought to provide her with some. â€Å"Equally momentous for this backwater of Georgia-and, probably, Greene does not give it the weight it deserves in her chronology-was the opening of the final stretch of Interstate 95 through the county. Along U.S. 17, the no-tell motels, the clip joints, the gambling dens, the rough bars dried up from lack of business and went away, and, suddenly, it was less necessary, less profitable, to control county politics in order to assure that highway robbery remained legal. Or, as Greene puts it more poetically, â€Å"The old highway became a long, hot daydream of Florida.†Meanwhile, Alston annoyed his fellow commissioners by pushing a social program while they wrangled over attracting industry, paving roads, and promoting business. His accomplishments may appear small compared to changes elsewhere, but for the rural, isolated county, they were extraordinary. In his decade in office, ignoring, defying the sheriff at every turn, taking the issues to the public, he oversaw the creation of a hospital authority and a physician-staffed medical building deep in the county. He brought plumbing and water to settlements where people used outhouses and wells. He arranged for renovation assistance programs that aided homeowners in adding bathrooms to their cabins. He saw that a multipurpose building was built for the antebellum black community on Sapelo Island. He attracted a grant to build a mental facility out in the county. He did all these things without help or hindrance from the sheriff, who was too smart not to read the writing on the wall. Local politics in Georgia are notoriously byzantine in their good-old-boy machinations, and so in a peculiar twist of fate, Thurnell Alston, in his capacity as county commissioner, served as a pallbearer at Poppell’s funeral in 1979. It is fitting death-of-an-era symbolism, especially seen against the interstate’s eclipsing of commerce, legal and otherwise, along the busiest road through the county. Had the story ended here, Praying for Sheetrock would have been a compelling study of current events, one that could be universalized to what was happening across the South. Unfortunately, the story has a coda, one equally relevant to what is happening all across the country. Thurnell Alston and his wife, Rebecca, lost a child in a mindless accident. They drifted apart, and Alston became embittered, indifferent, and eventually, careless. A local spokesman against drugs, he was nevertheless nabbed in a sting operation and sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and for using a telephone to facilitate the sale of drugs. In spite of what some in the county saw as ultimate treason to his own people, Thurnell Alston had helped effect great changes in McIntosh County. In 1992, two members of the McIntosh county commission were black, the chairman, elected on an at-large basis, was white. Two members of Darien’s city council were black; the mayor, again elected at-large, was white. Half of the county’s deputy sheriffs were black, as was half of Darien’s police force. In 1989, two black women were elected in at-large countywide elections to positions as superintendent of schools and tax commissioner. Praying for Sheetrock, among other honors, was nominee for one of the National Book Awards. It is worthy of all the critical and popular praise it has received. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, and authentic in voice and action, the book is a model history, one less gifted writers will have  trouble emulating. Its greatest success is in dramatizing one small chapter of important, very human, history. McIntosh County’s people, for the most part, are still desperately poor, and in spite of the well-deserved attention stirred by this book, the county is still an economic wasteland. Yet its people, true to their traditions, still pray for help to a busy God. More practically, they have learned that they have the United States Constitution on their side as well. references Atlantic Journal Constitution. September 22, 1991, p. N8. Chicago Tribune. December 1, 1991, VI, p. 3. The Christian Science Monitor. December 2, 1991, p. 13. Commonweal. CXVIII, December 6, 1991, p. 722. Library Journal. CXVI, October 15, 1991, p. 106. Los Angeles Times Book Review. December 15, 1991, p. 1. The Nation. CCLIII, December 23, 1991, p. 821. The New York Times Book Review. XCVI, November 3, 1991, p. 7. Publishers Weekly. CCXXXVIII, August 16, 1991, p. 40. The Washington Post Book World. XXI, November 24, 1991, p. 3.

Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution Essay

The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution each had their own impacts on the United States economy. It can be shown that the drafting of the Constitution reversed the control of economic authority between the national government and the states, specifically regarding the laying and levying of taxes. The stipulations of taxation are clarified in the Articles and the Constitution through Article VIII and Article I, Section 8, respectively. Both statements provide for an easy analysis of taxation considering the means of taxation and how it is assessed, who collects the taxes, and the purpose of these duties. An additional observation can be made regarding the effects of slavery on the Constitution and how that is reflective of the economic impacts of the document. With the comparison of these aspects, a conclusion can be made about the reasoning behind the change of this provision in the Articles. The American Revolution resulted in a substantial amount of debt for the United States. To finance the War of Independence, Congress had borrowed large sums of money by selling interest-bearing bonds and paying soldiers and suppliers in notes to be redeemed in the future (Foner, 200). The Continental Congress owed $42 million at the end of the revolution (Lecture #9). The states lacked a secure source of revenue, so they had to address taxation in their first written constitution, The Articles of Confederation. They used this constitution as an initial attempt to apportion taxes to the states. The Articles of Confederation primarily addresses taxation in its eighth article. According to this article, the government is levying taxes to each state as a whole, based on the value of each state. The taxes collected will be used to fund a single account to pay the charges of war. This is clarified in the document when Article VIII states that the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“common treasury which shall be supplied by the several States in proportion to the value of all land within each state.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Furthermore, the document states that any additional improvements of buildings and land will be taken into account for the estimation of the value of the respective state. This stipulation allows the assembly of Congress to increase taxes with any proportional increase in the value of the land within a state. The next  paragraph of the article refers to who will be laying and collecting these taxes. It declares that the dues will be à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The main notion to be extracted from the Articles of Confederation is the fact that Congress did not possess the power to levy taxes or regulate commerce by any means. The states retained the ability to adopt their own economic policies. Utilizing this power, several states printed sums of money in order for individuals to pay their debts (Foner, 200). In summation, Article VIII of the Articles of Confederation left Congress with very little financial power as well as a lack of a dependable source of revenue. Due to the need for better regulation of interstate commerce, a group of fifty-five delegates congregated to form the Constitutional Convention, with the objective of drafting an entirely new constitution. The Constitution completely reversed the distribution of authority, transferring numerous economic powers from the states to Congress. This is verified in the first clause of Article I, Section 8 of the document in which it affirms that Congress has the power à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Unlike the Articles of Confederation, which imposed taxes based on the value of each state, the first clause of the Constitution announced a uniform collection of duties, imposts, and excises throughout the United States. From this clause, it can be understood that these taxes will now be collected by Congress, in contrast to state legislatures. However, the purpose of the taxation remains consistent with the first constitution, as they both use the money to pay debts, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare of the United States. Additional clauses empowered Congress to regulate interstate and international commerce, as well as borrow and coin money. The Constitution also included conditions that barred the states from issuing paper money, levying taxes, and interfering with commerce (Foner, 205). As stated, these provisions stripped the states of the power they retained under the Articles, and bestowed them onto Congress. Moreover, an emphasis can be placed on the issue of slavery, as it had a significant impact on the economy as well. Slavery was not notably  recognized in the Articles of Confederation, but was implicitly addressed in the Constitution. One prominent acknowledgement of slavery with respect to the economy was the Three-Fifths Compromise. This proclaims that taxes shall be apportioned to States based on the sum of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  By counting slaves as property as well as three fifths of a person toward the census, people with more slaves owed more taxes (Lecture #9). Congress also found a source of revenue by allowing importation of slaves, yet taxing those that are taking them in. This is indicated in the Non-Importation Clause, which states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a Tax or Duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollar s for each Person (Article I, Section 9). When writing the Constitution, the national government clearly found ways to generate revenue from slavery. In addition, slavery had a large influence on the Constitutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s impact on the United States economy. Article VIII of the Articles of Confederation may have been drastically altered into Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution for a number of reasons. The transfer of power from the state legislatures to the national government that resulted from this provision change can be proven to be a purely economic decision. Due to the overwhelming debt from the war, Congress needed a more controllable, secure source of income. Consequently, the delegates at the Constitutional Convention drafted this section to put control back into the national governmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s hands. With the Articles of Confederation, the states were separate, but equally powerful entities. One can perceive that the national government did not believe the states would be able to succeed with this system in place. The Constitution generated a more unified and collective assembly to work toward c ommon goals. This was made possible by reassigning the economic sovereignty to the national government. In conclusion, the drafting of the Constitution can be simplified to a transfer of economic power to the national government used to generate secure sources of revenue to get out of debt. The Articles of Confederation was merely too passive and vague to create a dependable taxation plan. The Constitution administered a well-defined formulation to allow an easier way for the national government to collect income. Giving Congress a substantially greater extent of economic dominance and the states more limitations, the national government was able to utilize a widespread  amount of resources to implement taxation. Clearly, the change of Article VIII to Article I, Section 8 spawned an absolute change of power from the states to the national government.

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 6

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example The fan YouTube video shows Jolie meeting her many fans. The video shows Jolie signing autographs for her eager fans. The visual & sound video shows fans were taking pictures of their idol. Meanwhile, Jolie’s bodyguards ensure Jolie’s safety and security. Several comments affirmed one of the Jolie fans fainted, dispelling the accident claim. The initial news reports indicated the fan met an avoidable fan accident. By staying away from the places where Jolie frequents, fan accidents can be literally avoided. With a large fan crowd, the fans must expect it is more difficult to step beside Jolie. For the faint of heart, it is highly advisable to stay away from Jolie’s path. In order to avoid being crushed by other Jolie fans, one fan insisted they must not rush towards their idol. Jolie agreed to have an avid fan her picture (Primary). The Jolie fan’s YouTube video showed both Jolie and husband Brad_Pitt greeting their fans. The video scene was taken during the 2014 film_Independent Spirit Awarding ceremony. Some video viewers commented they did not like Jolie’s question. Other fans opined Jolie’s question was meant to be funny. Another fan insisted Jolie’s questioning seemed seriously uttered. Another video videor emphasized some fans treat Jolie as a movie goddess (Primary). The YouTube video shows another fan’s coverage of Jolie doing humanitarian work. The scene shows Jolie carrying carry a young African boy. The fan uploaded the video to show she is proud of Jolie’s humanitarian work. In another scene, Jolie is seen visiting some bedridden refugees. Another scene showed Jolie was crying as she felt some individuals succumb to the harsh realities of life. The fan likes how Jolie would go visit the children of native African community. Jolie’s humanitarian efforts affirms Jolie goes out her way to beneficially improve the lives of the world’s poor families. Many

Solutions to obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Solutions to obesity - Essay Example This essay "Solutions to obesity" describes the problem of obesity, major causes and also focuses on the way how to prevent it. It is imperative to fight the condition of obesity on the priority basis, not only to induce good health but also to prevent the onset of dreaded diseases in the society. Physical ailments are distressing and take away the mental well being of the individual leading to psychological predicaments. Essentially, devising solution to the condition of obesity is the priority to prevent the creation of detrimental, unattractive and pricey society which squanders too much money on excess and processed food. As with time, health care costs are mounting, together with the cost of processed or fatty food awareness should be generated in the mob towards healthy eating. However, there is not a solo and simple solution to obesity epidemic and therefore solution to obesity relies on the combined efforts of states, society, schools and parents by opting healthy food choice for children, youngsters and families. It is essential that school food options for breakfast and lunch are healthy as well as appealing. Introduction of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, whole grains and simultaneous reduction of the access to calorific, high-fat or high sugar containing food items. Using cafeteria to improve awareness for healthy food choice to build an environment where healthy eating is promoted. Seek student input for their eating plans and habits either in the form of discussions, classroom activities or contests.

A Description of New England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Description of New England - Essay Example Nationalism remains an important issue in the modern United States. In the contemporary United States, nationalists usually hold significant veneration of the flag of the United States and other national symbols, while other cultures tend to regard this mentality with hostility, giving rise to anti-Americanism. Although the United States is usually regarded as a nation-state, supporters of American exceptionalism may prefer to see it as a state bathed in the glory of its own unique light. The country clearly has a sense of national identity and history, Americans refer to an American people. Thus, patriotism is prominent in public life. Nationalism is the appropriate and recognized term for the associated ideology and political movements, within the present United States, and during its history. That does not necessarily correspond with current usage of the term in American politics, or with the views of self-described American nationalists. There are no two same theories about when the United States became a nation-state, and developed a sense of national identity. Some historians think that the United States was already a nation-state at independence, others that this occurred during the 19th century, either before or after the American Civil War. In essence, the new world discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, led to a new start for people’s lives in America for centuries to come. America today is still referred to as the land of dreams, but over three hundred years ago that phrase had much more meaning to the people. A few people would travel across the Atlantic in search of Asia to establish faster trade routes, later some would travel to the new world to find riches, and than even more would travel for freedom.

Gender Disparity in Employment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender Disparity in Employment - Research Paper Example The society is usually highly structured and stratified based on social hierarchies which have both dominant and subordinate groups coexisting together. As such, the gender disparity seen in matters pertaining to labor or employment can be traced back to a highly patriarchal and discriminative society (Donahue, 2007). This paper will try to tackle the two dominant causes of gender disparity in the social sphere which are patriarchal systems, and gender discrimination. Patriarchal systems usually refer to male dominance in which gender hierarchy favors the male over the female gender. The males are usually endowed with power, material and status advantages over their female counterparts. Despite advances and profound structural changes within the society, the gender hierarchy is still propagated today in different forms. These structural changes include such things like increasingly venture of women into male dominated careers and more women opting for careers as opposed to formative days when they stayed at home. Currently, there is no one single way through which the patriarchal system can be analyzed and understood as a possible cause of gender disparity, those interactional processes that are taken for granted may be the solution. These interactional processes are usually mediated through gender stratification which is an old time sociological practice (Elliott & Smith, 2004). The reasons for male dominance in patriarchal societies has been attributed to different factors and key among are culture, religion and capitalism. Through the industrialization and modernization of man, the culture of male dominance has been the norm whereby in forms of mass production that existed in the agrarian civilization, man was favored as the dominant figure. This is because it was the duty of man to perform strenuous tasks like fighting while women were allocated lighter duties like taking care of the homes. In that way, division of labor developed which later became entrenc hed in the society. In a way, capitalism propagated paternalism further by favoring men who seem not to overindulge in work in the society according to the cultural settings while it is they who own everything. In a way, that is exploitative but that is way that things have been moving on but slowly they are changing as more parity is being introduced in the previously skewed gender disparity (Donahue, 2007; Ridgeway, 1997). Discrimination simply refers to prejudice based on perceived traits that may be biological or otherwise. When one is discriminated against, it does not necessarily have to be based on race but also gender discrimination exists especially in matters pertaining to labor or employment. Currently, the trend is slowly changing but there are those jobs or careers that are dominated by the male gender at the expense of the female gender. Reasons attributed to this can be traced to individual perceptions of the key players in the field which naturally discriminate again st the female gender in holding some positions. Take for instance the issue of women representation legislation or politics which remains a largely male dominated affair globally even in the US. Although the last word has to come from the voters who by the way comprise a bigger women representation, they discriminate aga

About Business Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

About Business - Personal Statement Example My keen interest on the functionality of the business soared as I began to study Business in my GCSE level. I become more enthusiastic on every aspects of Business across the globe. My father who owns real estate’s with over ten employees has been a bigger inspiration for my zeal for business. He has made me to assist him in the management of the business and this has enabled me to deeply understand the management of business finances and the taskforce required for the business to be successful. My zeal for business has enabled me to own photocopying business at the vicinity of the college. The business is doing well and this demonstrates that I have the correct attitude towards my career. As depicted in my zeal I have always remained focused on harnessing my business developments and I have a deep conviction that the small beginnings and more knowledge on Business studies will enable me to be a key player in the Business

Leisure and tourism operations management Essay

Leisure and tourism operations management - Essay Example The Service Concept Service quality is the method to manage the business processes to ensure customer satisfaction at all levels. Hospitality sector was identified by the atrium concept designs, service and the hotel industry has seen many developments in past few years. In the hotel industry, the customer chooses to buy service depending on its quality (Panda, 2006). The Service Package (The mixture of goods and services that make up the service) The service provided by hotel is based on guests / customers. The service package includes providing online room / air ticket reservations and chuffer driven car to pick up guests from airport. The hotel provides facilities such as elevators , central heating , in room radio , bar , electric elevator, centralized computer, electric cash register, free in room movies, video conferencing features, swimming pools, separate swimming pool for children, golf ground, sports activities, gym, beauty parlors and in-house restaurants and shops. Servic e Processes According to Sampson service processes are where the customer provides most of the inputs to the production process (Sampson, 2000). Service is interaction of customer and producers. The service process in the hotel includes booking airline tickets and hotel rooms through internet and on reaching the city, the guests are picked up by the vehicle of the hotel. The customers can even make direct call to the hotel to book tickets and there are other means by which you can book rooms at the hotel. The complete information related to the hotel is provided through its website and local marketing means. Service Processes (Type): Runners, Repeaters & Strangers The hotel provides free introductory scuba diving lessons for strangers and also a hotel run kid clubs for family travelers. The hotel is a leader in its business model due to the high class service. Since, Turkey is a popular tourist destination every year many visitors come to the hotel. Fitzgerald Typology (Volume/Varie ty) To design a service system the importance of variability should be determined (Kannan and Proenca, 2010) .The hotel has 200 rooms which includes standard rooms, suits and deluxe rooms and during the peak seasons from October to March the demand for rooms is very high. It provides many different type of entertaining and engaging activities to guests such as dance parties, music evenings etc) to enable convenient and enjoyable stay at the hotel. Visitors from different parts of world come to the place and the hotel staffs have to meet the variability in demands. Capability and Commodity Processes The hotel has the capability to accommodate more than 100 guests at one time but sometimes in peak season it becomes difficult to handle varieties of customers. The service is handled by the front desk employees. Schmenner Typology (1995) Schmenner typology identifies four different types of service processes which include service factory, service shops, mass service and professional serv ice. The hotel provides professional service where the staff immediately responds in professional manner to every call and provides the desired service. Though professional services it is easy to handle variability in customer call. Service Processes (Location and Mapping) Internet provides complete informat

Video Project Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video Project Reflection Paper - Essay Example In our case, the whole concept of professionalism boarded on respect, both for other members as well as for oneself. The task and the entire project were daunting, and it took a toll on everyone’s schedules; without self-respect, we would not manage to get everything going within the stipulated timeframe. Fortunately, most of us were extremely focused and aligned with the project’s requirements. As such, we exhibited a great deal of professionalism with respect to the expedition. However, a little lack of professionalism still surfaced, at some point some would not complete their duties in time, but with the help of others, they were successful in the end. On the same note, members were highly respectful and patience with regards to the opinions of other members. Each opinion, regardless of how wrong it may seem, was accepted and later isolated with facts, and in a way that left everyone satisfied. In any situation where more than one person is involved, conflicts of interest are bound to arise. Likewise, our team had to struggle with conflicts resulting from different points of view. Working in a team is never an easy task; everyone has their opinions, all which have to be harmonized and integrated with the overall objective of the project (Schon 9). On this note I found myself in a tight corner- most of the time having to deal with a mixture of feelings. From the onset of the project, I felt somewhat awkward; some members seemed to dislike the tasks they were allocated. Furthermore, the team had to evaluate all the different opinions given by the members. As is not enough, the introverted team members who rarely contributed to the discussions felt out of place, and somehow unrecognized. To contain the conflict that could probably blow out of proportion, everyone was required to contribute each time a motion popped up. The collectively, each proposal was evaluated in a more c omprehensive and inclusive

Healthcare Consent legislation Essay Example for Free

Healthcare Consent legislation Essay Healthcare Consent legislation applies to everyone above the age of 18 (some places 16) and has the following rights (Ref 1) 1)The right to give or refuse consent 2)The right to choose a particular form of healthcare on any grounds including moral or religious grounds 3)The right to revoke consent 4)The right to expect that a decision to give, refuse or revoke consent will be respected 5) The right to be involved to the greatest degree possible in all case planning and decision making Mostly all nursing actions are an invasion of a person’s privacy and giving consent is carried out by going into the hospital or being treated at home. So one can say that consent is based on the principle of respect for a fellow human being. (Ref 1,2) This legislation tells me that all patients and clients have a right to receive information about their condition. As a nurse I should be sensitive to their needs and respect the wishes of those who refuse or are unable to receive such information. (Ref 1,2) For instance, there may be a language barrier and I should not just go about reading the consent form in English, rather I should arrange for a interpreter or find a nurse who speaks the clients language. I also respect their decision of autonomy-their decision to accept or decline any health intervention even if a refusal means loss of life, example Jehovah s witness refusing blood transfusion. The client will now have alternate options given by the Health Care Providers. Informed consent is obtained by a legally competent person, who voluntarily accepts or declines the consent after being informed of the treatment including side effects, adverse effects.(Ref 1,2) Many people are frightened by unfamiliar medical procedures and interventions and may thus want to back off from any treatment. This decision should be respected, and the client should not be forced into taking any of these medication or treatment. Rather the nurse can educate them to the best of her education and training if the client wants to know about it. Historically dating back to 1914, it was Justice Cardoza who changed the concept of research ethics involving human beings. The foundation of modern day informed consent is based on his statement â€Å"Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what should be done with his (or her) own body.†(3) There were many historical events that lead to present day consent acts. Some of them were as follows (ref #3) 1) Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in Black  Men (1932-1973) 2) The Nuremberg Code as a result of the Nazi Medical Experiment during World War II (1947) 3) The Thalidomide experiment that resulted in birth defects (1950) 4) The declaration of Helsinki (1964) I feel these events all had a big role in shaping modern day HCCA and Consent legislature.Previously, a simple consent question would be â€Å"did the patient agree to surgery?† (Ref 2), which now has evolved into â€Å"Did the physician provide the patient with adequate amount of information for the patient to consent?† This newer version of the legislation allows the nurse to participate in proper advocacy so as to promote patient autonomy in self-determination. Initially informed consent meant saying â€Å"YES† to any treatment or intervention laid out by the physician and advocated by a nurse (Ref 1). Now informed consent means being able to say â€Å"NO† and this in itself is a part of exercising ones autonomy.(Ref2)Nurses should practice with the knowledge that clients must consent to be touched ,to have treatments administered , to undergo surgery, for bathing, positioning, taking vital signs, physical assessment ,changing dressings, venipuncture,wo und irrigation, catheter insertion just to name a few. If a patient or client is not capable of giving consent then besides the HCCA (1996) Ontario does have the Substitute Decision Act(1992) SDA . This act allows a substitute decision maker –a spouse, a relative, a parent and in the absence of these someone can be appointed by legal authority if the patient has not indicated otherwise. In emergencies where the priority is preservation of life, a nurse or HCP can provide care to the patient or client without their consent if they are incapacitated, provided it is demonstrated that this action was carried out in the best interest of the patient or client.(Ref 1) In conclusion, I can say that nurses are patient advocates and an essential member of the healthcare team contributing meaningfully to the informed consent process. There are many barriers to the HCCA especially in terms of informed consent, but the well informed and knowledgeable nurse is competent enough to have a thorough understanding of her clients’ needs. She being the clients best advocate will implement the informed consent procedure so as to maintain the clients’ autonomousity so that he or she can maintain their self-determination. This legislation has allowed nurses to be accountable for the best interest of the client and  carry out their role as a client advocate.

Leading & Managing People - Expatriate Essay Example for Free

Leading Managing People Expatriate Essay Multinational firms throughout the world are increasingly concerned about hiring, developing and retaining managers with international experience and global perspectives† quoted by Briscoe and Schuler in 2004. This report will be focusing on variety of issues relating to Human Resource implications which faced by the expatriate working in MNC located in Malaysia as well as Malaysian working in overseas. The extraction will be from the most recent newspaper, journal and articles relating to the following topics in human resource management. 1) Expatriate Failure and the Selection policy 2) Training and development for cross-cultural 3) Performance appraisal for expatriate The expatriation was subjugated by professionals sent by their employers to foreign subsidiaries or headquarters. 3. 0 KEY ISSUES AND ANALYSIS 3. 1 Expatriate Failure and the Selection policy Expatriate facade many new challenges both in the workplace and the community. For instance, culture shock differences in work-related norms, isolation, homesick, housing, schooling, language, customs, cost of living and coping with his/her spouse’s problems of adapting to new environment. According to Stone(2008), research indicates that a manager’s inability to adapt or their partner’s inability to adapt is the major cause of expatriate failure. Harvey(1983) cited the consequence include premature return from a foreign posting and high resignation rates, with expatriates leaving their company at about twice the rate of domestic managements. Tung (1987) expounded the three main reasons contributing to the failure of expatriates in US MNC is as follows:- * the inability of the manager’s spouse to adjust to a different physical or cultural environment; * the manager’s inability to adapt to a different physical or cultural environment; * other family-related problems. One study by International Orientation Resources, an HRM consulting firm, found that 60 percent of expatriate failures occur due to these three reasons too(Solomon,1994). Besides the above mentioned reasons, include inappropriate selection practices, inadequate preparation and training as well as the stresses associated with expatriation which identified by New Zealand research (Enderwick and Hodgson, 1993). Another critical reason is the cross-cultural communications can be a struggle for the international manager. Gestures, facial expressions, behaviour and words can have different meanings and connotations. China, Korea and Japanese have high-context cultures where considerable importance is given to non-verbal and situational cues. In contrast, Australia, Canada, the US and Britain have low-context cultures where what is said is what it meant(Stone,2008). In contrast, some Malaysians who work aboard feel that the grass is greener on the other side. In Appendix A, this article highlighted the reasons why some Malaysian prefer to remain overseas. Due to higher paid, to widen their horizons, the prestige of working in a foreign company and the quality of life is unbeatable. The expatriate is unable to adapt in the foreign environment due to lack of cultural skills. According to HRM consulting firm, this is because the expatriate selection process at many organisations is essentially flawed (Solomon, 2000). Expatriates failed because these three focal reasons which mentioned by Tung that have not been part of the selection process. The underlying message was that the family is the basic unit of expatriation, not the individual. The MNC needs to look into this matter seriously in order to reduce expatriate failure. 3. 2 Training and development for cross-cultural Many companies including MNC have been ignored on providing training for employees whether local or global organisations. MNC recruits expatriate based on technical competence and past job performance as the key selection criteria and assumed the expatriate is able to adapt in the country where he was posted. MNC should not take them for granted. They should be pre-prepared by providing orientation, training on the cultural, language and living skill in the host country. Shown in Appendix D, expatriate reports interviewed an expatriate working in Nanchang, China on how significant was the culture shock he experienced when he moved abroad? He replied that quite significant and hard to adapt to the Chinese food and people spitting on the streets. Certainly, at the initial stage every expatriate will face cultural shock difference which may lead to miscommunication, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Then directly he will be unproductive, inefficiency and faces expatriate failure. The MNC has to recruit a new manager to replace him which will be time consuming and have to repeat the process of selection and hiring. The MNC requires the expatriate to train the local employees in the host-country by transferring his knowledge and skills to them so that they are able to be independent and step into the positions/responsibilities within the shortest possible time. The article in Appendix B highlighted Malaysia government will review the education system to produce talent needed for an advanced nation and also perks to lure home highly skilled Malaysians (brain drain) and retain global talent to develop a quality workforce. Even our government recognise the essential of education/training to develop our highly skilled employees that are not only vital to the companies but also making the nation into globally competitive and transforming it as the high-income economy for instance Singapore, HK and Shanghai. 3. Performance appraisal for expatriate Stone (2008) cited that performance appraisal is a matter of serious concern for many expatriates. This is because performance appraisal is often handled badly. Companies fail to take into account the added complexities that come with international appraisals. Key issues involving performance expectations, performance measures and who will be responsible for the conduct of the appraisals are left vague or undecided. Worse, some head office managers ignore the international appraisal and do not incorporate it into the career development process. The end result is that expatriates perceive the appraisal process as unfair and as a source of never-ending frustration. Groeschi (2003) quotes that a number of comparative international and cross-cultural management research projects have concluded that HRM is influenced by culture. He also highlighted the same HRM policy is likely to be attributed quite different meanings by different cultural groups for instance performance appraisal. An organisation’s performance appraisal systems are an important element of its control systems, which is a central component of organisation architecture (see Figure 1 as below). In many international companies, the thorny issue is how best to evaluate the performance of expatriate managers (Hill, 2009). During the appraisal evaluation for the expatriate, there are two groups who evaluate the performance of expatriate managers. They are host-nation manager and home-office managers whom are subject to bias. The host-nation managers may be biased by their own cultural frame of reference and expectations. On the other hand, home-country mangers’ appraisals may be biased by distance and by their own lack of experience working abroad. Home-office managers often not aware of what is going on in a foreign operation and they tend to rely on hard data in evaluating an expatriate’s performance, such as the productivity, revenues, profitability or market share which reflect factors outside the expatriate’s control. Due to such biases, many expatriate managers believe that headquarters management evaluates them unfairly and does not fully appreciate the value of their skills and experience. It also one of the reasons many of them believe a foreign posting does not benefit their careers (Hill, 2009). 4. 0 RECOMMENDATION 4. 1 Expatriate Failure and the Selection policy Managing a MNC provides a diversity of challenges which the crucial one will be how the parent-company will recruit potential expatriate to manage their off-shore operations affiliates/subsidiaries. Selection of the expatriate must be right at the first time although time and resources consuming in reviewing and evaluating all the potential candidates follow by filtering them. The expatriate should not be selected based on technical competence and past job performance as the key selection criteria. Expatriate failure in many cases is the result of a lack of personal adjustment rather than a lack of technical skills. Harvey (1997) cited furthermore, research shows that in many companies expatriate selection is often haphazard and irrational. Organisations need to understand that in choosing expatriates, they should take into account differences in the business, social and cultural environment in the specific country and the impact on the potential expatriate, spouse and dependants (Stone, 2008). Stone’s (1991) study found that both local managers and expatriate managers perceive the essential selection criteria as the expatriate’s ability to adapt and the adaptability of the partner and family. 4. Training and management development for cross-cultural According to Hill (2009), superior performance requires not only strategy must also be supported by the right organisation architecture. Strategy is implemented through organisation. In Figure 1, people are the linchpin of a firm’s organisation architecture. For a firm to outperform its rivals in the global marketplace, it must have the right people in the right postings. Those people must be trained appropriately so they have the skill sets required to perform their jobs effectively and so they behave in a manner that is congruent with the desired culture of the firm. The following trainings are recommended for MNCs’ expatriates:- * Cross-Culture Training prior to departure The purpose of this training allows individuals to more rapidly adjust to the new culture before departing to host-country, and therefore, to be more effective in their new roles (Black and Mendenhall, 1990). It has been widely recognised for more than 20 years that the partners and children of expatriates play an important role in contributing to the success of expatriate assignments (Fukuda and Chu, 1994; Rahim, 1983) Cultural, Language and Practical(Living Skill) trainings * These trainings are helping to control and reduce expatriate failures. There is no question that comprehensive cultural training can have many benefits for MNCs. For starters, it can help orient and develop expatriates to better communicate, understand, and work effectively with people from different cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. Comprehending and valuing cultural differences can al so help expatriates in the effective management of multi-cultural teams. Understanding global markets, customers, suppliers, and competitors is another indirect benefit. Pragmatically, cultural training can have a positive impact on combating very expensive expatriate failure (Luthans, 2002). Their spouse adaption problem, it is important that the spouse and the whole family to be included in this training * Language training usually conducted in host-country’s language. When the expatriate willing to communicate in the host-country language(even not fluent), can help build rapport with local employees and improve the manager’s effectiveness. * Benefit of practical training in helping the expatriate manager and family ease themselves into daily life in the host country. The expatriate community group can be a great source of support and information sharing in helping the expatriate’s family adapt to a foreign culture. 4. 3 Performance appraisal for expatriate To overcome the expatriate’s frustration and problems, the HR manager needs to ensure that the following key issues are clarified before the expatriate begins an overseas assignment:- * What are the organisation’s performance expectations? * What criteria and standards will be used to measure performance? * Who will conduct the evaluation – a local manager, a head office manager or both? * What will be the frequency of the appraisals? What consideration will be given to local environmental influence? (for example, volatility of foreign exchange rate fluctuations, availability of skilled labour, political instability, corruption and so on) * Is the appraisal positively incorporated into the career development process? * Are head office managers cognisant of the local business environment? * Are there any cultural influences that may distort the measurement of the expatriate’s performance? In order to overcome the biases of the two groups who evaluate the expatriate managers’ performance, it is recommended to implement 360-degree feedback.