Suffering Of A Jewish Person During The Holocaust - 978 Words

â€Å"We had forgotten everything- death, fatigue, our natural needs. Stronger than cold or hunger, stronger than the shots and the desire to die†¦ We were the only men on Earth.† These powerful words of Elie Wiesel were used to recount the suffering of a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Similar accounts abound throughout the story of the Holocaust, which is arguably the most widely known genocide in history. The Holocaust was the mass murder of more than six million European Jews (along with gypsies and other people deemed â€Å"undesirable†) in concentration camps by the German Nazis from 1941-1945. It is a narrative of a human injustice at the hands of a government, but it is also one of resilience and the refusal to be silenced. Historians have pieced together the story of the Holocaust predominantly from the perspectives of its victims because their firsthand accounts of the event provide a new point of view that contributes in narrating its story. Throu gh the eyes of the victims, we catch a glimpse of what it’s like to be denied basic human dignities, to be forced to abandon all that you previously knew to get away from those who intend to kill you, and to feel helpless as the circumstances you’re under tear your family apart. Prior to and during the Holocaust, prejudices that Europeans (particularly Germans) had against Jews led their leaders to enact and enforce laws that segregated Jews and stripped them of their rights. To illustrate, the Dutch government, under theShow MoreRelatedThe Eclipse Of God And The Need For The Jews1680 Words   |  7 Pagesneed for the Jews to prove their faith in God stands out as another key response by the Jews. According to Jewish theologians, there are times in the history of religion that God had adamantly refused to show his face to the world. In the Holocaust context, the Jewish theologians argue that God was intentionally absent during this period to test the Jewish and their endurance through suffering. Admittedly, this premise is particularly complex because a section of the theologians has argued that itRead MoreGod and Evil: Can They Co-exist? Essay854 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the Holocaust, the Nazi’s murdered an estimated 6 million Jews, which was a bout two thirds of the entire European Jewish population. To put this in perspective, the amount of Jews that were murdered during the Holocaust is about the same size as the population of Denmark. The Holocaust is a part of Jewish history that can never be forgotten, and the Jews who fell subject to this inhuman act will never be forgotten either. The Holocaust has changed Jewish culture forever, and has become theRead MoreComparing American Slavery and the Holocaust994 Words   |  4 Pages The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the American Slavery and the Holocaust, in terms of which one was more malevolent than the other. Research indicates that â€Å"the â€Å"competition† between African-American and Jews has served to trivialize the malevolence which both has suffered† (Newton, 1999). According to L. Thomas â€Å"A separate issue that contributes to the tension between blacks and Jews refer to to the role that Jews played in the American Slave trade.† History Around 1600Read MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe Holocaust is, by definition, a tragedy. HaShoah, the Hebrew word for the Holocaust, translates to â€Å"the catastrophe.† The very notion of humor during the Holocaust may seem incongruous, appalling, and wildly inappropriate. Tragedy is seen as serious, while comedy is typically lighthearted in nature. However, there is precedence for ‘comic relief,’ the presence of humor in tragedy with the desired effect to relieve tension. Frequently, comic relief is used so that tragedy does not overshadow usRead MoreAnalysis Of David Bezmozgis s An Animal And The Memory1201 Words   |  5 PagesWhat does it mean to be Jewish? For many, that identification of Judaism is closely aligned with more than traditional upbringings or religious and cultural observances. The collective meaning behind being a Jewish person is rooted in memory, and the Holocaust itself is often the crucial link to a shared J ewish past. It is the central part of that history and identity, connected to a larger narrative of pain, trauma or even shame. The short story by David Bezmozgis An Animal to the Memory illustratesRead MoreShooting Stars by Carol Ann Duffy Critical Essay1635 Words   |  7 Pageswritten by Carol Ann Duffy. She adopts the persona of a female Jew speaking out from beyond the grave about her terrifying ordeal before she died in the Holocaust. A powerful impression is left on the reader after reading Duffy’s dramatic monologue and visual descriptions of her ordeal and immense suffering. She urges the reader to remember what the Jewish victims were forced to go through, and begs us not to turn our back and forget. ------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------Read MoreReligion Fights Back1273 Words   |  6 PagesReligion Fights Back Introduction Before the Holocaust, Jewish people had ordinary lives. Children went to school, parents went to work or owned their own business. They carried on spiritual traditions and strived for their own goals. During the Holocaust though, Jews lost the meaning of life (Michalczyk 177). They were considered useless and a burden to the Germans. This was continuously beat into their minds not only mentally but also physically (Michalczyk 177). Some were able to beat theseRead MoreElaina Didonato . 4/29/17. Prof. Andrew Donson. German1508 Words   |  7 PagesVictims Eleven Million Victims and Counting Eleven million individuals were victimized by the Holocaust. Six million of those victims were Jewish, while the other five million were groups targeted by the Nazi’s because they didn’t fit their discriminative criteria. Inhumane practices were used in attempts to purify and unify the German state (Novick, 225). When the Holocaust is discussed, the Jewish victims are usually the main focal point of the massive â€Å"genocide.† People are unaware and uneducatedRead MoreHolocaust : A Wave Of Mass Murder Swept Across Europe1453 Words   |  6 Pagesswept across Europe. During the next 11 months of 9 million Jews who lived in Europe before the Holocaust, an estimated â…” was murdered. An estimated 1 million children endured the Holocaust and only 5,000 survived. Children were targeted especially during the holocaust because they could grow up and be a new generation of the Jews. Although not many survived, the ones that did had an incredible story to be told, of how the Holocaust affected and changed their lives. Holocaust Survivor Jeannine BurkRead MoreNight And Dawn : The Revolutionizing Story Of Tragedy1663 Words   |  7 Pageshistory, the Holocaust, which took the life of his mother, father, and siblings, in addition to 6 million other Jews. Essentially, the Holocaust stemmed from Adolf Hitler gaining power of Germany in World War II, which allowed him to scapegoat the Jewish people for the German defeat in World War I. As a result, millions of Jews were put into concentration camps across Europe where they were separated from their families and their connection with God. But following his depiction of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel

The Psychology Of School Violence Essay - 1369 Words

Today I’m going to be talking about school violence and how different psychologist have different viewpoints in the same situations. I’m going to be talking about Behaviorism, Cognitive and lastly Humanistic and existential psychologist. So a Behaviorism psychologist believes that people learn the behavior habits over time from things such as videogames, violence and TV. So for instances some of the kids that did the shooting probably was exposed to some type of violence at an early age. Cognitive psychologist more on the metal side of the process unlike the Behaviorism psychologist. Cognitive approach means that the type of environment a person is exposed to also plays a big role on how they act later in life. Lastly we will talk about the Humanistic Psychologist which I think is my favorite one and his approach on the situation. Most stable people choose to do whatever it is knowing the consequences. They believe people have the free will and the understanding to ma ke their choices. From a Behaviorism psychologist view the kids who did the shooting in Newton Connecticut was probably exposed to some type of violence. Behaviorism believes that behavior is learned through previous learning experiences or interactions with the social environment. They also believe that the mental process is too hard to observe and measure. So let’s say the kid showed some type of signs of having issues with his mother before he killed all of those people. His mother or other familyShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography - 5905 Words   |  4 Pagesaggressive behaviors, and school performance. Retrieved October 4, 2010, from pdfcast.org: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-effects-of-violent-video-game-habits-on-adolescent-hostility-aggressive-behaviors-and-school-performance Dr Douglas A. Gentile is a researcher who studies the effects of media on children and adults, may it be positive or negative. He has a Media Research Lab at Iowa State University where he conducts his studies. He is an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State UniversityRead MoreDo You Think Violent Video Game Exposure Effect The Behavior Of Children?1244 Words   |  5 Pagesgames contain violence. Violent video games have been blamed for school shootings, increases in bullying, and violence towards women. Critics argue that these games desensitize players to violence, reward players for simulating violence, and teach children that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflicts. Video game advocates contend that a majority of the research on the topic is deeply flawed and that no causal relationship has been found between video games and social violence. They argueRead MoreThe Florida Association Of School Psychologists1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe Florida association o f school psychologist has come about years after of the field of psychology’s birth. It wasn’t until dozens of policies began being put into place and modified, tests being created and proper training being established, that the job of a school psychologist was formed. As more time passed and people have become more and more aware of school psychologist and their roles, organizations aimed at continuing to grow and better the field were created. In particular, the FloridaRead MoreYouth Violence: Identify the Cause and Work Towards Prevention1494 Words   |  6 Pagesdictionary, Violence is the exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse. Violence is often a behavioral response that children are taught to use in order to achieve their goals. On the other hand, violence can become a routine and automatic way of coping with stressful situations for some children (Youth Violence and Suicide Prevention Team 1999). You violence is an old problem that is frequently a n issue over which there is much debate. Unfortunately, the increasing violence amongst childrenRead MoreThe Effects Of Gun Violence On The Society916 Words   |  4 Pages We don’t need to be that vigilant in order to know that gun-related violence and massacres have infiltrated our society. There have been many cases of public mass shootings that have occurred, with some of them happening in schools. 2015 will now be known as the year of mass shootings in the United States, and this is also the reason why the discussion for new gun control laws has heighten in the media. Sadly, we have all heard about the high number of mass shootings that suddenly occurred duringRead MoreBiography Of Hideo Kojima s Influence On The World1110 Words   |  5 Pagesexample of a war game that includes violence and gun. The player takes control of a special forces operative, Snake, who is assigned to find the super weapon Metal Gear, a bipedal walking tank with the ability to launch nuclear weapons. Other notable traits are cinematic cutscenes, intricate storylines, offbeat and fourth wall humor, and exploration of political and philosophical themes, with references to Hollywood films to add flavor. â€Å"The link between violence in video games and increased aggressionRead MoreForensic Psychology And The Justice System1222 Words   |  5 PagesForensic psychology is the connection between psychology and the justice system. The word forensic derives from the Latin word â€Å"forensic† meaning â€Å"forum† the place where trials were accompanied in Roman times. There are many definitions that exist for forensic psychology but the more narrow definition applies to the intersection of clinical psychology to legal matters. One of the areas of focus for Forensic psychologist is in the evaluations in Civil Proceedings. They do an accurate assessment ofRead MoreThe Effects Of Violent Video Games On Children Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagesacts of violence, the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology says that it is a reduction in emotion-related physiological reactivity to real violence. It is also proven that people who are desensitized to violence are likely to commit a violent crime of some type. In 2011 there was a study that resulted in the finding of a link between the exposure of violent video games and an increase in aggression it was the result of â€Å"reduction of the brains response to depictions of real like violence† InRead MoreEssay on The Negative Effects of Violent Video Games1529 Words   |  7 Pagestragic school shootings in which teens have committed heinous crimes for no apparent reason. The question has become who is to blame or what inspired these attacks on these innoce nt victims? This question has become an epidemic in our country. We live in a violent world and young people have easy access to it whether its on television, in music or on the Internet. But with the explosion of media entertainment in recent years, video games have come under scrutiny as to whether or not violence in videoRead MoreThe Role Of A School Psychologist1659 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the years, schools have had to take on much more responsibility than just making sure that students are learning the material. Schools are now facing new challenges such as violence in schools, children that may be mentally or emotionally challenged, and basically being a caretaker for hundreds of kids, 365 days out of the year. With the new challenges, comes more responsibility and accountability which means adjusting accordingly. This is where the job of a school psychologist is of upmost

Of Mice and Men Commentary Free Essays

â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is a novel written by the 1962 Nobel Prize winner, John Steinbeck. It is an emotional tale of the extraordinary friendship between George and Lennie, who are traveling workers in the harsh depression years of the 1930s. George is a caring person whose love to Lennie is just like a father-son relationship, where Lennie, a mentally challenged man whose strength lies in body rather than brain, appears to be very dependent on George. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men Commentary or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Of Mice and Men† teaches a universal theme about the nature of human beings that a person whose power exists over another turns corrupt. Steinbeck exploits the theme of power and control in his novel through the extensive use of sexism, racial discrimination, and the power of the strong over the weak. Sexism is the belief that one sex is superior over the other. In â€Å"Of Mice and Men†, Steinbeck undoubtedly shows that the power is centered on the majority sex, which is the males, against the minority, the females, where in this novel is â€Å"Curley’s wife†. By simply keeping the character nameless and using the expression â€Å"Curley’s wife† to identify her is a clear example of referring to her as an object without any respect rather than a person. Curley’s wife† shows how women during the early 1900s were inferior under the men. She is merely the spouse of Curley as far as all the men in the ranch are concerned. â€Å"They are only forced to relate to her through Curley; if they fear him or want no trouble, the men will stay away from her. George, for example, ha s set goals in his mind that he is committed to, thus he will stay away from her in order not to get into any trouble. On the other hand, if they do not fear anyone, they can enjoy their time with the intention of forming a physical relationship with her. Lennie, whose childish mind cannot comprehend why he should stay away from Curley’s wife, falls into the trap and gets severe consequences for doing so. â€Å"She is simply a person living in the ranch with the purpose of only to obey Curley with no voice to complain to. All the men including Curley may go to the â€Å"cathouse† and enjoy their time; Curley’s wife on the other hand, may not dare to do the same, along with Crooks. During the 1900s, racial discrimination was widely used throughout America, a land that is filled with various ethnic groups. Steinbeck portrays the cruel racist manner that is used throughout on the stable buck, Crooks. He lives a separate, isolated life under everyone in the ranch, and is incapable to protest, merely because he is black. He is terribly labeled with the epithet of a â€Å"nigger† from everyone else. Steinbeck portrays him as an unfortunate man for being born black with no power at all and may not do anything about it. He is not allowed to enter any white man’s room, and to slightly raise his own degraded dignity, does the same, not allowing any white man to his room; although he only says so, it is not necessarily true as we later on see that George and candy enter. Crooks is a person where all the sorrows and miseries of another can be thrown on him because he is powerless to object. As soon as Curley’s wife feels insulted from him and Candy, she threatens him verbally, using her superior social status as a white woman, â€Å"Well you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung out in a tree so easy it ain’t even funny†. Although most people in the ranch appear to want friendship, they all live with hidden fear of each other. The years of the great depression left everyone trying to look stronger and better than the other, or otherwise the strong will get rid of them; the killing of Candy’s dog is a great symbol for that which makes it clear. Candy’s dog is ought to get shot and killed, even though it has spent its lifetime with Candy, because it is now old and useless. The stronger, in this case man (Carlson), mercilessly shoots Candy’s dog, who knew nothing of his grief fate. Candy then sees his reflection upon the killing of his dog, that he will soon get too old and therefore useless, which will then have him left alone. This pushes him into desperately asking George to permit him to join with him and Lennie for the pursuit of their own dream ranch, â€Å"Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in, I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some†. On the contrary, Curley is a man who takes advantage of his authority and power to oppress and mock others to make himself seem stronger and even more powerful. He uses his power and gender to boss around with workers of his ranch and his wife, respectively. However, when he chose to do so towards Lennie, Lennie reacts angrily and smashes his hand. Through the intense use of sexism, racial discrimination, and the power of the strong over the weak, Steinbeck successfully exploits the theme of power and control. Whether it is mentally, physically, or money wise, power seems to be moving from one person to another depending on the situation. Perhaps it really is the roots of evil; that occurs as a result of someone realizing his power over others, and then uses it for his own personal desires, while taking advantage of others. In other words, as the Arabic proverb professes, a person’s power and freedom is corrupt when it limits the power and freedom of another. How to cite Of Mice and Men Commentary, Essay examples

Morality in America Essay Example For Students

Morality in America Essay The reading by Johnson starts out with a married lady by the name of Katherine Watkins complaining of rape by a black slave. Throughout the remainder of this section, depositions are given by other black slaves and people who claim to have witnessed the occurrence. Most of the accounts indicate that Mrs. Watkins seduced the slave into a sexual act and then blamed it on him in order to stay out of the trouble that her Quaker husbands beliefs would have brought on her. The other section in this book is the sermon by John Winthrop entitled, A Model of Christianity. Two rules by which all men should abide, he says, are to show mercy and do justice. Among many other good deeds, he preaches love among Christians, performing service for the Lord, having unity and conformity in the community, and strict obedience to Gods word lest some punishment befall you. The handout given in class deals with the issue of homosexuality and the punishments for sodomy and buggery. The reading by Marcus was solely concentrated on the Salem Witch Trials. A former minister, George Burroughs, is accused of witchcraft and much of the section deals with people who claimed to have been bewitched by him. There are a couple of letters by Cotton Mather explaining the difficulty of the witchcraft trials and his defense of the conviction of George Burroughs. The rest of this reading is letters of confession by the accused and more letters relating to the trials. The role of Colonial women in society is given an in depth look in the segment by Graebner. In these days, the husband was seen as the supreme head of the family and women were basically domestic. Women were basically known only as the wife of their husbands and often helped them with their business affairs. Eventually, a minimal level of trade arose among women in the village, but nothing big enough to trigger a large outbreak of feminism at that time. A womens role in society can basically be summed up in this quote, The economic roles of married women were based upon two potentially conflicting values gender specialization and identity of interest. A wife was expected to become expert in the management of a household and the care of children, but she was also asked to assist in the economic affairs of her husband, becoming his representative and even his surrogate if circumstances demanded it. Three concepts that were all tied together in Colonial America were sin, legality, and community. Their definitions of sin were taken before a jury for the proper punishment, and thus their sense of community was being broken down by the fact that so many people were being sentenced and punished for the sins that the legal system found them guilty of.

Network Solution Essay Example

Network Solution Essay Background Nowadays, outside world are changing rapidly and no one can prevent it anymore. One of the factors’s that affecting today’s business is a simple shifting of managing employee’s performance in every organisation. Business organisations often rely on employees to complete business functions in a timely and efficient manner. The reputation of the business may also rely partly on the performance of its employees. Owners of businesses often develop an employee performance management to help them evaluate employees. 1. 2 Aims The purpose of this report is to evaluate the performance management in organisation by finding out their characteristics as an ‘ideal’ management system. It focuses on the Network Solutions, Inc. in order to determine their characteristics of performance management system. This report also will give explanation about basic concepts of performance management. 1. 3 Scope The report evaluates the overview of Network Solutions by providing organisation profile amp; their challenge, the concept of performance management, list correspond of ideal characteristics features system which implemented and identify of mislaid characteristics at Network Solutions. Moreover, this report will analyse the advantage and disadvantage outcomes at Network Solutions from the implementation system which chase by organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on Network Solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Network Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Network Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer By providing some future suggestion about critical issues that Network Solutions facing in performing ideal performance management system also will be discussed at the end of this report. 2. 0 Overview of Network Solution, Inc. 2. 1 Profile of Network Solutions’ As the primary provider of web-related services in North America and a forge in the Internet industry, Network Solutions recognise a lot to getting things done at web speed. Network Solutions, Inc. is a worldwide leader in hardware, software, and services essential to computer networking. Therefore, Network Solutions offers a full suite of web-related services, together with web site design, online marketing, email and web site hosting for more than 4million customers. 2. 2 Challenge faced by Network Solutions’ Recently, Network Solutions, Inc. used more than 50 different systems to measures performance within the organisation. Therefore, there are some challenges that augment in their performance system, such as: * Performance crush were not being tackled * Pressure from competitors was ineffectively escalating the outlay of managing human resource * Quality projects were driving change 3. Performance Management Performance management within the organisation grounded the organisation improvement of productivity, effectiveness and efficiency towards employee performances. Foot and Hook (2005, p. 264) defined the performance management as a process to share understanding about the needs to be achieved by managing and developing people to sharing an understanding in terms of the organisation objective. In addition, the process that line managers ensure that employees’ activities and outputs are aligning with the organisation’s goals can be defined as performance management (De Cieri and Kramer 2005, p. 24). As a result, performance management in Network Solutions are seen as an ongoing process of managing their employees for the aim to increasing job-related success (Holsworthy 2003, cited in Rees amp; McBain 2004, p. 17). In brief, as an HR studies it can be described that performance management are the continuous process of identifying, measuring, developing and aligning of organisation performance towards the strategic goals of the performance of organisation which are effective to accomplish in Network Solutions. The purposes of performance management in Network Solutions are to consider with the strategic business consideration and it relates with the ongoing feedback within the organisation. As a result, by performing excellent management it can improve employee performance that driven by all line manager. 3. 1 Overview of Performance Management System Managing employees is an important part of running a small business. The reputation of the organisation may also rely partly on the performance of its employees. Boice amp; Kleiner (cited in Goff amp; Longenecker 1990, p. 98) noted that owners of organisation frequently enlarge an employee performance management system to assist them evaluate employees by training development. A formal employee performance management system in Network Solutions is usually used for annual employee assessments. These systems usually include information detailed to the organisations operations and how well employees achieve under specific circumstances. As a res ult, it is important for Network Solutions which responds to and anticipates the changes in its environment by awareness on their strategic evel (Buyens et all. , 2001 cited in Blackman amp; Kelly,2006). 3. 2 Characteristics of an ‘ideal’ performance management system There are fourteen characteristics described by Aguinis (2009, pp. 26-27) as an ideal performance management system which accommodates to evaluates at Network Solutions. Therefore, this involves in particular, the characteristics to be congruent with organisational strategy, thorough, practical, meaningful, specific, identifies effective amp; ineffective performance, reliable, open and standardised. As a result, Network Solutions’ system provides a reasonable overlap with an ideal performance management system. Even though, the remainder characteristics are not visibly address such as, valid, acceptable and fair, inclusive, correctable, and ethical. 4. 0 Network Solutions’ Performance Management System 4. 1 Ideal characteristics which implemented at Network Solutions There are some characteristics which correspondent at Network Solution based on Aguinis (2009, pp. 26-27), such as: * Goal cascading and team building correspond with Congruent with organisational strategy characteristic. In other words, Network Solutions highlighted that one of the first step strategy in developing an effective performance evaluation system is to determine the organisation’s objectives (Boice amp; Kleiner, 1997). * Performance planning and Development planning correspond with thorough characteristic. All performance and development planning have been considered in Network Solutions. In this case study, the organisation trying to accomplish four dimensions of evaluation system based on Aguinis. The idea that the system is a joint year-round responsibility of managers and employees correspond with it being standardised. Standardised characteristic is good in every organisation to adopt that concept. Therefore, Network Solutions was decided this concept in evaluated their performance to achieve their goal. 4. 2 Identification of mislaid characteristics at Network Solutions There are some characteristics may be missing based on (Aguinis 2009, pp. 26-27) in performance of Network S olution such as: * Acceptable amp; fair In relates to the case study, it showed that the organisation and HR team was put in place to design and implement the new system. Well on the other hand, Network Solutions was missed this opportunity to breaking down their system to be accepted by their employees and it is also not fair for the board to expect good performance but all delegation task was not efficiently correspondent (Burgoyne, 1998 cited in Luoma, 2000). As result, an ideal system of to be acceptable and is perceived as fair by all participants is required to adopt by Network Solutions for a better future. Inclusive The valuation progression should symbolise the concerns of all the people who will be affected by the outcome in regard with this characteristics. Consequently, Network Solutions participants must be given a voice in the process of designing and implementing the system. For example, inclusive system is probable to lead to more successful systems to improve their performance preview. * Correctable  "Correctability† as ideal characteristics is a process of assigning ratings to create a system as an important component of the evaluation process. Furthermore, performance management system in which a set percentage of employees were classified in each several categories is required to listed inclusive employees rating in Network Solutions. For instance, as it mentioned in the case study, a rating of 1 to the top 20% of performers. As a result, with the individual ratings will determine the execution of annual objectives and job requirements as well as by comparison rating of others at a similar level at Network Solutions. * Ethical A superior system fulfil with ethical standards are described by Aguinis as an ideal characteristic of performance management system. In Network Solutions, the supervisor evaluates only performance dimensions for which has sufficient information and privacy of the employee respected. Regarding all points above, the board of Network Solution should review its performance in relates with those characteristics which are mislaid and agree on required changes to improve its operation. 5. 0 Implementation system from Network Solutions 5. 1 Advantages and positives outcomes Performance management systems are used to align employee performance with company goals. According to Davidson and Griffin (2006) a successful review system will include components for ongoing and consistent feedback, goal setting, communication between managers and employees, and motivation (Meyer amp; Allen, 1991 cited in Sahindis amp; Bouris, 2007). The ideal system ensures that everyone involved understands the process, its purpose, and any possible rewards that may stem from it. Numerous advantages that come out of this approach, such as: * Good and balanced standardised performance review system. * Structured performance reviews Employees will strive more to improve their performance knowing that good performance are rewarded * By streamlining employee goals with company goals, employees are happier knowing that their overall contribution will assist the company and ultimately, they feel ownership of the company 5. 2 Disadvantages and negative outcomes A well performance management system has become an innovative approach to accomplish organisational success. As su ch, a performance management system is complex because it involves employees, supervisors and strategic managerial personnel. As a system, according to McCarthy, Garavan amp; O’Toole (2003) its advantages have been broadly advertised, but the system has to be carefully monitored for smooth functioning and HRD can play their roles in regards to managing Network Solutions interfaces. As a result, there are listed some of disadvantages that evaluate in this approach, such as: * Having the same approach / standardised approach applied across all departments / areas may not be as effective as we predicted it to be. What may be applicable in one department may not necessarily be applicable in others. It may be a good idea to develop several scenarios for performance reviews, especially in different areas. * Having a set number of employees to be assigned with a given rating may not bring the encouragement effect. Employees may be stressed or under intense pressure to perform, in which case, usually the reverse will happen, i. e. worse performance rather than improvement 6. 0 Conclusion In conclusion, there has been constant change in the world of Human Resources in the past few years. The changes have been caused by the need to react quickly to severe pressures for survival. Regarding to the roles of HR, adopting an ideal characteristic by Aguinis is important for Networks Solutions to support their performance management system. Based on Network Solution, Inc. case, it is important for board system to concern with their task to train their staff by delegate their new system and avoid some of the barriers that happens in the organisations. 7. 0 Recommendations It is recommended that: * The board level should put more efforts to control Network Solution Inc. , performance by applying Aguinis ideal characteristic performance management system. Within the organisation should construct good communication to avoid any lack of information * Network Solution should provides routine orientation meeting program for their employees to construct any new system which applied and to educate employees about the new system to ensure all on track * All board Network Solution should give their employees motivation * Network Solutions should plan to continue reinforcing t he needed cultural change to support forced distribution ratings.

Experience That Influenced Your Academic Interests Essays - Surnames

Experience That Influenced Your Academic Interests Essays - Surnames Experience that influenced your academic Interests UT Texas at Austin The prompt is: Describe and evaluate one experience that significantly influenced your academic interests. Be sure to explain how this experience led to your setting the goals you know have for yourself and why you think the academic program for which you are applying will help you to reach these goals. He Opened the Door to Anywhere and Anything Mr. Trimble- the tall, bike-riding Calculus teacher who truly made me realize the value of education. As far as academics were concerned, I believed I had always tried my best in reaching my full potential. That is, until I met Mr. "T." He made me understand that I was not going as far as I was capable of Mr. Trimble offered to help me out on a couple of problems I had been experiencing with Pre-Calculus, and after a short while he became not only a tutor, but a true friend. I cannot even begin to imagine how many hours I spent in his classroom after the last school bell had rung. Posters of music legends and helpful math mnemonics covered his walls. It was a very spirited room for the lively man he stood to be. He went over the math in great detail while also informing me of how eminently important it was for academics to be my top priority. As an avid swimmer and loyal friend, I was greatly dedicated to the sport and my social surroundings, but Mr. Trimble would always be there to tell me to slow down and repeat his key phrase, "Studying always comes first." Although Mr. Trimble's main purpose was to perfect my Pre-Cal, he did so much more that he was unaware of doing. He convinced me into believing that anything was possible if I put my mind to it and had a brain-full of determinat ion. If I wanted to be the first woman President, he would say "Hey, the sky's the limit." After the year ended, my goals had unconsciously changed for the better. I believed in myself, my capability, and accomplishing anything as though the world was an open door to endless possibilities. I did not just want to be a newspaper reporter, my desire was to be sports editor of the New York Times. Since the University of Texas ranks as having one of the best academic curriculums in the nation, participating in such a program will challenge me tothe best of my ability, probably more than anything ever will. Under the mentoring and guidance of Mr. Trimble, I do not fear the intimidation that college puts forth, I welcome and look forward it.

Marketing research report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Marketing research report - Essay Example Figures are provided by various web sites, one of these is a reliable source from Mintel which conducts scientific and period reportage, with the aim of analyzing various industries and businesses affecting the UK and other countries. Not only this, the different incidents of global terrorism are briefly examined so that there can be an analysis on its impact on hotel and tourism industry. According to the EU, a hotel is defined as "a collective accommodation establishment, typified as being arranged in rooms exceeding a nationally specified minimum and as providing common services, including room service." The UK definition is made according to the holding of a licence to sell liquor. (Mintel website) Mintel defines tourism "as any travel which involves an overnight stay away from home." Tourism 'trips' divide between holidays (short breaks of 1-3 nights or long holidays), business travel, VFR (visits to friends and relatives (VFR) and miscellaneous travel purposes (eg shopping or religious trips), all of which may involve staying in a hotel. (Mintel website) When terrorists hijacked four U.S. ... The perpetrators - and indeed the entire world - may have thought that it was the end of America as an economic and military superpower. America under attack, America on its knees, Bin Laden, the anthrax threats and other security concerns, what would be the future of America and the world and the global economy Terrorism is a menace to society. It involves violence causing destruction and deaths for vague and questionable "religious causes" - love and service to God - never before heard in the annals of man as a religious being. The September 11 attack impacted on the lives of the American people and the economy, by creating fear and depreciating billions of dollars worth of man-made infrastructure, buildings and capital. Terrorism has spread all over, and where there is terrorism, profound effects impact on tourism, a direct victim along with the economy. From as far as the Philippines, to the small island of Bali in Indonesia, to the subways of London, to Spain, Egypt, Brazil, Nepal, and the skyscrapers of New York, terrorism wreaked havoc. There were instant reactions from countries and governments. Securities in airports and terminals were strict. People restricted their travel. Terrorism served its purpose - fear in everyone's heart. In the wake of the tragedy in New York, travel and tourism industry was reeling. Airline travel and hotel stays have plummeted worldwide. Industry revenues, profits, and stock values are all down. Industry workers are being laid off in large numbers. (World Economic News, 2000) The World Tourism Organization issued the "Report of the Secretary-General: Terrorist Attacks in the United States of America", and acknowledged that the "unprecedented and brutal act of terrorism is

Research Methods - past exam paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Methods - past exam paper - Assignment Example He explained that variance process explains the relationship between the dependant and independent variables leading to an outcome while the process theory explains the patterns of events that led to the outcome of an event. Selection bias is the process of selecting group of objects or individuals in a manner so that the selected sample does not represent a particular segment of population. In such a case, the estimated sample would be biased in nature due to random approach of selecting the sample size. Selection bias is likely to occur more commonly as a result of the random sampling method. The given summary statistics could be used to interpret and compare the average scores of the class in the two tests and also comment on the dispersion of the scores from their average scores, the comparison among the highest and lowest scores in those two tests. The mean values suggest that average score for Test2 is more than Test1. The standard deviation shows that more number of students has variation from average score in Test1 as compared to that in Test2. The median suggests that the mid-point score for all students arranged in ascending order for both the tests is same. The 1st quartile shows that the lowest score for the two tests are different while the 3rd quartile shows that highest score is same for both the tests. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is a statistical method that could be used to test the relative dispersion among the variables captured by the researcher. As the measurement units are different, the data set may not follow normal distribution. For this reason, ANOVA method would be useful for testing the relative dispersion among variables. Sample distribution is the statistical distribution of a random variable selected from a sample size in a random manner out of the entire population. It is said to be normally distributed when the mean, median, mode are all equal and the

Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology in Intelligent Buildings & Research Paper

Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology in Intelligent Buildings & Engineering - Research Paper Example In Intelligent Buildings & Engineering, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology is primarily being used to provide an effective means of monitoring and analysis of various real-time data that can help enhance the operational efficiency and reduce costs and energy expenses of smart buildings thereby making them to be more comfortable, safe, and healthy as well as enhance the productivity of the occupants. Unlike multispectral imaging which normally deals with numerous images at discrete, narrow bands, Hyperspectral remote sensing is primarily based on narrow spectral bands produced over a continuous spectral range. This is critically important as it makes the images more detailed. One of the areas of intelligent building and engineering where hyoerspectral remote sensing imaging can be used is to make buildings safer and more comfortable by providing reliable geological and rock information, seismic and environmental data regarding the construction sites prior to the commencement of t he construction of the buildings. Generally, this is critically important in helping choose the appropriate building and engineering project designs as well as materials that best fit a particular geographical area.

Why Switzerland and the United Kingdom Are Not Part of the European Union

Why Switzerland and the United Kingdom Are Not Part of the European Union Since World War II, Switzerland and Great Britain have gone through many political changes by reinforcing the foreign policy in their constitutions to protect the borders. When comparing these two governmental actions on policy, one can see the fate of the citizens in the two nations. The political powers these countries have are greatly interconnected with the world. It can be determined that the active role the United Kingdom plays in foreign affairs is superior to Switzerland in terms of creating economic political power and respect. However, Switzerland has had a long history of neutrality and has tried its best to not involve itself in European politics. This country has taken a neutral stance in regards to military action by maintaining and utilizing the Swiss military air force mainly for their protection. This is why these two rich and powerful countries are not part of the European Union. Recently, The European Union crisis has affected financially many different countries around the world. Therefore, the European Union has implemented the Euro as a common currency among seventeen countries.   Although there are many countries in Europe that may be part of the Euro zone, they will give very poor exchange rates.   Since 2008, the European Union has accumulated a lot of debt.   It has been struggling to pay their debt back to the Central Bank. This debt has damaged the European currency and has pushed many nations into recession.   This has lead to high unemployment rates and widespread poverty.   Countries like Switzerland do not want to be part of the European Union because the Swiss government feels that they will have to use their financial stability to help the economics of other countries. Switzerland has been an independent country since 1291; it is located between Germany, Italy, France and Austria.   The capital of Switzerland is Bern and the largest city is Zurich.   Switzerland has been considered to be one of the strongest countries in the middle of the European Union.   This is because a political institution that protects the nation maintained it aligned with the vision of its founders. â€Å"The Federal Assembly† is the primary seat of power. Although in practice the executive branch has been increasing its power at the expense of the legislative branch, the Federal Assembly has two houses:   the Council of states and the National Council.   In order for Switzerland to become part of the European Union, the Swiss government has to renounce their neutral power and financial stability. In 1992, the Swiss government applied for membership in the European Economic Area (EEA).   In a referendum on December 6, 1991, at a â€Å"historically high† turnout of 78.7%, the Swiss population narrowly rejected membership in the organization even though the liberals strongly supported membership†.   Subsequently to this, the Swiss government and the European Union permitted Switzerland to incorporate with the European Union without joining.   Switzerland’s foreign relations have avoided coalition that might involve military, political or monetary action. The Swiss constitution declares the preservation of Switzerland’s independence and welfare as the supreme objective of the Swiss foreign policy.   The structure laid down precise foreign policy to diplomatic consistence of the country to encourage high opinion for human rights, equality and the policy regulation. This was established to promote the Swiss economic interest around the world.  Ã‚   All through history, the Swiss have been known for their banks. There are many reasons for this, including privacy and good interest rates.   Europeans had accounts in the Swiss banks way before the war.   Jewish people in Germany put their money in the Swiss banks because they did not want Germany to steal it. This made many problems that are still trying to be solved today.   The Swiss government feels that they have an ethical responsibility to undertake social, monetary and humanitarian actions that contribute to world peace and harmony. Switzerland feels that they are able to participate without compromising their neutrality.   Switzerland is not part of the European nation which gives it its currency and economic power. Even though Switzerland’s view of isolation keeps it out of the European Union, it is not considered part of Europe.   Its solution to helping its neighbors with economic and security issues, is to do so in the most passive way possible. That is why the United Nations meets in Switzerland because of its state of neutrality and its constant involvement in peace with NATO.   According to a 2001 referendum, this can be done by the public in Switzerland.   Seventy percent of Swiss voters rejected any political movement towards European Union Membership.   Even with these numbers, the Swiss government is heavily divided over entering the European Union.   British and Switzerland voters see little benefits in the struggling European Union. The involvement of Great Britain in the Middle East along with other foreign affairs has secured many of their economic ventures, especially those in opening markets like British Petroleum oil companies. The economy gains and by doing this Switzerland influences the world. This world influence comes with more long term gains than that of short term and can have both positive and negative effects. Switzerland has very few enemies, receives less pressure from the world to get involved, and spends a large percentage of its budget on their military affairs.     The downside is that then Switzerland has to live by the rules of those who are more heavily involved in world affairs.   British foreign relations which mostly were inherited from England, originally pay to achieve stability of power from the inside of Europe.   No other country has achieved control over the relationships of the continent.      The British government relies heavily upon its foreign affairs policies.   The United Kingdom’s policy of being involved in world affairs greatly benefits the nation when it comes to monetary stability, world power, respect, and national security. The United Kingdom has a good relationship with Europe since the Second World War. Since then, Great Britain has become a member of the European Economic.   Even though Great Britain does not use the Euro and is not a member of the Euro zone, it still plays a leading role in the day to day working of the European Union. Great Britain had doubts when it came to being a part of the European Union and taking care of European Nations at the cost of the United Kingdom.   Great Britain was constantly pushing policies that furthered themselves from the European Union, including that of not using the Euro as their currency but rather keeping the British Pound, which was significantly stronger.   Joining the European Union was an uncharacteristic action by Great Britain.   In 1951, when the European Coal Steel Community was created Great Britain did not participate in it.   In 1957 it declined to join the six founding nations of the European Economic Community and in the signing of the treaty of Rome. Jean Monnet, one of the founders of the European Economic Community, said â€Å"I never understood why the British did not join†.   The conclusion that it must have been because it was the price of victory, the illusion that â€Å"You could maintain what you had, without change† as the United Kingdom constantly pushed itself away from Europe, it considered itself closer to the United States and maintained a special relationship with them. The laws of the land between the United Kingdom and Switzerland are drastically different. The United Kingdom’s common of formality with no real written down and unified constitution to Switzerland specifically states every right and liberty of the people and limitation of government power.   The United Kingdom’s constitution has evolved over the centuries, having a foundation of common law, Acts of Parliament, treaties, historical documents, and case law. It is not set out in any one clear and concise document which according to Justice Secretary â€Å"most people might struggle to put their finger on where their rights are† this is the problem with this type of law and rights of the United Kingdom.† However, the European Union has a concrete stone way to protect the economy of the European Union as well. The economy is integral in the European region which aims to unify its members.   The Economic and Monetary Union offers the exclusiveness of the single currency. This explains the gains, costs and qualifications of joining the European Union and the European Central Union Bank, its policies and implications with regards to the regional economic integration into the single currency. The gain and cost are very important to cover because the European region is not the only region that is trying to implement regional economic integration. The European integration policy relies within the members of the European Union.   The members themselves are the ones who make and decide policies. Members of the states are the ones who will either make the European Economic Monetary Union to succeed or fail and are the key of the regional economic integration’s progress.     They are the ones who know what is right and what is wrong regarding the policies to which the European Union stands. The European Union has a very particular way of selecting who can qualify for the European Economic and monetary union.   Criteria which was based on that the country satisfy the public deficit, interest rate and pass the qualifications. For countries to qualify for adopting the Euro, they have to sustain an inflation rate high enough to put up to the standards of others countries. Of course qualifications are not bias to just those counties that have high inflations.   The countries that qualified do not only have an increasing inflation rate but the need to sustain it.   At least every two years the European Central Bank Commission calls for a meeting to see the progress made and if the member’s states are fulfilling their obligations with regards to the standards of the Economic Monetary Union. These are stages they have to go through before they qualify for adopting the single currency. These criteria are all part of the stability and growth of the European Union.   A pact also covers the government deficit, which is the amount by which government spending exceeds government income within a given year.   The stability and growth pact requires ensuring their yearly deficits to not exceed 3% of their total annual production, thus keeping their economic balance. By keeping economic balance, the European Union would not have a problem when they implement the single currency. Countries who adopted the single currency and members of the European Union submit their budget plans to the European Commission who assesses them annually. There is also the public debt which is the total amount of accumulated government deficit which exceeds government income; the government concerned has borrowed money or raised taxes to fill the gap. The government ensures that they do not exceed 60 percent of their GDP (Gross Domestic Products) these rules are approved by all members of the European Union to demonstrate that the economic decision making is a matter of common concern and shared responsibility of all members of the European Union. According to the author Henseler Stephan (2008); â€Å"Reviewing European monetary unification† he stated that suppression of exchange rates would eliminate any risk regarding currency exchange, thus reducing interest rates.   This means that there will be no more conversion of money between countries that are members of the European Union. With the economic integration on route, the single currency could most likely be a very massive dream to come true. When crossing the borders of Europe, residents from the countries who adopted the single currency would most likely not be harassed by changing their currency.   In addition to this, economic and monetary union would project a push and pull scenario between all member states.   If the currency would increase its value it would be better for those who have less economic growth.   The playing field of integration of financial markets would be even. With this the currency of the European Union would be most the most independent with the US dollar. The independency on the US interest rate would be likely to fall with a strong European currency and economic area.   In conclusion, the political powers these countries have are greatly interconnected with the world. It can be determined that the active role the United Kingdom plays in foreign affairs is superior to Switzerland in terms of creating economic political power and respect. Excluding the fact that there are still areas to be changed by the European Union, as also the standards they set for the regional economic integration.   The European Economy that was created to protect the countries has been a success for them and it is still progressing up to this date.   In the future we can surely foresee that there will be more countries who will adopt the single currency offered by the economic union. The European Economy has been a great achievement for the members of the European Union, there are still a lot of adjustments that need to be done regarding the policies of the Economy until then Switzerland and the United Kingdom will remain independent from the European Union. References Henseler, Stephan  (2008)  Reviewing European monetary unification.   Diplomarbeit University of Vienna.  Fakultà ¤t fà ¼r Wirtschaftswissenschaften   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_Warshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_the_United_Kingdom Policy Exchange Home http://www.conservapedia.com/Switzerland

Process Essay - How to Recognize and Eliminate Macro Viruses

Process Essay - How to Recognize and Eliminate Macro Viruses Imagine starting up your computer only to see the image on the screen melt while eerie music plays. The hard drive crunches away. What is it doing in there? Before you turn off the machine, most of your files have been deleted. Your computer is the victim of a computer virus. But where did the virus come from? It may have been that game you borrowed or, more likely, it came from an electronic document. Most viruses infect programs, but newer viruses can infect documents as well. This is the case with macro viruses that infect Microsoft Word files. In fact, the number of these viruses has increased from 40 in 1996 to over 1,300 in 1998. Anyone who reads Word files created by others can be at risk. Infected documents spread easily and quickly, especially in environments where documents are shared. What is a macro virus? A macro virus is a program that infects documents and spreads by copying itself. When a document containing a macro virus is opened on your computer, the virus copies itself into something called the global template, which is used to save Word settings. Once this template is infected, all documents you save will contain the virus. If you distribute an infected document, the virus will spread even further. Besides making copies of themselves, viruses can have other harmful effects. They can delete or change document contents, change Word settings, set passwords on your documents so that you can’t read them, or delete all of your files the next time you start your computer. How can I tell if my computer has a macro virus? Many viruses are so good at covering their tracks that you may not even realize they are t... ...e all macros found in a document. Unless you need to use the macros in a document, you should disable them. †¢ Make the normal.dot file read-only. This file is where viruses reside in an infected system. A virus can’t copy itself into this file if it is read-only. Here is how to do this in Windows 98: - First click the Start button, then click Find, and then click Files or Folders. - Type â€Å"normal.dot† into the Named box and then click Find Now. - At the bottom of the window should be the normal.dot file with an icon next to it. Click on this file with the right mouse button and then click Properties. - Check the Read-only box and click OK. Preventing macro viruses is easy compared to the amount of time and frustration involved in removing them. For more information on macro virus prevention, read the Macro Virus FAQ at http://www.look.com/mfaq.html.

Influence of Women on American History Through the Civil War

The Influence of Women on the Founding of America and Through 1877 Kelley Swatsenbarg Wayland Baptist University – San Antonio Center Mr. Thomas Gaj May 4, 2010 The Influence of Women on the Founding of America and Through 1877 Throughout the many years of history, women have always had some kind of influence over man. Whether it be coercing him, tricking him, or demanding of him, they changed the actions of men. Sometimes it has been completely unintentional; sometimes intentional. Sometimes it has been covertly; sometimes overtly. Sometimes it has been the mothers of great men making decisions about their upbringing; sometimes it has been the choices made by female leaders or leaders wives. The United States in no different; women have been influencing, directly or indirectly, the decision and actions of the men in America starting from the choice to fund Christopher Columbus’s misguided exploration. Famous foreign rulers have influence America, from the beginning of the history of the United States. The first, of course, is the famous Isabella, Queen of Spain, who convinced King Ferdinand to finance Christopher Columbus’s exploration to find a route to Asia by traveling west. Then Elizabeth, Queen of England, decided to try to colonize the Americas to get tax revenue thus causing great numbers of Englishmen to colonize the United States. Some women did what they could within the confines of their traditionally established role of nurturer and were involved in the medical field. Two examples are Susie King Taylor and Mary Edwards Walker. Susie King Taylor traveled with her husband who was in E Company 33rd United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. She was a former slave who became their nurse, laundress, cook, teacher, and even comforted the sick soldiers even on their deathbed. Mary Edwards Walker was also a Union nurse during Civil War who finally won a commission in the army as a surgeon, and was the only woman to receive a Congressional Medal of Honor. Dorthea Dix helped organize the Union Army Corp of Nurses and was appointed superintendent of the Union nurses. There was the teacher, Clara Barton, now a famous humanitarian, who, after the outbreak of the Civil War, remained in contact with many former students in the New England Volunteer Regiment that went south. Their mothers gave her gifts for their sons as they thought that she, as a nurse, would be able to get packages to them. She realized that these were not gifts, but rather necessities like soap; from this she created the American Red Cross. She was also a Union nurse who bravely stayed to help surgeons under fire when all the male assistants fled. Some women personally aided soldiers and the underprivileged. One such woman was Margaret Corbin who traveled with her husband to take care of him during the war, doing woman’s work, but was in a battle with her husband. When he died in battle, she took over the cannon; she was wounded and later received the first retired disability pension for a woman. Some women created inspiration in various forms of literature to give hope to the men of this nation. One was Ethel Lynn Beers who wrote poetry and published a poem she'd titled â€Å"The Picket Guard. † The poem was adapted to music and sung by soldiers on both sides in the Civil War. Another woman of inspiration is Lydia Maria Child who wrote An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans_ _that was a key to persuading many Americans of the need for abolition of slavery. Some women were acclaimed worldwide, like Catherine Maria Sedgwick, who wrote numerous historical sketches and biographies. Her writing is considered to be completely American in both thought and feeling; it captured the all of the characterx and manners of New England. Another American author was Mercy Otis Warren, the wife of politician, James Warren; the couple had a close friendship with Abigail and John Adams. John encouraged her to write the history of the American Revolution. Ironically, he ostracized her and her husband because of candid accounts of atrocities against women and children during the war. By far the most famous writer to influence politics was Harriet Beecher Stowe who became a celebrity when she published Tom's Cabin in 1851 depicting the atrocious lives of black slaves in the South. In 1852 she was introduced to President Abraham Lincoln who greeted her â€Å"So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this Great War! † Other women created patriotic symbols which would inspire generations of Americans. Betsy Ross, operated an upholstery shop, became legendary for making the first stars-and-stripes at the request of George Washington which was adopted as the national flag by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. Another example of a woman who inspired is Julia Ward Howe, a famous writer who wrote the celebrated Battle Hymn of the Republic. Many women inspired men through their patriotic activities. One great patriot that inspired Georgia was their most famous female patriot of the Revolutionary War, Nancy Hart, whose steadfast endeavors get rid of British and their sympathizers. However the most famous heroic female patriot, in spite of her flaws, is Dolly Madison, the wife of James Madison and acting first lady for Thomas Jefferson. She could have influence them in their politics, but she inspired the masses with her patriot deeds. During her husband’s tenure as president, the British attacked Washington, D. C. She had the foresight to save not only the silver but also secret documents and a portrait of George Washington which would have likely been destroyed. Another patriot was Molly Pitcher, originally named Mary Ludwig Hays. During the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, she was with her husband on the front lines. Seeing that the soldiers were thirsty, she made her way through ferocious fighting to carry pitchers of water to the artillery gunners, and she even took over her husband’s job as rammer when her husband was wounded and could no longer man the gun mission. Sometimes women invented machines or assisting others in their endeavors to invent. For example, Martha Coston developed an elaborate system of flares called Night Signals that allowed ships to transmit nocturnal messages which was later purchased by the U. S. Navy. Also, Mary Walton patented a method of deflecting smoke stack emissions through water tanks later adapted the system for use on locomotives and invented a noise reduction system for elevated railroads. On the other hand Catharine (Kitty) Littlefield Greene helped Eli Whitney set up his workshop and was among the few people to see his first prototype of the cotton gin. At the time it was able to remove the seed, but the cotton fibers kept getting stuck in the mechanisms. Kitty simply suggested sweeping the fibers off and the rest, shall we say, is history. Some women have taken steps out of the boundaries of the traditional role by being the first woman to surpass a man in a particular field. Among these was Lady Deborah Moody who, because of lack of religious freedom, led a group of followers to the Dutch colony of New Netherland where she founded the settlement of Gravesend in Brooklyn. Also because of views about standard religions, Mary Baker Eddy founded Christian Science as well as the six time Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor. Still other women inspired men to think of women as more equal by making the same achievements as men. First there was Mary Katherine Goddard, the first woman publisher who was asked by the signers of the Declaration of Independence to print the first official copies of the document. There was also Margaret Fuller, the first female foreign correspondent. In medicine, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to graduate from medical school, and Sarah Hackett Stevenson was the first female member of the American Medical Association. Sometimes women influence men by political activism like Harriett Delille who campaigned for children’s labor rights or Ester Deberdt Reed who formed a women’s organization that collected $300,000 for Washington’s army. Still others campaigned for workers’ rights like Sarah Bagley who fought for a ten-hour workday. Of course now the laws state that a workday must be no longer than eight hours a day or forty hours per week, but we would not have progressed to where we are without her protesting. Others spoke out for women’s rights like Susan B. Anthony, Isabella Stowe Beecher, Lucretia Coffin Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, just to name a few. Yet others spoke out against slavery like Abby Folsom, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Maria Stewart, and Truth Sojourner. Victoria Woodhull took activism a step further when she became a politician and was the first women to campaign for president of the United States in 1872. Sometimes their influence has simply been by virtue of the fact that they were married to famous men and they have influenced their husbands’ actions. Martha Washington, as we all know, was the wife of President George Washington. She was the first first-lady forming the model for all first ladies to come with her abilities to balance managing a plantation, arranging state dinners and function, visiting troops, and maintaining her relationship with George by supporting and advising him. Abigail Smith Adams was the wife of Samuel Adam and mother of John Quincy Adams who would later become president. She was his confidant, counselor, and advisor sharing her political views with him and even warning him about future problems including women’s rights. Their son, John Quincy Adams married Louisa Adams. Louisa, the only first lady not born in America, is reputed to have made many social calls to help him get elected. Deborah Read Franklin was the common law wife of Benjamin Franklin. She also took over his responsibilities as owner of a printing business and as postmaster while he was away on diplomatic affairs. On the other hand, Elizabeth Schuler Hamilton spent her entire life dedicated to memorializing her husband’s heritage. She even ensured a brass plaque was placed on their son’s grave in Sacramento, California dedicated to Alexander’s patriotism. Sarah Livingston Jay would pass valuable information, and gossip, to her husband, John Jay which helped him while he was secretary of foreign affairs – this position was also the head of Congress and thereby the de-facto head of state. Mary White Morris and her husband Robert Morris were close friends of John and Sally Jay, often having many a long political discussion. While Rebecca Ann Felton, the husband of William Felton, helped him write his speeches while he served as a congressman between 1875 thru 1881. Still other women were simply involved with activities which have influenced domestic politics like, Irene Sanford Emerson who was sued by a former slave, Dred Scott. Mr. Scott traveled with Mr. Emerson while he was in the army stationed in the North; he claimed he had been emancipated as a result of having lived with his master in the free state of Illinois. The court ruled in favor of Mrs. Emerson; Mr. Scott appealed to the Supreme Court where the decision was upheld, but it set the precedence that blacks had a legal right to file suit in a civil court, as previously blacks were considered property and therefore, like a chair, could not litigate. There were also many Native American women who assisted and acted as diplomats for the settlers and colonists. One was Mary Musgrove, an American Indian interpreter, diplomat, and businesswoman. She was raised by Colonists and, because she knew both languages well, she interpreted for James Oglethorpe when he founded the colony of Georgia. She also inherited land from her Native American mother, as their tradition was to pass property down the matriarchal line. The English refused to accept the legality of her property ownership and she took them to court. They negotiated and came to a compromise; some of the land was sold by the British with her receiving the proceeds. Then there was Pocahontas, Native American princess who helped the Jamestown settlers by bringing them food and warning them of her father’s attacks. She was held prisoner by the settlers in an effort to force her father into a peace agreement, but he refused; she eventually converted her to Christianity and married John Rolfe. Because of her position as wife of John Rolfe and daughter of an Indian chief, she was able to maintain peace between the two communities. Sacajawea was another Native American who influenced American politics. She was married to a French man, Toussaint Charbonneau, the guide hired by Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition. Sacajawea went with her husband and interpreted with the Native American Indians. She would translate to Charbonneau in French and he would translate to Lewis and Clark into English. During her trip she gave birth to a son, and, all the while taking care of him, guided the explorers trough Indian lands, protected them from Indian attacks, kept valuable items from being lost–her husband was a klutz, and even found them food to supplement their all-meat diet. Other women covertly did the jobs of men such as Deborah Champion, a teenage girl who bought parcels, messages and pay to General George Washington when soldiers could not. Some other messengers were Behethland Moore and Sybil Ogden Ludington, dubbed the â€Å"female Paul Revere† (she rode about twice as far as he did on his famous ride). Still other women, like Harriet Tubman–a conductor on the Underground Railroad, acted secrectly. The history of the world abounds with famous female spies like Pauline Cushman, a Union spy, became a camp follower of the Confederate army. She was discover, tried in a military court, and sentenced to hang; they delayed her sentence due to her health and she was rescued by Union forces. Upon her return North, President Lincoln made her an honorary major. Elizabeth Van Lew was a famous and effective Union spy. She entered the Confederate Libby Prison on the pretense of humanitarian reasons, and, since the guards thought she was harmless and crazy, she gained information about the strength and disposition of the troops. As her work continued, she devised a way to send coded messages inside eggs. Belle Boyd used her feminine wiles to gain secrets and trap Union soldiers. Others posed as soldiers and fought in war. During the Civil War, Ann Clarke dressed as a man in the Confederate army. She was wounded, taken prisoner, and later released. Prudence Wright gathered a women’s troop and dressed in husbands’ uniforms to defend their city from the British. They captured a British spy and turned him over to the Colonial Army. Deborah Sampson Gannet dressed as man in order to fight in Revolution; her husband received land and was granted the pension of a soldier. During her career she was wounded several times and caught a fever which nearly took her life. If it were not for the fever she would have remained a soldier longer, but a doctor finally discovered her secret, but he did not publicly release the fact, instead he sent her to General George Washington who immediately discharged her. Then there was the famous story of Sarah Emma Edmonds who enlisted in the Union army as Frank Thompson, a male nurse. She effectively guarded her secret for many years even taking on disguises of men and women, blacks and whites to spy. She left the army for medical treatment in an area where she was unknown, when she did this, Frank Thompson was viewed as a deserter. Afterwards, she fought to be recognized for her achievements, and, with a special act of Congress, she was honorably discharged and given a pension. The Confederacy had plenty of female spies too. Included in this number is Antonia Ford who passed along to Confederate J. E. B. Stuart information on Union troop activity. Rose O’Neal Greenhow was such a successful spy that she was imprisoned twice, and then exiled to the Confederate states. She was to tour Britain and France as a propagandist for the Confederate cause; her memoirs were published with a wide sale throughout the British Isles. She obtained more and more sympathy for the South. There was also the case of Loreta Janeta Velazquez who enlisted in disguise and served at Manassas/Bull Run, Ball's Bluff, Fort Donelson, and Shiloh under the name Lieutenant Harry T. Buford. She also claims to have served as a spy and worked working as a double agent for the Confederacy in the service of the U. S. Secret Service. To this day no one can determine if in fact any of these accounts are true,, although a newspaper report mentions a Lieutenant Bensford arrested when it was disclosed â€Å"he† was actually a woman giving her name as Alice Williams. Even in Colonial times America was full of willing female spies and messengers such as Dicey Langston was a teenage colonial spy who forded a river, up to her shoulders, to get details of British troop movement to the colonial army. And then there was Emily Geiger a messenger for General Greene in the Colonial army. Coming from the direction of Greene's army, she was suspected and confined to a room. The officer sent for a woman to search her for papers. She sought to destroy the letter; once the door was shut, she ate up the letter, piece by piece. Lydia Darragh was a mortician and would watch British troops from the window of her house. She sent messages about their activities through one of her sons and then to another soldier to get information to Washington’s Army. British officer Major Andre commandeered her house, but allowed the family to stay in the house. She could then listen in on their plotting and send word of their plans. Others’ influences were merely accidental like Peggy O’Neale Eaton, married Senator John Eaton in 1828 during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Many gossiped about her colorful past and seeming infidelity with her first husband, when she married Eaton, she shunned by cabinet members’ wives due to her assumed sordid past. The behavior of the ladies towards her and the influence upon their husbands created such a disaster that the cabinet fell apart–Jackson fired them all. An unintentional influence on men’s actions was Betsy Loring who was General Howe’s mistress; although she was the wife a loyalist, she distracted General Howe by â€Å"entertaining† and distracting him from battles with General Washington. The United States of America owes an enormous debt to Mary Ball Washington. She set the example of solid morals and religious opinions, and even read to her children aloud. We need to thank her for one incidentally decision that she made regarding the future of her son. When George was fourteen years old, his half-brother Lawrence obtained a midshipman’s warrant for him in the English naval service. George was already packed and ready to go, but his mother refused to give her consent at the last minute. So, because of an inadvertent decision, George Washington became the Father of Our Country and our first President instead of an English naval officer. In conclusion, in all nations, including the United States, women have been influencing, either directly or indirectly, the decision and actions of the men. Regardless of whether we believe that changes women have made are good or bad, they have helped define this great nation of ours, and, as the French say, â€Å"Viva la difference. Collins, G. (2003). America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Roberts, C. (2004_) Founding Mothers: the Women Who Raised Our Nation. _ New York: HarperCollins Publishers Roberts, C. (2008). Ladies of Liberty: the Women Who Shaped Our Nation. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Taylor, S. K. (2004). The Diary of Susie King Taylor, Civil War nurse. Tarrytown, NY: Benchmark books Zall, P. M. (1991). Founding Mothers: Profiles of Ten Wives of America’s Founding Fathers. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books

Clamoring and Clambering

Clamoring and Clambering Clamoring and Clambering Clamoring and Clambering By Maeve Maddox Paul Russell calls our attention to confusion between the verbs clamor [klÄÆ'mÉ™r] and clamber.[klÄÆ'mbÉ™r]. I just found the phrase F1s sponsors were clambering for a presence in the USA. One clamors for attention or, in this case, for a presence. Used as both noun and verb, clamor comes from Latin clamor, a shout. As a noun, clamor means Loud shouting or outcry, vociferation; esp. the excited outcry of vehement appeal, complaint, or opposition: commonly, but not always, implying a mingling of voices. As an intransitive verb, clamor means To make a clamour; to shout, or utter loud and continued cries or calls; to raise an outcry, make a noise or din of speech. Said of persons, animals, and instruments of noise. Clamber, on the other hand, is related to the verb climb. It means To climb by catching hold with hands and feet; to creep or crawl up (or down); to climb with difficulty and effort. Speakers who apparently make no distinction in the pronunciation of the the two words substitute clamber for clamor in contexts intended to convey the idea that people are making an outcry over something. As the most outspoken yoga advocates clamber for more recognition in the scientific community, it is they who become so much more sure of their own beliefs. The Girl Scout troops that cover Celina, Prosper and Frisco schools are clambering for members this year. As we mentioned in our last email, after our speech at Mike’s event, we were surrounded by rings of people clambering for  more information†¦ There are many voices out there today, each one clambering for our attention. She was making a nice little profit on it and kept selling stuff she wasnt planning on it because people were clambering for more. Its not a surprise that Europeans and Americans are clambering for Asian elements. Even if one pronounces both words as /klÄÆ'mÉ™r/, its easy to choose the correct one. Try substituting the word climb or call and see which one makes more sense: There are many voices out there today, each one climbing for our attention. There are many voices out there today, each one calling for our attention. If climb makes sense in the context, clamber is the word you want. If call makes more sense, clamor is the word you want. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and Tricks5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Man Caused Environmental Problem essays

Man Caused Environmental Problem essays Air pollution and air quality has been a topic of concern for decades in the United States. While great progress has been made toward cleaning up our air, there is still much left to do to make air quality healthful for the country's citizens. These experts note, "The United States has achieved remarkable progress in reducing air pollution since the Clean Air Act was established in 1970" (Mangun and Henning 229). However, most large cities still experience many days each year where air quality is unhealthful, and these days can lead to health and breathing problems for What causes air pollution' One of the major causes of unhealthy air is automobile emissions, and emissions from factories, power plants, and other industries. Fossil fuels are one of the biggest problems in controlling air pollution. Industries and homes that burn fossil fuels also contaminate the atmosphere, and these fuels must be replaced with cleaner technologies, such as solar and wind power, and other forms of power that are less costly in monetary and air pollution terms. The remainder of these dirty fuels accumulates in the atmosphere. Often they are invisible, but more often, when the accumulate in enough numbers; they become the glaze of smog that hangs over most large cities in the United States. In times of temperature inversion, when heat rises and traps colder air underneath, air pollution and ozone emissions can be trapped in valleys, creating a dangerous situation for the area's air quality. As the Utah Air Quality Web site notes, "Ozone is an invisible gas caused by vehicle emissions in the presence of sunlight and hot temperatures. [] Continued exposure to ozone can cause breathing problems, reduce lung function, irritate eyes and nasal passages and reduce resistance to colds and other infections" ("Air Quality"). Poor air quality can also exacerbate existing condit...

Executive summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Executive summary - Essay Example However, he did not provide concrete assurance of the accounting tactic. This puts the financial position of pension companies at stake. In addition, this is controversial since the move could undermine governments efforts to support, by placing against something solid or rigid, the pension system. As a result, workers worry on the strain the tactic will put on other government agencies designed to protect the retirement of workers. The policy make companies pile up pension bills. In the end, companies struggle to keep up with the mounting bills. It therefore, becomes hard for them to compensate their clients ending up losing customer trust. They become insolvent and unable to meet their obligations to retirees down the road (Monga, 2). Decline in interest rates increases the present value of the deferred pensions. This increases corporate pension deficit since the monetary value of money decreases with time. This is clearly confirmed by Millan who asserts that the largest pensions in U.S have accrued up to $252 billion funding deficiency, which has shot up by $66 billion within a period of one year. Furthermore, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation encounters significant financial challenges. It is funded by premiums paid by pension plans that depend on how many beneficiaries are in a plan. However, those premiums are not enough to cover the costs. When the trust funds are finished, the most likely solution will be a transfer from general revenues, meaning that taxpayers will incur the bill (Monga, 2). Financial management and accountancy for a company is fundamental. With the implementation of the policy, corporations are compelled to channel their cash to activities they had not planned for. For instance, International Paper Company had set aside $ 1 billion to fund its $12.5 billion plan. With this policy, the money had to be put to other investments and projects not

Perceiving The Problem Of Poverty In Modern Society Essay

Perceiving The Problem Of Poverty In Modern Society - Essay Example Acceptance of poverty, however, has not been an easy fact that the people can easily accept (Stark 381). Stimulating stereotype among poor people is a factor that would increase inequality in societies. Even though people have the right to different opinions concerning poor people, the stereotype of individuals based on poverty has brought limited freedom among low-income families. People stereotype the poor based on education. The poor people have the view of being uneducated individuals (Peck 15). The society views the poor as people who were not ready to work towards achieving given goals in school. People in the society view education as the last option of eliminating poverty. This implies that there is an attachment of essentiality on education as the only way for gaining access to wealth. This leads to stereotyping among poor people in society. The biased individuals view the poor as people think that the poor people are in the circumstances due to their liking. This is an aspect of stereotyped behavior. With this respect, there has been a widened gap concerning the different class of people that base on education practices. It gives rise to the learned and unlearned in the society. Such activities have created low freedom among low-income families within the communities. For example, they do not have access to certain urban sectors where people go to stu dy due to low self-esteem and an inability to achieve the same. Additionally, there is bias in evaluating the position of the poor such as lazy in society (Rank 63). They do not recognize poverty as part of life. Some people believe that poor people are individuals who are not ready to take on opportunities that come their way.

Hollywood Representations of Women in 1930s Films Research Paper - 3

Hollywood Representations of Women in 1930s Films - Research Paper Example The 1930s is an important era to explore the role and portrayal of women because the Depression era lends an interesting backdrop to explore how women are portrayed, due to the changing morals and increasing cynicism of the country, and also because the early 1930s is considered to be â€Å"pre-code† (Doherty, 1999, p. 3). This refers to the Hays Code, which was instituted in 1931, but not enforced until 1934, and this meant that, during the early 1930s, studios had more free reign to portray women in a lurid fashion. Additionally, the pre-code era portrayed women differently than in the post code era, as the post code era relied less on showing women as sex objects and more on showing women as equals to men (Doherty, 1999, p. 5). Under this topic, the following themes will be discussed: the representation of women in films in the early 1930s, the role of women in films, the portrayal of women in films in the 1930s, and the criticism of women’s roles in films in the 193 0s. Hollywood cinematography often objectified women for men’s pleasure (Kaplan, 1994, p. 3). According to Mulvey (1989, p. 56), female characters in Hollywood were presented as being worth looking at but not worth listening to. As such, in this era, men viewed women in different dimensions, often known as the Madonna/Whore (Kaplan, 1994, p. 103). This means that women were stereotyped either as sexually active whores, or pristine and powerless Madonnas (housewives). According to Gates (2011, p. 23), most Hollywood films present women images with the purpose of gratifying male viewers.   

Road and Drivers Essay Example for Free

Road and Drivers Essay Traffic accidents are big problem for megacities. Traffic accidents are caused by people, lack of traffic signs, problems of infrastructure Especially people should be aware of distractions that cause most common traffic accident. Because most common traffic accidents are caused by distractions. In megacities like Istanbul people don’t care traffic rules. They just use the car for their needs and when people are using car they don’t give enough attention. Because of this situation traffic accidents are increasing day by day. How can people reduce traffic accidents? They can reduce it first stay alert and pay attention the second don’t speed. Firstly the drivers in megacities should be stay alert and pay attention. When people are driving cars they mustn’t use their phones and they don’t distract themselves. Because most common traffic accidents are caused by distraction. For instance while driving car, answering a phone can be difficult and it can make distraction. People who is talking with the phone they lose their attention and they give all of their attention to the caller. While drivers are speaking with the phone, they can have an accident because they lose their attention to the other drivers and also roads. Drivers have be focus on the road which could also cause an accident if drivers are not careful. Using phone is really problem for drivers. They can also lose their attention with changing the music. For example while drivers using car sometimes they want to change the music and they look at the radio while they are searching music they don’t look at the road for a second and they lose their attention to the road and this can cause an accident. While people using car they have to focus on their road, they mustn’t use their phone and don’t struggle with the music Ä ±f they don’t want to have an accident. Secondly traffic volume is really important for megacities. If the roads are empty some drivers wants to make a speed and compete the other drivers. It can also make an accident. For example when the roads are empty, generally drivers want to make a speed. They don’t care the rules and they find one driver who makes speed at that moment and start to compete. It is really dangerous for them and also the other drivers because while they are competing they can make sudden changes on the road and lose the other  drivers attention and they can cause an accident. Also when they are competing if the drivers make a small mistake, they have an accident and because of speed they can die. Speed is a big issue in megacities. There has some rules for speed and every driver has to obey them like that people can reduce the traffic accidents. To sum up traffic accident is a big issue for megacities if there is an accident on the roads, roads can lock suddenly and occur some problem. If people want to reduce traffic accident they have to give their attention to the road not the other this that makes them disturb. They mustn’t talk with the phone while they are driving cars. Speed is the important for reduce traffic accidents. Every city has a certain rules and people have to obey rules for reducing traffic accidents. If people want to continue their lives, they give more attention to the rules.

Failed Anticorruption Mechanisms In The Philippines

Failed Anticorruption Mechanisms In The Philippines Corruption has been universally characterized as the misuse or the abuse of public office for private gain. Its manifestations come in different forms such as illegal enticements and pay-offs, extortion, fraud, nepotism, graft, speed money, pilferage, theft, and embezzlement, falsification of records, kickbacks, influence peddling and campaign contributions. Although corruption is known to be an attribute of the public sector, it also exists in other facets of governance, like political parties, private business sector and NGOs (USAID, 2005; World Bank, 2001). Combating corruption is, evidently, important in its own right because when it is left unimpeded, it will have an acerbic effect on a democracy and in the general well being of a nation. Similarly, fighting corruption can serve as a switch or a tool resulting in wide-ranging economic reforms that can create a level playing field on which businesses operate. These supplementary gains can become significant components in the effort to marshal support for anti-corruption initiatives. Basically, corruption is predominantly an issue of governance; it manifests a breakdown of institutions, a dearth of competence and a lack of capability to direct society and manage its people through a framework of social, judicial, political and economic checks and balances. When formal structures and informal systems go kaput, it becomes tougher and more difficult to put into practice and put into effect laws and policies that guarantee accountability and transparency. From an institutional perspective, corruption crops up when public officials have extensive influence and ubiquitous power, little accountability and vicious inducements, or when their accountability responds to informal rather than formal forms of regulation (UNDP, 2004, p. 2). Attempts to assail corruption have grown exponentially in the last decades. High-profile cases of corruption in developing countries and emerging economies, within international organizations, and in the advanced industrial democracies have resulted to a growing public demand to attack the problem forcefully and with conviction. Addressing the Issue One could never get to the bottom of corruption by simply digging over and dig out corrupt individuals, whether they are government officials, politicians, or business people. As it is, corruption prospers in environments where legal structures are vague, the rule of law is not deeply entrenched within cultural standards and where laws and the judiciary allow employees chances to exercise or wield unrestricted authority and unlimited power throughout various levels of government. As economies embark on liberalization, corruption can surface within the very process of change. Example, privatization is a major strategy constituent in the conversion of a government-dominated economy into one driven by private initiative. However, this changeover process can alter public officials when it is merged with a blend of low government wages and economic stagnation. Clearly, it is futile to get rid of leaders for governing a corrupt system if there are no changes made into that system; simply e ducating government leaders would not be sufficient (Sullivan, 2000, pp. 3-9). In the Philippines, extensive corruption continues rage. According to the international corruption perception index, the Philippines is one of the most dishonest countries in the Asia-Pacific Region; it ranked number 126 from a list of 163 countries (Transparency International, 2006). Distribution of resources does not have transparency and many civil groups are kept out from taking part in the process of drafting and consolidating the national budget. Corruption devours a substantial proportion of government projects, with pay-offs and bureaucratic red tape being unconcealed predicament. Similarly, there still exist countless problems in the bidding processes for government projects. As it is, frail mechanisms for transparency and answerability promote bureaucratic corruption and as can be observed, institutions given the task to investigate and resolve corruption-related cases, like the Office of the Ombudsman and the Special Graft and Corruption Court or the Sandiganbayan, have sh own to lack efficiency and transparency. There have also been a number of scandals involving top government officials, a good example of which is the bribery case involving a China-based telecommunication firm (ZTE Corporation) and high-ranking government officials which further stained government integrity (BTI, 2009, p. 21). Institutions to Abolish Corruption The creation and maintenance of institutions purposely dedicated to the eradication of corruption is essential for the preservation of the rule of law as well as democratic institutions within countries. In Asia, institutions that are distinctively committed to the abolition of corruption are found in most countries of the region; however, the framework for which they base their operations has not been designed to attain their apparent purpose. Majority of the agencies have extremely restricted powers and work on diminutive budgetary allotments. These agencies frequently produce the idea of the existence of initiatives for the purging of corruption but in reality these are only shallow schemes as evidenced by the lack, and most of the times, total absence of genuine political will to produce effectual institutions that would eradicate corruption. In effect, with the absence of political will, only allegorical pronouncements are made about the purging of corruption while ruling regime s in fact want to continue with the corrupt practices intrinsic within the system. Basically, the desire of people and the will to effect change (who are the victims of corrupt practices) is strong, but unless people who have this so-called will to change can articulate such will in a vigorous manner and are prepared to topple down political leaders who wish to carry on with fraudulent practices, change for the better can never take place. Institutions purposely intended to eliminate corruption should have the following attributes (ALRC, 2010, pp. 10-11): Autonomy of mandate, powers and appointments- not solely for people who are at the helm but also for all workers giving administrative support; personnel must be given security of tenure if their independence in implementing constitutional functions is to be a reality, by creating stipulation in significant legislation that they are not likely to be removed from office other than for transgression and lack of decorum. In addition, constitutional safeguards are needed to make sure of the trustworthiness of the individuals signed up to hold public positions in these institutions, as well as to check their morality is intact. Sufficient budgetary allocations to perform researches and inquiries, hearings, deterrence efforts, education and trainings and all other related tasks necessary to attain effectiveness. A competent law enforcement component to fight corruption must incorporate an investigation wing with adequate training and resources. Accessibility for people to air out grievances through diverse methods and must have other divisions throughout the country. Accountability to parliament and responsibility through appropriate methods that have been crafted to thwart intrusions by the executive or any other branch of government. Designed within the scaffold of the rule of law and the UN Convention against Corruption Vigorous and credible programs and mechanisms are vital to combat corruption in the Philippines for three reasons: Through the media, business surveys and anti-corruption agencies, the Philippines is cited with increasing regularity as a nation where foreign and domestic investments are hampered because of corruption and whose competitive position is eroded because of its continued existence. Corruption incontrovertibly depletes existing resources for development, obstructs the right of entry to services for poor communities and destabilizes public confidence in the governments resolve and capability to serve the underprivileged. Corruption has surfaced as a critical global measure for allocating scarce development aid reserves. Strategies and Mechanisms Against Corruption The Philippines fight against corruption has lingered for decades. In this country, corruption is the offshoot of a culture of personalism in politics, a Presidential structure which gives the President an extensive range of powers and a fragile party-system incompetent in securing support through programmatic politics. Such arrangement places public policy-making in the hands of specific factions or elite circles that promote horse trading and spin fraudulent transaction within the system. It has led to institutionalization of corruption as it filters through all of the political system including official procedures and individual agencies (Balboa and Medalla, 2006, p. 12; Rocamora, 1997). A good number of self-regulating entities and activist groups have embarked on investigations and inquiries on Philippine corruption, with a common objective of upholding good governance, accountability and to aid in anti-corruption efforts (Pacoy, 2008, p. 55). However, several studies have revealed that it is not by chance why most government initiatives have been proven to be unsatisfactory and even fail in its attempts to fight corruption (Larmour and Wolanin, 2001). Quite a lot of factors pave the way and enable the culture of corruption to pervade which include the governance environment and lack of political within frail institutions (Varela, 1996). Among the most intense end results of corruption are: a) societal displacement triggered by warped economic growth, poverty and income inequity; b) crushed political trustworthiness and reliability and deflated bureaucracy; and c) jeopardized public order and safety (Larmour and Wolanin, 2001). Figure 1 Number of Anti-Corruption Programs Source: Hills Governance Center. TI-Philippines (2001), Directory of Institutions, Organizations Agencies Involved in Combating Corruption in the Philippines. Diverse initiatives have been carried out to combat corruption in the country. On the government side, these intercessions have been in the form of legal scaffolds, presidential pronouncements, proclamations and other regulations, anti-graft and corruption bodies like presidential committees, commissions, task forces and other committees and units created since the 1950s. In the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the legal framework against corruption has been provided in Article XI Section 1 which stipulates that, Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees, must at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. The abovementioned article equally affords an anti-graft court and an Ombudsman (Section 5). The anti-graft court is called the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombdusman is also known as the Tanodbayan. The latter has the rank equivalent to that of a Constitutional Commission. Almost each regime has a flagship committee created to respond to corruption issues and address corruption-related cases in the country (Appendix-1). However, many of them, except for the Presidential Commission against Graft and Corruption (PCAGC) that was instituted in 1994, were short lived and were substituted by a new office or task force when the term of office of the Presidents end. Fundamentally, the Philippines is not lacking in efforts in curtailing corruption. Anti-corruption policies and measures have been put in place to tackle diverse types of corrupt activities and conduct in the government. In truth, observation has been made that there are just too many laws and regulatory mechanisms and they ended up overlapping with each other. However, if just a few of them will be implemented thoroughly, these laws are adequate and wide-ranging enough to put off fraudulent practices. Almost all government administrations designed anti-corruption efforts its catchphrases and in the same way created new offices to perform these undertakings in order to produce the impression that the new administration is strict and uncompromising in its anti-corruption initiatives. However, creation of such bodies only led to superfluous functions and depletion of government resources. While the Philippines has adequately fashioned the legal scaffold to respond to the issue and address its concomitant problems and correspondingly created the institutions tasked to combat corruption, perceptibly, effective implementation of these initiatives has been truly lacking. Absence of a steadfast leadership and political will has made vulnerable these efforts to curtail corruption. It appears that crooked politicians and government officials seemed to be very creative in their methods of circumventing the safeguards that have been in place and get away with it. Hence, it becomes imperative that policies targeted at thwarting acts of corruption and curtailing opportunities for corrupt activities must be at the core of every reform initiative. Weaknesses Failure Current initiatives/mechanisms to combat corruption practices and catch fraudulent officials have several limitations that eventually lead to their failure. Among these weaknesses are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ineffectual and sluggish implementation of anti-corruption laws à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incapability and poor coordination between anti-corruption agencies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The low social awareness of and high tolerance for corruption à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of institutionalization of government-business-civil society collaboration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of integrity and accountability in government-business transactions. In addition, most anti-corruption campaigns are hampered by logistical problems. The Office of the Ombudsman, the lead government body directed by the Philippine Constitution to combat corruption, only gets 0.065% of the total national budget. These logistical problems avert the hiring of competent staff to help guarantee the prompt and successful prosecution of corrupt public officials. On top of this issue on logistics, prosecution of public officials in the Philippines has not been very effective in putting off corruption because court procedures are so sluggish and wearisome. Currently, the prosecution of corrupt public officials is exemplified by a very low conviction rate, in fact, according to a former Ombudsman official, a high-ranking government official accused of graft and corruption has 94% chances of walking away (Marcelo, 2006, p. 37). In theory, the governments high-status lifestyle check is an excellent anti-corruption program, in practice, however, it has not been very efficient in unearthing irregularities and unlawful activities committed by many top-level officials. To this point, it has not been able to push many organizational insiders to report and provide evidence on the dubious standards of living and questionable sources of wealth of many public bureaucrats. The most important weaknesses of existing anti-corruption initiatives can be traced to derisory systems of putting into effect the code of transparency and accountability of those who hold public power. As it is, government dealings are still veiled in mystery, which increases the probability of abuse or misuse of power for personal gain. These anti-corruption initiatives also depend greatly on mechanisms or instruments external to the agencies being observed. To address these weaknesses in existing anti-corruption strategies, organizational insiders or people with reliable information must be persuaded to report shady practices that principally transpire in organizational settings. Prompting the silent majority to report corrupt practices will generate alternative cultures or behavior that will in due course eliminate individual and societal leniency for corruption. Strengthening Anti-Corruption Initiatives In the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (NEDA, 2004), the national government comes clean with the fact that corruption is a key obstruction to continued growth and development of the country and acknowledges that existing anti-corruption initiatives that include legislative actions and administrative measures to improve transparency and effectiveness of sanctions against corrupt behavior, have fallen short of expectations. The Office of the Ombudsman, the constitutional body tasked to curtail, if not totally eliminate, corruption, principally applies punitive and retributive procedures to in its anti-corruption approach. It also supports the employment of forceful imposition of administrative sanctions, swift investigations and prosecution of graft cases and responsive public assistance as instruments to fight corruption. Concentrated graft watch over the system of government, values formation, collaboration with other government agencies, and enhancements in systems and procedures are the other constituents of its anti-corruption strategy. However, taken as a whole, the existing anti-corruption initiatives, which include the then high-profile lifestyle checks of public officials and employees, continue to perform below expectations (MTPDP, 2004). Conclusion Corruption is actually a governance issue because it involves efficient implementation of institutions and the well-organized and competent management of society via its political, economic, social and judicial mechanisms. With the collapse or failure of these formal and informal institutions, laws and policies that guarantee accountability and transparency of the government become harder to put into operation. It can be gleaned then that ruling groups, at their will, can lessen accountability, either by lack of transparency or by affirming particular spheres of decision making off limits to inspection and intercession. Therefore, it is imperative that mechanisms aiming to reduce and curtain opportunities to dominate power are in place so that actions and activities that could undercut accountability are instantaneously forestalled and obstructed. Ex-ante or preventive strategies should also be the core element of reform. Furthermore, since this issue is associated with the quality of leaders the country has, it is important that the anti-corruption endeavor is focused on political reform and democratization. In the Philippines, one of the root causes of corruption is tremendous personalism in Philippine politics and the winner takes all system of elections. Policies that will neutralize this structure must be endorsed. Likewise, the anti-corruption approach must be highlighted by a committed leadership and proficient management to enable the execution of programs and make these programs and initiatives sustainable in the long run. Additionally, continued reengineering of the bureaucracy is also a great necessity, with reforms centered not only on attaining effectiveness and value, but also inculcating a culture of rules in the system. Lesson can be learned from Thai anti-corruption activist Pasuk Phongpaichit in curbing corruption. According to this activist, the control of corruption demands three strategies first, the formal machinery of monitoring officials and politicians needs to be drastically improved. There is a need for political will to implement this; second, this will can be generated by popular pressure. We cannot expect the bureaucrats and politicians who benefit from the political system to reform themselves; and third, the public must be educated to exert moral and political pressure to outlaw corruption. The mobilization of such public pressure depends on a clearer understanding of the modern concepts of public office and public service and a more widespread awareness of the social costs and political risks which corruption entails. Six years (after 2001) since Transparency International accentuated the principal role of government in anti-corruption initiatives and governance reforms, the same call for action is perceived by civil servants today and is slowly but surely pervading the consciousness of Filipino constituents leading to the implacable demand for civil service reforms, financial competence and authentic civil society participation. Since fighting corruption is everyones concern, forceful and potent crusades are needed aside from passionate advocacy. The initiatives to diminish hoaxes and corruption in the government service no longer sound as idealistic or impossible as they were decades ago as the Filipino youth and the masses are fully conscious to the bleak reality that as long as corruption is left uncheck, integrity in politics and in the civil service will remain tainted and while politics is tarnished with issues on procurement and fiscal integrity, the civil service is perceived to have been constrained with public service delivery. Moral profligacy is extensive because even those with the highest righteous objectives are influenced to part with their morals into the politics of corruption. The fight against corruption should be more focused on state capture instead of defining it as an agency problem. Right now the battleground should be shifted from small wars (principal-agent problem) to a grand war (grand corruption, state capture). The challenge lies in the evolution of strategies that are more creative and rigorous and because the challenges are greater the more energy is needed. Due to the fact that the Philippines are a soft state, the country only has few resources to do the battle. Therefore it makes sense to concentrate resources on strategies that would make a big difference and provide the impetus for changes along a broad front. Said in other words this would mean to do a lot for little instead of doing a little for a lot. Also, a shift should take place from personal (patronage) to impersonal exchange (rules that are enforced impartially). The country should come up with mechanism to develop constructs in which there are favorable incentives to impersonal transactions. Concluding one could argue that a good starting point is to devolve the power of discretion related through state capture, and to effectively reduce it by ensuring that big ticket items are out of reach of the few big payers who hold concentrated authority. The danger of course lies in the fact that this could lead to a decentralization of corruption. However, this would at least deal with a greater numbers of rent seekers which would restrict any one faction to a limited domain and prevents it from capturing regulations (Gonzalez et al., 2006, pp.41-42). Another matter of significance is that an enabling environment should must be created with incentives and disincentives for change because this is a critical factor in the choice and stepwise implementation of reform initiatives. And so as to obtain more insight into the problem of state capture, the political culture must be explored well to see how it works. Undertakings that are executed must be made sustainable because standalone endeavors are prone to be susceptible to state capture. Likewise, in order to prevent that new initiatives are blocked by inefficiencies at other levels, it is important that they transform into more comprehensive programs. Therefore, it is imperative that while helpful windows of opportunity may crop up, there is a need to focus on the long-term character of reform and to deal with existing expectations. To do this, actions that need to be embarked upon must be commenced with the necessary budget resources as well as capable and skillful manager to impl ement the targeted and programmatic anti-corruption campaign. This is the part where civil society can play a vital role in the process because business associations and NGOs can help identify and classify priorities and monitor outcomes. However, they cannot deploy the political will and resources of the state that are needed in the end to create transparent and accountable institutions. Serious anti-corruption campaigns cannot only be commanded from the outside but also need committed leadership from within, more specifically from the topmost levels of the state. While the initial pressure for reform can come from below, any effective program should be supported from the top. However, the downside is that any strategy that relies solely on high-level leadership will be vulnerable to the many uncertainties related to the political process. A convergence of strong players would make for a breakthrough performance against corruption. If leadership is broadly-based, this can make the difference in devising means for sustaining ends. Broadening the number of stakeholders in various sectors and support their partaking in decision-making can end policy biases while the decisions are made in all transparency, open to the scrutiny of the public. There is Hope If corruption is assumed to arise from greed and the discretionary powers of public officials, there is still fresh and enough hope for offering a vision of leadership and a strategic reform of the political and bureaucratic system; and that of the peoples mind-set concerning public office and public service. Let this be the battle cry of every Filipino. References ALRC. (2010). A consultation on corruption and counter-corruption across Asia. Article 2, 9, 1, pp. 1-80 Balboa, J. and Medalla, E.M. (2006). Anti-corruption and governance: the Philippine experience. Philippine Institute for Development Studies; Philippines APEC Study Center Network Bertelsmann Stiftung. (2009). BTI 2010 Philippines country report. 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