Nickel and DImed argument paragraph

Barbara Ehrenreich sought to prove wages for low class workers are too low for them to provide for themselves or families. She also tried to prove low wage jobs require a lot of effort that was not worth the amount of money they received per hour. In my opinion, Barbara Ehrenreich proved her two points in her story Nickel and Dimed. She showed wages were too low to provide for themselves or families and she proved the amount of effort put into the job was not worth the money they received per hour, by attempting to work several different low wage jobs herself.Barbara Ehrenreich worked different low wage jobs during her story Nickel and Dimed. She tried living off of the money she acquired working the low wage jobs, but had an account of money for emergencies. She could not afford all together a place to live, food and other necessities she needed to provide for herself. Barbara Ehrenreich had to dip into her emergency fund more than one time to support herself. By having to dip into her emergency fund proves her point even more. Real low wage workers do not have money to fall back on.It is outrageous that the wages are not high enough to get basic necessities for one person, let alone two people or a family. She also was not the only one who could not provide for herself, in her first job at the restaurant there were several people who had to live in their car and find a place to live. This proves that wages per hour should increase because one person who works a low wage job can barely provide for themselves let alone a person trying to support for more than one person. Low wage jobs require a whole lot of effort for a little amount of money.She proves that low-wageworkers work as hard as they can to provide for themselves and are working so hard that they are injury prone. Injuries and pain caused by the workload of the low wage occupations. She says later in the book that she starts to take ibuprofen everyday for joint pain. â€Å"I start tossing back drugs tore-brand ibuprofen pills as if they were vitamin C, four before each shift, because an old mouse-related repetitive-stress injury in my upper back has come back to full-spasm strength, thanks to the tray carrying.†(p. 33)Another example would be her co-worker Holly: Holly broke her ankle on the job, but could not stop working because she had to provide for her family, she could not afford one day off from work. Barbara proves her point because low-wageworkers have to break their backs for wages that they can barely support themselves with. In conclusion Barbara Ehrenreich proved her point; wages for low-wageworkers were too low.She proved this by working low wage jobs, and exposing the struggles of having a low wage job. Struggles as in, not being able to support oneself let alone a small family. Also the work put into the low wage job was too intense, making the workers injury prone. She clearly proves the point that wages for low-wagworkers must be higher per hour in Ameri ca. People have to be able to support themselves or their families with a place to live, food and other necessities.

The Alchemist Mood

Besides language, techniques to convey purpose in the alchemis: Through concrete diction and imagery, Paulo Coelho exhibits his purpose in writing the Alchemist and supplies an ambience in which the readers are prompted to learn and evaluate their own relationships, dreams, feel hope and ambition. Since the novel has a very serene tone, Coelho uses dictation to add interest to the novel. When a reader can visualize a situation, they can more easily relate to it by connecting memories that they have to those Santiago is experiencing in the novel.Coelho uses concrete dictation by showing a situation instead of just telling it to the readers. In order to do this he has to use very descriptive language. Once the reader can picture Santiago’s emotions, they are free to interpret the lessons taught into their own circumstances. In Coelho’s novel, the setting has a lot to do with the emotions and lessons learned. Santiago achieves his personal legend of discovering who he is t hrough the desert and acceptance of his conditions.The way that Coelho teaches his lessons to Santiago and the readers is by connecting them to forces of nature. â€Å"Treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same currents. †(p. 24). The readers are comfortable with the thought of nature and can connect the lessons by picturing something that they are familiar with. Imagery and symbolism are highly connected in the Alchemist. Coelho uses a desert to represent the mind of Santiago.On his travels through the desert, he is given peace and quiet to think about his own life; to meditate. As the readers progress in his adventure with him, they learn things about Santiago as he learns them. This is because Coelho uses dictation and imagery to help the readers and Santiago visualize themselves in relatable situations and uses the techniques to create a tranquil mood in his book, The Alchemist.

The impact of technology on today's lifestyle Essay

The impact of technology on today's lifestyle - Essay Example Moreover, a sociological increase into the way in which technology has shifted interpersonal dynamics, relationships, and communication has been conducted by a variety of researchers and convincingly pointed to the fact that the current era of texting, instant messaging, Facebook et al has significantly decreased the amount of time that individuals spend in face-to-face communication and has moved society convincingly towards something of a more introverted nature. Although introversion in and of itself is not necessarily a poor character trait, it must be noted that the overuse and reliance upon these technological tools which have already been discussed has created a dynamic by which formerly extroverted individuals are merely introverted and carrying out a great deal of interpersonal communication that one might otherwise carry out face-to-face via the Internet or other technologically enabled means. However, communication is not the only thing that suffers from an overdependence upon technology. As will be discussed next, memory recall and the perennial knowledge that any and all information can be readily retrieved has created a situation in which memory and the ability to recall tidbits of information are placed at a much lower premium than they might have been in an era in which the likes of Google or other prominent technological means by which data can be retrieved had existed. As can be seen, there is something to be said for the amount of memory recall that individual can possess and leverage as a means of readily interjecting key understandings and tidbits of fact, data, and history into conversations and pertinent situations. However, with an overdependence upon technology has, situation in which individuals have placed this premium of memory and recall far down on the list of priorities; choosing instead to merely

A small descriptive story Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A small descriptive story - Assignment Example quest to secure China’s territorial security from the Mongols, Emperor Qin Shu Huang led in the efforts of building the wall by uniting all leaders in the country. The Wall consists of fortifications and wall posts that are an amalgamation of heights, widths and construction materials. The defensive role of the Wall is evident through the crenulations that were used for surveying enemies and killing invaders by the soldiers. At certain points of the wall, visible reflections of China’s socio-cultural history are evident. A case in point is the Juyong pass that was constructed by a marble platform complete with sculptures of the four Heavenly deities. Furthermore, inscriptions of Buddhist incantations and 2000 sculptures are replicate on the wall. Despite, sections of the Great Wall giving way to wear and tear, much of it stands as a testament to China’s rich culture, military strength and architectural

The root causes of the Turmoil in the Middle East Research Paper

The root causes of the Turmoil in the Middle East - Research Paper Example 4). It is generally conceded, however, that the countries that comprise the Middle East include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia (Middle East Information Network, 2010). From as far back as history records, the Middle East region has been beset by armed unrest and turmoil, of every possible kind – between the Arabs and Israelis on territory, between two or more Arab nations on borders, between Arab nations based on alliances in the Cold War, and even within Arab nations in the form of interracial or ethnic conflicts. More recently, civil social unrest against autocratic regimes, similar to those in eighteenth century Europe, ushered in a different type of turmoil that expressed the popular desire for democratic reforms. This study shall briefly discuss the principal causes of turmoil in the Middle East, namely: (1) the int erests vested by the Western superpowers in the region; (2) the contest for territorial control and misspecification of boundaries, and (3) the clamour for democratic governance and the end of kleptocracy and autocracy. Interest of superpowers in trade access and oil reserves The geographical location of the Middle East played an important role in the origin and progress of turmoil in the region. ... Even in contemporary times, its strategic location has sparked occasional military offensives, such as that mounted by Israel against Egypt when the latter denied access to Israeli shipping through the Suez Canal (Milton-Edwards & Hinchcliffe, 2008). Besides being the trade gateway to three continents, the region is also situated over the world’s largest oil reserves, representing roughly two-thirds of all the oil supply internationally. Over 60% of the proven oil reserves in the world is to be found in the Persian Gulf, for which stakes the world’s superpowers had played for. This has been the principal interest of the U.S. and the USSR in the region during the Cold War. Other factors such as the U.S.-Israeli alliance precipitated the USSR-Afghanistan tie-up in the post-World War II power alignment, which served to establish their bid for control of the region’s oil (Heini, 1970). One may argue that the world’s superpowers have interests around the globe at one time or another, but despite interventions from the major developed countries, this fact does not necessarily lead to the continuous state of turmoil or unrest that is evident in the Middle East. Thus while it is an important external cause, it is one that impacts most those countries that are weak or unstable. Contestation of territorial control and illogical boundaries Many point to the Israeli-Arab war as a religious war; in truth, it is more a territorial war. The seeds of conflict were sown in 1947, when Britain withdrew from Palestine and a U.N. resolution called for the partition of Palestine into two, a Jewish state and an Arab state. Resistance to this partition erupted into hostilities between

Technology in Today's Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Technology in Today's Society - Research Paper Example Moreover, the potential of technology to promote social changes is examined. The various effects of technology on society are also evaluated. It is concluded that the relationship between technology and society is quite close leading to their mutual dependency. As for the drawbacks of the above relationship, these seem to be limited – at the level that they cannot lead to irreversible damages on either the society or the technology. In order to identify and evaluate the effects of technology on society, it would be necessary to refer primarily to the features of technology, as identified through observing the use of technology in various human activities. Through these features the context of technology – priorities, rules and benefits – is made clear; in this way, the potentials of technology to intervene in society influencing its ethics and ideas, can be understood. One of the key characteristics of technology seems to be its trend to change; in fact, it could be noted that change is the primary feature of technology (Aswathappa 256). The term ‘change’ as used for describing technology has two different aspects: it refers to the continuous update of technology – in order to meet the increasing human needs; moreover, the above term is used to reflect the alteration of human relations, as members of society. At this point, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of technology it would be necessary to check the level at which ‘people are prepared for it’ (Aswathappa 256). In other words, technology can be related to the society influencing the behavior of humans within a particular social group. Its ability to be expanded rapidly is another feature of technology. Indeed, when entering a particular society, technology is likely to widespread ensuring that all people within the specific social group are reached – meaning that those people become aware of the above technology and its benefits/ characteris tics (Aswathappa 256). Furthermore, technology can expand across the society with no support from the members of the society; this phenomenon can be characterized as a ‘self-reinforcing ability’ (Aswathappa 256). It is because of the above characteristics that the effects of technology on the society can be significant. Having the potentials to expand rapidly – with no external support – across the society, technology can influence the behavior of the members of the society; however, the level of its power within each society cannot be precisely estimated in advance being depended on the local culture and traditions but also the buying power of consumers – which will define their ability to access the particular technology. The potentials of technology to intervene in society seem to be primarily related to the following characteristic of technology: its content; in accordance with Aswathappa (256) the technology can be described as ‘a complet e set of knowledge, ideas and methods’ (Aswathappa 256). It is at this point that technology can highly influence society – which is based on specific ethics, ideas and traditions. It is assumed that the ability of technology to i

Discuss Hurricane Katrina Impact on Bermuda and International Essay

Discuss Hurricane Katrina Impact on Bermuda and International Insurance Markets, and Explain How Storm Affected Our Attitudes Towards Insurance - Essay Example Though mired in legal tangles, insurers have paid up a large section of the affected thus mitigating their hardships to some extent. Some of the arguments looks very brazen such as damages caused by breaching of the levees does not come under the category of tornadoes though it is a well known fact that breaching happened due to water surges caused by hurricane Katrina. Under the circumstances the state has to interfere to ameliorate the sufferers of levees breach since they cannot wash their hands off for the breaching. Insurance is described as a precautionary hedging instrument against likely future losses. It is used for managing the possible risks of the future, which may or may not take place. Thus, through insurance, a person buys future happiness and smooth living. According to Oxford Dictionary Insurance is a contract undertaking to provide financial compensation for loss or damage or injury etc., in return for a payment made in advance once or regularly. Though loss of life or injuries cannot be measured in financial terms, still, in this materialistic world it is quantifiable and tries to compensate the potential future loss financially. Today insurance industry is one of the largest industry sectors in the world and is three times the size of the oil industry in terms of revenue generated. The roots of insurance might be traced to Babylonia, where traders were encouraged to assume the risks of the caravan trade through loans that were repaid only after the goods had arrived safely (Hammarabi, 1795 – 50 BC) 1, a practice resembling bottomry, the ancient maritime law where money is lent to a trader at lenders risk. The concept of insurance evolved through the centuries in Europe and later in the United States. Insurance developed rapidly with the growth of British imperialism in the 17th and 18th century 2. The New York fire of 1835 highlighted the need for adequate reserves to meet unexpected large

Strategic Management Week 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Management Week 2 - Assignment Example Constantly, industry players are putting in place marketing policies and strategies that aim at making them the preferred options of customers. As a result of this, the use of competitive advantage has become a very importance concept in the health care sector (Shaw and Kenny, 2007). This notwithstanding, Porter and Teisberg (2004) do not seem pleased with the current state of competition. Reading through the article of Porter and Teisberg (2004), there is so much that can be agreed with the two authors. This is because in a study by Department of Health (2006), it was noted that most of the forms of growths that are experienced in the healthcare sector due to the competition are those that bring personal gain to investors. What this means is that the current state of competition has focused on profit making for business owners, leaving out the core needs and expected improvement that the patient is expected to receive. The call for a redefinition of competition in the healthcare sector will therefore be agreed with. It is high time industry players started focusing their competition on who brings value to the customer. Unfortunately, the customer does not always have the luxury of choosing to do business with a healthcare provider who guarantees value. This is because of how critical some health conditions can be (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2013). This means that the service providers must take up this task of redefining their competition. The cost of health care plays very important role in determining the kind of service outcome that will be received from service delivery (Harris & Lenox, 2013). From a much generalised perspective, Shaw and Kenny (2007) argued that once the cost of healthcare goes up the quality of service delivery must also go up. This is because the inputs of healthcare that make them quality are facilitated with high capital expenditure. From the article that Kaplan and Porter (2011) present however, one would realise that there is

Time and Memories Essay Example for Free

Time and Memories Essay Gwen Harwood’s poetry has provided me and hopefully you with some great wisdom and insight into our lives. Today I will be making meaning from the texts â€Å"At Mornington† and â€Å"The Violets† by Gwen Harwood. I am here, as a seventeen year old student, giving my own response through the analysis of the themes â€Å"Memory† and â€Å"Childhood to Adulthood†, the techniques which support them and through the application of psychoanalytical readings to her poetry. What we will see is that there are links present in what the composer is trying to say and in the critical interpretations of her poetry. Memories make the individual understand who they are, wouldn’t you agree? Without them we would just be robots. For example, just this morning I remembered a childhood memory of India. I remembered that everyday I would try and reach the light switch which always seemed so far away. Before I knew it, I could turn the light on and off with ease. It was only this memory that allowed me to reflect that from as young as a child I had been trying to reach things much higher than me. Who here could imagine not having any memories of their childhood? In the poem â€Å"At Mornington† by Gwen Harwood the fragility and nature of memories is questioned while it is concluded that it is through memories that one can accept death. The composer often uses the structure of her poetry to create meaning. For example, â€Å"At Mornington† is completely written in free verse, which means the composer’s thought process is allowed to be flexible supporting how memories suddenly come about. Let’s face it; memories do not exactly follow a rule†¦ They just come, sometimes with or without a trigger. This is exactly the case in â€Å"At Mornington† where the composer is left with an unexpected spark of memory while she stands with her friend on the parents’ grave. The composer describes this spark through a simile comparing this behaviour of memories with ‘light in a sea-wet shell’. The ‘light’ in the ‘sea-wet shell’ refers to the numerous colours produced when the light is focused on a common sea-shell. This to me means the childhood memories that we suddenly come across are diverse and in a way colour our lives. The most important message in this poem is the finality of death, and the role memories play in accepting it. The composer thinks of death ‘no more’ when she thinks of her father and more so the time spent with her friend. I can see the time with her friend metaphorically meaning the ‘peace’ of this day. This is the ultimate ‘peace’ for the composer as she approaches that inevitable death. I know you do not want to think of death right now but it is inevitable, and it is always assuring if memories are on our side. When I am older and nearing death, I can cling onto that nostalgic memory of reaching higher to reach the switch, and I can even tell my kids about it. There are many ways poems can be interpreted, there is my personal view but there are also other macro views. There is the Christian viewpoint that would argue that the memories of her father refer to God, and it is the memories of him that allow the composer to confront death because fathers as we know are a source of comfort, and in this case the fathers represent the ultimate father: God. However I do not have a strong Christian background, and I would rather see things through a psychoanalytical approach. In addition, I believe a psychoanalytical perspective applies better to the themes of Harwood’s poetry as the psych and its effect on the persona is explored. A psychoanalytical perspective would argue that memories are used to come to terms with the present psychological state. For example, the memories of her friend and of her father impact her to think of death ‘no more’. More so, light imagery is recurringly used to represent memories. For example the light refracting on the shell can be seen as a representation of the vivid and enthralling memories the persona experiences. This theme of â€Å"Memory† is similarly explored in the â€Å"The Violets† where a past memory helps support the present action which is of picking violets. Just like in â€Å"At Mornington† structure is used to create meaning. Memories are separated from present experience through indentation. This allows me to clearly distinguish between the persona’s present and the persona’s memories which actively support the present. There are some truly great memories that will influence us forever. For example, as I do my HSC I keep referring back to the memories of us in India and how hard my parents worked to get us to Australia. This is the sort of memory experienced by the persona, and she also explores how these memories or ‘lamplit presences’ will never die, even as time passes. These ‘lamplit presences’ are listed to the responder through the use of punctuation, notably the colon. The colon creates pause for the responder and this pause prepares us for the final comforting memories. Furthermore ‘years cannot move’ these final memories. If you stop and think about it aren’t those important memories everlasting? In the poem violet flowers are repeatedly mentioned from the title to the end where a ‘faint scent of violets drifts in the air’. What meaning can be made from this? Well, these violet flowers symbolise remembrance and the past, which is what the whole poem is about. As she thinks about the present, where the mood is somewhat ‘melancholy’ she nostalgically remembers a past event that ultimately contrasts the present joyless mood leaving a scent of violets which are associated with memories in the air. Enough of my view of things lets explore what how this can be seen psychoanalytically! The most important aspect to be mentioned is the use of memory to support the present. This is similar to â€Å"At Mornington† where memories of the past can be seen to impact the present but the only difference is that in â€Å"The Violets† it is more that memories have helped her deal with the present issue of time. In addition, light is used again as a symbol to represent memories. In this case it is the image of the lamp in ‘lamplit’ just like the refracted light referenced to memories in â€Å"At Mornington†. Remember when we were playful children? It was the free time of our lives, not chained down by assignments or by the commitments at work. But as we age we somewhat lose that playful phase and enter one of maturity where careers, education and most importantly future of life comes into light. The composer talks about â€Å"At Mornington† how as a child there is the notion of invincibility and naivety but as an adult there is the realisation of death. ‘I could walk on water’ is what the child persona thinks, and I knew we thought like that too. I remember thinking as a child that I could be like Superman. The use of personal pronoun ‘I’ is used to create meaning. How might you ask? Well, I think it creates a personal voice in the poem and illustrates to the responder that is her experience of childhood she is talking about. The persona reflects this childhood memory when she is an adult ‘while we [they] stand, two friends of middle age’. I can see that structure is used here significantly as the use of first person ‘we’ draws all of the audience in to think about growing up, to middle age. Can you image what we will be like when we are at middle age? I think we will have changed dramatically. This is the case here as the composer juxtaposes the childhood notions of life with the present notion where they are beginning to age. What I can say here is that as children we would think of many things, for example I would think I could fly, but as we change from children to adults we begin to see things differently and sometimes notice the change. Now I have gravity and aerodynamics as a young adult in my head, sharply changing my ideas about my aspirations of superman. The persona in â€Å"At Mornington† feels invincible as a child but this is changed when she is reflecting as a middle aged adult. Again a Christian reading could be applied to this poem where the child walking on water is an allusion to Jesus further highlighting the composer’s faith. But that is as far I can go; my personal context limits me from exploring any further. Therefore we could see it psychoanalytically where childhood to adulthood demands for the psyche to change. For example as a child she sees herself as invincible but as an adult she is made to adjust her psyche so death is accepted. A psychoanalytic reading would also see the child walking on water as a move from childhood to adulthood because as she walks on water her life and psyche of naivety progresses to maturity and of self realisation. The theme of â€Å"Childhood to Adulthood† is also explored in â€Å"The Violets†. It is an autobiographical poem, which deals with the persona’s view of various aspects as a child and as an adult. This is very similar to â€Å"At Mornington† where the persona reflects how childhood notions have changed as she has matured into an adult. However, in â€Å"The Violets† it is more a contrast of how she used to see things such as the flowers as a child and how she sees them later as an adult. It is probably the toughest transitions in life, from a child to an adult don’t you think? Understanding of the world is refined and childlike views of the world are replaced with the truth. The truth is often complex, and sometimes I wish I could just think like a kid again. This is demonstrated in a paradox used by Harwood. As an adult ‘melancholy’ flowers grow in ‘ashes and loam’. ‘Ashes’ refers to dead or the bad soil, infertile whereas ‘loam’ is the soil full of life. How can this flower grow in both? It tells me that as an adult things are much more complex and an essential way of looking at things has been lost. This is contrasted when the composer introduces us to a memory of childhood. The violets are in their ‘loamy’ bed, and it suggests that as a child they could be seen as simply flowers of spring and a source of comfort. Furthermore as an adult the word ‘melancholy’ is used to describe the atmosphere and it is again different to the mood created as a child of happiness. The mother laughs at the child persona as she questions about breakfast in the afternoon. ‘Laughing’ connotes a positive mood, reiterating the fact that childhood was a much happier time than adulthood. Who wouldn’t want to go back to their childhood days and play all day and live the simple life? Punctuation is structurally left out in ‘Ambiguous light. Ambiguous sky’ which to me emphasises the uncertainty in adulthood. Without the full stop the sentence is not complete and demonstrates that as an adult not even the night and day cannot be distinguished. A psychoanalytical reading would see this melancholy experience of the adult as longing for the experiences of a child. As a child the experience is the complete opposite, it is of happiness, and it is that experience that the composer finally gets, when remembering her childhood. Also the adult gains understanding about some uncertainty through a childhood experience. The positive memory of the mother laughing in the composer’s childhood also allows acceptance to occur. That laughing supported the uncertainty she had as a child and even the present uncertainty about adulthood. I think children’s thoughts are the most flawless in the world no matter how wise one gets Just by making meaning from two of Gwen Harwood’s poems â€Å"At Mornington† and â€Å"The Violets† I have received immense personal knowledge that I will never forget. I came see that â€Å"Memory† is a wonderful thing, and without it we would be nothing but some senseless dummies. I and hopefully you see that â€Å"Memory† in both the poems has the power to influence, impact and appease the present. This is the same with the discussion of â€Å"Childhood to Adulthood† where I was certainly reminded of my childhood days when I read the poem. Childhood gives us great views, but they are taken as we grow older such as I faced that I cannot be superman. Memories and our Childhood will always stay with us, and I thank Gwen Harwood for making me realise that. We must remember what she told us about life – it is‘only a matter of balance’.

Stock Price Essay Example for Free

Stock Price Essay 1. If you bought a share of stock, what would you expect to receive, when would you expect to receive it, and would you be certain that your expectations would be met? 2. If most investors expect the same cash flows from Companies A and B but are more confident that Company A’s cash flow will be close to their expected value, which should have the higher stock price? Explain. 3. When is a stock said to be in equilibrium? At any given time, would you guess that most stocks are in equilibrium as you defined it? Explain. 4. Suppose three completely honest individuals gave you their estimates of Stock X’s intrinsic value. One is your current girlfriend or boyfriend, the second is a professional security analyst with an excellent reputation on Wall Street, and the third is Company X’s CFO. If the three estimates differ, which one would you have the most confidence in? Why? 5. What are some actions stockholders can take to ensure that management’s and stockholders’ interest can be aligned? 6. The president of Southern Semiconductor Corporation (SSC) made this statement in the company’s annual report: â€Å"SSC’s primary goal is to increase the value of our common stockholders’ equity.† Later in the report, the following announcements were made: (a) The company is spending $500 million to open a new plant and expand operations in China. No profits will be produced by the Chinese operation for 4 years, so earnings will be depressed during this period versus what they would have been had the decision not been made to expand in the market. (b) The company holds about half of its assets in the form of U.S. Treasury bonds, and it keeps these funds available for use in emergencies. In the future, though, SSC plans to shift its emergency funds from Treasury bonds to common stocks. Discuss how SSC’s stockholders might view each of these actions, and how they might affect the stock price. 7. Edmund Enterprises recently made a large investment to upgrade its technology. While these improvements won’t have much of an effect on performance in the short run, they are expected to reduce future costs significantly. What effect will this investment have on Edmund Enterprises’ earnings per share this year? What effect might this investment have on the company’s stock price? 8. What agency relationships exist within a corporation?  9. What mechanisms exist to influence managers to act in shareholders’ best interests? 10. Should shareholders (through managers) take actions that are detrimental to bondholders? 11. What factors affect stock prices?

Cost Management in Construction

Cost Management in Construction Client expect from the project manager to manage costs in a precise and responsive approach. It is essential, during the design progress, the project manager to have the ability to supervise a projects scope and costs. Budget control is a requirement for a successful project. For a successful budget control variances must be identified and informed actions must be taken at main design milestones. In order to ensure the client that the project will be on budget and on time, meeting the owners objectives, an efficient cost management and budget control program must be established from the conceptual phase to the bid phase. Cost management and control budget, during the design phase, is not a difficult goal but is a worthwhile goal. It is important because changes because it is easier, during the design phase, to accommodate changes and the cost of such modifications is lower compared to later phases. In order to achieve an effective cost management and budget control an organized metho dology and approach must be established. Furthermore, team members must understand their roles and responsibilities, and good estimating techniques must be used (Sundaram, 2008). The first typical objective of design phase cost management is to estimate a sufficient and accurate budget. The second objective is to ensure that bids are in budget. Then make sure alignment of budget, scope and owners requirements. The last typical objective is to reduce risks because of cost overruns. During the design phase, all the design team members must show a cost conscious approach. All members of the design team must use cost control, as a design tool, to reduce the risks of cost overruns (Sundaram, 2008). In order to approach an effective cost management design, team members must demonstrate a strong commitment to the project budget and target costs. A cost model must be established for the cost estimate in aid of managing the cost effectively and tracked easily variances to support decision-making (Sundaram, 2008). Requirements must be manage in order to balance requirements with owners affordability. Scope creeps must be monitored and controlled (Macaluso J., et al, 2004).Cost drivers must be considered in aid of establishing product specifications. Cost must be considered, during development, as an essential design parameter (Crow, 2000). Exploration of design alternatives to develop lower cost design approaches. Value engineering and value analysis must be used in order to improve product value at minimised cost (Crow, 2000). Use of constructability review in order to ensure, that the project will be finished in realistic, programmed cost parameters. Finally, documentation of revi ew meetings discussions and confirmations of design decisions must be done (Sundaram, 2008). The above mentioned objectives and approaches of cost management in design phase will result the following benefits. More precise estimates would be achieved and they have as a result to improve business decisions. Budget cost control would be improved. Change control would be improved and there will be less likelihood of unplanned scope creep. Finally it will improve the timely identification of problem areas (Sundaram, 2008). Methodology of budget control In a phased plan development with design milestones, the estimated cost is organized at each milestone. Furthermore, the cost is reconciled with budget at each milestone (Figure 1). The budget for the project is refined all the way through the different design phases. All elements of the budget must be plainly defined, captured and developed during each phase (Sundaram, 2008). According to Sundaram (2008) the recommended steps for a successful budget control are the following. First, the project scope and the project baselines details must be understand. At every design stage, schematic, design development and construction document phase must be prepared an updated estimate and track the updated estimate against the previous stage budget for any variations. In order to get the project back on track budget/scope alignment must be checked. The variances or scope creep must be identified and make right trade-offs between scope, quality and scope to contain the project on budget. A confirmation must be done that the differences among previous and current design costs are reconciled, in order to ensure that needless changes and costs have not take place, before proceeding to the next stage until the final stage. (Sundaram, 2008). Roles/Responsibilities of the architect, the estimator, owners and stakeholders for effective cost management and budget control Furthermore, for effective cost management and budget control, it is necessary that the estimator and the architect understand their roles and responsibilities (Sundaram, 2008). The role of the contractors estimator is vital to the success of the organization. The estimator is responsible for predicting the most economic costs for construction in a way that is both clear and consistent. Although an estimator will have a feel for the prices in the marketplace, it is the responsibility of management to add an amount for general overheads, assess the risks and turn the estimate into a tender (Brook, 2004). Estimator must understand that he plays an important role in the whole process of budget control. During the design phase the estimator must coordinate with the design team. The role of the estimator does not end in producing an estimate. It is essential the estimator to be involved from the early stages in the design process because things can be changed without great difficulty. The estimator must observe design decisions that influence cost and inform the design team, at the earliest achievable time, of the impact of design decisions. The estimator must make effort to understand the design aim in aim to predict cost implications. He must be able to offer the best potential construction information to the design team (Sundaram, 2008). Sundaram 2008 also state that estimator should convey to the design team, that in addition to the design factors, final cost is governed by other variables such escalation, union and non-union wages, and the nature of construction (Sundaram, 2008). A simplistic view of the role of the architects is that they create architectures, and their responsibilities encompass all that is involved in doing so. This would include articulating the architectural vision, conceptualizing and experimenting with alternative architectural approaches, creating models and component and interface specification documents, and validating the architecture against requirements and assumptions. However, any experienced architect knows that the role involves not just these technical activities, but others that are more political and strategic in nature on the one hand, and more like those of a consultant, on the other (Bredemeyer Malan, 2006). The architect, during the schematic stage, is bound by three constraints quality, cost and size requirements (Figure 2). The architect is responsible to assist the owner in choosing the priorities and also making the correct trade-offs. For example, if cost is the primary concern for the owner must try to contain costs and make the owner to realize the amount of size requirements and quality he will obtain to suit the budget. Furthermore, architect must also assist the owner to determine his second and third priorities (Sundaram, 2008). During the design stage architect can make adjustments to the materials, the quality or architectural effect and size requirements. Value engineering sessions, including a multidiscipline team, will make sure that owners functions are offered in the most cost-effective approach without reducing quality. At this stage, before going on to the construction stage, the architect and the owner must be sure of the cost. Architect must realize that except reflecting the design also determines the cost (Sherwin, D. 2009). A review of the design, specifications and contract documents before the bidding stage will have as a result competitive bids and fewer changes later on (Sundaram, 2008). The owner is a component of the design team and his decisions can influence the final bid value. The owner, before confirming the bid package, must think about the following considerations. According to Sundaram (2008) is better the bid package to be simple without confusing documents. Unreasonable requirements must be avoided and is wise to follow proven type of contracts. In order not to limit competition, the unnecessary use bidding limitations and the persistence on nominated suppliers and subcontractors, must be avoided. The risk considerations and the adequacy of contingency must be checked. For example, unit price items should be better for items of work which are difficult to quantify. The risk to contractor is removed and the owner has to pay for the work actually executed (Sundaram, 2008). An essential aspect of a successful project is the relationship with stakeholders. Freeman defined stakeholders as all those who can influence the objectives of the firm, or are influenced by the fir, in attaining their own objectives. The set of actors identified is extensive, and includes consumers and suppliers, employees, shareholders, environmentalist groups, trade unions, local communities and governmental bodies (Keijzers, 2005). Therefore, dealing with stakeholders is an issue of choosing the stakeholders that really matter. Mitchell et al. state that for this selection process there are three criteria. The first criterion is the power a stakeholder has over the company (Mitchell et al, 1997). Power focuses on the question of how much the company needs the resources provided by that stakeholder only (Keijzers, 2005). The second criterion is legitimacy. This criterion concerns legitimate claims of a stakeholder on the firm. (Mitchell et al, 1997). For example, governmental bod ies are essential in this respect, because they have the legitimacy to build up rules for companies (Keijzers, 2005). The last criterion is urgency. The claims of stakeholders can differ with respect to the urgency of a response of the firm. (Keijzers, 2005). Rowley states that stakeholders might have connections, and that company works in a network of stakeholders (Rowley, 1997). This implies that a stakeholder may not be crucial given the variables of legitimacy, power or urgency, but it still should be selected because it influences other stakeholders that are important to the firm. An example of this would be the local community of a crucial supplier of the firm. (Keijzers, 2005).

Autism: The Difficulties in Differential Diagnosis Essay -- Diseases D

Forward This essay discusses an important view concerning the differential diagnosis of infantile autism. As you will see, the symptomology common to autistic infants mimics that of severely retarded children in the early months of life. In addition, the identification of autism as a "disease" in infants is impeded by the lack of biological evidence to support such a diagnosis. Autism has, in multiple studies, been related to a multitude of organic dysfunction’s. These include everything from genetic markers to metabolic diseases. A few of these dysfunction’s, be they associated or causative, are discussed in this essay. At present, physicians can base their early diagnoses only on the emotional and physical symptoms present in nearly 82% of all autistic children. However, the term "autism" as a disease should not be used to describe one disorder characterized by a certain core deficit, but rather should be considered an umbrella term to be used to describe a variety of associated disorders. The early diagnosis of autistic disorders in infants is crucial for the success of treatment programs that have proven somewhat effective in recent years. There is no cure for autism, and no wonder drugs that are corrective of autistic behavior. Treatment therefore is directed on an emotional level which must begin in the early years of life to be successful. It has been shown that the period of psychological attachment plays a crucial role in predetermining autistic behavior. The Early Onset of Autism As previously discussed, the onset of infantile autism is characterized by a set of classic symptoms common to nearly all autistic children. Most often, it is not the physician who notices these symptoms, but rather the respo... ...ection has lead to autism. There is a substantial amount of evidence that also points to a genetic origin of autism. Studies with monozygotic twins suggest that autism, or at least an autistic-like disorder, is inherited. There is also strong evidence of the Fragile X Syndrome as being extremely associated with infantile autism. Also, a nearly four to one ratio of autistic boys to girls points to a sex-linked inheritance. It is the convention that genetic predisposition at least, is evident in many cases. Siblings are 50 to 100 times as likely to illustrate autistic symptoms than non-sibling relatives. The search for the genetic marker, or markers, as the case may be, is fast and furious at present. Many avenues are being pursued in many different directions. Perhaps history will repeat itself and someone will stumble across the answer to this puzzling disease. Autism: The Difficulties in Differential Diagnosis Essay -- Diseases D Forward This essay discusses an important view concerning the differential diagnosis of infantile autism. As you will see, the symptomology common to autistic infants mimics that of severely retarded children in the early months of life. In addition, the identification of autism as a "disease" in infants is impeded by the lack of biological evidence to support such a diagnosis. Autism has, in multiple studies, been related to a multitude of organic dysfunction’s. These include everything from genetic markers to metabolic diseases. A few of these dysfunction’s, be they associated or causative, are discussed in this essay. At present, physicians can base their early diagnoses only on the emotional and physical symptoms present in nearly 82% of all autistic children. However, the term "autism" as a disease should not be used to describe one disorder characterized by a certain core deficit, but rather should be considered an umbrella term to be used to describe a variety of associated disorders. The early diagnosis of autistic disorders in infants is crucial for the success of treatment programs that have proven somewhat effective in recent years. There is no cure for autism, and no wonder drugs that are corrective of autistic behavior. Treatment therefore is directed on an emotional level which must begin in the early years of life to be successful. It has been shown that the period of psychological attachment plays a crucial role in predetermining autistic behavior. The Early Onset of Autism As previously discussed, the onset of infantile autism is characterized by a set of classic symptoms common to nearly all autistic children. Most often, it is not the physician who notices these symptoms, but rather the respo... ...ection has lead to autism. There is a substantial amount of evidence that also points to a genetic origin of autism. Studies with monozygotic twins suggest that autism, or at least an autistic-like disorder, is inherited. There is also strong evidence of the Fragile X Syndrome as being extremely associated with infantile autism. Also, a nearly four to one ratio of autistic boys to girls points to a sex-linked inheritance. It is the convention that genetic predisposition at least, is evident in many cases. Siblings are 50 to 100 times as likely to illustrate autistic symptoms than non-sibling relatives. The search for the genetic marker, or markers, as the case may be, is fast and furious at present. Many avenues are being pursued in many different directions. Perhaps history will repeat itself and someone will stumble across the answer to this puzzling disease.

Lung Cancer Essay -- essays research papers

Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. During 1995, approximately 2.1 million people in developed countries died as a result of smoking. One tobacco use is responsible for nearly one in five deaths in the United States. Lung Cancer mortality are about 23 times higher for current male smokers and 13 times higher for current female smokers compared to a lifelong never-smoker. In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. Women have a better chance in getting lung cancer then men do. This year the disease will kill 68,000 women in the United States, more than one and a half times as many as breast cancer. Even if a woman smoked for awhile and quit, her chances are much greater then a man that smoked 2 times longer then the woman did. Scientists still don’t know all the reasons why this happens. With 23 million women still smoking. Lung cancer will remain a deadly epidemic threatening the lives of millions of women. Second hand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a human carcinogen. Each year about 3,000 nonsmoking adults die of lung cancer as a result breathing the sm...

Notes on the European Union

1) Key theoretical approaches to the European Integration Background – Intellectual context - ­? to understand the theories of European integration, it is important to consider the intellectual context from which the idea of European integration emerged Federalism – Altiero Spinelli - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Spinelli: leader of the European Union of Federalists: Idea: after the Second World War, the classes most privileged under old national system will seek a new order of nation states, that might appear democratic, but the power will return to the privileged classes eventually a? renewing war between states Proposal: o prevent this development, create a federal European state to subordinate national governments to a federal authority a? strategy of the Federalists, aimed to create a federal constitution for Europe Development: Congress took time to organize, taken place in Hague in 1948. By that time, national political systems were already re- ­? establi shed a? Congress turned into the Council of Europe, not a new federal constitutional order Problem: diversity of Europe, different connotations in different part of Europe Mitrany: born in Romania, lived in UK and US, to build a â€Å"working peace system†, influencing integration heorists Against federalism b/c: o Single world government = threat to individual freedom o Regional federations = reproducing national rivalries on a larger scale Idea: root of the war = nationalism Proposal: create a separate international functional agencies, each with authority over specific area of human life o Scheme: individual tasks taken out of the control of the government, handing them to the functional agencies o Argument: Governments will surrender control because they will not fear the loss of sovereignty over e. g. health care, but rather appreciate the advantages of such tasks performed at the egional/world level o a? the more areas of control surrounded, the less states are capable of independent action a? the harder it is to break from the agencies Jean Monnet: planner of a Schuman Plan Combining ideas of functionalism and federalism, crucial for the neofunctionalist theory of European integration Functionalism – David Mitrany - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Functional- ­? Federalism – Jean Monnet - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Idea: European nation state is inadequate as an economic unit Proposal: developing of supranational institutions as the basis for building economic community (coal and steel at the beginning) o Scheme: remove ontrol of the strategically crucial industries (coal and steel) from the governments, handing over to a free- ­? standing agency (High Authority) o Challenge: Western German State o Solution: strategic industries removed from German control; ensuring adequate supplies of coal for the French steel industry a? economies are interconnected Theories Neofuncionalism – Ernst Haas - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Plur alist theory – state not a single unified actor, neither it is the only actor on the international stage (non- ­? state actors also important) Integration = process, once started, would undermine the sovereignty of states eyond the expectations of governments Activities of states = outcome of pluralistic political process, in which government decisions are influenced by the interest groups and bureaucratic actors European Commission = most important non- ­? state international actor, manipulating domestic and international pressures on national governments to advance to process of European integration Mechanisms of the integration o Spillover  §? Integration in one sector will cause integration in further sectors, in order to fully enjoy the benefits of the integration of the original sector 1. Functional spillover †¢ Economies made up of nterconnected parts a? impossible to isolate one sector from others †¢ If MS integrated one sector of the economies, the in terconnectedness between the sectors will lead to a spillover into other sectors †¢ Integration in one sector will work only if the interconnected sector is also integrated †¢ E. g. : increasing coal production across MS requires brining other forms of energy into the scheme. Otherwise, switch by one MS away from coal towards e. g. oil or nuclear fuel will throw out all the calculations for coal production 2. Political spillover †¢ Building up political pressure in favor of further integration †¢ Once ne sector is integrated, lobbying of interest groups occurs at supranational level (the organization in charge of running that sector) - ­? - ­? Groups will appreciate the benefits as a result of integration, realizing the barriers preventing these benefits from being fully enjoyed (not integrating other sectors) a? advocating further integration and lobbying the governments †¢ E. g. : ECSC makes the representatives it the coal and steel industry switching the lobby activities (partly) from national governments to the new supranational agency (High Authority) o Technocratic automaticity  §? Institutions created will sponsor urther integration as they become more powerful and autonomous than member states Assessment of the theory o 1950s: neofunctionalism = winning theory explaining the transition from the ECSC into EC o 1960s: the end of neofunctionalism – Empty Chair Crisis (1965 – 1966) Gaulle’s veto; national governments showing power they are ready to use to determine the nature and pace of integration Aspects to be considered – theory not always applicable o Pluralist social structures  §? Member states must be democratic o Substantial economic and industrial development  §? A certain level of development – no significant gap among hem o Common ideology among participating units  §? No centrally planned economies †¢ Mistakes of neofunctionalism: o Regional integration is not a self-  ­? contained process, but influence by a wider international context o Governments are uniquely powerful actors as they had formal sovereignty and democratic legitimacy o integration in low politics, not high politics (national security, defense) as states tend to protect their sovereignty (advocated by French in 1950) national government controls the nature and pace of integration in order to protect and promote national interest acknowledges the importance of other ctors than governments: o low politics (e. g. social policy): interest groups did influence, but were no the only ones – also government officials, parties in office rejects the theory of spillover effects: rejects the idea of common security policy, foreign policy or common armed forces power of supranational institutions increased because governments believed it to be their national interest a? integration only as far as the government allows power to the European Council and Council of Europe Intergovernmen talism – Stanley Hoffman - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Liberal intergovernmentalism – Andrew Moravcsik - ­? - ­? ational interests = part of a domestic political process, within which economic interests are dominant two- ­? level game o demand side  §? political elites, lobbyist, interest groups are acting and forming the demand of the state a? domestic events influence the demands of state interests on the international level o supply side  §? interacting of each state with conflicting interests on the level of intergovernmental sessions – Council of Ministers †¢ 1st stage – reach agreement on the common policy †¢ 2nd stage – reach agreement on institutional arrangements supranational institutions reduce transactional costs – more fficient to co- ­? exist a? institutions = tools, the main emphasis is on member states that can reduce the power of its supranational bodies Theory applied on negotiation of the Treaties of Rome (1955 – 58), Consolidation of the common market and CAP (1958 – 83), negotiation of SEA (1984 – 88), negotiation of the Treaty on EU (1988 – 91) a? conclusions: 1. Decisions = reflection of the preferences of national governments, not preferences of supranational organizations 2. National preferences = reflection of the balance of economic interests 3. delegating the power to the supranational authority means to ensure the ommitments of all parties, not a belief in the inherent efficiency of international organizations - ­? - ­? Extra Supranational governance – Stone Sweet, Sandholtz - ­? - ­? EU not one international regimes, but a series of regimes Increased transactions across national borders would create supranational society that favored the creation of supranational rules (more simple for operation) Multi- ­? level governance – Gary Marks - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? rather an approach – EU as a political system with interconnected institutions existing at multiple levels with unique features national government = important decisional role, upranational institutions = autonomic role multilevel actions by multilevel actors (lobbies, companies, parties, states, interest groups) at international, state and regional level a? no superior actor, they are equal many informal relations existing (European norms), that are respected by different actors theory does not address the issue of transferring sovereignty and loyalty Constructivism - ­? - ­? rather an approach advocate of Europeanization, establishing common norms, habits, culture to bring people together – new social community (ministries with European department to synchronize the policies with the ones of he EU) – recognizes multi- ­? level governance popular in EU 15 - ­? 2) Formation of 3 Communities in the context of economic and political developments in post- ­? WWII Europe ECSC  œ 1952 – Treaty of Paris EEC, EURATOM – 1957 – Treaty of Rome Motives for the formation of the Communities - ­? - ­? - ­? - ­? Reaction to the World Wars: horrifying example (lost lives) a? seeking a peaceful and stable European environment, political and economic cooperation instead of competition Soviet threat: cooperation blocks further Soviet expansion a? Cold war = catalyst for integration of western Europe Political willingness: political ooperation and development replacing economic competition, viewed as a factor in the outbreak of wars o countries seeking cooperation for different reasons  §? Germany, Italy – seeking respectability  §? France – seeking security from Germany Economic development: destroyed Europe needed reconstruction o Marshall plan (US interested in Europe) – financing the reconstruction of Europe, establishing what is now known as OECD o Bretton Woods Conference  §? 1944, 44 nations to talk about pos t- ­? war economic order  §? GATT  §? IMF (to regulate the international monetary and financial order a? stable exchange rate) Schuman:French Foreign Minister; plan in collaboration with Jean Monnet Key points o relations between France and Germany needs to be renewed o linking French and German coal and steel industry by placing under control of a supranational body a? making war unthinkable and materially impossible (coal and steel = needed to produce armaments, thus capability of waging war) UK no involved in negotiations 1950 Schuman plan - ­? - ­? - ­? ECSC – Treaty of Paris (1951/1952) - ­? - ­? - ­? reduce tariffs by imposing levies on coal and steel production failed to create a single market for coal and steel a? further step needed joined by

Is life in prison without parole better than the death penalty? Essay

This is it, this is the last time you will ever see daylight again. The dim light of the outside world seems to be overtaken by shadows. You squeeze your eyes shut, and then everything goes dark. That is the death penalty. What exactly is the death penalty? In the dictionary, it is defined as, â€Å"the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offense. † What the death penalty itself serves is retribution and revenge. Many believe that this is the right way to punish criminals in society, although there are many faults with capital punishment as well. Those faults consist of errors in the system, state costs, and the risks of executions of innocent people. Life in prison without parole is better than the death penalty where the death penalty is the foundation in injustice and it is immoral. People supporting the death penalty often argue that capital punishment is required not only for retributive reasons but rather to prevent the taking of innocent lives. Cass R. Sunstein, Professor of Law at Harvard University Law School, and Adrian Vermeule, another professor at Harvard Law School said â€Å"A leading national study suggests that each execution prevents some eighteen murders on average. † What my question is, how does taking away a criminals life prevent a life of an innocent being taken away? Killing a culprit does not prevent murders from happening, because there are still killers outside of jail. Death row does not prevent homicide happening in the outside world. The death penalty is no more effective in deterring others than life sentences. Life without parole also prevents reoffending. It means what it says, spending the rest of your life locked up, knowing you’ll never be free. Leading up to my next point, life without parole costs less than the death penalty. The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole. It requires a long process for capital cases, which is needed in order to make sure that innocent individuals are not executed for crimes they did not commit. If the death penalty was replaced with a sentence of life without parole, which costs millions of dollars less, a lot of money could be saved  for useful necessities. The millions of dollars could be spent on education, roads, programs, and more. Capital punishment is time consuming and expensive than the typical crime cases. Speaking of the innocent, my next point, an innocent person serving life can be released from death row. The system can make tragic mistakes. According to the editorial â€Å"There is No ‘Humane’ Execution†, since 1973, 139 people have been released from death row because they were proven innocent said by the Death Penalty Information Center. We’ll never know for sure how many people have been executed for crimes they didn’t commit. DNA is rarely available in homicides, often irrelevant and can’t guarantee we won’t execute innocent people. A number of innocent people have had to been put to death, which contradicts with the true meaning of justice. Leading to my final point, that capital punishment is immoral and is foundation of injustice. It is barbaric that people siding with capital punishment consider it moral. If anything, death penalty contradicts the true meaning of justice. In the article â€Å"Is Life in Prison without Parole a Better Option than Death Penalty? † John P. Conrad, former Chief of Center for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation at the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice said â€Å"I hold that the execution of the most contemptible murderer conflicts with the true functions of retributive justice- the repudiation of evil done and the prospective reconciliation of the criminal with the community he has wronged. † Capital punishment is immoral and unfair and discriminatory in practice. No one deserves to die. In civilized society, we reject the principle of literally doing to criminals what they do to their victims. For instance, if the culprit’s crime was rape, his punishment cannot literally be rape. We shouldn’t punish the murderer with death. Capital punishment shows what an uncivilized and immoral society we are. The sentence of capital punishment is a barbaric action for punishment a criminal. Murder is unacceptable by society, yet people seem to approve killing criminals. Sentencing a criminal to death does not solve the questions and problems left behind, it just creates controversy. Capital punishment is wrongly practiced and immoral and the wrong way to punish criminals. Life in prison without parole is a much better option, whereas capital punishment is just a way to seek revenge on the individual who would rather have the darkness of a solitary than not to see the dark at all.

The Causes and Effects of Whaling

The Causes and Effects of Whaling 1 The Causes and Effects of Whaling Whale is the current name for diverse marine mammals of the order Cetacea, having the general shape of a fish with forelimbs modified as fins, a tail with level flukes, and one or two blowholes on top of the head. (â€Å"Whale†, 2010). Whaling dates back to prehistoric times, but it became an important industry in the nineteenth century. Whales have been hunted for meat or made into lighting oil.Until the international injunction on commercially hunting whales was enacted in 1982 by International Whaling Commission (effective from 1986), some species were seriously endangered. Although commercial whaling was forbidden, several countries were unwilling to follow it such as Norway and Japan. They developed whaling industry for the sake of economic benefits and because the cost is low with free marine resources. But whaling has serious effects on both the environment as well as the society. Japanese are the lea ding whale hunters at present, now we use Japan as a typical example and we will mainly talk about Japan’s whaling.Commercial whaling is lucrative, the prosperous fishing industry in Japan also affects the economic interests of other industries such as tourism and Catering Industry. This is the first reason why Japan insists on whaling. According to a statistics of Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research in 2000, the production of whale meat in Japan is 2849 tons, and the whale skin is 1051 tons. The revenue generated by whaling activities is more than US$32 million each year. Whaling What’s more, Japan has natural and vast amount of marine resources.The 2 whaling industry was also driven by the free marine resources. Japan was facing the pressure from public opinion especially the West about hunting whales unrestrictedly and excessively. But why Japan was still persisting in whaling? The most significant reason comes to my mind is cultural conflict. Put it this way, Ja panese hate the way Europe and the United States imposes their values to them. They feel unfair and have no intention of lying down under those accusations, and they want to show their cultural identity through whaling.That is their subconscious action and they would like to take this way against â€Å"cultural imperialism† in order to safeguard their own interests. However, due to their continuous whaling, more than 2 million whales were killed in the early 20th century. Some species of whales are close to extinction. Whaling sounds nothing to do with us, how does whaling affect us? Japanese whaling in the northern Pacific Ocean has caused international objections, according to Reuben (2001), the potential full-scale trade war led by U. S. ill become true if Japan still refuses to reform Japan’s whaling practices. Another thing, the excessive whaling disturbs the balance of the ecosystem they belong to, it will also diminish the marine ecosystems, and even the whole c ould collapse. The worst influence is the people in Taiji, Japan were detected their mercury levels exceed standards which stipulated by World Health Organization because of eating whale meat in excess. It has Whaling come to light that mercury is the most toxic element on earth. It is very dangerous for us to eat whale meat. 3In conclusion, the excessive whaling caused by economic benefits and cultural conflict resulted in terrible impacts on oceanic environment and human beings. To save whales, Environmental protection organizations like Greenpeace or individuals are campaigning to end commercial whaling and the governments should also go to great lengths to end it. Whaling 4 References Whale. (October 8, 2009). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Whale Whaling. (February 12, 2009). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Whaling The Cove. April 25, 2009). In Wi kipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Cove_(film) Reuben B. Ackerman. (2001, January) ‘Japanese Whaling in the Pacific Ocean: Defiance of International Whaling Norms in the name of ‘Scientific Research’, Culture, and Traditional’, Boston College, Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. bc. edu/bc_org/avp/law/lwsch/journals/bciclr/25_2/07_TXT. htm Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, In Baidupedia, Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://baike. baidu. com/view/1632862. html

My drama group comprised Essay

My drama group comprised of five people including myself. We set out to create an improvised piece of drama, thematically based on greed, love, betrayal, envy and revenge. During the time spent preparing for our improvisation, we came across many sources that had an immense influence on our piece. In order to appropriately progress with the play, we had to research the key elements within the sources to which were relevant to our context. As it was an improvised production we did not follow a set script but created a basic guideline from which we could refer to and enable us to keep on track. Our research into these sources was definitely apparent in our final performance, which was acted out in front of our drama set. In this essay, I intend to compare our improvised piece of drama with the sources we used in order to point out the similarities and illustrate the inspiration we drew from them. During the course of producing our play, we used the well-known novel and recently filmed ‘ The Count of Monte Cristo’ to draw influence on certain scenes, which clearly showed up in our final production. The plot of the ‘ Count of Monte Cristo’ is also thematically based upon betrayal, love, greed, envy and revenge. As a young sailor, Edmond Dantes, an honest and humble man whose peaceful life and plans to marry his wife Mercedes are ruined when his supposed best friend, Vernand, betrays him in order to get Mercedes for himself. Edmond is unjustly sentenced to an island prison after being framed by Vernand for high treason and is trapped in a nightmare for thirteen years. This key element is clearly apparent in our piece of drama, as Fernando, a rich and successful man soon to wed his Fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½e Victoria, is betrayed by his two deceitful friends who envy his wealth and is cast away by them to a deserted island. Obviously we have shared and incorporated the same basic ideas and themes in order to create an improvised piece of our own. A similar pattern is followed in the theme of revenge. In the ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ Edmond is aided by an elderly and wise inmate whom he learns from and the two plot to escape from prison but only Edmond succeeds and returns to his mainland execute revenge on those who wronged him, under the title of a mysterious Count of Monte Cristo. We too were able draft the theme of revenge into our play. Fernando is aided by a castaway on the island who helps him survive and teaches him how to fight. Eventually, he escapes back to his homeland alone and executes revenge on his old ‘friends’ using his new skills. This worked effectively in our production and formed the backbone plot to our final improvisation. Both the periods of the ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ and our play is set in the mid seventeenth century so more research had to be done to make our characters realistic. Another key source that we researched carefully to progress with our island scene was the film, Cast Away. In this movie, a man is cast away to a deserted island where he is forced to learn how to survive for only one reason, his love for his wife. This inspired our play as the only things which Fernando wants to live for when he is on the island is to see his wife again and to execute revenge on his friends who betrayed him. We used the idea of being abandoned alone from home on an island but we incorporated a companion to our main character, Dar’tanion, who had been living on the island for more than seven years. Research into his character’s speech, movement, body language etc was essential as we could not comprehend how somebody would be like after living alone on an island for seven years and therefore looking into movie of ‘Cast Away’ was very useful. These two sources were our main areas of influence. However we did look into the classic story ‘Robinson Crusoe’ where a civilized man meets a savage and teaches him how to be civilised. In the case of our play, a savage man teaches a civilised man to be more savage and the basic survival skills. We made it a point to show the character development of Fernando in terms of acting and the on stage relationship between the two. In conclusion, our play was a joint extract of all these sources combined with our own interpretation and improvisation.

A Fans View on Angelina Jolie

She is a person of admiration. Which is known globally with partner Brad Pitt has adopted children from Africa. In my view, many people may not be able to do the same. She is a very assertive and open. She is a member of the charitable foundation that provides assistance to all who need it. Although very popular, not so presumptuous as all stars. It behaves as if the world outside of the show. Angelina Jolie is a film actress and television. Born in Los Angeles in 1975. Throughout her career she has received numerous awards for his acting achievements, including an Academy Award and three Golden Globes is considered one of the sexiest women in the world and this is the focus of the entertainment press. In mid-2009, Angelina Jolie was ranked first in the list of Forbes magazine among the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, according to data released by the publication. It has three biological children with her partner, fellow actor, Brad Pitt. In 2001 he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations, actively participating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Angelina uses its popularity to the media attention devoted to the case of refugees and the terrible conditions in which they live. She has visited many refugee camps and centers in countries like Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan, Namibia, Thailand and Ecuador. For his charitable work has been awarded grants humanitarian immigration program for refugees and Church World Service. Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt have donated a million dollars each to two organizations dedicated to helping the disadvantaged, Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders. The organization provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters, for emergency medical assistance to help victims of the Haiti earthquake. Asked what she hoped to accomplish meeting with refugees and internally displaced persons in more than 20 countries, she stated, â€Å"Awareness of the plight of these people. I think they should be commended for what they have survived, not looked down upon. † (Jolie 2003). As seen in previous paragraphs Angelina Jolie is a very bold and sociable. she has always shown love to everyone around the world an example of some publications that are published on the Facebook page: â€Å"On World Humanitarian Day we remember the aid workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and we honor the extraordinary courage and dedication of humanitarian workers around the world,† she wrote. â€Å"I had the honor and the pleasure of meeting one of these brave individuals before his murder during a visit to Pakistan, where I witnessed first-hand the incredible devotion of a very kind and gentle man. His name was Mr. Zill-e-Usman. † (Jolie 2012) Angelina Jolie has spent many years helping the poor. The actress feels very fortunate to work as a member of UNHCR and refugees. According to the couple of Brad Pitt said about this: â€Å"It is true that they are the most vulnerable in the world, but paradoxically also the most resistant. They are survivors who have been forced to leave their homes and go without any possession thousands of miles to seek a better life. † (Jolie 2012) No doubt this woman is an example for many people who only care about the physical appearance and not help others. A Fans View on Angelina Jolie She is a person of admiration. Which is known globally with partner Brad Pitt has adopted children from Africa. In my view, many people may not be able to do the same. She is a very assertive and open. She is a member of the charitable foundation that provides assistance to all who need it. Although very popular, not so presumptuous as all stars. It behaves as if the world outside of the show. Angelina Jolie is a film actress and television. Born in Los Angeles in 1975. Throughout her career she has received numerous awards for his acting achievements, including an Academy Award and three Golden Globes is considered one of the sexiest women in the world and this is the focus of the entertainment press. In mid-2009, Angelina Jolie was ranked first in the list of Forbes magazine among the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, according to data released by the publication. It has three biological children with her partner, fellow actor, Brad Pitt. In 2001 he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations, actively participating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Angelina uses its popularity to the media attention devoted to the case of refugees and the terrible conditions in which they live. She has visited many refugee camps and centers in countries like Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan, Namibia, Thailand and Ecuador. For his charitable work has been awarded grants humanitarian immigration program for refugees and Church World Service. Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt have donated a million dollars each to two organizations dedicated to helping the disadvantaged, Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders. The organization provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters, for emergency medical assistance to help victims of the Haiti earthquake. Asked what she hoped to accomplish meeting with refugees and internally displaced persons in more than 20 countries, she stated, â€Å"Awareness of the plight of these people. I think they should be commended for what they have survived, not looked down upon. † (Jolie 2003). As seen in previous paragraphs Angelina Jolie is a very bold and sociable. she has always shown love to everyone around the world an example of some publications that are published on the Facebook page: â€Å"On World Humanitarian Day we remember the aid workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and we honor the extraordinary courage and dedication of humanitarian workers around the world,† she wrote. â€Å"I had the honor and the pleasure of meeting one of these brave individuals before his murder during a visit to Pakistan, where I witnessed first-hand the incredible devotion of a very kind and gentle man. His name was Mr. Zill-e-Usman. † (Jolie 2012) Angelina Jolie has spent many years helping the poor. The actress feels very fortunate to work as a member of UNHCR and refugees. According to the couple of Brad Pitt said about this: â€Å"It is true that they are the most vulnerable in the world, but paradoxically also the most resistant. They are survivors who have been forced to leave their homes and go without any possession thousands of miles to seek a better life. † (Jolie 2012) No doubt this woman is an example for many people who only care about the physical appearance and not help others.

Written History is Never Valid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Written History is Never Valid - Essay Example Scholars denote that written or documented history is not a valid form of historical preservation. According to these scholars, documented history has a number of disadvantages, and hence, it cannot qualify as an effective means of preserving a particular historical event. For example, these scholars denote that historians who use these forms of historical preservation can have a bias on what they record . Take for example, the emergence of the Second World War. During this war, Hitler, the President of Germany was the villain. However, his activities will be recorded differently, depending on which side the historian is. Those who supported the activities of Hitler might record his activities on a positive note, while those who were against the policies of Hitler, might record them on a negative note . On this basis, recorded history does not give accurate information on what really happened because of bias. However, there are a number of scholars who believe that written history is a valid method of historical preservation . These same scholars denote that the information that is contained in the written records is adequate, and reliable. This is because important dates of the historical event are recorded. On this basis, historians are able to know the time period in which an event occurred, the circumstances of the occurrence . Written records are able to capture in detail, making sure that all the necessary and important information are captured and documented. Documented history has been used since the invention of writing in the 4th millennium.... However, his activities will be recorded differently, depending on which side the historian is. Those who supported the activities of Hitler might record his activities on a positive note, while those who were against the policies of Hitler, might record them on a negative note4. On this basis, recorded history does not give accurate information on what really happened because of bias. However, there are a number of scholars who believe that written history is a valid method of historical preservation5. These same scholars denote that the information that is contained in the written records is adequate, and reliable. This is because important dates of the historical event are recorded. On this basis, historians are able to know the time period in which an event occurred, the circumstances of the occurrence6. Written records are able to capture in detail, making sure that all the necessary and important information are captured and documented. Documented history has been used since th e invention of writing in the 4th millennium. On this basis, recorded history is a very important and effective mechanism of preserving historical information. Scholars denote that in the 19th, 20th, and 21st century, the most dominant method of historical preservation is the use of written history. For instances, the exploits of Napoleon Bonaparte, the emergence of the first and the Second World War, the American Civil war, are all documented, and stored in the library archives of the various states in the world. These important historical events are documented, and a specific date given on their occurrences, and factors that triggered their occurrences7. However, in as much as these important historical; events are written, it is important to denote that the

Acquisition of Northrop Grumman Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Acquisition of Northrop Grumman - Term Paper Example The primary objective of this paper is to recognize the overall structure of the company and whether acquiring it in order to obtain the company’s technological patent rights is a profitable venture or not. This paper has been formed by also considering the long-term future perspectives of the firm. Northrop Grumman was formed in the year 1994, by way of the purchase by Northrop. It is headquartered in Virginia, United States (Northrop Grumman, 2014). Northrop Grumman is one of the largest companies dealing in defense and aerospace technology. The main business sectors of the company are Aerospace systems, Electronic systems, Information systems and Technical services. The core values on which the firm is based on are quality, customer satisfaction, leadership as a company and as individuals, integrity in all actions as well as valuing employees and suppliers as effective members of the firm. Excellence, speed, collaboration and open communication are some of the key elements of behavior observed in this company. The firm gives adequate importance to its corporate responsibilities, ethics and business conduct. It uses advanced technology to deliver the best performance and to provide high-quality service for clients located across the globe. The security solutions provided by Northrop Grumman are highly innovative and is developed keeping in mind the importance of security and freedom for nations worldwide. Delivering such service is considered by them as not only a part of business goals but also a moral responsibility. Such values and philosophies make this company stand tall. Northrop Grumman aims at delivering technology solutions at maximized cost efficiency. They also pay attention towards developing innovative technical solutions for which they have formed an effective team of researchers and scientists who work towards discovering new and effective ways of dealing with aerospace and defense.

Research Paper on Drug Testing Welfare for Benefits

On Drug Testing Welfare for Benefits - Research Paper Example One of the consequences of drug abuse can sometimes be joining the welfare system when drugs take over the drives and ambitions that would otherwise allow an individual to be able to work and become independent. Welfare serves a meaningful purpose in society in trying to help those who are in circumstances where they cannot find meaningful employment. Those who are choosing to use drugs, however, are not on a track towards gainful employment and a successful life. I believe that drug testing for welfare recipients will effectively limit the amount of drug abusers collecting money. The initial argument would appear to be part of the criminalization of the poor that is pervasive within this nation. According to Gustafson, â€Å"While lawmakers and the public seem unwilling to devote tax dollars to providing cash benefits to the poor, there seems to be a great willingness to spend money to police the poor – even when doing so seems to be economically inefficient or ineffectiveâ €  (59). The attitude of Americans seems to be that being poor is the equivalent of being immoral or criminal. There is a vast misunderstanding about what it is to be poor. Poverty most often does not occur because of poor choices of a criminal nature, but because of poor choices on a social level. This can mean everything from bad investments to having chosen to work for a company that eventually layoffs its employees. A poor choice is not the same as an immoral choice, and the consequences are not always predictable. Still, the American public does not seem willing to spend real money to help others out of poverty but is more than willing to spend money to criminalize the desperation that comes from being poor. One of the desperations that come from being poor can be drug abuse. While the vast majority of people on welfare are not drug users, there is a portion that are on welfare because of drug abuse or who have turned to drug use to relieve the pain of poverty. According to Gustafson, â€Å"Drug use among welfare recipients appears to be higher than drug use in the general population, but drug dependence which interferes with relationships and work, may not be higher† (60). Furthermore, Gustafson goes on to say that â€Å"even if welfare recipients use drugs, the vast majority who would be subjected to drug testing do not† (60). Therefore, it is not the majority who would be affected by drug testing and in order to combat the social problems associated with drug use, alternative services would need to be provided. It is clear that drug use among welfare recipients is counterproductive to the goals of welfare. The goal of welfare is to provide for people while they climb out of poverty towards a more successful future. Using drugs diminishes the ability of individuals as they endeavor to function in a productive society. Drug users need treatment, however, not to be goal seeking where employment and future success is concerned. Allowing pe ople who are using drugs to continue in the welfare system is a waste of those resources and should not be a part of that system. It would be more cost effective to treat those who test positive, providing care for their children during that time period, than it is to continue criminalizing that behavior. The costs of the ‘drug war’ is three to four times that of providing treatment

THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ECONOMIC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ECONOMIC - Essay Example It emphasized that foreign goods should only be imported if there is an indispensable need and that too for exchange of domestic products instead of gold and silver. The mercantilist thought opposed free trade with other countries and empires believing that it was fruitless and beneficial to one side only. This paper aims to investigate the important contributions made by the critics of mercantilism which led to the development of classical economic thought (The economist, ). The mercantilist policies, where successful, produced an oversupply of wealth eventually leading to severe inflation. Sooner, protests against government regulations were voiced due to fiscal difficulties. In the late 17th and 18th centuries in France, economists developed physiocracy (government of nature) which advocated agricultural practices, land development and stressed on higher pricing of agricultural commodities. Pierre le Pesant de Boisguilbert opposed the prohibition of export of grain which was ruining the neglected agriculture sector. Fracois Quesnay in his work ‘Tableau Economique’ also opposed trade and industry as sources of wealth arguing that real economy mover was productivity in agricultural and diffusion of its surpluses in the system. Marshal Vauban asserted that working class were the main pillars of social welfare and should be protected. Among other notable contributors were Richard Cantillon, Marquis d’Argenson and Vincent de Gournay who advocated free trade and is believed to have originated the physiocratic slogan ‘laissez faire, laissez passer’ meaning ‘let it be, let it pass’. John Law in his ‘credit theory of money’ proposed that since silver and gold fluctuate, land would be the most stable measure of value. He proposed the use of mortgage-notes for mobilization and paper money for domestic circulation upon security of land. Similarly in Britain, William Petty, John Locke, Dudely North, David Hume and others strongly criticized

In relation to E -Business Maturity and E- Modles select three Assignment

In relation to E -Business Maturity and E- Modles select three organisation - Assignment Example Different online firms exhibit different levels of E-Business maturity depending on the standards of their applications and services (Fox, 2001, p.231). A clear comprehension of E-Business models can be employed appropriately to maximize future benefits. The objective of this paper is to discuss levels of E-business maturity in relation to three different organisations. E-Business Maturity As various enterprises go through different phases of e-business maturity, they encounter same challenges while incorporating this technology in their business operations. They need to validate with their competitors and equals to be able to match forward in the right direction (Bak & Stair, 2011, p. 186). Due to the fact that all businesses experience similar predicaments in this endeavor, their development steps can be portrayed as phases of maturity. The fundamental concept of study here is that all these businesses go through same phases of maturity with regards to the approaches they utilize a nd how they manage to sustain and drive business objective and processes (Garrett, 2006, p.10). The E-Business maturity model provides a platform under which one can establish where a business is positioned and pin-points high-priority advancement areas that ought to be addressed to enhance current maturity phase. The model elucidates the steps that ought to be taken to move a notch higher to an upper stage (Gosselin, 2009, p.86). The primary fact here is that improved E-Business maturity is directly connected to better outcomes with regards to a business’s capacity to inevitably implement E-Business programmes and processes. Improved maturity is likely to translate to maximised financial benefits from investments (Gangopadhyay, 2002, p.202). A noteworthy point is that this model describes the approaches and levels of E-Business strategy development. However, it is not designed to offer insights in the soundness of the chosen strategy. This kind of information can only be acq uired by examining external factors, such as the environment, and organisational ones such as goods and services, clients and relevant authorities (Weill & Vitale, 2001, p.11). The five levels of the E-Consciousness Rising Model developed by the Price Waterhouse provide an elaborate platform under which maturity levels of different E- Businesses can be assessed. Masala Wok is a multinational food chain store that has several branches in different parts of the world. The food chain store serves Indo-Chinese cuisine. Going by the E-Consciousness Rising Maturity Model designed by the Price Waterhouse, the company’s electronic business website falls at the first stage. This is the Online Presence phase that groups organisations that have implemented static information to their online systems. There is minimal interaction other than information about the company, delicacies and services offered, and picture gallery. The website is designed to market the services offered by Masala Wok and provide directions on how to access their restaurants. The company does not engage in online retail and home delivery services. For this reason, the website system is quite basic and has no complex components interconnecting clients to suppliers and brokers. Ablecan is a visa agency firm that is well situated at the heart of London. The company’s area of specialty is acquiring business and tourist visa on behalf of United Kingdom residents willing to

How democratic is the electoral college, based on the principals and Essay

How democratic is the electoral college, based on the principals and philosophies of the Framers of the Constitution - Essay Example In a bid to achieve this objective, USA has had various ways of electing the president. General elections and the electoral colleges are the main avenues for identifying or selecting the president. In every presidential election, the two methods are used (Dahl, 2001). However, the Electoral College method usually supersedes the general election method, that is, a person with the majority of votes from the general election may fail to be the president on the basis of the Electoral College method. The Framers of the American Constitution settled on the Electoral Colleges method as a way of deciding the winner of a presidential election amidst it flows. It is important to understand how democratic the Electoral College method is within the selection of a president. This would include how the framers would evaluate the Electoral College on the basis of their founding philosophies and writing. In addition, it is important to understand what the framers would think about American governmen t today and the intentions they had as well as the objectives and aims that they (framers) wanted to accomplish in establishing a new nation. Lastly, a deeper understanding of this concept would require a comparison of the theories and structures in the classical era with those in present day realities concerning the Electoral College. ... The constitution as prepared by the framers does not reflect their views, intentions, and accomplishments as highlighted later in this discussion. It is an event that whereas the framers would have wanted an American society where the executive is selected by encrypted electors, the reality is that the American executive is selected by the manipulated, partisan, political agents, and non-representative electors. The framers would view the American government as not only undemocratic but also formed on the basis of any protected interests. Electors are usually appointed by the states in correspondence to the number of senators and other legislative representatives (Williams, 2011). It is believed that the appointment of the electors aims at protecting the interests of the smaller states, which on the basis of the framers is against the bill of rights entrenched within the constitution. Proponents for the removal of the electoral system argue that the government is formed for the peopl e and not the states (Dahl, 2001). Besides, this was the main intention and objective of the framers. The objective of the framers in entrenching the Electoral College system within the selection of the president was to have men and women of virtue and outstanding characters to select the president. Many individuals such as James Madison continue to believe that the apportionment of the electors within the Electoral Colleges goes beyond the protection of American citizens as entrenched within the Bill of Rights (Williams, 2011). One question that James Madison asks is whether the less populated states have additional rights or interests that make them entitled to special protection against the unequal representation. In this question, it