Christian Vs. Public Schools - 1779 Words

Christian girls loved to pray in a group and would like to add individuals to come talk and learn more about the Bible, so the girls had asked a teacher in their school to provide space in a room for religious practices. They then made posters and pamphlets to see who would like to join, but the teachers are not able to teach or hear anything because of their own perspectives and opinions about the Bible lessons. Religion in public schools are not allowed in some countries. Even though individuals have different beliefs or do not believe in religion or in God, they would have to believe in something. On the other hand, others are for religion in public schools. The law is strict about it being acceptable throughout public education, because the way the law and public schools view the similarities and differences might affect the students. Students are offended, bullied, hurt and or even fooled about their looks, personalities and their beliefs. By changing the law and letting teacher s teach the ones who want it or need it, can change the atmosphere around others. Now, nobody talks about religion or their beliefs, which needs to be change. Individuals would like to embed the law to put religion in public schools to let people know the differences and similarities. Public schools should allow religious practices because of the first amendment which involves religion being a part of students’ choices. The Supreme Court is holding back on public schools to teach the practices,Show MoreRelatedCopernicus And The First Pioneers Of Science1525 Words   |  7 Pagesachievement, such as Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin, we see that with each genius discovery came some outcry from religious groups. Nikolaus Copernicus was one of the first pioneers of science. Until 1540 science had long been a servant of the Christian religion, but Copernicus brought about change, and with that change came persecution. Copernicus’ work, although not immediately and widely ac cepted, lead directly to the undermining of centuries of assumption and superstition. He was the first toRead MoreThe United States As A Christian Nation1263 Words   |  6 PagesWas the United States Founded as a Christian Nation? Have you ever wondered why people in the American society think any kind of demonstrated behavior is acceptable? The Christian views once instilled in United States citizens have grown sparse today, in comparison to what they once were. Opinions of many people have changed concerning multiple issues. Many founding views were centered on Godly principles as portrayed in the U.S. Constitution, and as well as the Declaration of Independence. AsRead MorePrayer in Public Schools894 Words   |  4 Pages Should prayer be allowed in public schools? This is a question with a highly controversial answer. There are many different angles to this question with varying ideas and opinions that never seem to agree with one another. The issue of prayer in public schools has, and will continue to be, at the center of many controversial debates. Just consider the fact that public educational system in United States is a secular or non-religious one that is quick to shut down any religious actions . This isRead MoreThe First Ammendment and Dealing with the Separation of Church and State1741 Words   |  7 Pagesstate or federal governments to favor one religion over another? Government can show favoritism toward religion by displaying religious symbols in public places at taxpayer expense, by sponsoring events like Christmas concerts, caroling, by supporting the teaching of religious ideas, or even by supporting the teaching of creationism in public schools. It appears the United States government has had a history of favoring Christianity. The United States governments favoritism of ChristianityRead MoreThe Influence Of The Church1369 Words   |  6 Pagessociety. Christian morals and beliefs have had a dramatic influence on the development of our nation’s government. The United States government makes laws, based on Christian beliefs that directly affect the nation in its entirety, each citizen, and many areas in between. Throughout the history of this nation, the church has been an influence for the basis of all the groundwork for the governmental processes. In his sermon, Sewall S. Cutting continually speaks of, â€Å"why beliefs that Christians holdRead MoreCreationism: The Center of Our Universe and Life Essay examples1605 Words   |  7 Pagesbelievers are of a Christian faith, â€Å"In the US and UK, significant groups of Christians believe that evolution is an unproved theory which may devalue religious belief† (BBC). Most creationists believers believe the biblical description of the earth and mankind as fact, â€Å"Creationism teaches that life on Earth is the result of Gods creative action, and not the result of blind scientific processes. Creationism doesnt attempt to explain how God did this† (BBC). Those of the Christian faith view the bibleRead MoreAfrican American civil rights has been one of the biggest domestic issues ever in the Unites700 Words   |  3 Pagesvery important cases. In the Sweatt vs. Painter case, the Supreme Court decided that Texas had broken the 14th amendment by having a segregated b lack school. Another big case was the McLaurin vs. Oklahoma State Regents, in which Oklahoma had denied McLaurin access to college facilites, even though he was a student there. The biggest court case of the time was the Brown vs. Board of Education, in which the supreme court ruled that the segregation of public schools violated rights in the U.S. ConstitutionRead MoreAfrican Americans During The 20th Century1261 Words   |  6 Pagespressures such as the Brown vs. Board of Education case, and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, African-Americans were finally gaining a substantial voice in this country. Most importantly, the African-American communities fighting for liberty gained the public support of President John F. Kennedy. Together, the social pressures that surfaced during the Civil Rights Era greatly influenced the gradual termination of segregation and discrimination in the United States of America. The Brown vs. Board of EducationRead MoreThe Turkish Culture Is Like No Other Essay723 Words   |  3 Pagespupils to learn in secondary schools. Some high schools and colleges teach in English. 99% of Turkey is Muslim. In Turkey, people have freedom of religion. Muslims believe, pray, and worship one God, Allah. Similar to how Christians pray by The Holy Bible, Muslims read from a sacred book called Qur’an. Muslim women are customarily seen wearing a scarf over their heads. In the 1920’s, wearing head scarfs was banned. This made it very difficult for women to join the public work force. There are severalRead MorePros and Cons of Teaching Creationism in School1197 Words   |  5 PagesFor this research paper I am going to discuss the pros and the cons about Creationism in school and why I feel that it should be left out of the public school system. Even though I am writing about both sides of the issue, I feel, for most part, that religion should be kept out of schools. I will present both sides of my topic and make a stand on why I feel that religion does not belong in public schools. Some of the pros of Creationism are that students have to think beyond the box. Creationism

The United Automobile Workers ( Uaw ) - 1558 Words

The United Automobile Workers (UAW) is a labor union that represents workers in North America. It has the employer’s welfare in mind in the manner of a health insurance plan, improved working conditions, better working hours, and higher wages. The UAW has received a great deal of criticism over the years for being responsible for the â€Å"death of the auto industry† in America. With its influential history and the issues members have faced over the course of the years, an analysis can be made of the way the group performs and the media attention that the group has generated. The UAW believes in social justice for its workers and providing quality automobile products to the public while creating success for its members, company investors and clients. The UAW has had an extensive history in America for the 80 years. It was founded on May 1935 in Detroit Michigan under the American Federation of Labor until the AFL suspended the union thus enabling the UAW to form a rival federation of unions called the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). It infamously formed a sit-down strike compiled of 22 delegates in 1935, at General Motors in Flint Michigan. Proving successful at GM plant, it later addressed other companies such as Chrysler and Ford, later gaining recognition of the UAW as an appointee. When America went to war with Japan in 1942, the UAW voted to make a â€Å"no strike† pledge to not impede war effort. Subsequently the UAW became the first union to hold a Women’sShow MoreRelatedLabor Unions And The American Labor Relations Act Of Canada Essay1715 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 1930s, labor unions had little to no voice in the contracts of industrialized companies. Labor Unions â€Å"are organizations of work ers whose primary objectives are to improve the pecuniary and nonpecuniary conditions or employment among their members† (Ehrenberg Smith, pg. 451). The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) and the United Automobiles Workers (UAW) are different unions in Canada and the Unites States. Even though they have some similarities, the two groups have many differencesRead MoreA Brief Note On The Auto Industry And The Automobile Industry845 Words   |  4 PagesTwo Tier Wages in the Auto Maker Industry Two-tiered wages in the automobile industry are a result of agreements for a government bailout with the top three auto makers in the United States: GM, Chrysler, and Ford. One of the major issues identified in the near fall of these major automakers, aside from increase in gas prices and overall recessions, were the cost of labor. Hourly wages and compensations were as high as $73 per hour for Ford, GM, and Chrysler despite low overall low satisfactoryRead MoreSwot of Gm1431 Words   |  6 Pagesfollowed by the United States, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy. (About GM: General Motors Company, Company Profile , 2010) In this paper I will provide an analysis about General Motors (G.M.’s) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (S.W.O.T) and a brief history. General Motors was founded on September 16, 1908 in Flint, Michigan as a holding company for Buick by William C. Durant. Mr. Durant is considered as one of the leading pioneers in the American automobile industryRead MoreThe Chrysler Groups Merger with Fiat929 Words   |  4 Pages The Chrysler Group LLC initial public offering (IPO) was initiated by a trust known as the United Auto Workers (UAW) Retiree Medical Benefits Trust to cover medical benefits for retired workers who owned 41.5% of the company. The trust was created in 2007 as a way of reducing Chryslers financial liability of paying existing workers and former employees’ health care costs and retirements. Initially, the trust was not supposed to have a large share of its assets in the form of stock, but with ChryslerRead MoreAuto Workers At Fiat Chrysler Essay945 Words   |  4 PagesAuto workers at Fiat Chrysler are in an uproar over changes in job assignments at the auto plants. Many feel Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is looking to eradicate the skilled trade jobs by reassigning so-called minor tasks to production workers (Jones, 2016). Tasks such as fault resets and electrical cable replacement, now done by skilled tradesmen, would become the responsibility of workers who are not suffici ently prepared for such work and often for only little additional pay. Auto workers feelRead MoreHenry Ford, hero or villain1444 Words   |  6 Pagesallowed the luxury to drive to be able to have their own car and take their families out in them; however he caused farmers to lose money and was cruel to his workers. After Ford created the Quadricycle in 1896 he joined investors to establish a company that would manufacturer automobiles, however the two companies disbanded (Detroit Automobile Company and the Henry Ford Corporation) so Ford used publicity to encourage people to buy his cars, he built race cars and his name became well known, howeverRead MoreProfiles of Ford Motor Company and Toyota Company4248 Words   |  17 Pagesheadquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2009, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 71,116 people worldwide (total Toyota 320,808).[3] TMC is the worlds largest automobile manufacturer by sales[4][5] and production.[6] The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his fathers company Toyota Industries to create automobiles. Three years earlier, in 1934, while still a department of Toyota Industries, it created its first product, the Type A engine, and, in 1936, its first passengerRead MoreThe Auto Industry : A Global Economic Powerhouse And Juggernaut Of Cultural Influence1051 Words   |  5 Pagessubtle shift in consumer demand based on changing demographic preferences. â€Å"Consumers appear to be rethinking their long love affair with individual automobile brands and viewing cars more as transportation machines. Although this is not likely to have a major impact on sales volume, it is affecting how much people are willing to pay for automobiles† (Strategy, 2015, para. 6). Whenever consumers begin viewing a particular product category as a â€Å"commodity,† this signals a major threat. In the absenceRead MoreGeneral Motors, Chrysler, and Obamas Bailout Progra m Essay examples1619 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2009, the Obama Administration bailed out the General Motors and Chrysler automobile companies. Having begun their decent into bankruptcy in 2008, losing thousands of jobs, sales plummeting forty percent, with a high threat of liquidation, General Motors and Chrysler finally reached government-assisted chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009. Obama allocated eighty five billion dollars in TARP funds to the auto industry, close to fifty billion dollars of it going to General Motors. The allocated funds wereRead MoreMovie Analysis : Detropia Is A Documentary Directed By Heidi Ewing And Rachel Grady1001 Words   |  5 PagesDetropia is a documentary directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady that explores the decline of Detroit, Michigan. The film is to raise awareness of the city that used to flourish but is now struggling to support its citizens with the downfall of its automobile industry. Detropia was made in 2012 and highlights important stories and viewpoints of citizens still living in Detroit who are filled with hope for its future. I chose to review Detropia because it really corresponds with what we have been discussing

A place to call home free essay sample

As far back as I can remember I have had a pretty interesting life. Things have come and gone and the wind has blown in unpredictable directions. I can say that my life has often transformed through intense, painful and life-changing events. After living on a military base and moving to numerous places, it became difficult to identify a place that I could really call home. As I got older, I enrolled in at least eight schools and lived in thirteen locations including Central America, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington State. Every year came with sadness as I would have to leave new friends that I had just made. The only remnants of those newly made friends became memories. The kids at school would often exclude me from events that would go on either during recess or class. One chilly summer night, my dad woke up my two sisters and I and said, â€Å"Come on girls, get your stuff. We will write a custom essay sample on A place to call home or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We have to go.† Fighting the sleep monster, my sisters and I stuffed some clothes and what belongings we could carry in a garbage bag and drove off. I made sure to grab my Big Bird stuffed animal because whenever I was scared, or if I needed something to comfort me, I would feel the need to take him with me. I always held him by his neck to the point his head was about to come off. While driving, I had noticed that my father started getting tears in his eyes. We soon found ourselves pulling into the parking lot of a Super 8 motel. Once inside the motel room, my dad sat down and started to cry. All three of us put our arms around dad, hugging him and trying to give him comfort. I started laughing like the young, immature kid I was because I thought it was funny seeing my father shed tears. I wasn’t used to seeing boys or men cry at such a young age. My younger sister then told me that we could no longer stay at our house. At that moment, I felt like I was the worst child a parent could have for laughing at something so serious. We ended up having to move to another home yet again. I am still very emotional when it comes to the thought of all the events that happened in my life. I recognized that in order to keep from breaking down, I had to stay emotionally strong. These experiences have taught me to never give up and to always look at the positive outlook on life. Over the years, I have realized that a place to call â€Å"home† isn’t about how long you’ve lived there, but simply the family that supports you and friends that are made. With what felt like countless years of moving, weary nights and being ostracized by my peers, our family eventually settled down, and I have at last, after seventeen years, found a home.

Punk Essays - Dispute Resolution, Human Behavior,

Punk Punk is a term applied to a child or teenager who acts in an antisocial way. Punk music is a form of rebellion, and it turned against all other musical forms and influences at its time of creation. Punk music is as much cultural as it is musical. It is anarchic, against society, and against everything in established order. Patrick Goldstein's article, "Violence Sneaks into Punk Scene", is about one man's observation of the experiences with violence and aggressive nature of youth's rebellion. In the author's opinion, "The accounts of senseless violence, vandalism, and even mutilation at some area rock clubs read like a report from a war zone." Throughout Goldstein's article, Freudian theory can be utilized to explain the aggressive nature of the punk movement and youths involved in it. There are many different theories as to human nature. One of these theories exists under the thoughts of a prominent philosopher, and founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. His deductive argument entails his conclusion that man is bad, or as Freud explains it in his book, Civilization and Its Discontents, "Homo homini lupus." This phrase literally means man is a wolf to man. Freud felt all men are innately evil and his aggression lies within him as part of human nature. Freud felt aggression can be hidden deep in our subconscious and explode in certain situations. In Goldstein's article, there are many examples to show Freud's opinion to be true. As one punk rocker stated, "It's no wonder there are so many fights . . . these idiots kept punching us in the back. Finally I got fed up and started hitting these guys, even though they were bigger than me." Another was quoted as saying, "All they want to do is fight. And next time I'm going to be ready to give' em one." When we have provoked someone with any form of aggression or violence, the first reaction, even if it is not considered normal for their particular behavior, is to show aggression in return. Aggression does not have to be subconscious in nature. It can be on the surface of our behavior and in constant use. Our inclination to aggression is apparent in one's relationship with their neighbors and apparent in what they see as every day, casual behavior. One manager of a club remembered a situation dealing with two young women from a local punk band. "While one was talking to me, the other went into the girls' room and broke a bunch of beer bottles in the sink and ran her hands through the glass. Then she came out to talk to me, blood steaming down her arms." Others reported situations where several girls would carve X's into their arms with broken glass in support for a local band. Self mutilation in a show of aggressive behavior can come with positive outcomes and continues to reaffirm violence and aggression. Freud also believed aggression is another human instinct that brings us joy and happiness. However, civilization refuses any acts of violence, it oppresses this need of aggression deep in our consciousness. The first thing we do when no one is watching is anything civilization refuses to allow us to do. Goldstein, in his article, describes the dance craze called the Slam. He believes it is, "an organized gang of punk youths, leading to numerous incidents of violence at many area clubs." On the contrary, a member of an area band the Germs who would be considered a participant observer feels, "If they're doing that (Slam), then I know they are having fun." Freud's opinion of releasing aggression, bringing about happiness and going about it by defying civilization and cultural opinion, is the underlying reason for the punk movement. As seen through the classic examples of aggressive behavior in Goldstein's article, Freud's argument comprises factually correct statements, for both his time and the punk movement. His arguments conclusion is well supported and his premises meet the conditions of a deductive argument with relevance and ground. This means that wherever we come from, whatever our culture is, we are aggressive by nature. From that sense, civilization steps in with a beneficial purpose, as it tames the human nature. However, civilization creates human source of

Quality of US Healthcare Essays - Healthcare Quality, Primary Care

In a country where the health care system is largely provided by the private sector, only 15% of the population has health insurance coverage. A situation that pushes us from the middle/lower social class to wonder about the quality of care we are receiving. The healthcare system is as much controversial as getting the care we need, and how this one is delivered to us. The President of the United States had signed a comprehensive health reform on March 23rd, 2010, the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which is expected to bring changes to the system, and this act is supposedly bringing a new momentum to the healthcare industry. The American population is actually wondering whether a deep analysis of the future trends on healthcare should give them a clear understanding of where the United States healthcare would be in the next years to come, including improvement on the safety and reliability of the healthcare system. If we were to describe the U.S. healthcare system with all its components, we would have to say that it is a facet of complex interactions of people, institutions, and technology. For many Americans healthcare may be described as the interaction between a primary care physician and patient to address minor and urgent medical problems such as colds, flu, or back pain. A primary care physician (PCP); usually a general practitioner, a family practitioner, internist, or pediatrician, is the ?forefront? caregiver or even the first health qualified personnel to estimate and treat the patient. In a physician office there are lots of routines physical examinations, anticipation such as immunization and health rerun to detect disease, and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. The healthcare system consists of all the medical personnel tied together in one field. This system may be viewed as a complex made up of three interrelated components: people in need of healthcare services called hea lthcare consumers; those who deliver the service, the professionals and practitioners called healthcare providers; and systematic arrangements for delivering healthcarethe public and private agencies that organize, plan, regulate finance, and coordinate servicescalled the institutions or organizations of the healthcare system. This institutional component includes hospitals, clinics, and home-health agencies; the insurance companies and programs that pay for services like Blue Cross/Blue Shield, managed-care plans such as health maintenance organizations, and preferred providers organizations; an entitlement program like Medicaid. Also included are agencies and associations that research and monitor the quality of health care services; license and accreditation providers and institutions; local, state, and national professional societies; and the companies that produce medical technology, equipment, and pharmaceuticals (a href="http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/1817/Nation-s-Health- Care-System-COMPONENTS-HEALTH-CARE-SYSTEM.html">The Nation's Health Care System - The Components Of The Health Care System/a>) Despite the higher cost of our healthcare system, one would think that the service we are providing would be astonishing; we would actually see the improvement of making the hospitalized patients more comfortable in their skin. While the economy is getting tougher, the high cost of living is climbing up the trees; our healthcare system still falls behind other nations in term of quality, access, affordability. Five affluent international trading partners of the United States spend far less on health care, yet the comparative value of these countries' health systems- measured by cost, workforce health, and quality of care- is often better than that experienced by American workers and employers. And that "value gap" puts the United States at a distinct competitive disadvantage to their global peers, according to the Business Roundtable's Health System Value Comparability Study (Anonymous, 2011). Comparing the value of U.S. health care with that of the health systems of the "G-5" countr ies (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom), the study finds that our nation has made progress in improving healthcare value over previous years but still trailed the G-5 by 2,0.8 percentage points in 2007. "At the current rate of gap closure, it would take over 20 years for the U.S. health system to pull even with the value delivered by the health systems of the G-5 and an additional 10 years to establish a meaningful lead," the authors say. When comparing our healthcare system to other nations? healthcare organism, we would say the health insurance of certain countries are costs less than

Free Essays on Deviance

Deviance – Teen Sex I’ve chosen to interview a friend who I will refer to as â€Å"Betty† for this project. Betty began her deviant sexual behavior as a 14-year-old ninth grader. It was a conscious rebellion against her social and family norms. While sex at the age of 14 is against our social norms, premarital sex at any age was against Betty’s family norms. She was brought up in a strict, religious family where having sex outside marriage was not permitted. According to Robert Merton’s typology, Betty was in the category of rebellion. By having sex at a young age, she rejected the institutional means of approving the cultural goals. Betty often felt guilty, but still continued to have [protected] sex throughout her high school years. Her behavior seemed to be her way of secretly getting back at her parents and the rigid church/private school environment she was being brought up in. After all, in society’s view she was still a great student who graduated second in her class, was involved in school and community activities, and was a picture of the perfect daughter. Most likely, this justified any guilt she had over her sexual activity. Even though she was sexually active, her deviant behavior did not seem to hinder her relationships with peers who were not sexually active. Betty’s rationale is that because she had three long-term relationships during high school she was not considered promiscuous, which kept her from getting labeled as a â€Å"bad girl.† Also, in the 70’s there were other good students who basically used sex in the same way she did to rebel against family and societal norms. Her behavior became apparent to her parents once she got involved with a 24-year-old at the young age of 17. They correctly assumed that there would be only one reason a man of that age would hang around with a young girl. Betty never actually left the deviant role, she just became of legal age to conduct he... Free Essays on Deviance Free Essays on Deviance Quit often in our day-to-day lives we hear the word "deviance†, but never truly know the concepts behind it. It is not a complicated term although it is one with many theories behind it giving a vast variety of interpretations of just what deviance is and is not. Questions arise as to its relativity. Of course, no one can proclaim deviance is not relative, as deviance is behavior that does not follow common perceptions. An important sociological concept states that people conform, or perform to societal expectation or norms (Brown, 1965). Conformity provides order in the society. Thus, when someone is doing something that the rest of society find unacceptable, or out of the ordinary, he or she is considered deviant. While the definition of deviance may appear obvious, this is not necessarily the case for the sociology community. The sociology of deviance contains definitions of an extensive nature, which are branched off into several perspective groups. For example, sociologist Erving Goffman applies the concept of stigma, or more commonly, labeling; stating that ones behavior and actions deemed deviant are applied by others (Turner, 1996). Howard Becker’s definition seems to be commonly accepted as an adequate description of this concept, asserting that deviance is whatever a social audience reacts against or labels as deviant. However, another sociologist, Erdwin Pfuhl, believes that the label â€Å"deviant† depends on a group’s notion of actions and conditions that should and should not occur. This view also suggests that labels of deviance can change within different societies and times. One might ask why there are so many interpretations of deviance. The answer is rather simple. Due to its relative nature, people will interpret activities quite differently (Clinard, 1998). For instance, within certain sub- cultural groups it is normal to smoke marijuana. Yet, to the larger society, it is considered deviant. This is ... Free Essays on Deviance A person would be considered to be acting deviantly in societ... A person would be considered to be acting deviantly in society if they are violating what the significant social norm in that particular culture is. What causes humans to act certain ways is a disputed topic among researchers for some time now. There are three types of researchers that have tried to answer this question. There is the psychological answer, biological answer, and the sociological answer. With all of the studies that have been performed, no one group has come up with an exact reason to why people behave deviantly. Although, sociologists’ theories have not been disproved as often as the psychologists’ and biologists’ theories because their experiments are too hard to define and no one definition for deviance is agreed upon by all experimenters (Pfuhl, 40). My own curiosity to find out what the influences are behind deviant behavior is the purpose for this paper. We have already discussed this topic during class in part two, chapter four of the textbo ok which explains deviance and crime. This section talks more about deviance being a learned behavior. I wanted to find out more information to see if biological factors are also behind this kind of behavior. The most knowledge acquired for why people act deviantly is from the sociological perspective. There is need for more research, if possible, in the psychological and biological perspectives, but there is a lot more known in the sociological viewpoint. The reality that the definition of deviant behavior is considered different by everyone makes it complicated and unknown if a truly accurate answer can ever be found (Pfuhl 18). This is why this topic is important to the study of sociology. Sociologists have more information, and therefore may be closer to finding the cause. For this reason, my main focus in this paper is at the sociological stand point of deviance with some explanations from psychologist... Free Essays on Deviance Deviance – Teen Sex I’ve chosen to interview a friend who I will refer to as â€Å"Betty† for this project. Betty began her deviant sexual behavior as a 14-year-old ninth grader. It was a conscious rebellion against her social and family norms. While sex at the age of 14 is against our social norms, premarital sex at any age was against Betty’s family norms. She was brought up in a strict, religious family where having sex outside marriage was not permitted. According to Robert Merton’s typology, Betty was in the category of rebellion. By having sex at a young age, she rejected the institutional means of approving the cultural goals. Betty often felt guilty, but still continued to have [protected] sex throughout her high school years. Her behavior seemed to be her way of secretly getting back at her parents and the rigid church/private school environment she was being brought up in. After all, in society’s view she was still a great student who graduated second in her class, was involved in school and community activities, and was a picture of the perfect daughter. Most likely, this justified any guilt she had over her sexual activity. Even though she was sexually active, her deviant behavior did not seem to hinder her relationships with peers who were not sexually active. Betty’s rationale is that because she had three long-term relationships during high school she was not considered promiscuous, which kept her from getting labeled as a â€Å"bad girl.† Also, in the 70’s there were other good students who basically used sex in the same way she did to rebel against family and societal norms. Her behavior became apparent to her parents once she got involved with a 24-year-old at the young age of 17. They correctly assumed that there would be only one reason a man of that age would hang around with a young girl. Betty never actually left the deviant role, she just became of legal age to conduct he... Free Essays on Deviance Each individual in society has their own definition of Deviance, I define deviance as mishaps in a persons beliefs, behaviors, and conditions that society feels is different. Because each person can define deviance’s in different ways, people often take offense to something one person considers deviant and another does not. For example, a handicap would not consider their condition deviance, but many people in society label the handicap as different. When people are labeled different they are treated different. As in, when I attend Rave parties society views me as deviant. To society rave people are drug addicts and troublemakers, but to me I define the party as a place to enjoy music. Music in its self is an art, and to us this is a wonderful way to express your love for the art of music. To others in society they see only the bad side of the event, we as people who enjoy the music only see the good, and we don’t consider ourselves different. I carry on a norma l day to day life, and at times on the weekends I enjoy relaxing with friends at a party. I can also remember when I went through the stage of bagging jeans and tight shirts strangers eyeing me as different. The look to others is different and considered deviant. While walking through stores I would constantly see workers following me, in assumptions that I would steal. I now know this is a form of deviance that many people who enjoy wearing those clothes deal with every day. To me these feelings of deviance are only small and un harmful, but to others who get accused of much larger forms of deviance feel much more pain and suffering on a daily basis....

You choose the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

You choose the topic - Essay Example As the situation worsened, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as refugees moving to neighbouring countries grew, totaling over nine million, so did the need for humanitarian aid, mostly shelter, food, toiletries and medical supplies. Essentially, this created the need for charity and aid organisations through which the refugees and IDPs could assess basic needs. However, some of the charity groups started collecting funds from donors and either used it for personal benefits or funding terrorist groups. Therefore, it has become necessary to create a genuine and credible organisation in Saudi Arabia that will work alongside other organisations in the region to channel all the funds and aid received to addressing the humanitarian needs of Syrian citizens. Credibility and using funds for what they are intended for will be the most effective way to justify the existence of the charity and gain the confidence and trust of sponsors. Syria has been experiencing violent wars since 2011 that were sparked by protests calling for the release of political prisoners, political reforms and the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad (Hinnebusch 2012, p. 98). Although the protests were peaceful initially, the government reacted brutally to the protestors, further aggravating the situation and violating human rights. The growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees necessitated the creation of charities to address humanitarian needs of the citizens. Shelter, food, toiletries, medical supplies and clean water became and remain urgently needed. However, unscrupulous organisations soon started taking advantage of the strong calls by Islam towards charitable giving, known as zakat, and started enriching themselves. It also became known that terrorist groups were collecting money from corrupt charities and their employees, which in turn tarnished the name of charitable organizations (ICRP 2014, p. 905). In this report,

Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton - Essay Example In 1790, Hamilton’s idea went through and the Bank of the United States was created with $10 million. The main sources of income for the bank would be the government securities, which were paid at 6% annually by the Federal government. Hamilton wanted to increase the available credit to the public and private enterprises as a way of ensuring circulation. Hamilton’s view was to sell Federal securities to the private sector to gain capital for developing the physical economy. Banks have adopted the Hamilton concept to issue students with credit cards as a way of encouraging growth of national credit worth as opposed to being debt free. Federal student loan and credit card debt account for $914 billion and $672 billion of the 2012 American household debt compared to $750 billion for auto loans (Department of Treasury and Education 30). Statistics indicate that in 2012, household debt grew to $11.31 trillion attributed to what families owe due to student loans, credit cards, home and auto loans (Sharma 31). The U.S. national debt is above the 100% of its GDP because of raising credit from securities. Therefore, the only way to correct the Hamilton mistake is by increasing revenues while applying spending cuts. Contrastingly, the deluge of credit cards targeting students increases their spending habits. This is detrimental to the economy since students owe the banks money and interest, which increase the American household debt. Moreover, Americans are least likely to develop the culture of saving for future financial stability since they continually incur debt because of using credit cards. In conclusion, the deluge of credit cards targeting students is contributing to household debt, which is detrimental to family life. American gain the habit of spending credit before even having it on hand and this trend is getting more students into debt. Thus, the Hamilton monetary policy of using

Ecological footprint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Ecological footprint - Essay Example This course was quite informative, quite an eye opening one which made me think of changing my habits, step by step, in such a way that I can track the intensity of environmental hazards I posed. Also, this course helped me change my habits to a large extent so that I can become a responsible global citizen considerate of the environment. This paper is an attempt to describe the step-by-step process of how I managed to make constructive choices in life and how I`m an environmentally responsible citizen now, however, the process is an ongoing one. The first chapter included the analysis of one the products of everyday use in our households. Ariel was the detergent which was being used for ages back at my home, and on conducting the background check of the product on the instructions of my advisor I came across astonishing facts about the product. It contained bleach, colorants, and brighteners and perfumes which biodegrade in such a way that it the chemicals are unhealthy for our skin as well as for the environment. Thus, I looked up for the environment friendly products and came across some of the home made recipes to produce detergents, also brands like Biokleen liquid and Clear Laundry Detergent are great products which give good results at the same time are environment friendly. ... After this activity, my personal interest in the field was enhanced and as the course proceeded I even became aware of the concept of recycling. Thus, I started engaging myself in recycling all the products and using them again wherever I can, instead of using new ones. For instance, I began recycling my clothes and even began purchasing vintage clothes to contribute positively for the environment. With time, I also switched to eco-friendly bio-bags for grocery shopping and developed a habit of carrying my own bag while shopping. This turned out to be an inspiration for others as well which encouraged me to take a stand and place bio-bags in some of the nearby stores I had access to, to promote the concept. Also, I switched to recycled paper to save planet earth and also began recycling any kind of paper I had. With time, when I talked to other friends around at school, I discovered that energy is a huge issue in many different states around the world, thus, conserving energy is also a crucial part of the process. I found out that many of my Asian friends doesn’t have access to electricity and clean water readily back at their home towns, thus I realized that energy is also a finite resource which should be conserved. Thus, this inspired me to conserve the rain water which I started collecting in buckets every time it rained. This water was then used to clean my Porsche and my car; also I installed water saving devices along with the taps that were being used in my residence. Also, I started using indigenous plants in my garden so that water consumption is reduced to the maximum extent possible. The next was my realization related to the effects of chemicals on the environment, as these products break

Importance of organizational behavior in improving modern efficiency

Importance of organizational behavior in improving modern efficiency The main objective of drafting this document is to justify importance of organizational behavior in todays context; Organizational behavior is targeted towards studying and analyzing behavior of different people within an organization. Organizational behavior is defined as The study and understanding of individual and group behavior, and patterns of structure in order to help improve organizational performance and effectiveness (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Therefore studying of organizational behavior is vital to improve efficiency in establishments. Essay will emphasize on following key aspects of Organizational behavior. Leadership Group Behavior Training and development Change management Leadership can be defined as simply getting others to follow; there are many definitions to leadership. It is difficult, therefore, to generalize about leadership, but essentially it is a relationship through which one person influences the behavior or actions of other people. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Leadership directly connected with motivation, interpersonal behavior and the process of communication. Leadership helps to develop team work and increase integrity within employees. Good leadership is important in the time of change; leaders should able to change peoples perception from identifying change as a threat to see it as an existing challenge (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). The key aspects discussed above, depicts the importance of leadership within an organization. Everyone in an organization belongs to one or more Group. Work is more group based activity and if an organization to be successful, it requires good team work. A group can be defined as any number of people who (1) interact with one another; (2) are psychologically aware of one another; and (3) perceive themselves to be a group. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Groups are the moral fiber of an organization and it is the key to performance. Not only members of groups should work efficient to gain organizational objectives but groups should work together with other groups to maximize the efficiency in the establishment. Teamwork is important within groups and following are some of the competencies that can be gained by teamwork;( Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Productivity can be improved Quality of work and innovation will be maximized Technological advantages Employee motivation and commitment will be improved. Training and development is one of the most vital aspects to increase performance and motivation within employees. It is well-known that training directly affects success of any organization. Organizational training is important to keep employees up to date with technology and to be knowledgeable with relevant job that they perform. Training also assists employees in career advancement and to improve their motivation. Following are some of the advantages individuals and organizations can gain by performing training and development ;( Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Increase motivation, confidence and commitment of the employees. Recognition and promotions Satisfaction Improve quality and skills of staff Organizations are widely get affected by the external environmental aspects. Companies should adopt these external factors to ensure success in the business. These factors can be technology, government policies, globalization etc. In order to acclimatize to these external environmental factors, it is vital to have proper change management practices in place. According to John F. Kennedy Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. This also can be applied to organizations, Example: It is vital for organizations to replace their exiting outdated technology along with the latest technology available in the world in order to maintain sustainability of the business. Change also can be raised within the organization itself. Literature Review Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman suggests that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One way to recognize why people behave as they do at work is to view an organization as an Iceberg. What sinks ships isnt always what sailors can see, but what they cant see. Following are the key areas to be discussed during understanding organizational behavior; (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). The behavior of people The process of management The Organizational context in which the process of management takes place. organizational processes and the execution of work; interactions with the external environment of which the organization is part From the above framework we can identify 4 main aspects influence on organizational behavior; the individual, the group, the organization and the environment. Any organization consists with individuals; individuals are main feature of any establishment. If needs of an individual and demands of the organization is incompatible, this can result in conflicts (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Therefore it is a responsibility of the management to integrate individual and organization to avoid frustration and conflicts. Groups are gateway to performance in any organization. It is a fact that almost every individual within an organization is a member of a group. Group has a major capability of influencing behavior of an organization; therefore it is important to understand group structure and behavior in order to maximize performance in an establishment. Individuals and groups interact by using the structure of an organization; the organization structure is defined by management to meet goals within an organization. External environment affects the organization in many different ways, for an example new technologies will lead to change in the organization. Interacting with environment will lead to opportunities and risks within the organization. Leadership There are many ways to examine leadership. Following are some of the approaches; The qualities approach The functional or group approach Styles of leadership Transformational leadership The qualities approach is more concern about the persons, not the job itself. It suggests that attention should give to select leaders than training them. Qualities or traits approach depicts that Leaders are born and not made. The functional (Group) approach focuses not on the personality, but on the functions and contents of leadership. Unlike The qualities approach, functional approach believes that leadership could be learnt and developed. Leadership style is the way in which the functions of leadership are carried out, the way in which the manager typically behaves towards members of the group. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Styles of managerial leadership can be categorized into three broader classifications; The Authoritarian style: Power is with the manager. All the interactions are made via the manager. Manager is making the decisions and less opportunity for group members to take decisions. The Democratic style: Power is more within the group. Leadership functions and decisions are made within the group and the manager is a member of the group. Laissez-faire style: Manager is basically observing the members of the group working on their own. This is also called genuine style. Group members are given with freedom to make their own decisions and to do what they think is best. However leader must be readily available for any help needed. Transformational leadership is more concern about how leaders revitalize or transform organizations. Transformational leadership is scattering higher level of motivation and commitments among followers. Transformational leadership consists with four basic components; Idealized influence: Personality of the leader and the respect of the followers. Inspirational motivation: the behavior of the leader which provides meaning and challenge to the work of the followers. Intellectual stimulation: leaders who are innovative in finding new approaches for problem solving. Individualized consideration: Leaders who put attention on developments of subordinates. Group Behavior There can be two types of groups within an organization; Formal Groups Formal Groups are part of organizational structure. Main objective of structuring formal groups within an organization is to achieve division of work and organizational objectives. Example: grouping employees with specific skills into a one group. Furthermore individuals with same status within an organization could form a formal group, i.e. Managers within an establishment can form separate formal group. Informal Groups There can be groups within an organization with informal structure. These groups are formed with social relationships and individual relationships. Objective of informal groups are to satisfy physiological needs and social needs. Informal groups consists with people from different parts of the organization and different status levels. Following are the reasons to form groups within an establishment, (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). If specific task cannot be completed without relating multiple individuals. To avoid conflicts within members, example: by sharing unpopular tasks. Individuals to feel belonging to a group within an organization. To follow correct behavior in an ambiguous situation Protect their self from outside pressure and threats. Cohesive groups will always generate benefits for the organization. Following are some of the factors affecting group performance and cohesiveness. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Membership: When groups are too large it is difficult to maintain the cohesiveness. It is always best to have manageable amount of members in a group. Work environment: Individuals with similar job descriptions, sharing a common task with facing common problem will increase cohesiveness within an organization. Furthermore facilitating proper communication in the work environment directly affects the performance and cohesiveness of an organization. Organizational factors: Factors like how manager encourage group will directly affects on group behavior. Group development and maturity: Cohesiveness of a group also depends on how groups carryout task in each stage before executing the real one. Training and Development Training should consider as an investment in employees (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). It is crucial to have a proper plan to gain maximum advantages over training. Therefore planned and systematic approach in training plays a key role in any organization. Planned and systematic approach Following are some of the key points involved in planned and systematic approach (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004); There should be a commitment from entire organization for training. Assessment of training needs to be evaluated. Staff should feel the involvement. A clear set of objectives and policy should define for the training. Carefully plan the training program Select most appropriate method of training Link external courses and training programs for the system. There should be an effective and proper system for review and evaluation. Evaluation should be related to objectives. Change Management It is a well known fact that people do not accept change easily. Therefore managers should clearly identify reasons for resistant and initiate change by adopting appropriate strategy. According to Christensen and Overdorf , there are three main factors affect organizational responses to change; (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Resources: Access to high quality resources increases chances of people to accept change. Processes: The pattern of communication, interaction, coordination and decision making to transform resources into products and services. Values: Standards how employee set priorities. There are three main ways managers could use to adopt with organizational change; (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Create new organizational structure Split new organizational from the existing one and define new processes and values. Gain access to a new organization whose processes and values are similar to required change. Furthermore Kotter and Cohn suggests following eight steps for successful change; (Laurie J. Mullins, 2004). Create sense of urgency Build a guiding team Create visions Communicate the vision and strategy Empower action and remove obstacles Produce Short-term wins to create credibility Dont let up but maintain the momentum Make change stick Relevance in todays context Leadership in todays context Yesterdays idea of the boss, who became the boss because he or she knew more than the person working for them, is yesterdays manager. Tomorrows person leads through a vision, a shared set of values, and a shared objective. Jack Welch Leadership is essential in any organization to boost team work and integrity within individuals. Todays Establishments are focuses on discovering more leaders than appointing managers to maintain sustainability of the business. Organizations should emphasis to scatter many leaders across the establishment than suggesting one leader on the top of the hierarchy. In todays scenario companies are more concern about discovering leaders than trying to train individuals without any leadership qualities, i.e. qualities approach of leadership has become the trend of todays organizations. However identifying leaders within an organization has become a major challenge in todays context. To overcome this challenge organizations are trying various methods to discover true leaders, one of the best examples from todays context is Apples Store Leader Program, where people will given with leadership opportunities after 24 month operational program covering all the aspects of managing and operating an Apple Store. (Apple Jobs at Apple Apple Store Leader Program (us). 2011) Ray Croc quoted that The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. A good leader should continue to amplify his/her knowledge by experience and training. Group behavior in todays context Today organizations are captivating many advantages over forming formal groups within their establishments. By providing structure of division of work and responsibilities within the company, employees are with clear agreement between them on their duties and responsibilities. This will lead to achieve company objectives more efficiently. Furthermore individuals with specific expert knowledge can be added into one group to gain more productivity end of the day. Another advantage of grouping employees is that unpopular tasks can be shared among persons, this leads to employee motivation. In todays context this strategy is widely used within organizations to maximize productivity and motivate employees. Todays organizations are keener into forming Strategic Business Units (SBU) within their establishments. SBU can be defined as Autonomous  division  or  organizational unit, small enough to be  flexible  and large enough to  exercise  control  over most of the  factors  affecting its  long-term  performance. Because SBUs are more agile (and usually have  independent missions  and  objectives), they  allow  the owning conglomerate  to respond quickly to changing  economic  or market  situations. (Strategic business unit (SBU) definition. 2011.). Therefore each SBU is treated as a one group within the company with different objectives. Example: Tacony Corporation is today organized into four strategic business units: Sewing, Home Floor Care, Commercial Floor Care and Ceiling Fans Lighting.( Tacony Corporation: Strategic Business Units) Todays Training and Development Most of the organizations are treating their employees as the most valuable asset. Therefore employers are more concern about personal development of each and every employee. Every organization allocate significant amount of money for employee training programs. Following graph illustrate Sonys Employee Training Programs in Japan in Fiscal Year 2009 (Sony Global Personnel Development. 2011) However for organizations to get maximum return out of an employee training program, it is essential to follow a Planned and Systematic approach for each training program. Training needs can be identified within the organization by introducing a Training Requisition form, which can be made available to every employee of the company. Filled Training requisition forms will be evaluated by employees line manager and forward it to HR department. Alternatively, organizations can identify required training programs and maintain Annual Training Calendar to keep track of each program. Every employee can be given with a feedback form to fill and submit to HR department to accomplish evaluation and review process. Change Management in Todays context Change Management is one of the most widely discussed topics in todays context. In order to successfully implement change within an organization, appropriate change management practices are very essential. Following are some of the challenges organizations face before, during and after implementing of change; Resistant to change by employees Insufficient time Economical difficulties Etc Most of the organizations perform change due to new technologies, limited staff participation, limited resources etc. Todays organizations are using strategy of creating new culture within company to successfully implement change. Furthermore organizations are keener into providing high quality resources along with the change. Subsequently, employee resistant to change will reduce by significant percentage. Implementation of change should happen gradually within organizations. Following graph illustrate the gradual implementation of change in todays organizational context; If the change is large scale, most of the todays organizations are outsourcing the change management process to a consulting agency. These agencies are with subject matter experts to cater client requirement from the initiation to the post implementation of the project. Example; Accenture US. Conclusion For an organization to be successful, all the above discussed key aspects of organizational behavior should utilized within the establishment. Studying of organizational behavior has become one of the most essential topics in todays context. Organizational behavior helps managers to understand individuals better so they can improve productivity of the organization.

Remote Electronic Voting: A Simple, Safe, and Accurate Voting System Es

Remote Electronic Voting: A Simple, Safe, and Accurate Voting System Does it not seem obvious that the United States should be voting over the Internet by now? Considering all the vitally important monetary and information-related transactions that occur over the Internet every day, one would think this could and would have happened already. However, Remote Electronic Voting, especially on a national scale, presents us with some possibly troubling implications and problems. These implications and problems, especially those concerning security, have prevented the U.S. from employing such Internet voting in a national election so far. Is such a system in our future? Many experts believe so. But as of yet, the risks seem to outweigh the rewards. Before going any farther, it is important to clarify the difference between Internet voting and Remote Electronic Voting. Internet voting already occurs in many places. It refers merely to voting from a computer that is under the control of election officials, usually in a specific precinct’s polling place. On the other hand, Remote Electronic Voting is the new prospect of voting over the Internet from a remote, unsupervised location (Alvarez 4, Rubin). This new prospect has sure advantages but many likely drawbacks as well. The greatest advantage that Remote Electronic Voting could provide would be ease of voting. The weather, waiting in line, and being confused about where one’s polling place is would no longer be issues. Also, Remote Electronic Voting would practically eliminate the need for absentee ballots, which often are not counted. In fact, in the 2000 and 1996 presidential elections, it is estimated that about 40% of oversea... ...r the fairness of the system. It is probably just as crucial that issues concerning the â€Å"Digital Divide† and coercion be resolved as issues concerning security. The last thing the U.S. should want is a simple, safe, accurate, and grossly unfair voting system. WORKS CITED Alvarez, R. Michael, and Thad E. Hall. Point, Click, and Vote: The Future of Internet Voting. Washington, D.C., Brookings Institution Press, 2004. Hardy, Michael. â€Å"Pentagon Nixes Internet Voting, Questions About Security Linger.† 23 February, 2004. Federal Computer Week.com Online Magazine. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0223/pol-pentagon-02-23-04.asp Rubin, Aviel D. â€Å"Security Considerations for Remote Electronic Voting over the Internet.† Florham Park, NJ, A&T Labs – Research, with Internet Policy Institute e-voting workshop. Online. http://avirubin.com/e-voting.security.html

Power Influence in the Workplace Essay

The concept of organizational power is a highly important concept in defining the scope of the functionality in the organizational activities. By its definition, power is the probability with which a person within the context of an institution has the ability of doing his/her will despite any form of resistance from the environment. This is to imply that, power provides the basic ability with which a person secures the basic compliance provided by other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within an organization, the source of power is broadly classified into three facets. The coercive power implies the use of force by whoever is in power to those under his/her capacity so that such could comply with his/her wishes. Perhaps, a case of a prison provides a god example for this source of power. Either, utilitarian power may be a basic source of organizational power. This is where an organization use a system of power in which the use of punishment or even rewards ensures the functionality of the organization. This could be through the use of rises in basic payments, dismissal threats, promotions and motivations for the different workers of the organization. Elsewhere, informative power is the power belief that the various members within such an organization have the powers in exercising the rights of governing their different behavioral dispensation. This is perhaps functional and application in religious dimensions. (Wilf, 2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Essentially, the choice of utilitarian power within an organization would perhaps be an essential tool of creating basic adequate functionality of an organization. This is from the basic view that, the behavior of a person defines the scope of the reward or elsewhere punishment of such an individual. Due to the basic implication of this power, individual tend to develop the most adaptable organizational behavior which could provide them with rewards and abstain from what could lead to punishments. Due to the crave for reward benefits, the functional status of the business is brought out to stronger defense for a standard that proclaims organizational comparative advantage.   Utilitarian power tends to provide a positive challenge in developing positive organizational behavior as well as increasing the productivity of the organizational output.   (Wilf, 2007) Reference. Wilf, H (2007) Organizational Power. Retrieved on 12th April 2008 from, http://www.geocities.com/athens/forum/1650/htmlpower.html

Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure Essays

Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure Essays Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure Essay Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure Essay Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure, and Information Asymmetry: Evidence from an Emerging Market A Proposal December 2003 Auditing Standards, Increased Accounting Disclosure and Information Asymmetry : Evidence from an Emerging Market The interest in accounting disclosure and audit quality by academics, practitioners, and regulators heightened following the various financial reporting scandals, and subsequent legislative and professional response to these scandals (e. G. , ASS Corporate Governance Guide 2003; Serbians-Solely Act 2002). An important question hat has been on the minds of many is whether the implementation of stricter auditing standards such as those mandated by the U. S. Serbians-Solely Act would improve the information environment of firms whose shares are publicly traded. In this paper, I investigate the link between information asymmetry, measured by bid- ask spread, and increased accounting disclosures following the adoption of new auditing standards in China?an environment in which disclosure hitherto was relatively low. Level (1988) asserts that accounting regulation should reduce and Overreached (2000) argue that increased accounting disclosures should reduce information asymmetry not only between firms and stockholders but also among investors. 2 Currently, most empirical results on the economic link between increased disclosure and information asymmetry are based on samples of U. S. Firms. However, these firms have a rich information environment, making it difficult to observe economic conse quences of increased disclosures (Callahan et al. 1997, Healy and Pale 2001; Core 2001; Else and Overreached 2000). An emerging market environment, which is characterized by higher level of ex ante information asymmetry, may provide a potentially more powerful setting for detecting the effects f increased disclosure on market liquidity (Overreached 2001). Unlike developed capital markets, accounting disclosures in Chinese capital markets have been characterized as low in quantity and quality (Ixia et al. 2004; Abdul-Chalk et al. 1999; Lie and Ghana 1996). Over the period 1996 to 1997, accounting regulators and professionals in China implemented a series of auditing standards, modeled after the International Auditing Standards. The new auditing standards address a wide range of issues, such as audits of financial statements, audit evidence, audit reports, fraud and errors, internal controls, and audit risk. All domestic auditors are required to comply with the new standards in the conduct of financial statement audits. In addition, the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission (CARS) and the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are required to impose costly penalties on auditors who fail to comply with the new auditing standards (Defend et al. 2000). For example, the Quantifying scandal in 1996 resulted in the suspension of the CPA firm from practice for six months. Further, the Chinese High Court issued Document No. 56 in 1996 emphasizing auditors legal liabilities at the national level (Gull et al. 003). The intent of the changes in auditing standardization, government enforcement, and litigation environment is to make auditors more independent than they used to be. If that is so, then disclosure behavior of firms should receive more supervision and control, yielding significant increases in the quantity and quality of firms disclosures and decreases in information asymmetry. Thus, after adopting these standards, Chinese firms should expect narrower bid-ask spreads, an economic benefit from increased disclosure suggested by Level (1988). In this paper, I extend prior research in several ways. First, I examine the role of auditing regulations in reducing information asymmetry. Only few studies have directly investigated whether audit quality enhances disclosure quality, reducing both information asymmetry and cost of capital in the U. S. (see Searcher 2003). 5 A plausible reason for the paucity of research in this area might be that the rich disclosure environment of U. S. Firms limits the incremental impact of audit quality on accounting disclosure quality (Healy and Pale 2001). In contrast, the disclosure level in the Chinese emerging market is relatively low, thus audit opinions could envoy useful information to the market about the quality of a firms accounting information. Empirical studies on Chinese capital markets have documented links between auditing regulations and audit qualifications (Defend et al. 2000), and between audit qualifications and market return (Gull et al. 2003). I extend this line of research by investigating the impact of increased auditing regulation on firms accounting disclosure on information asymmetry (e. G. , see Yon 1998). As noted by Callahan et al. (1997), these studies focus only on the short-run information symmetry risk faced by dealers and investors rather than the long-run information asymmetry risk, which is of much concern to policy-makers and regulators. 6 In this study, I examine the long-term information asymmetry between the informed and uninformed traders caused by the structural differences in the access to information (Callahan et al. 997, 57). Finally, the Chinese emerging market implemented a series of auditing standards within a short period. The incremental effects of increased accounting disclosure on information asymmetry in such an environment should be much more significant than in a rich disclosure environment f developed markets (Overreached 2001). In addition, this study is also the first to explicitly stud y economic link between increased accounting disclosures on information asymmetry in an emerging market. I compare an experimental group of firms not previously audited under any auditing standards to a control group of firms previously audited under the international auditing standards. 7 1 will investigate whether the experimental firms bid-ask spreads declined significantly subsequent to the adoption of the new auditing standards (controlling for other known bid-ask spreads determinants). Further, I will conduct time-series intervention analyses to examine the experimental groups spread reductions are significant and permanent and whether there is a significant decline in control groups bid-ask spread. The results of this paper could have implications for policy-makers and regulators, and in particular, those in emerging economies. Policy-makers and regulators usually state that high quality accounting and/or auditing standards result in greater investor confidence, which improves liquidity, reduces capital cost, and makes market prices possible (Levity 1998, 81). A good effort on accounting/auditing policy-making and regulation should help the emerging economies improve information environment and market liquidity. The results suggest that auditing standards enhance disclosure quality, and that regulators in emerging economies should focus on auditing regulations to enhance audit quality in addition to their efforts to improve corporate accounting disclosure. 8 The remainder of the paper will be organized as follows. Section two will present the motivations for the study and the institutional settings of the Chinese emerging market. Overviews of prior research and hypothesis placement are to be presented in section three. Section four will describe the research design, and section five will present the empirical results.

Free Essays on Washington D.C. - A First Hand Experience

Washington D.C. – One Student’s First Hand Experience Nothing can compare with the experience I had in Washington D.C. Within the first week of my arrival I learned more than any number of years behind a school desk could teach me. There are invaluable lessons learned through experience that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. For instance, speaking to people who have actually â€Å"been there†. Not only did I read about refugees in my texts, I spoke with one as well. Not only did I read about Corporate Social Responsibility, I spoke with an expert in USAID on the topic. Where learning in the classroom gives concepts, experience provides students with the opportunity to apply these concepts. My experience in Washington D.C. provided me with a concrete foundation for the knowledge I have learned at college. I will attempt to explain the value of my experience in D.C. by writing about a few of the first-hand experiences I had in our nation’s capital. The Protest As part of my experience in Washington D.C. with the Lutheran College Washington Consortium, I was required to attend a protest. Thousands of people showed up September 29th in Freedom Plaza across from where I worked at the Ronald Reagan building. The streets were filled with all sorts of people from all different kinds of backgrounds to join in together to protest racism and the war in Afghanistan. At this point after September 11th, popular sentiment in the nation was leaning toward bombing the country of Afghanistan off the face of the earth. President Bush spoke of the â€Å"evil† enemy. The press portrayed pictures of Arabic people burning the United States’ flag. When combined together with the emotional loss felt after September 11th, this created a need for vengeance amongst the collective conscience, and the need for a viable scapegoat. It seemed at the time that Arabic people were taking the role as the scapegoat for all the ... Free Essays on Washington D.C. - A First Hand Experience Free Essays on Washington D.C. - A First Hand Experience Washington D.C. – One Student’s First Hand Experience Nothing can compare with the experience I had in Washington D.C. Within the first week of my arrival I learned more than any number of years behind a school desk could teach me. There are invaluable lessons learned through experience that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. For instance, speaking to people who have actually â€Å"been there†. Not only did I read about refugees in my texts, I spoke with one as well. Not only did I read about Corporate Social Responsibility, I spoke with an expert in USAID on the topic. Where learning in the classroom gives concepts, experience provides students with the opportunity to apply these concepts. My experience in Washington D.C. provided me with a concrete foundation for the knowledge I have learned at college. I will attempt to explain the value of my experience in D.C. by writing about a few of the first-hand experiences I had in our nation’s capital. The Protest As part of my experience in Washington D.C. with the Lutheran College Washington Consortium, I was required to attend a protest. Thousands of people showed up September 29th in Freedom Plaza across from where I worked at the Ronald Reagan building. The streets were filled with all sorts of people from all different kinds of backgrounds to join in together to protest racism and the war in Afghanistan. At this point after September 11th, popular sentiment in the nation was leaning toward bombing the country of Afghanistan off the face of the earth. President Bush spoke of the â€Å"evil† enemy. The press portrayed pictures of Arabic people burning the United States’ flag. When combined together with the emotional loss felt after September 11th, this created a need for vengeance amongst the collective conscience, and the need for a viable scapegoat. It seemed at the time that Arabic people were taking the role as the scapegoat for all the ...

Arts Criticism and Cultural & Historical Perspectives on-line Assignment

Arts Criticism and Cultural & Historical Perspectives on-line explorations - Assignment Example Time remains valuable to the human race, and when it passes when one has not accomplished set goals it causes regret or sadness (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). Fireflies Over the Uji River by Moonlight is an 18th century painting by Suzuki Shonen based on Japanese culture. The painting signifies a secluded place or a dark neighbourhood that appears threatening for a passer-by. In essence, this Japanese painting basis its theme on the life of a Buddhist who lives in an isolated location such that a passer-by cannot hear music coming from area because of the night rain (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The big idea from the painting invokes a murky situation that leads to feelings of somberness. The heavy rain and mist shows an environment of darkness and dullness (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The General View of the Burial Chamber of Neferkhewet before the Commencement of Clearing represents the 20th century painting of Harry Burton. This Egyptian work shows the tomb of Neferkhewet and family that was found in 1935. The tomb appeared tattered, crumbled and collapsed in many areas leaving it exposed (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). The big idea from the painting reflects dumbness and somberness in how the tomb appears ruined. The image shows that the dampness led to the breakdown of most of the organic matter in the tomb. In this way, it leaves a feeling of dullness and grimness for the destruction of human remains that should be protected (Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History). This visual arts website provides information on the history of transportation from ancient to modern day machines. The site offers important timeline information from 3500 BC wheels on carts were the main source of transport and later years of horses, wheelbarrows and hot air balloons. The 18th century saw the first road vehicle, 19th century cable car, and 20th century airplanes as well as

Should companies routinely google applicants or look at their facebook Assignment

Should companies routinely google applicants or look at their facebook page as part of reference check before hiring - Assignment Example In this regard, social networking sites can be used to establish job networks and forums that aim at enriching members with new opportunities. A background check describes the act by an employer to review both personal and public information in a bid to investigate a person’s history. Most employers’ reckon that about 40% of resumes contain false information, which necessitates the use of background checks to confirm resume claims. This is done as part of the hiring process, furthermore, in most cases requires the subject’s consent to proceed. In addition, it seeks to establish whether the job applicant’s character reveals plausible elements, which may be of benefit to the organization. In the wake technological advancements, employers have turned to the global village as a tool for performing background checks. This entails the use of social networking sites in search of information, which sheds light on their potential employees. It is, therefore, crucial to assess and analyze the pros and cons of googling or checking the facebook pages as part of reference before hiring. This paper seeks to demonstrate the effects of using social sites to perform such background checks. The rise of social media sites has seen potential employers tear through the sites in search of information on their potential employees. According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, nearly half of employers who participated indicated they use social sites to research on potential hires (Innovative Employee Solutions, n.d). This raises the question of ethics and whether the information obtained is applicable in the hiring process. The act of accessing social sites in the sense of performing a background check is seen as a violation of privacy, which contrary set regulations concerning such checks. It is regarded unethical behavior to violate a person’s privacy

Human Trafficking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human Trafficking - Research Paper Example Human trafficking is an important issue to discuss since most governments have not been serious with the vice. There are many arguments that have been put forward to attempt to explain how human trafficking started. There are some sources that claim that slave trade started when Africans were being captured by slave traders and would be shipped across Atlantic Ocean to America. Some consider the forced labor of children in 1700s was the true commencement of human trafficking. There was also white slavery that some individuals consider it to be the first legally recognized form of human trafficking. Complexities of the phenomenon, as well as opposing views about prostitution, have resulted in many controversial debates on human trafficking. The origin of human trafficking debates started towards the end of the nineteenth century during that time â€Å"white slavery† resulted in public outrage and was a key priority for international organizations. â€Å"White slavery† is the abduction as well as transportation of white women for purposes of prostitution (Masika 22, and Pliley 18 1). White slaves were women and girls who were unsuspectingly ensnared into prostitution through being seduced or raped when drunk or drugged, whence they were â€Å"enslaved† in whore houses. This problem was addressed through the formulation of regulations that stopped human trafficking. Human trafficking is a concern that plagues our society. Human trafficking is a great threat to state security and source of insecurity to the vulnerable and affected communities and individuals (Beeks and Amir xv, and Quayson and Arhin 5). For states, human trafficking is a key challenge to their legitimacy, authority, as well as control over sovereign territory as well as state borders. Human trafficking thrives profligately on corruption since human traffickers use links with state officials,

Sherlock Cannot be Taken Seriously in Brazil Essay Example for Free

Sherlock Cannot be Taken Seriously in Brazil Essay Amelia Simpson’s introduction to Detective Fiction from Latin America argues that Latin American culture, including its citizens’ pervasive distrust of law and authority, has inhibited its authors from creating a large body of original detective novels. Though these detective works are quite popular with Latinos, the novels must usually be set in countries with strong democratic values and justice systems for them to seem authentic. The people of Brazil, Cuba and other autocratic countries, where authority is feared from birth and laws and police are harsh tools of oppression, are skeptical of fair, justice-minded detectives thwarting criminals. If a detective novel follows the traditional, rigid, classical form, it will seem unrealistic to Latinos. The more contemporary â€Å"hard-boiled† detective novel, with its harsher portrayal of societies that are deeply flawed and teeming with injustice and evil, is a much better fit into the world view of Latin Americans. Within these increasingly popular works, imperfect societies and behaviors can be revealed, examined and utilized within the detective novel template. The classical detective genre, with its â€Å"reassuring view of society,† its â€Å"detached, gentlemanly† sleuths, and its clear, fair delineation between good and evil begs skepticism from Latin American readers who find those concepts foreign and unrealistic. These oppressed citizens of â€Å"predatory hegemonies† can only accept the democratic precepts of law and order and justice when the classical detective work is set in a plausible setting like America. These relatively simple, predictable, rigid â€Å"whodunits† have been read and enjoyed by Latino masses, but ironically, Latino authors have not reflexively rushed to quench the market for more classical detective novels. The evolution of the classical version to the â€Å"hard-boiled† detective novel that often â€Å"reveals a corrupt and violent society,† is more logically embraced by Latin American mystery readers. The â€Å"hard-boiled† model incorporates â€Å"distrust of institutions and its view of crime as all-pervasive. † If viewed as a continuum, the classical version is simple and predictable while the hard-boiled is chaotic and more difficult to predict. The classical version uses traditional, stable values of fair justice, while the â€Å"hard-boiled† relies on environments filled with turmoil and corruption. The classical genre is rigid, and it’s accepted that â€Å"laws are laws. † Therefore, boundaries are abundant, and good is expected to prevail over evil. Conversely, the â€Å"hard-boiled† version removes most societal boundaries and its setting is likely to be â€Å"a model of skepticism and failure, of a lost utopia. † This harsh worldview melds more realistically into the somewhat bleak, dictatorial environment that many Latinos encounter from birth. Thus, Latinos are predisposed to accept the more contemporary, â€Å"hard-boiled,† detective novel. Feelings and portrayals of optimism versus pessimism also set the classical detective genre apart from the â€Å"hard-boiled† type. America, with its history of freedom and stability and its strong sense of law and order, provides a stable, hopeful environment for the gentlemanly detective. He is free to ply his trade, systematically and fairly plodding to a just resolution of the crime. A predictable, step-by step, picture can be portrayed with a â€Å"mechanistic crime-to-solution sequence. † On the other hand, Latin Americans are better able to grasp the â€Å"hard-boiled† genre where chaos, evil, oppression and injustice thrive. For many Latinos, â€Å"the law is feared and, whenever possible, violated. † They live in a police state and they â€Å"breathe and sweat repression. † This way of life, with fear and suspicion as mainstays, allows â€Å"hard-boiled† detective authors to insert hazier motives for oppressed perpetrators who may become criminals out of necessity. The dark, pessimistic â€Å"triumph of the criminal over society’s laws† can seem natural in a hard-boiled work, but would certainly not fit in the classical detective novel template that relies on optimism, justice and sure punishment for the criminal who is pursued and captured by the persistent, reasonable sleuth. The advent of the â€Å"hard-boiled† detective novel seems to open the field for Latin American authors to give their countrymen the mysteries that they enjoy and desire. This change has not come quickly. As recently as 1983 the Brazilian author, Correa, observed that â€Å"Brazilian detective literature†¦with its own, national characteristics, doesn’t exist. † In the same vein, it took more than half a century for the 1929 â€Å"hard-boiled† novel, The Maltese Falcon, to become the best-selling detective novel of 1984 in Brazil. The conservative, rigid classic has finally given way to the contemporary detective novels with their critical societal views that play realistically and believably in Latin America. Sherlock Holmes, while somewhat entertaining and quite competent, is a relic who cannot fit into the world view of Latin Americans. This classical detective has his limitations and his setting must have boundaries of law and order and benevolent justice. But Latinos can readily embrace and believe flawed, even malevolent sleuths who track criminals in settings where lawlessness and evil are the norm. Thus, Latin American authors have much more latitude and potential for success with their native audiences when they compose â€Å"hard-boiled† detective novels. This multi-faceted, contemporary detective genre allows societal flaws to be acknowledged and exploited for the entertainment and intrigue of Latin American readers.

McDonaldization :: essays research papers

sociologist George Ritzer argues that the relationship between McDonald’s and our society runs even deeper. Beyond its commercial propaganda and symbolism, Ritzer says, McDonald’s is a potent manifestation of the rational processes that define modern society. Ritzer warns that the spread of such "rationalized systems" has had irrational consequences, not least of which is the "disenchantment of the world," a situation in which rationality takes over, leaving no room for the mysterious, unpredictable qualities that make us human. Ritzer’s scholarly work has been heavily influenced by German sociologist Max Weber, who feared that bureaucracy would spread until society became a seamless web of rationalized institutions from which there would be no escape. At the time when Weber wrote, in the early twentieth century, totalitarianism was the biggest threat to individual freedom. In the 1980s, Ritzer thought to apply Weber’s theories about rational systems to a very different threat: the proliferation of fast-food chains. When Ritzer began writing and talking about the dangers of "McDonaldization," he struck a nerve: some agreed with him, but many others rushed to defend the pop-culture institution. He went on to write a social critique on the subject, applying sociological theories to the culture in a way that lay readers would understand. The McDonaldization of Society (Pine Forge/Sage Publications) was successful enough that he wrote several follow-ups, including The McDonaldization Thesis and Enchanting a Disenchanted World (both Sage Publications). Ritzer’s most recent book is Explorations in the Sociology of Consumption: Fast Food, Credit Cards, and Casinos (Sage Ltd.). In addition to writing about sociology for a general audience, he teaches at the University of Maryland, where he is a distinguished professor with numerous academic awards and volumes to his credit. We met for this interview on a beautiful fall day at Ritzer’s home in Maryland. A breeze blew outside, picking up red and yellow leaves and twirling them across the grass while we sat inside discussing the disenchantment of the world. Jensen: What is "McDonaldization"? Ritzer: It’s the process by which the principles of the fast-food industry -- efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control through technology -- are being applied to more and more sectors of society in more and more parts of the world. Predictability: An Egg McMuffin in New York will be the same as an Egg McMuffin in Chicago. Customers can expect no surprises, neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Workers, too, behave in predictable ways. Those who interact with customers have actual scripts to follow.

Las 432 †Genetically Modified Foods Essay

It has been determined that GMO’s are made up of plants, animals, viruses and bacteria that are created in laboratories. Scientist started experimenting with GMO’s in the early 1950’s with investigation of plants DNA. In the 1970’s scientist developed the first genetically engineered organism. By the early 1990’s biotechnology had expanded on production of GM foods to the public, but this brought fourth concerns. There are also those who believe that the laws and regulations that are attributed to genetically modified foods have been influenced through both the media and political aspects. These influences have brought about worries to GM food consumers and they started comparing the similarities and differences in organic foods and GM foods. Consumers want to know what GM food products they have consumed and will be aware of any affects that may be acquired with consumption. Not only are there consumer challenges that must be faced with these technological experimentations, but also the impacts that may be developed environmentally or effects that may incur with nature and wildlife. Some societies are worried about how the rich will prosper and the poorer countries will suffer and possibly go hungry. Some religions and groups protest eating genes and do not want to consume such un-natural foods and other concerns still the unknown effects on human allergies and transfer of antibiotic resistance to intestine bacterial flora or pathogenic bacteria in our bodies. Genetically Modified Organisms in Food Thesis: Consumers today have a right to know if genetically modified foods are harmful to our health, the environment and our economy. In order to be able to answer these questions more research needs to be done. Summary Controversy around genetically modified foods is becoming big news and sorting through volumes of information can be intimidating. The public is asking a lot of questions about GM foods and they are also raising concerns about the effects these foods may have on their health or the environment. There are different advantages and disadvantages of GM foods, although to what extent they can help or harm humans and the environment is a debatable aspect of this technology. The time has come to look at the decisions that we make about genetic engineering in food crops and if it will have permanent consequences on our food production capacity. Are genetically modified foods putting us at a crossroads in terms of the agricultural legacy that we will leave behind for our children and grandchildren? Modern technology has given us the ability to go beyond selective breeding. Organisms can now be modified by moving genes from one species to another and by introducing synthetic genetic material into their genomes. Humans no longer simply select from variations present in the population: they create new variations! Some find our new power exciting. They dream of crops with greater resistance to disease and insect pests, pigs with healthy fats, and a level of agricultural production sufficient to feed everyone on the planet. Others fear that we have crossed an important boundary and are now tinkering with living systems that we understand incompletely. They question our ability to predict the consequences of our actions and are afraid that we may disrupt the delicate natural order. GMO Technology I. What Are GMOs? GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are plants, animals, viruses and bacteria that are created in the laboratory. Their DNA (genes) has been modified through the use of gene splicing techniques in a desire to create â€Å"new† organisms. The technology involves removing the DNA of one species and inserting it into another species, resulting in new and different varieties of plant, animal, viral and bacterial genes which don’t naturally occur in nature or by hybridizing (Smith, 2012, para. 7). Other names for the technology are â€Å"modern technology or gene technology,† genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology, and biotechnology (World Health Organization (WHO), 2012, para. 2). GMOs are used to create genetically modified plants which in turn are used to create genetically modified crops for human consumption and as animal feed. Developers believe that producers and consumers would be interested in these foods due to their â€Å"built-in† advantages of lower prices, high nutritional value and hardiness. The desire is to achieve crops that are resistant to spoilage, drought, insects and herbicides. At the outset genetically modified (GM) seed manufacturers envisioned their product being used by producers, thus they focused on innovations those farmers, and more generally the food industry, would accept and appreciate (WHO, 2012, para. 3). WHO states that (2012), the initial objective for developing plants based on GM organisms was to improve crop protection. The GM crops currently on the market are mainly aimed at an increased level of crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides† (para. 4). Commodity crops were the First Generation GM crops and included soybean, maize/corn, cotton, canola and sugar beets (Schonwald, 2012, p. 26). GM soybeans and canola have permeated the market and can be found in most processed foods, e.g. , spaghetti, candy Schonwald, 2012, p. 25). There was expectation that with the success of first generation crops, biotech specialty crops (produce) would follow, focusing more on consumer tastes. According to Kent Bradford, director of University of California (UC) at Davis’s Seed Biotechnology Center (2012), â€Å"these crops hadn’t been commercialized since 1998† (Schonwald, 2012, p. 26). The author wondered why, and so enlisted the assistance of Kent Bradford for answers on â€Å"what was going on with bioengineered specialty crops† (Schonwald, 2012, p. 26). Bradford and a collaborator, Jamie Miller, found that research on specialty crops was underway and had never ceased. The research involved input traits that are important to agriculture such as â€Å"disease resistance,† â€Å"insect resistance,† â€Å"adaptability to certain environments† and output traits that â€Å"improve taste and texture and could lead to changes in the dining experience of the future† (Schonwald, 2012, p. 26). Schonwald says Bradford contends that (2012), â€Å"There was research on 46 different species with more than 300 traits being tested† (p. 26. ). So things were going on at the research level, but the results were not moving forward. Bradford found this was due to regulatory controls. Because of the lack of consumer confidence in transgenic breeding the regulatory process for genetically modified foods was much different than for non-GMO foods. In contrast, foods using classic breeding processes were considered safe for consumption. But GMO foods were â€Å"guilty until proven innocent† (Schonwald, 2012, p. 26). Schonwald reports that (2012), â€Å"A genetically engineered crop must pass review by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration before it is commercialized. The cost could range from $50,000 to tens of millions of dollars to win regulatory approval. For every â€Å"transgenic event,† the genetic engineer must show exactly what genes went into the plant and how they function, and then prove how the plant makeup has been altered. That research is costly. So is plant storage. Once a transgenic creation is spawned at the Plant Transformational Facility, it is whisked to the UC Davis Controlled Environment Facility, where it will stay in a tightly secured warehouse. Or it will be airmailed to some other place, where it will live out its life in another intensely biosecure environment. The process is costly and time-consuming, which partly explains why biotech crop development is largely in the hands of the agribusiness giants – the Monsanto’s, Syngenta’s, and Bayer Crop Sciences of the world—who have the resources to undertake the process. With such high approval costs, big companies have favored commodity crops with market potential for hundreds of millions of dollars to sales, not tens of millions† ( p. 26) According to Bradford, non-governmental organizations – Greenpeace and the Union of Concerned Scientists – were responsible for the stringent governmental handling of the biotech specialty crops. The $20 million organic foods industry labored to stop the proliferation of GMO foods. They did so by launching a campaign against GMOs, inundating the USDA with thousands of letters (â€Å"275,026 to be exact†) expressing anti-GMO sentiments. This led to the non-inclusion of GMO foods under the USDA’s standards of organic produce (Schonwald, 2012, p. 27). U. S. Leads in Biotech AgricultureMore than 170 million acres of biotech crops are under cultivation in the United States, more than twice Brazil’s acreage, which ranks second. Experts credit faster technological advances, more lenient regulations and expanding economic benefits for the U. S. lead. Biotech acreage by Country, 2011| Country| Acres (in millions)| Biotech crops| United States| 170. 5| Corn, soybean, cotton, canola, sugar beet, alfalfa, papaya, squash| Brazil| 74. 9| Soybean, corn, cotton| Argentina| 58. 6| Soybean, corn, cotton| India| 26. 2| Cotton| Canada| 25. 7| Canola, corn, soybean, sugar beet| China| 9. 6| Cotton, papaya, poplar, tomato, sweet pepper| Paraguay| 6. 9| Soybean| Pakistan| 6. 4| Cotton| South America| 5. 7| Soybean, corn, cotton| Uruguay| 3. 2| Soybean, corn|. Source: Clive James, â€Å"Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2011,† International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, 2011, p. 2, www. isaaa. org/purchasepublications/itemdescription. asp? ItemType=BRIEFS&Control=IB043-2011| (McClure, 2012, p. 724) Below is a list of tips on how to say no to GMOs: Tip #1: Buy Organic Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. Buy products labeled â€Å"100% organic† â€Å"organic,† or â€Å"made with organic ingredients. † You can be doubly sure if the product also has a Non-GMO Project Verified Seal (see next tip). Tip #2: Look for Non-GMO Project Seals Products that carry the Non-GMO Project seal are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at-risk ingredients. Tip #3: Avoid At-Risk Ingredients Even if it’s not labeled organic or verified non-GMO, you can still avoid products made with ingredients that are likely derived from GMOs. The eight most common GM food crops are: *Corn (as in corn oil, cornmeal, cornstarch, and other corn-based ingredients) *Soybeans (as in soybean oil, soy protein, soy lecithin, soy milk, tofu, and other soy-based ingredients). *Canola (as in canola oil) *Sugar beets (the â€Å"sugar† listed on food labels is almost always derived from sugar cane and GM sugar beets) *Most Hawaiian papaya *A small amount of zucchini and yellow squash *Also, beware of dairy products, which may come from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone, and meats from animals (including farmed fish) that have been fed GM foods. [Instead] look for dairy products labeled No rBGH or rBST, artificial hormone-free, or organic; wild-caught fish; and meat labeled organic or 100% grass-fed. Tip #4: Use Non-GMO Shopping Guides. Download either the new Non-GMO Shopping Tips brochure or Non-GMO Shopping Guide at www. nongmoshoppingguide. com; in order to help identify, avoid GM foods and find hidden GM ingredients on food labels. If you have an iPhone, download the ShopNoGMO guide for free from the iTunes store. Copyright of Better Nutrition is the property of Active Interest Media, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use (Smith, 2012, p. 14). II. Scientific Techniques and Experiments Various techniques are used to transfer DNA genes into the host cell. Researchers have been perfecting these techniques over the past 40 years. In one technique, target cells are bombarded with heavy metals coated with the gene transferred have been bombarded. Yet another technique transfers genes by using a naturally occurring bacterium along with a pulse of electricity to introduce genes into the targeted cell (McClure, 2012, p. 720). According to McClure (2012), Opponents of GM foods argue that the public should be informed of the techniques used in gene-transferring (p.720). At the Plant Transformation Facility at the UC, Davis more than 15,000 transgenic events have occurred. Transgenic event is the molecular biologists way of describing the blasting of DNA from one life form into another. This building, a short distance from the student union, houses thousands of Petri dishes of microscopic plantlets bathing in pink and fluorescent blue lights. Here biologists use a gas-pump-like tool called the Helium Particle Delivery system to mix sexually incompatible species together. They use gold bullets (literally) to fire genes from one species into another in a bombardment chamber. As a result the â€Å"Davis lab has birthed grapes spiked with jellyfish, tomatoes spiked with carp, transgenic squash, transgenic carrots, and transgenic tomatoes† (Schonwald, 2012, p. 25). In Changing Genes to Feed the World, David Pimentel takes a look at one molecular biologist’s account of plant breeding and the field of genetic engineering of crops. In her book, Mendel in the Kitchen, author Nina Fedoroff compares the contributions of genetically engineered plants with that of early plant breeding research, e. g. , development of hybrid corn, achieved through the transfer of genes within the confines of crop species. This method contributed greatly to the growth of crop yields during the Green Revolution. Specifically, according to Fedoroff (2004), traditional methods of cross breeding were responsible for, â€Å"40 percent of the increase in yields. The remaining 60 percent was due to greater inputs in fossil-fuels energy, fertilizers and pesticides† (Pimentel, 2004, paras. 1-2). Crop yields increased greatly during the years 1950-1983. Globally, 80 percent of the calories consumed by humans came from grains, making the Green Revolution an important feeding mechanism for billions of people around the world (Pimentel, 2004, para. 2). Though the use of traditional breeding methods greatly increased the yield and quality of crops, these methods were quite slow, in comparison to the advances being made in the field of molecular biology and genetic engineering. Before, breeders were required to manually manipulate genetic material within a specific crop to increase yields. Now, through genetic engineering, genes can quickly be transferred from one plant species to another and brought into crops (Pimentel, 2004, para. 3). As more and more genetically modified foods are being integrated into our food systems, there is a need to be able to detect their presence in food products in order to determine if food manufacturers are in â€Å"compliance with labeling requirements† (Yi, Yien-Chian, Foo-Peng Lee, and Nam-Trung, 2009, para. 1). There is a method that allows for the rapid detection of the presence of GMOs in foods and it is called ferrofluid-driven PCR microchip. â€Å"The microchip was fabricated in polymethyl methacrylate by CO? laser ablation and was integrated with three temperature zones. PCR solution was contained in a circular closed micro channel and was driven by magnetic force generated by an external magnet through a small oil-based ferrofluid plug. Successful amplification of genetically modified soya and maize were achieved in less than 13 minutes. This PCR microchip combines advantages of cycling flexibility and quick temperature transitions associated with two existing microchip PCR techniques, and it provides a cost saving and less time-consuming way to conduct preliminary screening of GMOs† (Yi, Yien-Chian, Foo-Peng Lee, & Nam-Trung, 2009, para. 1). History of GMO’s I. Biotechnology Chronology â€Å"1950s – 1960s: Scientists identify genes and begin investigating the role of DNA in plant development. 1953-American biochemist James Watson and British biophysicist Francis Crick describe the structure of DNA, setting the stage for mapping the genetic code. 1967-Lenape potato, a new variety bred for making potato chips is withdrawn from experimental production after high levels of toxin are found. 1970s – 1980s: Scientists begin experimenting with genetic transformation of plants and animals. 1973-Scientists create first genetically engineer organism. 1983-Researchers transfer new DNA into plants, leading to the creation of genetically modified crops. 1989-Calene Inc. receives U. S. patent for gene sequence in GM Flavr Savr tomato. 1990s: Biotech foods are marketed to the public despite environmental and health concerns. 1992-FDA decides not to require labeling of most GM foods, sparking mistrust of the technology. 1993-FDA allows cows to be injected with bovine growth hormone (rBGH) made from genetically modified bacteria, setting off consumer protests. 1994-FDA approves Flavr Savr tomato, first GM food approved for sale to consumers. 1996-Monsanto introduces Roundup Ready soybeans, first of several popular herbicide-tolerant or insecticide-producing crops. 1998- European Union (EU) halts approvals of new GM crops in what is termed an â€Å"unofficial moratorium. † 2000s: Genetically engineered foods face continued criticism despite growing scientific consensus that they do not pose greater safety risks than conventional crops. 2000-Bowing to international demands, U.S. officials agree to label GM commodities for export†¦. Weeds resistant to Roundup discovered in Delaware†¦. Friends of the Earth, a major environmental group, reports that genes from StarLink corn, a GM crop approved only for animal consumption, have been discovered in taco shells. The discovery prompts recalls of corn products and lawsuits, but researchers are unable to document any human health effects†¦. Centers for disease Control study concludes StarLink did not cause allergic reactions claimed by 28 people. 2002-National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy finds that GM crops in the United States produced four billion pounds of additional foods and fiber on the same acreage, improved farm income by $1. 5 billion and reduced pesticide use by 46 million pounds†¦. Monsanto announces it will delay introduction of GM wheat amid concerns from farmers that it will harm exports. 2003-Bollworms resistant to the Bt toxin, an insecticide produced by GM cotton, discovered in the South. 2004-Under U. S. pressure, EU drops de facto ban on GM crops but institutes mandatory labeling; many European stores won’t stock GM foods because of consumer fears. 2008-Monsanto sells unit that produces rBGH, as major grocers including Wal-Mart, Publix and Kroger decline to sell milk from cows treated with the product. 2010-After approving the sale of GM eggplant, India’s environment minister declares a moratorium on the product because of public outcry. 2011-GM crops are grown on 395 million acres of farmland globally, though more than 90 percent is in just three crops: soybeans, corn and cotton. 2012-Anti-GMO groups file petitions containing more than 1 million signatures demanding that the FDA require GM foods to be labeled†¦. Californian vote scheduled for Nov. 6 on ballot initiative requiring labeling for GM foods† (McClure, 2012, p. 727). II. Advantages and Disadvantages The people of the United States (U. S. ) have been unknowingly consuming GMO foods since the 1990s. The Food and Drug Administration scientists warned that these new foods had the capability to produce new allergens and toxins and advised that more thorough testing was needed. But the U. S. government’s position was that GM foods were equivalent to non-GMO foods and failed to require labeling and testing (Smith, 2012, para, 9). According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), eating GMO foods contributes to a number of health risks (Smith, 2012),â€Å"including infertility, immune system issues, accelerated aging, disruption of insulin and cholesterol regulation, gastrointestinal issues, and changes in organs† (para. 9). AAEM reported that doctors most likely are seeing negative health effects in their patients and may not realize that GMO foods are the culprit. Doctors are urged to prescribe non-GMO diets for all of their patients (Smith, 2012, para. 9). The environment is not exempt from the risks of GMO foods. There is the threat of GMO seeds contaminating nearby fields of organic and non-GMO crops. Pesticide usage has dramatically increased over the first thirteen years since the GM crops were introduced. Further, high amounts of herbicide usage on GM herbicide –resistant crops have caused the development of â€Å"superweeds† that adapt to and withstand your typical herbicides (Smith, 2012, para. 10). On the positive side, genetic engineering offers a wonderful solution to farmers, especially those in developing countries, and that is the opportunity for developing perennial grains. As most grains are annual crops, tilling and replanting of the soil is required every single year. This involves an enormous amount of energy each year, including fossil and human energy and strength. Annual tillage also results in soil erosion. Planting perennial grains would mean that farmers would only need to till and replant every five or six years. This would be a major benefit for farmers in developing countries, as tilling for them involves 400 hours per hectare, hand-tilling their fields prior to planting their crops. As such, according to the author, â€Å"plant breeding and genetic engineering will continue to make a tremendous contribution to our food supply† (Smith, 2012, para. ). Other advantages of GM foods include disease resistance, cold tolerance, drought resistance, nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and phytoremediation (Whitman, 2012, pp. 2-4). Legal and Political Issues I. Regulations and Laws There have been an abundant number of studies done in the past on American health and safety standards that have demonstrated the inconsistencies of risk assessment. Some standards are rather strict and offer few or no benefits in savings lives, preventing diseases or injuries; while other standards have been negligent and have placed a considerable amount of lives at risk or harm. It is essentially due to the passage of these standards for which the American regulatory policy making has been implanted. In the past, both Congress and the political appointees who head regulatory agencies have been very susceptible to public opinion and public pressures. As a result, the more the American public is prone to worry about a particular risk, the more meticulous American policy-makers are likely to regulate it. â€Å"Therefore, many of the American regulatory policies, especially those between the mid 1960s through the mid 1980s, were characterized by the triumph of â€Å"passion† over â€Å"sound science. † (Vogel, 2001). In 1984, the Federal Government established a formal policy that is referred to as â€Å"The Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology†. This policy describes the Federal system for evaluating products that have been developed using modern biotechnology. â€Å"The Coordinated Framework is based upon health and safety laws developed to address specific product classes and involves the cooperation of three federal regulatory agencies; the EPA, the USDA, and the FDA. The U. S. Government has written new regulations, policies and guidance to implement these laws for biotechnology as products have developed† (United States Regulatory Agencies Unitied Biotechnology Website, 2012). EPA Regulation â€Å"Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA regulates the use of intergeneric microorganisms in commerce or commercial research. The EPA considers intergeneric microorganisms to be those formed from organisms in different genera (genera is the plural of genus, which is a level in a taxonomic classification system based on the relatedness of organisms) or those microorganisms formed with synthetic DNA not from the same genus† (Biotechnology Program under the Toxic Substances Control Act, 2012). â€Å"The EPA believes that inter generic micro organisms have a sufficiently high likelihood of expressing new traits or new combinations of traits to be termed â€Å"new† and warrant EPA review. The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Biotechnology Program conducts a screening program for new microorganisms under section 5 of TSCA. In 1997, the EPA published regulations that fully implement its pre-manufacture program for microorganisms under TSCA section 5. Prior to 1997; the EPA operated its biotechnology program in accordance with the 1986 Policy Statement† (Biotechnology Program under the Toxic Substances Control Act, 2012) USDA Regulation. | â€Å"USDA supports the safe and appropriate use of science and technology, including biotechnology, to help meet agricultural challenges and consumer needs of the 21st century. USDA plays a key role in assuring that products produced using biotechnology are safe to be grown and used in the United States. Once these products enter commerce, USDA supports bringing these and other products to the worldwide marketplace† (Bitechnology, 2012). | â€Å"The Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) was originally established in February, 2003 and first met in June, 2003. Under its Charter, the committee is charged with examining the long-term impacts of biotechnology on the U. S. food and agriculture system and USDA, and providing guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues, identified by the Office of the Secretary, related to the application of biotechnology in agriculture. The AC21 is a broad-based committee representing a wide range of interests and agricultural expertise† (USDA Advisory Committee on Biotechnology & 21st Century Agriculture (AC21), 2012). FDA Regulation â€Å"In the Federal Register of May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22984), FDA published its â€Å"Statement of Policy: Foods Derived from New Plant Varieties†. The 1992 policy clarified the agency’s interpretation of the application of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to human foods and animal feeds derived from new plant varieties and provided guidance to industry on scientific and regulatory issues related to these foods (Genetically Engineereed Plants for Food and Feed, 2012). The 1992 policy applied to all foods derived from all new plant varieties, including varieties that are developed using recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) technology. This site refers to foods derived from plant varieties that are developed using rDNA technology as â€Å"bioengineered foods†Ã¢â‚¬  (Genetically Engineereed Plants for Food and Feed, 2012). â€Å"In the Federal Register of January 18, 2001 (the premarket notification proposal; 66 FR 4706), FDA issued a proposed rule that would require that developers submit a scientific and regulatory assessment of the bioengineered food 120 days before the bioengineered food is marketed. In the premarket notification proposal, FDA recommends that developers continue the practice of consulting with the agency before submitting the required premarket notice† (Genetically Engineereed Plants for Food and Feed, 2012) The chief statutes under which the above agencies have been given regulatory or Review authority comes from the following Act’s: * The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (EPA); * The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (EPA); * The Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FFDCA) (FDA and EPA); * The Plant Protection Act (PPA) (USDA); * The Virus Serum Toxin Act (VSTA) (USDA); * The Public Health Service Act (PHSA)(FDA); * The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) (FDA) * The Meat Inspection Act (MIA)(USDA); * The Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (USDA); * The Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (USDA); and * The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)(Guide to U. S. Regulations of Genetically Modified Foods and Argricultural Biotechnology Products, 2001) II. Current Political Issues Genetically modified foods have been a concern for many people around the world. In the past Europeans have been the most vocal in their resistance to GM foods and crops, to the point that they have implemented strict labeling requirements for any genetically modified foods sold. In the absence of stronger health and safety data, many national governments across the world have taken steps to lessen the existence of GE food within their borders. â€Å"In Europe, six nations (Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, and Luxembourg) have enacted bans on the cultivation and import of GE products, and nearly 50 nations worldwide require that all GE foods be labeled as such† (Dahl, 2012). To date in the United State there have been no mandatory labeling requirements for genetically modified foods. However this may soon change, Americans are now starting to ask questions about what they are eating and suspicions about the health and environmental effects of biotechnology is now behind the demand that foods from genetically modified crops be labeled. The most recent labeling effort that has come to the fore front is the California ballot initiative Proposition 37 called â€Å"The Right to Know†. What is Proposition 37? The California â€Å"Right to Know† Genetically Engineered Food Act is easy: The initiative would basically require food that is sold in retail outlets to be labeled if it is produced through genetic engineering, and would not allow these products to be labeled as â€Å"natural. † Prop 37 allows companies 18 months to change their product labels, and allows for the GMO disclosure to appear wherever they choose on the packaging (Facts Yes on Prop 37, 2012). If this initiative passes, California will be the first state to require all foods that have genetically modified crops in them to be labeled. However, there is an opposing side to this Proposition. Those that are against Proposition 37 feel that by having to label all foods with genetically engineered crops would mean higher food prices due to the cost of re-package existing foods, recordkeeping, or companies being forced to switch to higher priced non-GM foods. The opposing side also states that it would add more government bureaucracy and taxpayers cost, and create frivolous lawsuits (Stop the Deceptive Food Labeling Scheme, 2012). This is one political debate that will have everyone on the edge of their chairs. III. What are the Possible Health Effects of GM Foods? With so many of our foods today now coming from GM crops, questions are now being asked if there is a health risk from GM foods. The problem is that unlike the safety evaluations that are required for the approval of a new drug, the safety evaluations of genetically engineered foods for human consumption has not been as strict. So what is known about possible health issues from the consumption of GM foods? Scientists from around the world have been complaining that a majority of the research that is being done about the possible side effects of GM foods for human consumption is being conducted by scientists that are associated with the biotechnology companies; the same companies that are selling the crops seeds. That and the fact that these studies are being done by the biotechnology companies tend to show that there are no health problems associated with eating GM foods. The problem is this is a one sided research study. One of the biggest problems that independent researchers are facing is that it is extremely hard to get GM seeds in order to conduct any type of research. These seeds can only be purchased through a licensed seed dealer and a technology licensing agreement must be signed stating that no research will be done on the seed; this includes any research attributed to health and environment. Scientists who have managed to do research on the health impacts of the GM seeds are often harassed, intimidated, and defamed by those with a strong interest in the GM technology. Even with these challenges researcher have managed to conduct medical research on the health effects of GM seeds; of these tests the most obvious concern has been the risk of allergic reactions.