Synthesis

The idea of gender wage discrimination being widely practiced in the United States today is a difficult concept for many to swallow. With the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the realization of the existence of the gender wage gap surprises many Americans. These authors bring to the forefront the idea that there is more to the gender wage gap then just companies discriminating against women and minorities. They sight many sources with defined data including Burres and Zucca who looked at database information from 1992 through 1997 and confirmed that just over 3% of women held a position in the top 5 spots in most companies. Furthermore, the pay for executives showed women’s salaries were considerably lower than those of their male counterparts (Kennedy, Nagata, Mushenski, &Johnson, 2008, p. 13-14). This fact alone directly affects the productivity of the workplace, causing resentment and discontent with female employees. Add to the issue those women with disabilities and the percentages of discrimination raise a staggering fifty percent. The authors also showed evidence of wage discrimination against African Americans, adding to the argument that female African Americans are fighting an even tougher battle then white women (Kennedy et al. , 2009, p. 14). The authors provide arguments as to why these wage differences still exist, sighting Hartmann, Gault, Lovell, Sinzdak, & Caiazza (2003) who claim the most prevalent reason is fewer hours worked. Women have other responsibilities with family and home that pull them away from work, which in turn gives them less experience and training, justifying a lower salary. Even in the last 40+ years women have been working their way into male dominated positions, yet their wage is still 23. 5% lower than their male co-worker (Kennedy et al. , 2008, p. 15). Another argument is that of social and professional networking playing a part in the wage differences. Most evidence leans toward the concept that networking is beneficial in securing higher paying positions. It also showed that white men were more apt to promote other white men than women or other minorities. Yet, women with powerful social or professional connections were also able to secure higher paying positions. Other minorities seemed to have lower socioeconomic status and thus had difficulty in obtaining higher paying positions (Kennedy et al. , 2008, p. 15-16). The authors also touch on the idea that women are less apt to boast about their accomplishments, or pat themselves on the back, effectively letting their superiors know about positive situations, or client successes. Women also tend not to negotiate salaries therefore leaving money at the negotiating table and keeping their salaries lower. There is also mention of the correlation between emotions and pay reviews, being that women respond to positive feedback with more satisfaction then that of monetary compensation, thus failing to acquire the much deserved pay increase. These facts may address a small percentage of the wage gap, but in no way explain away the entire 23. 5% difference (Kennedy et al. , 2008, p. 8). If fighting the battle of wage discrimination isn’t enough, then take a look at how the laws are written. Both the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 put the burden of cost and the difficulty of proof on the employee, making the chance of winning almost impossible. The government needs to provide assistance to those facing this unjust, and assist at all levels, state and federal to enforce and prosecute those crossing the line (Kennedy et al. , 2 008 p. 14). Equal pay to all could bring harmony and cooperation to the workplace, which could encourage higher production and increased revenue, proving that elimination of gender wage discrimination is a healthy change for the economy (Kennedy et al. , 2008 p. 14). All of these arguments play into the idea that if the gender wage gap was completely eliminated the economy and the government would benefit. Education, experience, networking and negotiating all play a part in the difference in pay, but as pointed out in this article, those arguments do not justify the 23. % variance. Equal pay also promotes women to a higher pay scale and removes many single parents from government assistance, in turn saving to government money. Higher pay and abolishment of gender wage discrimination means more taxes, more discretionary funds available for spending, decreased resentment in the workplace and positive teamwork, which could result in higher productivity equating to a stronger economy.

It 284 Week 9 Capstone Checkpoint

IT/284 Week 9 Capstone Checkpoint: Establishing Seamless Support Establishing Seamless Support Enterprise computer support has experienced on-going development to better serve various consumer bases. Write a 200- to 300-word response encompassing strategies that would help minimize miscommunication between the two parties. What components of the problem solving strategy have the greatest effect within a computer support atmosphere?Miscommunication occurs often between two parties depending upon the scenario; the main focus is how the person that is communicating holds the audience. It is critical to tear down the communication lines and that by itself, would not be enough action open the lines of communication enough to conduct proper business. How might the support specialist and customer both be satisfied if there has to be compromise from one side of the conversation?Communication is directed towards an audience solely based on their comprehension of the entire thought process of the person presenting the material, in the message being delivered. Regardless of formatting, messages for the most part, are highly predictable, and repetitive; which helps individuals conquer difficulties brought on by barriers within the communication process.Also; repeating information effectively helps get the point across to an audience as the main part of the message, and this allows the audience to retain the focus points of the communication. An example of this would be, if the speaker gives a long presentation, which includes key elements of the message. In this case key elements would be lost, so it is imperative to emphasize the points of the message with a method of repetitious messaging; another method that can be utilized for the purpose of communicating main points.

The Sovereign Debt Crisis in the Euro Region Essay

The Sovereign Debt Crisis in the Euro Region - Essay Example There were many European countries that agreed to pay out to potential investors on loan so that they could build their business or create a boom in their existing businesses. They started offering higher rates and better pay out to the bonds, and people started investing into them as their yield was comparably higher and better than the US security bonds that paid out less. There were quite many high risks lending and the loans that were being given out were not secure at all, thus when they defaulted this created a whole lot of collapses. Creating a joint pool of savings and money created a domino effect, if one country defaulted all the countries in the pool would be suffering and this created the situation that if one drowned the rest would go down too as the countries were all connected. The current economic situation will ultimately cause many businesses to shut down and thus this will impact the current job situation. When the firms will start to close down there will be many people who will become unemployed, and this will increase the poverty rate in countries as well. The countries will also face the loss of confidence and will have lesser external investments which would bring an overall halt in their economic growth. There are many reasons and causes that had resulted in the European crisis. The most prominent example is that of Ireland, they paid out loans without securities the investors and encouraged them to develop real state. The government assumed that this would boost their economies and bring in newer profits, but what they failed to acknowledge was what they would do if the borrowers failed to pay back. This created a property bubble and their economy started to tumble because of non-payments of debts. In Greece they became benevolent to the workers and started paying out them in a great amount with relaxed debt conditions, and many countries even borrowed from global investors to bring progress into the country, this created external debt s. Another real significant reason for the current crisis is that the government’s bailing out of large businesses, when they were suffering the financial crisis shocks, this caused the government to empty their own treasuries and have no benefits in return, they in turn themselves started borrowing a lot, and this led to them coming nearer to bankruptcies, as the inability to pay those large loans brought them on the verge of becoming bankrupt. The increase in imports of the smaller European nations brought about an increase in the trade imbalance which again affected the economies of these countries greatly; Germany was the only country that had a positive trade balance. The best and most common method that is adopted by the countries to face the economic crisis is to print money, which causes devaluation of the currency, in case of Euro zone this is not possible as the countries have a pooled in treasury, they cannot print money and thus the inflexibility causes the countr ies to suffer together, it reduces the immediate impact but then instead of one all countries get affected (Kolb 2011). It has been seen that once again the main issues related to the economic downturn has been caused by the Developed countries. The countries that are related to the European countries will have the greatest impact on the developing countries and the countries that are directly or indirectly related to these countries. For example if we have a look at China, they are the principal

The acceptance of Genetic Therapy in the American society Essay

The acceptance of Genetic Therapy in the American society - Essay Example The manipulations of the creative chemical of life, DNA, inspires both wonder and fear in the human heart and mind and has created countless controversies in its application to combat disease. Genetic therapy is the alteration, removal, or insertion of genes in order to treat an illness. This definition is taken from the Washington Times article by, Marilynn, Marchione. This method uses a technique discovered by researchers to find and then correct the defective genes that are cause of the disease. This scientific marvel raised many questions, both in the scientific community and the public, each having various interpretations and viewpoints on the subject of genetic therapy. Some people depend on these experiments to improve their lives while others deem scientists as playing God. On the other hand some can see both side of the spectrum. Introduction (Positive) Those people suffering from a disease most often will have a positive and optimistic outlook regarding the promising resear ch involving genetic therapy. Curing a life threatening disease like AIDS, or repairing vision loss that severely impacts your quality of life can bring about an new and hopeful world for those who are suffering. This would be a world where one would not have to worry about suffering or even their longevity; they could just live carefree. This may seem like a pipe- dream, but the good news is that every day we are coming close to making it a reality. This remarkable new therapy was brought to light from and the case of an AIDS patient who seemed to recover from the disease after receiving a blood transfusion from a donor, who apparently had a natural immunity to HIV. Therefore it was theorized that the donor cells combated the virus. Regarding article reporting this same case, during a Boston conference Dr. John Zaia, was quoted after the announcement of their scientific breakthrough saying. â€Å"For the first time, people are beginning to think about a cure†. This was uplif ting news for the entire world because many people had died from AIDS. Thinking that a virus that killed millions can one day be treated as if it were a common cold truly shows the advancement and growth science and medicine This article further states, â€Å"Scientist used genetic engineering in six patients to develop blood cells that are resistant to HIV.† However, even though the gene therapy has shown very promising results, one must not celebrate too soon as this research is still in experimental stages, and it is still far too early to declare this method as an absolute cure. Gene therapy offers various possilbe benefits, and discovering a cure for HIV is perhaps only the beginning. For the first time in history researchers are using this new therapy to improve the vision in patients who were almost blind. According to The Seattle Times writer, Thomas H. Maugh, â€Å"this discovery brings hope to thousands with inherited forms of vision impairment in the field of reti nal dystrophies.† Previously, cataract surgery along with medication and corrective lenses were used to cure vision impairment. Additionally, doctors have not been able to restore vision due to hereditary degenerative disease to restore their patients sight. Now with the use of gene therapy scientists are able to take these defective genes and replace them with strong healthy ones in order to cure an ailment. Similar to the Aids case article previously mentioned an

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 71

Reflection - Essay Example Mentorship will be the first developmental strategy and will be the primary strategy in my first year of development, and later a secondary strategy. Professional workshop will be my secondary strategy in my first and second year of development while academic learning will be my key strategy in my second year. I will evaluate my progress after the end of each development strategy and self-assessment and independent assessment by a human resource personnel will evaluate my mentorship and workshops’ outcomes while academic tests will evaluate my academic outcomes. Success in developing these skills will be of great value to a potential employer. With communication and interpersonal competencies, together with leadership and adaptability potentials, I shall be able to organize and coordinate activities in the employer’s business towards effective and efficient operations. Research and decision-making skills will also ensure sound decisions towards the employer’s interests. Developing these skills therefore promises my intra and interpersonal competencies for attaining objectives of a potential

Identify an organization(public or nonprofit) in the grater NYC area Essay

Identify an organization(public or nonprofit) in the grater NYC area and conduct an analysis - Essay Example all to provide humanitarian help by 300 volunteers who were made up of health practitioners: doctors, nurses and other employees who added value to the course (Suen, 2002). The founding principal of this organization is that; all people of whatever gender, race, religion or political inclination, have a right to medical care irrespective of their geographic location. Volunteer members of MSF remain true to their professional code of ethics in the execution of their humanitarian functions and are not inclined to any powers whatsoever, be they economic, political or religious. Besides the above specifics as contained in the n charter, MSF has guiding principles that define its unique operational model. Accoirding to Suen (2002), below are the fundamental doctrines that define this non-profit entity: Medical Ethics: The organization’s actions are fundamentally medical. In this regard, MSF works within the confines of ethical codes in medicine with the core purpose of providing care that does not harm individuals or victim groups. The members, therefore, respect patient autonomy, confidentiality and their right to enlightened consent. Despite their patients being in desperate need, these medical codes are always observed and patient dignity is always upheld. Their cultural and religious beliefs are respected as MSF strives towards the provision of superior quality medical care to all patients in need. Independence: MSF offers assistance to any country in need after an independent assessment of the population’s needs. The organization, therefore, works extremely hard to enjoy the power to freely move among the population to evaluate their medical needs and take full control of their aid. To achieve this power, MSF has a policy of receiving a small portion of their donor funding from governments and other intergovernmental institution. Involving governments make it easier for the organization to work freely even in areas of dangerous political

Educational Inequality in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Educational Inequality in America - Essay Example Educational inequality has been a major priority of researchers in the US. Researchers have centered on the impact of poverty, or of social class, or of gender, or of ethnicity or race on young people's personal experience of education. In a related study on educational inequality, the theoretical concept for their study pinpointed the concept of social division as a lens in understanding the link between class and gender relations in shaping the educational achievements of students from ruling-class and working-class families. Thus, the social dynamics of class relations and gender relations is riddled with numerous tensions and contradiction. These can be seen as structuring processes rather than 'systems' in which social relations is organised and disorganised through time. The interaction of gender and class for a working class signifies a relationship between processes. (Connell et al., 1982:179-81). In addition, Connell et al.'s call for reform is one which does away with the stringent academic curriculum for one which works in the interests of the majority of the population rather than the 'ruling class' minority. The study's conclusion is that certain private schools are organic to the ruling class. It a;sp sjoes-and their distressing evidence which shows the extent to which state schools are a disruptive, disempowering force in the lives of the working class-the group call for a form of schooling organic to the working class. (Connell et al., 1982:179-81).Furthermore, Connell et al. emphasize the 'doing of history' perspective at the individual, group, institutional and structural levels. The basic concepts to their approach are practice consisting of the activities of people as they live their daily lives. The situation pertains to the home, school, and to the social and cultural characteristics of the social interaction. Each level of academic experience is viewed from dif ferent aspects of the same dynamic reality and each exists in a reciprocal relationship with the others. . (Connell et al., 1982:179-81). Children from simple family backgrounds The report by James Coleman was a response to Section 402 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which called for a survey to discuss the apparent lack of equal educational opportunities for persons by reason of race, color, religion, or national origin. Coleman's findings on the extent of the achievement gap between black and white students between and within regions, and between and within schools, highlighted the importance of families over schools for setting educational performance. (Coleman 4) Coleman sets this conclusion: "The sources of inequality of educational opportunity lie first in the home itself and the cultural influences surrounding the home. Second, they lie in the schools' ineffectiveness to free achievement from the impact of the home, and third, in the schools' cultural make-up which reinforces the social influences of the home and its immediate settings. (Coleman 10) Children from poor families deal with fewer resources in their schools Five areas are examined when building a causal argument for racial differences in academic achievement: student qualitiess and attitudes, family and home settings, peers, schools and faculty members, and neighborhood locations. Variables pertaining to students cover factors such as age and sex, attitudinal levels of the student's commitment to school, aspirations and

Constantine I The Great Emperor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Constantine I The Great Emperor - Essay Example The right of choosing one’s religion earned him a place in people’s hearts and his actions earned him great public support. Not only did he ‘legalize’ Christianity, he took deep interest in their matters and formed the Ecumenical Council of Catholic church which was the first of its kind (Odahl). To make worship easy for the public, he constructed a lot of Churches in his empire which was previously only filled with Roman temples. The property that was seized during the great persecution was returned to the rightful owners and the Christian officials were restored to their ranks (Kousoulas). All the wrongs done by his predecessors were corrected and a new era started which offered a promising future for the Christians. All of his actions not only allowed the Christians to practice their religion freely and proudly but it also created a scenario in which it was advantageous to be a Christian. The political image of Constantine improved after Galerius recogni zed Constantine as an emperor. As a customary act, a portrait of Constantine was brought to Rome as recognition of his emperorship. Maxentius was the son of Maximan, the former emperor and also the son-in-law of the emperor Galerius. He had an arch rivalry with Constantine and wanted to take over the empire as his own. Maxentius was full of hatred and jealousy and he could not bear his powerlessness while Constantine having so much authority. The empire faced serious threats from the side of Maxentius when he seized the title in 306. Galerius did not recognize Maxentius as an emperor but he was not strong enough to depower him. Galerius sent a military force against Maxentius under the leadership of Severus but they were defeated and Severus was taken... The political image of Constantine improved after Galerius recognized Constantine as an emperor. As a customary act, a portrait of Constantine was brought to Rome as recognition of his emperorship. Maxentius was the son of Maximan, the former emperor and also the son-in-law of the emperor Galerius. He had an arch rivalry with Constantine and wanted to take over the empire as his own. Maxentius was full of hatred and jealousy and he could not bear his powerlessness while Constantine having so much authority. The empire faced serious threats from the side of Maxentius when he seized the title in 306. Galerius did not recognize Maxentius as an emperor but he was not strong enough to depower him. Galerius sent a military force against Maxentius under the leadership of Severus but they were defeated and Severus was taken prisoner. Constantine tried to reestablish old ties so that empire does not suffer from bloodshed and chaos. Maximan offered Fausta, his daughter to Constantine which wou ld promote him to the rank of an Augustan. In return, Constantine offered his support for Maxentius and the family ties were reformed. During his rule, Licenius also had to suffer defeat. Licenius’ defeat symbolized the defeat of the pagan practices prevalent in the East. In order to integrate the East into the Roman Empire, it was suggested that a new capital of the empire should be formed. Constantine planned a strategic campaign in companionship with the Sarmatians against the Goths.

Discussion Week 7 Question 1 Comparing Graphical and Computer-Based Assignment

Discussion Week 7 Question 1 Comparing Graphical and Computer-Based Methods - Assignment Example the shadow price associated with a particular constraint tells you how much the optimal value of the objective would increase per unit increase in the amount of resources available. In other words, the shadow price associated with a resource tells you how much more profit you would get by increasing the amount of that resource by one unit† (Spivey, 2011, p. 1). It was emphasized by Taylor (2010) that the graphical solution is applicable for solving LP problems with only two (2) decision variables and could be visualized by the problem-solver; while the computer-based methods allow solving problems with more than two variables and would necessitate data input requirements, either through Excel or QM for Windows. Concurrently, these two methods are similar in terms of allowing the decision-makers to evaluate the outcome or solution that was arrived at using either of the methods. Likewise, as these methods were designed to solve LP problems, they presume that all the necessary elements or characteristics that are essential for solving LP problems must be present: the objective function (either maximize profit or minimize cost), a set of constraints, the decision variables, and finally, â€Å"linearity among all constraint relationships and the objective function† (Taylor, 2010, p. 57). The graphical approach could be preferred as the most viable approach to solve LP problems when there are limited decision variables (at most two) and when the user needs to visualize the feasible solution area, as well as the optimal solution point. In addition, if the user is not competent or proficient with computer-based programs, the graphical approach is evidently most

How Was Alexander The Great as a Leader Research Paper

How Was Alexander The Great as a Leader - Research Paper Example Having achieved this much with such a relative short life, we cannot help but wonder, â€Å"how was Alexander the Great as a leader?† To better understand how was Alexander the Great as leader, it would be necessary to know the man. Alexander the Great in brief Alexander the Great was born in royalty. He was born of a Macedonian King Philip II and Queen Olympias. He was educated by the best teachers and was taught how to read, ride, play the lyre, fight and hunt. His best education came from Aristotle, one of the greatest philosopher of all time. The training that Alexander the Great received from Aristotle had a tremendous influence in his later conquests and it has been said that it contributed much in the success of his military conquests1 (Foster 2001, 44). Alexander the Great was also exposed early on how to lead troops in combat. At age of 17, Alexander the Great already led troops towards victory against the combined forces of Athens and Thebes. At 20, he was already ki ng when his father Philip II was assasinated by his own men. He began his conquest in 334 B.C. when he commenced a 12 year journey during which he traveled 22,000 miles and conquered modern day Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India to the Indus River2 (Team Trek Series). During this campaign, he defeated armies four to five times his size as he cross deserts and 15,000 foot peaks in freezing weather, facing incredible hardships to unite the known world under one common vision3. During these conquests, he also managed to have himself named the pharaoh of Egypt and conquered all of Asia, calling himself the â€Å"Lord of Asia†4. II. The Leadership of Alexander the Great Alexander was able to achieve this feat as a result of a combination of several characteristics that distinguished him from other leaders. In addition to being trained early to become a leader and a king, Alexander had inherent personal qualities that made him conquer all kn own world during his time. As a leader, Alexander the Great was; a. Self-confident. Perhaps even extremely but it served him well. Alexander the Great truly believed that he was a descendant of the gods (i.e. Hercules) that he thought he was invincible and this was displayed in the battlefield when he led his troops. This confidence was contagious that inspired his men to have faith in themselves which was instrumental in winning battles. This was manifested in Alexander the Great’s second confrontation with the army of Darius at the mountain pass of Issus where Darius outnumbered Alexander’s army. Out of sheer faith of Alexander’s army in him, his soldiers were able to defeat Darius army in a fierce hand to hand combat5 (Cohen 1983, 50). Alexander the Great also did not accept perceptions of his environment as limitations to be accommodated. Perceived problems were reframed into alternative problems, which were then to be solved6 (Kurke 2004, 4). As a concrete example, â€Å"any special defiance, or any reputedly impossible problem, he took as a personal challenge, and fell upon it with especial ardour. The Gordian Knot yielded when he slid the yoke sideways out of it-and revealed many rope-ends, not only two7† (Burns 1965, 140). b. Visionary. According to Kurke, â€Å"truly great leaders change the world around them. They instill in their followers a cohesive identity and clear purpose8† (2004: IX). Alexander the G

Clark International Airport Corporation Essay Example for Free

Clark International Airport Corporation Essay Abandoning the largest U.S. Air Force Base outside of the continental United States back in 1991 was not an easy task for America. Given the countless industrial/commercial buildings, residential quarters, officers homes, manicured golf courses, road network, two, huge 3.2-kilometer parallel runways capable of landing the space shuttle and over 100 years of U.S. occupation, it quite-possibly would have been easier to pull all the teeth of the resident Generals on-base than to abandon all that Clark Air Base had become to the U. S. Military. This decision to evacuate was not made unilaterally though. Mt Pinatubo had a say in the matter spewing a thick blanket of ash throughout the base. The Philippine Senate also had its input regarding the 100 year U.S. occupation, and, during September 1991, convinced America to turn its back on billions of dollars of infrastructure when they rejected the ratification of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement. Numerous reasons were given for the rejection of this treaty. This was a destructive blow to the Aquino administration, which was very-strongly in favor of maintaining the treaty and the presence of the U.S. Military with its economic benefit to the country. She even called for a referendum by the Filipino people that was later determined as unconstitutional. Several years later, the former US Air Force Military Airlift Wing is now experiencing some major and exciting transformational processes, all without the presence or assistance of a super power. Since 1996, as a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the runways, airport buildings, infrastructure and surrounding areas of this former military installation is managed by and in the capable-hands of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC). From the beginning of the transformation, CIAC has provided the organizational and management arm for the daunting job of transforming a former military airfield into a world-class international airport and logistics hub. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in recognition of her father and former president of the Philippines, renamed the facility, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA). Today it stands in honor to her father’s past administration and as a bright hope to current and future generations as a newly revitalized Philippine gateway, providing sustained commercial, industrial and tourism growth in the face of a new world economy. From humble beginnings in 2003 of only 7,880 international passengers, to over half a million passengers making their way through DMIA in 2007, this airport is an overwhelming success story in all of Asian airport history. As the long-term plans for this facility to be the premier gateway of the Philippines progress, projected estimates range from 20 million to 40 million passengers passing-through the new DMIA annually at fruition of the project. On October 29, 2003, Asiana Airlines had the honor to be the first airline to established international flights in and out of Clark. These flights brought tourists and businessmen to and from Incheon, South Korea. This initiated a new wave of international flights that has blossomed-forth ever since. Some of the international destinations currently being serviced from DMIA include Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Macau, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Seoul Korea. Cebu, Caticlan are the current domestic travel offerings at Clark Airport. South Korean tourists began to discover the Philippines, and specifically, Clark and Subic Bay in ever-growing numbers. In fact, according to the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), today they constitute the leading group of tourist by nationality in the Philippines. According to the DOT, the number of business and pleasure travelers is on the rise in the Philippines with South Korean leading the pack. For the entire country in 2006, South Korea lead the arrival numbers reaching 572,133 while the U.S. was second with 567,355 and then Japan with 421,808. For the following year, 2007, South Korea once again lead the arrival numbers reaching 653,310, a 14.2% increase, while the U.S. was second with 578,983, a 2% increase and Japan with 395,012, a 6.4% decrease. The fastest growing arrivals percentage-wise between 2006 and 2007 were from China and Malaysia. These countries posted arrival increases of 18.0% and 23.3% respectively. Chinas arrivals in the Philippines in 2007 were at 157,601 while Malaysia’s were 65,695. Growth is one thing, but maintaining quality and performance in the face of tremendous growth is an accomplishment worth taking note. Two consecutive world-class awards from two different organizations speak volumes of an organization’s efforts. In 2006 DMIA was awarded the â€Å"Low Cost Airport of the Year award from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Then, in 2007, DMIA was awarded the prestigious â€Å"Airport of the Year† award by Frost and Sullivan, at the Asia Pacific Aerospace and Defense Awards Banquet in Singapore. Formulated in 1961, Frost and Sullivan maintain over 26 offices worldwide, and is a major, respected global research company. The company fields a staff of over 1,500 employees, with job titles ranging from economists, market researchers and technology analysts. These analysts and researchers are focused on the industries of aerospace, defense, energy, transportation, environmental-issues, technology, chemicals, food, power systems and more. It looks like CIAC is entirely-focused and performing above and beyond the call of duty in their determination to witness the realization of DMIA becoming the premier gateway of the Philippines. Exciting plans abound for the long-term prospectus of the Clark Freeport and DMIA. After 15 years of conflict and negotiations with the indigenous Aeta people of the region, CDC has acquired 10,000 hectares of new expansion land area. CDC now has a total of almost 28,000 hectares of contiguous, raw land to work with and put to productive use over the next couple of decades. The Clark governing body has designating a new, modern, 21st Century city to be built from scratch in the combined areas comprising existing and new land acquisitions in and around the Clark Freeport. Aeropolis is the named assigned this modern, Aviation-focused, master-planned, multi-use mega-city/mega-region. CDC already has in a master-plan set-aside for Aeropolis comprised of 4,400 hectare main-zone and a 27,600 hectare sub-zone centered on an aviation-driven urban center that will be ideally suitable to high-end IT, airport-industries, logistics-related enterprises, agro-industries and tourism. This type of long-term, far-sighted planning translates to exponential airport-related arrivals/departures and the ongoing future success of the Clark Airport as a major player in the world economy for many decades to come. Departure Procedure Step 1 Entry Check * Here is where a pax join the first queue the airport entrance queue. * Before a pax can enter the building they must show both of their passport and airline ticket, so they must have them ready. * Now is a good time to remove metal objects from their pockets or purse and place them in their hand carried luggage that will be x-rayed. These items include watches, pens, cell phones, and coins anything that will trigger the metal detector. Doing this early will save delays later. * Once they have shown their passport and ticket they will have to place their entire luggage on the x-ray conveyor belt before walking through the metal detector. Step 2 Airline Check-in * If all goes well they can collect their luggage and proceed to their airline check-in counter. * They should expect huge queues so they must get there early. * While waiting in the check-in queue they must prepared to have their baggage sniff tested for explosives. * After checking in and getting their boarding pass they can now proceed to the departure area but their queuing is not yet over. Step 3 Pay Departure Tax/ Terminal Fee * Before entering the departure area they must show their passport and boarding pass. Once cleared they can now go to the counter where they will pay their departure tax and terminal fee. This terminal fee is currently 150 pesos for domestic and 450 pesos for international per passenger. * At the counter they must give the counter operator their boarding pass and the money. She will return their boarding pass along with a receipt. Step 4 Immigration Clearance * The next step is Immigration Clearance. They must present their passport and boarding pass. Step 5 Security Check * The next queue is at the security check. Once again pax must make sure to have taken all metal objects out of their pockets or purse. They can either place those in their hand carry bag or in a plastic tray that the security people will provide. * Make sure they adhere to the currency export limits for both Philippine pesos and foreign currencies. * After they have gone through the metal detector they can collect their bags and the tray with their personal effects, and then they can proceed into the departure area. Step 6 Departure Gate Check * If they think they have stood in the last queue they may be disappointed. Depending on their airline there may be one more security check. This will be as they enter the departure gate area. This check is just a routine and quick check of they and their hand carried bag. Step 7 Passport Boarding Check * Again, depending on the airline, they may have to show both their boarding card and their passport as they board the aircraft. If so, they must be ready and have their passport open at the photo page. Arrival Procedure Step 1 – Quarantine/ Immigration Procedures * Pax must have their passport ready to complete quarantine and immigration procedures. Foreign travelers will need to fill out an arrival card. Step 2 – Baggage Claim * They must check the information board for the name of their airline and flight no. and collect their baggage from the appropriate carousel. If they cannot find their baggage, they must show their baggage claim tag to the airline service representative and ask for assistance. Step 3 – Customs Inspection * Pax must take their baggage and proceed to Customs Inspection. If they have items to declare complete the necessary procedures at the appropriate counter. Step 4 – To the Arrivals Lobby / Meet Greet * They will proceed to the arrivals lobby which is the convenient place to meet friends and families. My 50 Days of Experience I have learned a lot in my 50 days of experience at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport especially with the Airport Operation Department staff. I don’t even knew the existence of the airport operation before. But now after being a part of this department just even for a while I have realized the importance and the role of it. Airport Operation Department has a big role in running an airport. It is like the main ingredient in a recipe and the heart of a body system. Without it an airport cannot be called an airport terminal because they are the one who keep safety and security excellence as the first priority, they develop a better airport for the future by taking advantage of emerging market opportunities, they operate an efficient airport dedicated to exceptional customer service, they broaden and increase the airport’s revenue base to ensure on-going viability, and they maintain strong relationships with â€Å"neighbors†, communities, and industries. Being a part of it is not really easy because it is too broad. But thanks to our leaders who made us understand our role and made us feel that we are really a part of the Airport Operation Department even though we are just OJTs.

The Arguments For Regulation Accounting Essay

The Arguments For Regulation Accounting Essay History is filled with examples where crisis and scandals paved the way for regulatory interventions in the financial markets. The UK introduced major changes in its regulatory practice after the fall of the Barings Bank as a result of the financial scandals during the 1990s. The Financial Services Authority was deregulated in order to develop more rigid and consolidated regulations that conformed to the practice that were prevalent in the industry. Similarly, the US saw a major shift in its financial accounting regulations after the Enron catastrophe. The financial crisis of 2007-2009 has resulted in bringing the issue of standardizing the regulations on financial accounting practices. Regulators worldwide have realized the systematic risks inherent in the financial markets and the critical role that regulations can play in sprouting and exacerbating the fiasco. Accounting standards plays a vital role in financial accounting and reporting in order for investors to make good decisions. Financial accounting and reporting are subjected to various regulations such as the Securities exchange Commission (SEC), the financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). They differs from countries due to the differences in the economic, social and political factors involved. (P. Brown) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was created in response to the major stock market crash in 1929 to restore investor confidence. At that time, financial statements were often poor in quality and not audited. Arguments for regulation Over the years there have been many arguments over the necessity for regulation. Accounting regulations are needed in the industries that are susceptible to monopolistic behaviours to protect stakeholders interests. These monopolies undermine the competition, as they would try to beat the competitor that poses a threat to their share in the market. Hence, regulation can help the governments in maintaining the efficiency of the markets to keep them attractive for investors and maintaining fair trade. Arguments in favour of regulation correspond to the market failure, government will be able to help through regulations. Moreover, regulations should be considered when there are businesses and financial institutions that offer windfall profits due to new innovation; the organization is able to achieve high profits. Suppliers will use unethical practices to charge a large sum of money by excluding the true cost, which is known as externalities. In addition to these, there are information asymmetries that exist where firms do not fully disclose their decisions. Bushman and Landsman (2010) suggest that optimal disclosure of financial information are beneficial because failure to do so might cause investors sceptical assumptions. Proponents of the regulations maintain that markets usually place their interest above the best benefit of the society. Thus, interventions in the regulations are necessary. Regulations are considered to provide a strong and focused control over the activities that are deemed important by the society. In the meantime, regulations can be seen as the strict process for performing and action in the corporate environment such as in order to set up, manage and end an organization, one has to follow the regulations laid out in the corporations law (Sloan, 2001). But regulations should not be considered as negative as it helps in managing, controlling and getting results from various business activities. For example, the rules and checks that are built into the regulations, give people the confidence that these regulations would not allow people to step out of their authority and conform to the regulatory requirements; that are developed keeping their interests in perspective. The move from governments brought light into the issue of regulating the accounting processing in the industry. Accounting is primarily responsible for providing relevant information for decision making required to make decisions of economic nature. This information is prepared by accountants and professionals in the industry which are responsible for maintaining the record of the financial and accounting data for the company. This information is published in the annual financial reports as well as the stock exchange helping investors to make informed decisions. Moreover, there are regulations relating to the application of taxes as well as the procedure through which organizations are formed and established. The statutory and financial requirements ensure that the organizations are capable of meeting their financial and corporate responsibilities (Bushman and Landsman, 2010) Hence, regulations play an integral role in the functioning of daily business organizations in the modern world. There are a large number of operations that need regulations as they contain data that is critical for efficient operation of the organizations. This information should not be put at risk and placing regulatory requirements on its collections and maintenance is a safe way to ensure the efficiency of the accounting process (Hoogendoorn, 2006). Arguments against regulation Nonetheless, there are a number of perspectives on the issue of regulating the financial markets. The critics of the idea present the argument that these regulations are not needed as the market players act in an efficient manner to serve the society and efficiently utilize their resources. Characteristics of principles-based and rules-based standards A standard consist of principles and rules that apply to given accounting issue (Nelson, 2003). Schipper (2003) suggested that accounting standards in US are more rules-based but often based on principles while IAS and IFRS are more principles-based. Principles-based standard According to ICAS (2006), principles-based accounting standards are based on a conceptual framework. They suggest that such standards require a clear hierarchy of overarching concepts, principles that reflect the overarching concepts and limited further guidance (ICAS, 2006). The principles-based deliver a comprehensive way in preparing the financial statement yet has the flexibility to overcome any situations. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 required the SEC to assess the viability of a principles-based accounting system. The SEC focused their studies on objective-oriented standards, which is similar to FASBs definition of principles-based standards but Benston et al., (2006) propose that it is more optimal as it offer a narrower framework that limits the scope of professional judgement but allowing more flexibility. In 2008, Grant Thornton issued a White Paper suggesting six high-quality characteristics of principles-based accounting standard. This include; faithful presentation of economic reality, responsive to users needs for clarity and transparency, consistency with a clear Conceptual Framework, based on a defined scope that addresses a broad area of accounting, written in a clear and understandable language, use of appropriate judgment (Grant Thornton, 2008). Benston et al., (2006) agrees that principles-based tend to have more professional judgement. The practice of professional judgment is reinforced to give a true and fair view of the organisations performance. The fundamental advantage of principles-based accounting is that its broad guidelines can be practical for a variety of circumstances. Precise requirements can sometimes compel managers to manipulate the statements to fit what is compulsory. Rules-based standards According to Nelson (2003), rules-based standards have more bright line threshold, more rules, have more scope exceptions and large volume of implementation guidance. Example for bright-line rules-based standards is the managing of capital lease and operating lease. The principle contrast being that a capital lease might need to show up on the asset report of the carrier whereas operating lease do not need any recording. Two distinguishable lease transactions are characterized contrastingly based upon the GAAP renting guidelines (Maines, 2007). Rules-based increases the comparability especially when accountants and regulators have different opinions on interpretation of accounting issues. The FASB developed rules-based standards to increase verifiability for management, auditors and regulators who seek for a clear view of accounting issue. This is related to the reduction in litigation as guidance to protect them from any lawsuits or criticism for aggressive reporting (Benston et al., 2006). If organisation fails to conform to these rules, it has to face legal consequences due to the fact that investors entrust the organisation to meet the regulatory requirements and make their decisions based on the interpretation of financial data. Regulators often prefer rules to avoid unpredictable of later enforcement. Rules reduce discretion of preparer making their judgement less likely to be motivated by the yearning of personal benefits (Coglianese et al., 2004). Moreover, some managers prefer rules-based standards as business arrangement to prepare financial statement. To achieve desirable financial result, they get to gain opportunities by lobbying for treatment of different type of business arrangements (Maines, 2007). Why are principles-based standards more useful than rules-based standards? Many commentators have suggested that the US accounting standard is more rules-based. Rules are thought to be simple but in reality it could complex and easily be manipulated. For instances, tax regulations are mainly rules-based causing problem to arise when organisation start a new transaction not under the rule guideline. Making it difficult for auditors to clarify the inconsistencies (Coglianese et al., 2004). Benston et al., (2006) agree that the complexity of rules can become dysfunctional when the economic changes or when managers structure transactions that meet the rules. Therefore, theres no need to reduce earnings management and improve the quality of financial reporting because mangers will eventually find his way to meet rules by violating them that overcompensate for judgemental discretion. Thus, many regulators are now leaning towards the principles-based approach. Application of rules-based according to Schipper (2003) is undesirable because the check-box mentality tend to risk the quality of financial reporting whereas principles-based exercises professional judgement. Regulators believe that rules-based approach foster creative accounting, neither comprehensive nor comparable. It is a delusion that rules-based could completely eliminate risk of litigation. Instead of rules-based, principles-based accounting systems provide a true and fair framework with effective communication that are required by stakeholders. Risk of litigation will always remain but principles-based will minimise the risk (ICAS, 2006). Rules exist because a standard is based on poor principles. Using applicable principle would reduce the need of having detailed set of rules, therefore complexity of the rules could be minimised and standard will increase its comparability (Nobes, 2005). Furthermore principles-based standards are meant to provide a more precise accounting statement reflecting the companys performance reason because as the used of principles-based increase, manipulation of rules would reduce. Study result shows that corporate managers prefer principles-based. Objectives are yet again the flexibility when they could report what they believe of the consequences, beneficial of forecast earnings and if management reimbursement is related to their target (Philips et al., 2010). The study have also indicated that principles-based focus more on reporting the true economic circumstances, however with that much liberty auditors might challenge managements misappropriation of standards. Thus, focusing on one or the other standard will not necessary solve the transparency of financial reporting. There are two matters to take into consideration when engaging into principles-based standards. The issues are to reduce the weighting given to comparability relative to other qualitative characteristics in the conceptual framework and to increase professional judgement in both transaction and financial statement (Bennett et al., 2006). Problems standard setters have in promulgating standards that are principles-based Accounting standards are promulgated to assist the objective of financial reporting; some parties believe that collapse of a company was caused by the incompetent standards. Problems standard setters find promulgating principles-based standard is because rules-based standard is favourable at times. Rules-based standards are able to achieve qualitative characteristic of comparability in financial reporting whereas principles-based are not able to. Criticism of principles-based arise when uncertainty of the standard reflects a risk of regulator sanctions. Uncertainty can be accepted only if regulator agree to the firms interpretations and respond correspondingly (Black, 2007). Level of uncertainty will increase if standard setter developed internal understanding of the guideline not shown in the firms statement. Moreover, applying principles-based standard will have diminishing effect on the aggressive reporting than strengthening audit committee. (Agoglia et al., 2011) According to Coglianese et al., (2004) move to principles-based may rise problem such as insufficient training to make professional judgment, therefore training will be required. Moreover in the absence of rules, managers may disclose biased information thus company may need to professional resolve (Maines, 2007). Managers do not always apply accounting standards in good faith, they are always biased and now with the flexibility of principles it is criticised that rise of potential for earning management (Nelson, 2003). Providing suitable resolve may be challenging because auditors find difficulty in predicting how principles will be applied to certain litigation. Despite the limitation of rules-based, some standard setter would still prefer rules to principles just to avoid both uncertainties and litigations. Conclusions We can conclude from this discussion that accounting has been not been able to receive a complete regulatory pack that can provide a theoretical foundation for the financial accounting domain. The individualistic approach to developing these theories has not been successful because they miss out on some important factual information. Globalization has caused a number of challenges to the accounting domain as more and more companies have moved their systems from manual to computerized systems. Therefore, regulators face a raising problem of devising regulations that ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the accounting information. There are many mixed feelings regarding the ideas to regulate accounting. However, despite the mixed opinions, the idea to regulate accounting is strong. It is not only the responsible thing to do, but it will also safeguard the public form companies and fraudulent activities that could occur. To not regulate accounting laws and practices will only leave room to gather more mistrust in the accounting.

Understanding the negative attitude of the public towards police

Understanding the negative attitude of the public towards police As chief of a medium size city in the United States, you are aware that the citizens in your community have a lower than expected opinion of the effectiveness of the police department. Design a research proposal that will provide for a randomized public survey in an attempt to understand the nature and extent of the negative public opinion. Include in your plan a sample survey instrument that would be used in the research. Include in your plan, proposed hypotheses and how these hypotheses will be tested. The researcher will attempt to design a research proposal by using a randomized public survey in an attempt to try and understand the negative attitude of the public toward the police department. With this method prospective participants are chosen by chance rather than by choice. The researcher will also include in the research proposal a proposed hypothesis, an explanation of how this hypothesis will be tested and a sample survey. INTRODUCTION The researcher is always amazed to see that there are many individuals who are more than willing to serve their community in ways that are many times without thanks and dangerous. Among these elite individuals are law enforcement officers. In general many of us are not aware that they are present until some news headline shows up saying that there is a problem or that something or the other went wrong. We as a society need to understand the stress and strain of the law enforcement community that serves us and it is important that we support them. The researcher for one cannot imagine an individual running toward danger when for the most part many of us will choose to run away. So what really happens in law enforcement when there is a less than favorable story and the community begins to focus their entire attention on the incident? It is the researchers belief that from the perspective of individual officers there may be a lot of is a lot of concern and assumption of what is going to happen. There may be a lot of pressure, especially if the individual(s) in question end up in front of a Grand Jury or other court proceeding, not to mention the fact that if there is a civil action it can go on for years. So in essence, does this have an impact on how these law enforcement officers approach their job and or their community? When one really thinks about it, often times the entire enforcement department is suspect when there are a few officers in question. Many believe that there is always some concern that depending on the situation the impact could be negative. There could be a lack of focus. It could be very distracting. It could create doubt about ones supp ort or role. The individual or organization could be hesitant to engage or be proactive in the work they have been challenged or asked to do in the service to their community (Rice, 2010). Its not very often that the publics opinion of police departments is positive. Corruption, unethical behavior, Police brutality, and excessive use of force are all part of the negative views that the public have about law enforcement officers. These types of behavior of law enforcement have had a huge impact on the manner in which the public view law enforcement and the opinion that they have of them. Because of the tactless lack of judgment of some law enforcement officers, the uprightness of the profession of law enforcement officers has become a bit shaded. Lets face it; it is not always news-worthy when the good guys are doing a good job, its really that simple. The media has great influence on the interest of public opinion because they make the determination of what will be seen and what will not. The researcher has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly with the law enforcement department in my city. It is the researchers personal experience with law enforcement officers has been nothing but stellar, helpful, professional, and informative. The researcher do however think that law enforcement departments have their fair share of good and bad, but its the bad that gets the attention and when the public grabs a hold of it they take it and run. Studies have found that the characteristic of a neighborhood and the interaction that they have with law enforcement are factors that have the most influence of the opinion that the public have on law enforcement. The study, conducted in Los Angeles, found that residents from neighborhoods perceived to be crime ridden, dangerous, and disorderly were less likely to approve of the police. In contrast, residents who had informal personal contact with police were more likely to express approval. Race and ethnicity, factors cited as influential in other studies, were not found to be as important as community disorder in determining the publics satisfaction with police (Maxon, Hennigan, Sloane, 2003). HYPOTHESIS If a civilian review board is put in place there will be a change in the opinion of the public regarding law enforcement and there will be less complaints from citizens on a whole. There are major differences between the number of citizens who convey that they are dissatisfied with law enforcement and those who officially make complaints. Many will argue that a lot of citizens do not go on to the next stage in lodging a complaint because they are of the belief that a full investigation will not take place and nothing will happen. Some citizens also may fear retaliation from law enforcement. Supporters of civilian review boards is of the strong belief that the public will be more likely to have more confidence in a process when a complaint is made to a group of civilians rather than by forwarding their concerns to a unit in a police force, and this in turn could increase the number of complaints (An examination of, 2006). AREA DESCRIPTION The sample for the study will be taken from four of the New York Citys Police Departments (LAPDs) 18 geographic areas. The areas will be chosen to reflect comparable rates of reported property and violent crimes and demographic profiles, in particular income and race/ethnicity. Included in the survey will be one delegate from each of the four (4) administrative bureaus. On the other hand, the four chosen areas are not, and are also not intended to be representative of the entire city. Area A will be in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. This area has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the city, and it is estimated that it is more than four times higher than any of the other areas that would be included in the survey. In census taken in 1995, area A consisted of about 120,000 residents, of that number sixty percent (60%) were black and thirty-five percent (35%) were of Latino descent. Latinos have shifted into this area that was traditionally black in large numbers. Household incomes were reported among residents as follows: Eighty-five percent (85%) had household incomes below $45,000 and forty-three percent (43%) below $15,000 (U. S. Department, 2003). Area B will be the Brownsville area of Brooklyn. The violent crime rate in this area is the second, and is infested by the biggest population of gang in the city, comprising of more than 8,000 gang members, consisting of about 45 gangs. Area B, nonetheless, has a below average rate for property crime between the four areas chosen for the. Area B is mainly comprised of eighty-four percent (84%) Hispanics with low income and many of its residents live in households that are multigenerational. In the census done in 1995 eighty percent (80%) of these residents reported household incomes as follows: thirty-two percent (32%) below $45,000 and thirty-two percent (32%) below $15,000 (U. S. Department, 2003). Area C will be on the west side of the city. It has a somewhat violent crime rate that is low but among the areas to be surveyed, the rate of property crimes is the highest. Area C has an estimated 220,000 residents and is culturally mixed. Whites account for sixty-one percent, Latino twenty-two percent, Asians ten percent, and Blacks six percent. In the census done in 1991 residents reported the following incomes: Fifty-eight percent (58%) had incomes under $45,000 and seventeen percent (17%) had incomes below $15,000 (U. S. Department, 2003). Area D will be in the Chelsea Piers area. The violent crime rate in this area is very low and the property crime rate is the second lowest (higher than area B). This area comprises of seventy -three percent (73%) whites, seventeen percent (17%) Latinos and eight percent (8%) Asians. The incomes of residents in this area is higher that the other three (3) areas to be surveyed. In the census done in 1991 the reported incomes were as follows: fifty percent (50%) had incomes above $45,000 and twenty-six percent (26%) had incomes above $75,000 (U. S. Department, 2003). METHODOLOGY The researcher will conduct the survey via mail and face to face interviews. Residential addresses will be acquired from lists at the citywide utility service and will be coded to allow the collection of addresses inside the four (4) geographic regions. The survey will comprise of a random sample of five hundred and seventy (5,570) addresses. The procedures for the survey will be taken from Dillmans Total Design Approach (Hoddinott, Bass, 1986), in addition to five contacts with possible survey respondents. A postcard notice will be sent in advance, four survey mailings of which two will contain an incentive of $1.00, and a thank you and or reminder notice will be sent following the mailing of the first survey. All survey materials mailed will include Spanish translations. The researcher will offer other languages in the event that one is needed. Mail surveys let the respondent answer at their own leisure, rather than at the habitually inconvenient instant they are contacted for a phone or personal interview. Because of this, mail surveys are not considered as intrusive as other kinds of interviews. The downside is time! Mail surveys take longer than other kinds. The researcher will need to wait several weeks after mailing out questionnaires before he or she can be sure that they have gotten most of the responses. The face to face method will include personal interviews which have the ability to let the interviewee see the respondent face to face, it also has the ability to find the target population, and longer interviews may be tolerated by the respondent. Particularly with in-home interviews that have been arranged in advance, people may be willing to talk longer face-to-face than to someone on the phone. The down side to this is that personal interviews usually cost more per interview than other methods. This is particularly true of in-home interviews, where travel time is a major factor. The survey will summarize two (2) types of contact that the public has with law enforcement officers: formal contact and informal contact. The formal contacts will include residents calling the police departments in an attempt to ask for service, when residents are questioned by law enforcement officers about a potential crime that was committed. The informal contacts that residents has with law enforcement will include conversations with police officers who are on patrol and interactions that residents have with law enforcement at community meetings, youth activities sponsored by the police, and fairs about community and public safety. The measure of job approval will be based on a six-question scale which will be transformed from Skogans work in Chicago, which will ask residents how well police in their neighborhood and solve problems, help victims, and prevent crime (Skogan, 1998). The measure of the demeanor of law enforcement officers will be formed from five questions that asked respondents whether police were trustworthy, fair, helpful or respectful, and whether or not they seemed concerned. The study will focus on four issues that appeared to have an influence on the opinion of the public on police departments. The four issues will include the following: The perceptions that residents have about the amount of crime, chaos and confusion in their neighborhood and the sense that neighbors have of common trust and responsibility. The formal and informal contacts that residents have with law enforcement and their previous experience as victims of property and violent crimes if any. The demographic characteristics of residents; and The role that the media play in the perception that the public has on law enforcement. TREATMENT OF THE DATA The data received from the survey will be presented in pie charts, and rating scales which will show the percentage of individuals in each group and their opinion regarding law enforcement. Based on the results received it could show that there may be a need for more surveys to be done in order to understand the publics opinion of law enforcement because the acceptance of law enforcement authority by the public is essential for the maintenance of public order. Also, when the public has confidence in law enforcement it could lead to cooperation between law enforcement and the public at large, and this in turn can increase the effectiveness of policing. It is important for the public to trust and support law enforcement because this will be crucial when it comes to law enforcements expansion and maintenance. STATEMENT OF LIMITATIONS In order to measure the activities of local law enforcement, the sensitive measurement of public opinion is important. When law enforcement and the community exchange information it can foster a law enforcement-community partnership that can be tailored to specific concerns of the community (Maxon, Hennigan, Sloane, 2003). The publics opinion of law enforcements activities, fear, crime, and identifying strengths and problems in the community is an important representation of law enforcement. Surveys need to be done on a regular basis in order to further understand these issues. Independent organizations are the ones who should be responsible for conducting these surveys in order to prevent responses that are biased. If these surveys are conducted over a number of years then this will allow for a better understanding of the publics opinion of law enforcement. When community residents are surveyed, this can provide important information regarding the publics opinion of the activities of law enforcement. As the above survey will show, this kind of survey will provide a surprising amount of valuable information regarding the relationship between the public and law enforcement. This information can assist in directing both law enforcement and the public alike and assist in monitoring the effectiveness of law enforcement interventions. CONCLUSION Data from research shows that the public will have more trust in citizens like themselves rather than law enforcement and that they will be more than willing to file a complaint; Citizens will be more unprejudiced when it comes to assessing complaints from other citizens; Their impartiality will bring into being a higher percentage of valid complaints that will discourage and aid in reducing instances of misconduct by law enforcement; and because of these actions the public, will have more confidence in law enforcement. Many law enforcement officers accept having a citizens review board as something to be anticipated and stated their willingness to work with members of the public (An examination of, 2006). The predicament for civilian review boards is that a good number of them do not have the clout and authority or the funds to make the first move on independent investigations of law enforcement nor to deliver judgments on complaints. For the most part all they can typically do is evaluate an investigation that was performed by law enforcement and put together commendations about punishment. Very rare do they have any final say over the decisions of law enforcement management (An examination of, 2006). All in all, the majority of research studies suggest that if civilian review boards are given enough funds there is a much superior possibility that their work will have an impact on the conduct of law enforcement officers and this will in turn increase the publics confidence in the police. Even as there appear to be a broad-spectrum agreement that civilian review is a necessity in order to set up boundaries for law enforcement in a society that is democratic, this technique of citizens becoming engaged in law enforcement needs, to a greater extent, to be developed further if it is to be proven successful (An examination of, 2006). Three of the most important issues are: Instituting and simplifying the level of authority that civilian review boards will hold and their level of independence from law enforcement; Making sure that they get enough resources to Ensuring they obtain adequate resources to accomplish their goals; and Investigating ways of addressing the numerous facets of racism by law enforcement. The main goal of civilian review boards is to accomplish a better balance between the publics participation in law enforcement so that they are held answerable to the public, and enhancing the independence of the police so that public order can be preserved in a peaceful and democratic society (An examination of, 2006).

The Napster Debate- Written In January 2001, So Need Court Ruling Fact :: essays research papers

The Napster Debate When I first heard the word ‘Napster’ I had no idea what it was, I thought maybe it was a new insult phrase going around my high school. With time I figured out that Napster had to do with online music. I hadn’t seen much coverage on TV and was curious, so I decided to surf the Internet and check it out. Once reaching the site I found no music for sale, no discography or lyrics as is common with most music sites online. Instead there was a program available for download that allowed user-to-user transferring of music files. I went ahead and downloaded the program, not knowing that six months later Napster would have a tremendous influence and impact in the music industry, changing the way we view music forever. The Napster software, launched mid 1999, allows Internet users to share and download MP3 files directly from any computer connected to the Napster network. The software is used by downloading a client program from the Napster site and then connecting to the network through this software, which allows sharing (uploading and downloading) of MP3 files between all users connected to the network. Napster doesn’t own any MP3s, nor do people get MP3s through the server. It is strictly a go-between for user-to-user downloads (Gibney 1). An MP3 file is a type of compressed wave file. The advantage of MP3 files is that they are approximately one-tenth the size of the corresponding wave file and are very high quality. Many artists, record labels and other music industry stakeholders are concerned by the MP3 file format and applications because of the high quality and accessibility (Gibney 1). There are two types of MP3’s available on Napster. The first are legal MP3’s that are authorized by artists to circulate on Napster for promotional purposes. These MP3’s are often music selections made by up and coming artists trying to make their music more accessible to the public. The second type of MP3s are not authorized by artists. A Napster user with copyrighted CD material can create MP3’s with their computer CD ROM drive. Then through Napster’s software, the user’s homemade MP3 is available for trade ( MTV 1). Napster does not physically infringe any copyright laws, it’s users do. It doesn’t condone the use of illegal MP3s in any way, but at the same time there is no opportunity in the software to stop copyright infringement (Gelber 3).

Essay --

INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING ASSIGNMENT Q.1) A brief history of the two organisations, and their objectives, in as far as theyrelate to accounting practices regionally and/or internationally, as necessary. A.1)1. EUROPEAN UNION (EU) The EU was initially formed in the mid 1940's to unite neighbouring nations developed to have a considerably more critical and important purpose. In 1957 the European Economic Community (EEC) was made to fabricate and incorporated economic market between the six establishing parts of the EU. The EEC was referred to a common market between the countries and over the time period more and more and more nations joined the EU, the EEC later got known as the European Community (EC). The EC turned into one of the primary mainstays of the EU and its point was to help make a local market between membered nations where there is an opportunity of transporting products and labour. As the amount of nations expanded the EU set directives for every nation to accompany to harmonise bookkeeping practices, these directives are listed below: ï  ¶ The endeavor to harmonise bookkeeping practices was by means of the issuing of directives ï  ¶ EU directives have the power of law and the member states are obliged to join the directives into their laws ï  ¶ They are trying to bind the member states, yet the outcomes that are accomplished are at the discretion of each member nations. ï  ¶ Two directives pointed at harmonising bookkeeping ï  ¶ The fourth directive of 1978 includescomprehensive bookkeeping standards for the individuals, and not for united records ïÆ'Ëœ Measurement (Valuation) guidelines, ïÆ'Ëœ The guidelines for the making of financial statements ïÆ'Ëœ Disclosure of data for both public and privately owned businesses ïÆ'Ëœ Establish the 'tr... ...combinations leading to the SEC removing the requirements for reconciliations CONCLUSION: The globalization is increasing in the world and the companies are going abroad to enter into new markets and capture new customers as well as the investors. The companies need to make accounts according to the new country and the investors need to study the financials of the company before investing into it. This is a problem as due to difference in the accounting standards are causing problems and hence.The financial reporting systems are converging, as international capital markets become more investor oriented since the investors now want to invest more in oversees and the globalization is increasing day by day there is an urgent need to make the accounting information comparable. The International Accounting Standards Board is at the center of the convergence movement now.

The World Is Not Enough Essay -- essays research papers

"The World Is Not Enough" is a great action-adventure movie with exciting stunt scenes, exotic locations, beautiful women and traditional Bond one-liners. Pierce Brosnan carries on the role of the world’s most famous secret agent, James Bond in which was established by Sean Connery in 1962’s "Doctor No". Since it is also the 19th installment to the longest running film series in history, comparing this one to the older movies is like comparing one athlete to another. But hey, I guess that’s the fun of it all.To get more in depth of the film, let’s see if the traditional Bond trademarks live up to their roles.1. Bond†¦James Bond. Pierce Brosnan, in his third appearance as agent 007, has become comfortable in his role and plays it with confidence. He’s now more understanding and has added a more sensitive side, but also a harder side to the role that Sean Connery had as Bond and what Timothy Dalton attempted to achieve. For example, in the scene between Bond and "M", "M" tells Bond the story behind the kidnapping of King’s daughter, Elektra and the reasons for why MI6 was involved. The example of the harder side is near the end when Bond confronts Elektra for the last time and orders her to call off Renard from carrying out his plans. She doesn’t do so; therefore, Bond shoots her in the chest and killing her. Some may argue that this is something that James Bond shouldn’t do since Elektra was unarmed, but I beg to differ because that is part of the mission. In 1971’s "Diamonds Are Forever" Connery’s Bond slapped Tiffany Case (played by Jill St. John) across the face to get her to tell him information.2. Who would ever thought that "Q", the inventor of all of James Bond’s gadgets is retiring. Desmond Llewelyn has played the character in all the Bond films for the exception of "Doctor No" in 1962 and "Live and Let Die" in 1973. After demonstrating his lasted invention to 007, Llewelyn drops out of sight by a sinking platform. I guess that was his way of saying goodbye.3. Well, who could replace "Q"? John Cleese makes his debut to the series as "R", the replacement for "Q". Although "R" is very precise, he doesn’t use the correct terms for his inventions like "Q" did.4. Judi Dench is also back as Bond’s boss and head of the Bri... ...es". I enjoyed watching the stunts that were in the film. The boat scene during the opening sequence was fantastic and reminding James Bond fans of the boat scenes of in "From Russia with Love", "Live and Let Die" and "Moonraker". The ski chase reminded me of "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service" when James Bond and Traci Draco were skiing for their lives down the Swiss Mountains. I liked the way the writers added the title of the movie into the script. When Elektra tells Bond that she could have given him the world, Bond responds, "The world is not enough" then he says that it’s a "family motto". Bond was referring to his family coat of arms that was translated to him in the 1969 movie "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service". And finally the music scores. David Arnold, who was the composer for "Tomorrow Never Dies" comes back again with an excellent sounds and adding a techno or a retro theme to James Bond. "The World Is Not Enough" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, some sexuality, sexual innuendo and old school elements for true James Bond fans. Running time 128 minutes.

Sex Change

The issue of sex (besides being a national obsession) is reasonably interesting from a psycoanalytic and existential perspective. A lot of what drives us is sexual energy (in line with what Freud told us). This so-called energy isn't explicit, but if you stop to think about questions like â€Å"Why am I here? † the â€Å"I† refers to you as a being and your sexuality is intimately tied with that. That â€Å"I† differs quite radically based on whether you are male or female. From a purely reductionist perspective, we are simply â€Å"ugly bags of mostly water† (to use a phrase from Star Trek) for our genes. The main reason we have sex is so our genes can last. The reason that there's sexual dimorphism (as opposed to having only females reproducing asexually) is so the gene pool can be enriched and it is thus capable of withstanding sudden changes in environment. This is actually the reason why there is sex in the first place, but having dimorphism means having a gene pool (thereby phenotype) that's more varied. The sociological perspective is somewhat interesting, but I think it's very irrelevant. In the end, the psychological (perhaps biological) dominates and therefore it it is the one I will consider. I have always wondered what it would be like to be female. I have wondered what it feels like to experience the menstrual cycle each month, to give birth, etc. My perception of what â€Å"I† consitutes would be radically different, I assume, notwithstanding the sociological consequences of becoming female. Human males and females are pretty different in their genetic makeup, given that an entire chromosome present in males is not present in females (and this doesn't even address the issue of expression). This brings us to the interesting fact that a lot of textbooks quote: chimpanzees and humans have DNA which is more than 99% identical. I wonder what the basis of their comparison is, but I digress†¦ A few decades ago, the above sort of thinking would've been mere speculation. Existentially speaking, we are prisoners of our bodies and this sucks. But we humans, being the creatures with superior intellect (yeah, right), have taken control of our environments and now it is possible to reasonably answer some of the questions I ask above in a physical sense. I read an article (parts of which are reproduced here without permission) about this dude who underwent a sex-change operation to be female because he wanted to be a lesbian. He was considered a womaniser, but he really identified with girls and expressed his sexuality by cross-dressing, etc. But after a while he began the process of change. He took females hormones—the most effective blend being premarin, derived from the urine of a pregnant mare—-to produce breasts, greater sub-surface fat, diminished muscle mass and less skin oil than a man normallly secretes. However, hormone treatments cannot shrink the Adam's apple, alter the hips, or raise the voice; male vocal chords are irreversibly developed by adolescence. He also underwent a lot of sartorial changes as well. Finally the irreversible operation known as â€Å"neo-colporrhaphy†, or â€Å"new vagina†, was performed on him. Contrary to popular myth, this two-and-a-half-hour surgery does not involve the penis being cut off. It is instead emptied of its spongy tissue and, like the finger of a rubber glove, turned inside out. The skin of the penis is gently pushed into a cavity formed by separating the lower abdominal muscle fibres, and this inside-out formation becomes the vaginal lining. The scrotum is used to create the frontal lips of the vagina; some of the skin at the base of the inverted penis can be surgically sculpted to look like a clitoris. Enough of the urethra is preserved from the penis to tunnel it under the tissue and place it in the female position. (There was a reasonable discussion during the Beer Social here regarding the logistics of such an operation—in particular the issue of providing lubrication was thought important. ) According to John Money, a professor emeritus at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who's an expert on this procedure (I can see a lot of demand for it): â€Å"The majority of transsexuals no longer have the spasmodic sensation that comes from squirting out semen. They have, instead, more of a spreading glow that is very satisfactory indeed. † This dude (now dudette) is also married with kids and they still call her â€Å"daddy†. She and her wife get along very well and they find the relationship physically very satisfying. While I share a lot of the philosophy that prompted him to become a transvestite, I doubt if I would undergo such an operation. Perhaps if technology advances so that it can be done in a â€Å"perfect† way, but approaches like this somehow don't grab me. This isn't the only way to go. If you're female, you might contemplate becoming male. I read a while ago about how a female had an operation to have a penis implant. Such physical moves seem very drastic to me, even given what I said earlier about sexual energy driving us. Is the artificial physical change necessary in order to experience a female (or male) existence? While the reason for contemplating what it is to be female is mostly curiousity, it might have to do with my nurture as well. It is said that transsexuals are unhappy with their identities and that they seek an out, but will a physical transformation help them? Shouldn't reconcilation of one's identity with one's self, and transcendence of that identity beyond societal norms, be enough? If you are Cartesian (and to some extent I am), it should be. Maybe Freud was completely off about the Oedipus complex—maybe it's something akin to the Penis Envy thing he proposed—there's some sort of a Vagina Envy among males. Thanks to modern science, this envy can be sated. The surgery costs about $11,000. If you include other plastic surgery such as a nose job and breast implants, the total cost is about $25,000. Now to raise some money†¦

Poverty and Crime Essay

Poverty can be defined as the deprivation of basic needs or necessities. These are things that are required by human beings for them to survive for example shelter, clothing, food and water. Poverty causes pain and stress to those who suffer from it but according to the Christians, it is seen as a positive thing that makes them more faithful and lack of these properties is deemed virtuous. On the other hand, crime is seen as the violation of rules and regulations of the state. When this is done, the culprit is regarded as a criminal. Acts of crime are punishable by law if one is convicted guilty of committing a particular offense. see more:essays on crime Poverty and crime are interrelated as poverty is an independent variable while crime is the dependant variable and manipulation of one has an effect on the other, that is if poverty is reduced the rate of crime would definitely go down. This research paper is geared towards brining to the light the relationship between poverty and crime. Do they have a correlation? There have been claims that poverty leads to crime and this cannot be denied as in America today, crime prevalence is registered in zones that are inhabited by the poor Americans. It is not a usual thing for a place to have high rate of crime without the cause for it. Poverty is not only confined to the poor third world countries as even in America, United Kingdom and other developed nations there are people who live in penury. In the United States, the poor live in housings known as ghettos and the most affected are the African Americans. Many people refute the claim that poverty is the causal factor of crime. For example in Boston, in the 1830s there were very many cases of crime, which to many was attributed to poverty. This became a challenge to the inhabitants who in a bid to reduce the level of crimes formed charity organizations that were meant for helping these poor people. Many people thought that the poor people are the ones who commit mistakes so these organizations that were formed were designed to reduce the number of African Americans in the war. (Sampson RJ. 1987) In the United States of America, it is reportedly said that the number of blacks in prisons is much higher than those that are in educational institutions. In Boston, it was assumed that because women were the ones who went for charity items, which were given for free by the Boston’s charity organizations. Here, this was not the case as in Boston as the number of women who were imprisoned was 12. 25 percent and not forgetting that this figure comprised women of all nationalities. This research contradicted the much-theorized belief that poverty and crime are related. Some crimes that are associated with poverty do not have a correlation when they are closely scrutinized. These are crimes such as vandalism, arson and wanton destruction of properties. Why would a poor person destroy some properties that could he/she could use? Poor people are forced by poverty to turn to crime. In most assault cases, the victims claim that they lost their properties so it can be confidently be said that the perpetrators are people who cannot afford those commodities and so they think that the only way they could access them is only through assaulting the rich and becoming robbers. According to sociologists, there is a very strong connection between, the crime rate and the families break ups in the United States’ towns and cities. Cities that are occupied by the blacks have reported increase in violent crime rate and this is attributed to the prevalence of the female-headed families. Pager D. 2001) As per the 1980s research, the ratio of whites to blacks that were engaged in violent crimes was not in proportion. According to the 1983 statistics, more murder and assault cases in Chicago took place in areas that were inhabited by the African American and the Latino residents who were low-income earners. This attests to the fact that there is a relationship between crimes and poverty and this is undeniable, if this is not the case, then why is it that areas that are occupied by the poor register so many crimes? The past researches that were done in the 1980s expressed a connection between single parent headed families with crime prevalence and especially in black households. In 1984, all the black families were under female parents and this trend is still growing as the numbers of families with two parents are constantly on the decline. Of all the 360,000 families that lived on five thousand dollars and below, females headed fifty seven percent of them. The ratio of families that were headed by single women between the blacks and the whites were 74 percent to 26 percent. In Chicago, females own most of the poor households and especially the ghettos. So the increase in female households and most particularly those in the ghettos have a relationship between the high rate of dependency and poverty. (Pridemore W. A. and Kim S. W. 2007) A statistical analysis that was done in hundred and fifty cities in America attributes rise in female-headed families to poverty. This is because when men are not employed they move out of these cities and go to look for jobs leaving behind their wives and this causes family disruptions. In turn, this family break-up leads to the rise in crime rates and especially in blacks residential places. Low income contributes to marriage separations as well as divorce cases. Children from families that are headed by a female parent are prone to indulge themselves in juvenile delinquency. When children are raised in poor households they do not even have the proper education that they deserve and this becomes a vicious circle whereby poverty is caused by lack of relevant skills and education. This makes it hard to secure oneself a good job that can help one to achieve their needs thereby becoming even poorer. Marital and family break ups weaken the social control mechanisms that are vital in reducing the crimes rate. When these social control means are in force people look at each other as their brother or sister, they develop a ‘we feeling’ and they protect each other properties. They also help one another to resolve their disputes but when family bonds are weakened, this problem is transferred to the society that is made up of families. The result is that socialism is substituted by individualism or in other words, people become egoistic and everything they do is meant of them and only them. People devise short cuts of acquiring wealth and this means robbery, assault and murder as per the situation demands. George F. Et Al. 2008) When family bonds are strong, both parents assist each other in taking care of the children and they are well socialized to know the social expectations but when households are headed by only one parent, the attention that should be given to the children is divided among other things and it is obvious that when a child lacks proper attention, guidance and counseling, they become juvenile criminals. Therefore family disruptions as a result of poverty leads to rise in female headed families, which in turn leads to juvenile delinquency. In the United States of America, there are some states that have very high crime rate and yet the residents are not poor and there are some states where people are very poor and yet the crime rate is very low. This makes the debate over whether poverty has a relationship with crime very controversial. These claims are contradicted by the research findings on other areas findings in other areas where 53 percent of all the inmates are people from poor areas where they earned about less than 10,000 U. S dollars in a year. According to the economic theory, people weigh options before they commit crimes. It is said that people engage themselves in crime only and only if the anticipated gains are more than the loss. (George F. Et Al. 2008) The obvious logical conclusion that can be inferred from this is that people who are poor and those who live in poverty-stricken households are more prone to community crimes than those who are not poor. Those people who are wallowing in poverty are more likely to commit crimes such as larceny, robbery, burglary and selling drugs and surveillance delinquency. If this is the case, then poor households and prisons should do something to reverse the situation. This is because if poverty level goes up so does the crime rates and this in turn impacts on the prisons that get highly populated with criminals. The government should come up with measures that would help in breaking this relationship because this trend affects the correctional departments. There is no way you can correct the behavior of poor people because they are situational criminals. It is only that they are forced by circumstances to commit crimes. The only viable option of controlling or reducing the crime prevalence is to economically empower the poor citizens. The fact that poverty and crime are interrelated is evident in the case of Detroit city, which is among the poorest cities in the United States of America. Poor citizens inhabit the surrounding area of this town. The system is marred by extreme poverty and loss of social control mechanisms. Most of the students who join campuses never graduate because before they could graduate, they get involved in criminal acts that render some of them in jails. Another thing that leads to the rise of criminal activities is the fact that in societies there are two extreme ends, and these are the rich and the poor. In the United States the gap between the haves and have-nots is very high something that intrigues poor people to steal or engage in other forms of criminal activities just to earn their living. If a rich person is living in close proximity to the poor households, there is high probability that he/she will become a victim of assault, loss of properties and even robbery. This happens because the poor thinks that the rich are the ones who are making them poor and therefore they develop some bitterness that is only resolved by attacking them. (George F. Et Al. 2008) There are various causes of poverty and some of them are high living standards. In most developed notion such as Japan, United States and others, it is not easy to live in cities if you depend on a low paying job. People might be employed but the living standards should be very high. This situation impoverishes the citizens for they find it hard to make the both ends meet. What the government should do is that it should provide those poor American households that belong to the poor with some house allowance so that they can lead a normal life. This would help in reducing the bridge gap the gap between the rich and the poor which unless something is done soon, the gap is still widening. The lack of proper skills and education, limits ones chances of getting a good job Poor people cannot afford to provide for their children with good education that would make them competitive and this is why we should break the vicious cycle of poverty. Many Americans are poor because they cannot secure themselves some good jobs probably because there are no jobs or they do not academically qualify for those jobs. The government should devise ways and means of breaking this cycle. Bursary system or subsidized education for the poor should be provided. This would offer the poor a chance to compete with those from the wealthy households. If this is done the high drop out rate from schools would be reversed as this is what has led to increased juvenile crimes because young children who should be in schools go to loiter in the streets as they cannot even afford to be in school. When these children receive high quality education, they would be able to look for well paying jobs that would help them in uplifting their living standards thereby breaking the vicious cycle. Poverty is partly caused by lack of employment. Another thing that the government should do is to enforce the laws that deal with crimes. The judicial systems should make some reforms that would help it to ensure that justice is upheld. In the 1980s, the judicial system was very reluctant such that criminals received lesser punishment than they deserved something that greatly contributed to the rise in crime. The criminal laws should be made stronger though that they could bite hard. From the research findings, it is evident now that there is a relationship between the rate of poverty and crime rates. Though there have been arguments that indicate otherwise, much of the evidence that has been collected point to the fact that the relationship between the two does exist. There have been claims that there are some states that are very poor and yet there are no high crime rates and that there are others that are among the highest in crime levels any yet the inhabitants not poor. This evidence cannot be downplayed for in every case there must be some exceptions and assumptions that have to be made. Both claims should be weighed well to know which one is truthful and in this case, the truth is that poverty lures people to become criminals.