The Beginning of the Modern World

Essay Sample on Business and Companies Their Relationships

Essay Sample on Business and Companies Their Relationships The businesses and companies at this higher level are the ones that buy and collect information from the smaller businesses that we deal with directly to do our business. To better understand the difference between the levels of these businesses, we have included the diagram below to help illustrate these relationships. We do not directly give these higher level businesses our personal identifying information. Our information is generally gathered by the lower level businesses we interact with on a regular basis. Lets talk in more detail about the businesses and companies we deal with on a daily business that share, sell, and release our personal information. Businesses and companies need our personal information to provide us, the customer, with the specific service they offer. We give the business our information in good faith believing the information we provide them is meant only so they can provide us a service. We do not realize that these businesses, in a majority of cases, turn around and share, sell, or release our information to higher level businesses, usually to make a profit. To assist us with understanding this concept, as we progress through the chapters, we need to take a look at what we do on a daily basis in our personal lives and identify what companies and businesses we have a relationship with. Each persons life style is different so there will not be one model that fits each and every person that reads this book. You will need to take a look at your life to identify the specific businesses you have contact with on a daily, weekly, monthly and\or annual basis. You will need to determine what personal information they have on you, become familiar with their privacy policy, and exercise any and all opt-out options they provide. We can not stress to you enough that these businesses and companies are making more money selling our personal information than they are just having us as customers. Throughout this book, we will discuss numerous examples of the types of businesses you may deal with that are releasing your information. The main idea we want to stress in this section is getting you to understand that when we, as consumers, give a company or business our personal identifying information that business will probably share, sell, or release it to a higher level business that in turn compiles and re-sells it to publicly available information sources. Some examples of the types of business we deal with on a regular basis that are sharing our personally identifiable information are: Newspapers Movie rentals stores Grocery store discount cards Department stores Gas Stations Restaurants For your convenience, we have included a form that will assist you with creating your list of the businesses and companies you deal with on a regular basis. You should be most interested in those businesses that have any item of your personally identifiable information, such as your name, date of birth, social security number, home address and home phone number. Keep a journal with you and start compiling this information. This task may take you awhile, because you may not realize initially how many business relationships you actually have. Be patient and diligent and have the confidence that it will all come together at the end of the protection process.

Tort Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tort Assignment - Essay Example Dickman. In Donoghue, Lord Atkin spoke in his judgment: â€Å"You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour. Who, then, in law is my neighbour? The answer seems to be – persons who are so closely and directly affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in my contemplation as being so affected when I am directing my mind to the acts or omissions which are called into questions.† ([1932] AC 562 at p 580). This is known as the Neighbour Principle. In Anns, Lord Wilberforce identified the loss suffered by the complainants as material physical damage. Two (2) stages were laid down to establish the obligation: (1) whether or not, in a reasonable foresight of the defendant, lack of care may cause damage, injury or loss to the defendant. If in the positive, then there is a prima facie duty to care; and (2) in case of an affirmative answer, is there a necessity to limit the extent of said obligation. An example of the first test is the digging up of a big hole large enough to accommodate an adult. By leaving the hole open, it can be reasonably foreseen that any blind man without any companion may fall on said hole. Undoubtedly, there is an obligation on the part of the one who dug up the whole. On the other hand, an example of the second test is the injury suffered by a suspect of a robbery in the hands of a policeman who caught him in the act but attempted to fight back. Despite the injury suffered by the suspect, the policeman cannot be held liable because the injury was caused by his performance of duty. In Caparo, the two tests laid down in Anns were expanded, adding the following: is it fair to impose upon the defendant the obligation to care towards the complainant? Applying the above principles in the instant case, the liabilities of the parties are as follows: Arsane is liable for his tortious act. As mentioned earlier, every person is liable for the co nsequences of his acts. Here, Arsane knew as a carpenter that the wooden floor may have inflammable materials. He is supposed to understand that cigarette is not allowed in the workplace because it can become a source of fire. Presumably, Arsane knows his obligation to take good care of the premises as well as the materials therein. A duty to care exists on the part of Arsane, not just as a worker but also as a co-worker. However, since Arsane was very much taken away by the music, he allowed himself to light a cigarette and much worse, threw the same while still lighted, indoors! Such an act of gross negligence is definitely a clear breach of obligation to care. Arsane has absolutely no defence to justify his tortious act. Such an act of negligence caused severe damage. First, to Sir Dino, who suffered loss of properties and potential income. Second, to Benger, who suffered material physical damage due to loss of his right foot. However, Arsane cannot be made liable for the nervous shock suffered by Benger’s wife, twin sister, and mother due to lack of proximity. Although the nervous shock suffered by the three was directly related to the injury suffer

Chinas Stocks Head for Weekly Gain on Policy Outlook, Europe Article

Chinas Stocks Head for Weekly Gain on Policy Outlook, Europe - Article Example According to the article, the stocks experience the biggest gain during the week in question influenced by signs that the Greek debt problem will be resolved and speculation and rumors about expected policy changes by the government. The European Union has been reeling under a string of debt crisis in several of its members the most notable being Greece, Portugal, Ireland and recently Italy. This crisis has had an effect on stocks across the globe. Although Europe’s problems may seem less of a concern to China, the truth is that what happens in Europe affects China in a big way. This is because the EU is the largest export market for China’s goods. The EU accounts for 25% of China’s exports. In the first nine months of 2011, trade between China and Europe rose 21.8% year-on-year to stand at $372.12 billion according to statistics from Chinese authorities. The EU debt crisis has a direct bearing on China’s economy because a reduction in demand here means a reduction in China’s export. Since China’s economy is export-based, any reductions in the number of exports have the net effect of slowing down the country’s economic growth. This is exactly what the crisis in Greece, Spain, Portugal and most recent Italy has done. This paper is going to evaluate the relationship between the EU debt crisis and the performance of China’s stock exchanges. The paper will find that when there is a crisis in Europe, the demand for China’s goods in these region goes down which affects the performance of the exporting companies leading to lower export earnings. The lower earnings drive the prices of the stocks involved down. On the contrary, positive indicators on the EU economic performance drive up the value of the stock in the market as people become more optimistic.

Attitude, Emotions, Personality, and Values Essay

Attitude, Emotions, Personality, and Values - Essay Example In this kind of situation, individuals act confidently towards the subject. People’s behaviors are also influenced by attitudes and emotion when a similar attitude is repeatedly expressed. Additionally, people may opt to alter their attitude in order to align with their behaviors in the workplace and other social places (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 2007). An individual’s behavior is to a greater extent influenced by his/her personality and values. A person’s personality influences his/her extraversion, which is an extremely crucial aspect in human behavior. It entails the level in which an individual is sociable, outgoing, and talkative. Extraversion helps in demonstrating some individual traits such as the behavior of an inspirational leader. Personality and value also influence individuals’ agreeable behaviors. Agreeable behavior demonstrates the extent to which an individual is tolerant, kindness, warm, and sensitivity. These traits are to a great extent influenced by a person’s values and personality. Personality and value also determines one’s neuroticism traits. Neuroticism entails the level in which an individual is moody, temperamental or anxious. Individuals’ mood plays a significant role in determining behavior both in social setup and in the workplace (Hockenbury and Hockenbury, 20 07). Employee performance is considerably influenced by the level of satisfaction and motivation in an organization. Employees are always motivated toward improving their performance through five main plans. These include recognition, appreciation, satisfaction, inspiration, recognition, and compensation. To improve employee performance in workplace, motivation is very relevant and essential. Motivation increases employees’ performance and commitment in all excellence levels. There is always a very strong linkage between motivated and satisfied employee and employee performance. To satisfy and motivate employees for effective performance, managers need to

Approaches for Organisational Management

Approaches for Organisational Management Introduction: Human resource management is a strategic and rational approach towards the management of the organisations most esteemed assets, the people who normally work inside the organisation independently and collectively contribute to the accomplishment of its goals organisational success progressively depends on the abilities, knowledge and skills of the employees mainly as the help to establish a set of core competencies that distinguish an organisation from its competitors. In modern market place human resource management plays an important role for the existence of modern business organisation. However, the role of HRM strategies is massive for development of the business through organisational success. Different approaches to HRM to aid the development of business strategy: The meaning and nature of HRM has aggravated much debate (for an overview see Legge, 1995).Sisson (1990) Distinguished HRM by explaining four distinguishing features, that is the assimilation of personnel policies with business planning; responsibility From specialists to line managers responsibility has to be shifted; uniqueness in the management of employee relations and an emphasis on securing employee dedication and initiative. Guest (1992, p.42) argues that HRM is designed to produce, Strategic integration, high commitment, high quality and flexibility and that, Strategic integration refers to the ability of the organisation to integrate HRM issues into its strategic plans, to ensure that the various aspects of HRM cohere and for line managers to fit in an HRM perspective into their decision-making. Hendry and Pettigrew (1986) contrast that strategic HRM is featured by four fundamentals: the use of planning; the design by a coherent approach and management of workforce systems underpinned by some philosophy; business approach is coordinated with the HRM actions and policy; and considering the people of the organisation as strategic resources in the accomplishment of competitive strategy. Human resource requires in an organisation will vary at different stages in the business life cycle and so HR policy choices need to be personalized to the appropriate stage (Kochan and Barocci,1985; Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall, 1988). Sisson (1994) suggests that it was the pursuit of competitive advantage in the.There is a number of different approaches in HRM to aid the development of business strategy. It can be professed as social ethics, reminding the senior management about their social responsibilities.HRM department spent most of time functioning on personal welfare problems. The main concern of HRM is the control of personnel as well as reduces the absent rate of employee, work force budgeting and headcount. In other way of HRM helps to develop the business, likewise, to adapt the company with the change and strives to have positive influences by using social science applications to man agreement problems by via job redesign, job satisfaction scheme and techniques of communication. Sometimes HRM deals with job recruitment, transfer and termination by the request from manager. Moreover, human resource management concerned strategic business planning, developing long-term human resources plan and industrial relation strategy. HR planning and acquisition Organisation design structure Organisations strategy Training development Compensation Management Organisation Performance Management Management of employee relations HR mobility management HR toolbox management Figure: Human Resource Management system The key success of any business organisation is human resource. So HRM use these human resources effectively to meet the strategic business objectives of the organisation. Necessity of alignment between organisations corporate strategy and objectives and its human resource strategy: In perfect world, the business and strategic organisational plan are the translated form of organisational mission and goals. According to the principle of alignment, to achieve corporate goals in every aspects of an organisations activities have to be incorporated and pull together. The performance of the people within the organisation depends on the achievement of strategy and vision which in turn calls for high level of motivation and dedication among employees. The organisational mission, goals and values is reflected by the performance of the employees and their excellent performance relies on the opportunities how much they are getting from the business. In an organisation different functional area like: marketing, manufacturing and human resource, after formulating corporate and business level strategy managers need to translate strategic precedence into these areas. This contains all the different aspects of business but predominantly have to be comprehensible between the requirements of organisations strategy and HR policy. There are two types of fit that HR policy and practices require to attain: a) Internal alignment b) External alignment Internal Alignment: In internal alignment managers must have to make sure that their HR practices are all associated with one another within the organisations to set up a formation that is reinforced mutually. From organisations point of view the whole variety of HR practices-job design, training, staffing, performance appraisal and compensation must have to be focused on the same personnel objectives. External Alignment: The link between business strategies and key initiatives in human resource are mainly focused by external alignment. The processes required in order to assess the effectiveness of human resource strategy and its impact on overall corporate strategy: Diagram: Typical strategic recruitment process Dynamic Environment Recruitment requisition Position analysis Vision Position description Strategic business plan Human resource strategy Human resource plans and policy Recruitment process Position evaluation Key stakeholders Budget check sourcing Dynamic Environment Pool of applicants Selection process Source: Nankervis A, Compton, R, Braid, M, 2005, Strategic Human Resource Management (6th edition), Cengage, South Melbourne. Recruitment: A major concern is a recruitment and retention of staff; especially where the pool of availability of workforce is limited. However, due to the requirement of high skill personnel, a shortage of prospective recruits exists in an organisation. The decision of staffing has been formalised by the HRM department at head office. Organisations provide work for people in different position to achieve their own goals. Most of the organisations have vacancy at different time around the year and they need to be filled them on time to continue their work effectively. For recruit and select the best person for the vacancy organisations have to follow certain processes. The personnel decision process helps the organisation to make a decision about the person to who is going to appoint. It makes sure that it will be fairly treated with all the individuals who are going to apply for the post. All the candidates are evaluated on the basis of related skills and behaviours. The outputs of every decision affect the working lives of employees, whose requirements must be met. The organisational productivity increasingly depends on these employees because of hiring right person for the job. The human resources decisions based on the following seven steps: 1. Getting job oriented information through job analysis. The process of identifying tasks, duties and responsibilities is job analysis. Once it has been completed, job analysis leads to identify the knowledge, abilities and skills required to do the job that is job description. After that, organisations will continue through job specification. 2. Identify the measures of job success: There is way of measuring job success called criteria and that is measured through organisational psychologist. 3. Identify predictors and measures 4. Determining the relationship between and predictors job success 5. Developing a recruitment strategy 6. Implementing the selection process 7. Determining the worth of selection system An organisation basically follows two strategies for recruiting suitable qualified individuals. These are- Internal recruitment An Organisation first tries to fill an open position internally through current employees inside the organisation by advertising. External recruitment There are wide range of strategies for recruiting people from outside the organisation like-giving advertisement at newspaper by providing information about job requirements, job duties and responsibilities. The other way of recruiting is through internet. It will create problems for them who dont have the access the internet. Large organisations visit campuses of universities of technologies to recruit their candidates is known as campus recruitment. Sometimes organisations employ human resources recruitment agencies and their services are to provide the whole recruitment process. These are not on low-cost. The least costly external recruitment technique is employee referrals technique. This is a technique by which ask to someone in current employees about they have someone who is interested for this open position. The main advantages of external recruitment are that helps to get new ideas and skills into the organisation. Sometimes it does create problems for them because they dont have knowledge about the new environment and culture. Employees need to spend more time on that. Selection: The process of choosing appropriate candidates for the organisation when it has received applications for open jobs is known as selection. This is the final steps of recruitment process. It is the combinations of eight basic steps. Recruiting candidates Carrying out application form Screening test Checking of reference Arrangement of psychological test Arrange interview for selection Medical check up Making an offer to successful candidates There are some additional terms which used by the organisational psychologist during the process of selection. These are-job selection ratios, realistic preview of job and cut-off. Retention: It is very important and ongoing issue. Its a serious problem when an organisation will have to face continuously for the estimated future. An organisation always wants to retain employees in short of supply and they want to have alternatives. Organisations always keep going on developing their own plan to retain employees by conveying responsibility. The main base of retention job description, recruitment, selection and orientation. Mainly retention focus on job satisfaction and fit with the organisational culture and the strategies based on this should focus on maximising three types of satisfaction. These are personal, professional and social. If organisation fails to recruit right person for the right track then organisations has to suffer and employees has to suffer as well. For example; hidden cost incurred by the management to fix that problems. For that reason organisation has to loss their productivity. From the employees point of view-they have to face problems due to not h aving proper skills in specified job. They have to spent more time and energy on finding new position. Overall they become frustrated. Communication, recognition and future orientation are the key attributes for successful strategies for retention. There are different types of retention strategies based on organisational situations-strategies based on compensation, strategies based on work environment and strategies based on career orientation. Strategy based on compensation: There are some organisation focuses on compensation such as IT firms. Strategies based on work environment: Most of the organisations focus on internal environment of the organisation or the culture of the organisation. Strategies based on career development: some companies focus on retention strategies through career development. Training, Learning and Development: Training plays an important role for the development of all employees which responds to individuals and helps to achieve organisational requirements by improving performance and understanding (Armstrong, 1992).Considering with the strategic direction, how the organisations core competencies of employees can be identified and advantages taken from environmental factors. From the training and development terms, this can implement the classical training cycle and business planning come close to determining training needs (Mayo and Pickard, 1998). Organisation objective Planning Evaluating Delivering Figure: Business objectives within the training life cycle (winter, 1995). The training strategy is a system that determines the competencies required for the organization in the future and how it can be achieved. Organisations need these training strategies for different perspectives like- -To increase the productivity through expenditure on capital improvements -To increase the productivity through spending on developing human capital Different methods of training for people: Generally there are two types of training methods. a) On-site training methods 1) On the job training: In this training method, trainees get training under the direction of someone and encouraging them to gain knowledge and observe more and more from the existing experienced employees. Though its formal training so every employee get some initial knowledge from it. 2) Job rotation: This training method allows people to move in different department of the organisations. Through this job rotation employees develop skills in different section more than they would get from staying in one department. 3) Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship is a particular form on the job training though which a particular level employees used to get information about skilled trade (Goldstein Ford, 2002).For example; different company like:-electrician,plumber,carpenter,pipefitter,sheet metal worker etc. Is used this approach. b) Off-site training methods 1) Classroom lectures: Its one of the common methods of job training. It can provide large number of information at a time and easy to deliver it to the large no of trainees at a time. 2) Instruction in the form written material or forms based on computer. 3) Computer based training (CBT): Its a way training by which trainees can communicate and transfer and get information from instructor through computer, television etc. (Goldstein Ford, 2002).Its distance learning. Development of HR: Human Resource is the framework for employees can develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, abilities. Human resource development include; employee training, employee career, development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification. Understand the organizational needs and future demand as well as future capability, and know what talent it has available to it. And prove, as far possible, a career challenge to individuals that helps them to meet their aspirations. In developing the organization, personal development also important for the organizational improvement, because a individual persons are the set of organizational power mean resources. In bellow there the method of development: Individual Support- Organizational Interest- Dialogue Accreditation Organizational Mapping Performance Management Career-counselling Succession planning Appraisal discussion Career-planning Secondments Career discussion Personal plans Manpower/skills planning Development centres Mentoring Training prioritisation Vacancy management Learning resource centres Retention Strategies Self-managed learning 360 degree feedback Potential assessment Managerial coaching External coaching High-flyer development Flexible working Training facilities getting to grips with the needs of a job quickly, and by improving the knowledge and skill of worker it allows the employee improved quality, and enhance of skill based on the employee could lead to their job enrichment with benefits to both the person and the organization. Motivational impact of training in a manifest when staff feel a sense of reorganization when sent on training course, and after been trained they are motivated to acquire new skills, particularly when rewards follow the acquisition and use of skills. Identification with organization could be fostered when a better understanding of mission statements and corporate objectives is achieved through training. Strategies for positive employee relation: Employees are the stake holder of the organisation and cant be compared with task, functions, process or products. Emotional support and personal considerations are required for them to understand them. Its very complicated to draw up employees inventory and arrange them in warehouse in a systematic way. Any decisions regarding this will attempt a negative impact on them and may cause a break down in operations. So it is very important for the organisation to identify and value those differences and always give importance on the achieving positive and fruitful employee relations. The main concern of employee relations strategy: How to minimise the conflict by maintaining employee relations through building stable and cooperative relationships. How to achieve employee commitment though involvement of employee involvement and communication processes. -How to develop interest in employees towards the achievement of organisational goals. Strategic direction. The approaches of human resource management towards employee relations: To drive them for commitment: To get all the employees with the organisations by winning their heart and minds and make sure a fruitful return on training and development. A emphasizing on mutuality: getting the letter across that we are all together in this. A shifting of collective bargaining in the organisation to individual. By using of employee involvement techniques. Through applying total quality management (TQM) To use human resources more effectively sometimes increase flexibility in working environment, including multi skilling By giving more importance on team work Once organisation has established it is very difficult to change the organisations culture, this means to change the employee relationships culture is also difficult. The organisation will become more successful when senior management think employee relationship strategically in employee perception rather than rival organisations. It can be achieved simply by aiming to recruit and retain more effectively and by developing employee relationship strategies to increase the overall satisfaction of employees though chances (like feeling interest in job, job security, positive completion, and influence them performance) and decrease the dissatisfaction Performance management: Performance in an organisation cannot be defined but it can be measured. Its measurement of muti-dimentional construct depending on variety of factors (Bates and Holton, 1995). Bernadin el al (1995) concerned that Outcomes of work should be defined as performance because it creates a strong linkage with organisational goals, customer satisfactions and economic contributions. It is about managing of the organisation in the perspective of internal and external environment. There are different stages of performance management showed in figure 2.1: High performance Improved performance Low performance Start year Agreement of performance During year Monitoring and review against agreement End year Review of main performance Figure 2.1: Different stages of performance management Performance management involves continuous review of performance against organisational objectives, requirements and plans and the performance agreement, enhancement by implementation and developments line-up for the next. Business strategy, employee development and total quality management (TQM) are main processes in the business that should be linked with the performance management for achieving business performance (Hartle, 1995). Basically the force for vertical and horizontal integration is performance management.Vertical integration: Vertically It can be achieved in two ways. Firstly, it facilitates the coalition of strategies and plans of the business with individuals and teams. There targeted aims are those that support the success of corporate goals.secondly, the organisational core values and capabilities should take place through vertical integration as well as values adopted and the level of potential achieved by individuals. Valuing peopleHorizontal integration: It is the association of performance management and human resource strategies that deals with valuing, paying, relating and developing people. Organisations effectiveness can be increased through the impact of performance management. The effectiveness of the organisations can be improved by adopting with various processes of managing, motivating and developing people through successful integration with performance management. It shows in figure 1.3: Developing people Performance management Paying people People involvement Figure 1.3: Performance management as a central point for integrated HR activities Reward: The main purpose of reward is to increase job performance, productivity, meet the customer expectation and to hold recognition. In other way- To achieve the goal To accomplish the task on time To take out boring from work place To promote the employee to work To meet the higher and lower order needs Strategies for reward: All employees are in the reward strategy for example: line managers, stake holders. All the employees work hard with skills and effort in return they get salary and other performance bonus from employers. Its also good relationships developed between employees and employers through good working environment and excellent communication. In broader sense strategic aims include: To introduce a more incorporated approach to reward management and encouraging the employees through continuous personal development. To develop flexible approach. To reward people according to employees contribution. To make a clear specification about what behaviour will be rewarded and why. Reward management: According to Contingency theory applied to reward: Different reward strategies are required for organisational diversity and cultures. Different reward strategies and its usefulness vary according the organisations policies and practices. Business strategies may take forward the business strategy inside the organisation. The interrelationship between the employees and managers will influence the strategies at different levels in the organisations. Performance related pay should depends on the way motivation of employees Initiatives for specific rewards: It depends on the examination of present circumstances in the organisation and need of evaluation of the business and its employees. Examples of some possible initiatives: The establishment of contribution pay scheme through replacing of present methods of contingent pay The initialisation of new grades and pay structure The substitution job evaluation scheme with more clarified scheme that shows values and needs of the organisation. The improvement of flexible benefit system The arrangement of announcement and training programmes to tell all the employees about the reward policies and practices. Development of Reward strategy: Development of strategy: In todays organisation is facing fast changing economic environment, technological advancement and globalisation. Organisations have to cope up with these changes. The close fit between business strategy and HR strategy actually help to reach their desired target. From the business point of view, it has to take account on trend such as concentration on core business, market segments, get maximum values from reward system, and give more importance on flexibility. They have to change the old system with the best practices to meet these requirements. The design of reward system must need to be fair and need to operate consistently to recognize individuals needs. There are many steps for developing strategies: Determine the main issues for business strategy that affects the reward and policy To find out crucial success factors for the business and need to think implications for human resource and reward strategies. Need to keep in eye on old reward strategies and identify any change require for that to adapt that with new changes of the organisations. To identify the implications for HR plans to establish future needs. Discuss with the consultant about how to develop reward strategies Consider external factors like policies of government, income tax regulations, peoples pay and pressure from local or international. Conclusion: At the end we can conclude the importance of human resource management strategies in an organisational context by summarising the needs that for effective running of the business HRM is essential. It is not possible to run the organisation without engaging human resource management. Human resource management need to be active in order to maintain all the section within a short time. Moreover, human resource management helps to enhance the productivity of an organisations people through hiring right person at right place at time by making good strategies. HRM also motivate their employees through various ways like pay and reward. This is way how human resource management helps in achieving the overall performance of the organisation through developing strategies and implementing them effectively towards the organisational success.

Blocking & Filtering Essay -- essays research papers

"Any content-based regulation of the Internet, no matter how benign the purpose, could burn the global village to roast the pig." U.S. Supreme Court majority decision, Reno v. ACLU (June 26, 1997) Blocking and filtering software for the Internet is one of the most hotly debated topics regarding free speech and the Internet. Many have criticized blocking software for being both under and over inclusive, and others have argued that blocking software should not be used at all in public institutions such as libraries and schools. On the other side, supporters of blocking software claim that is a legitimate method to regulate access to "inappropriate" material on the Internet, especially access for minors. But, before we begin to look at these debates directly, we have to examine how the different types of blocking software available work. Nearly all blocking software contains several features that enable the user to customize it for their particular preferences. Users can set the particular levels and/or categories they want the software to screen. So, for example, a user could instruct his browser to block all nudity and sex acts, but still allow sex education and intolerance, while another users could do the opposite. Another common feature is the ability to unblock particular web sites when they are blocked. So, if a user was attempting to access the CNN web site, and it was blocked because it contained, for example, the Starr report, the user could unblock it. A final common feature of most blocking software is that it can be turned on and off for particular users on a particular machine, so that parents can turn the software on when their children are using the computer, but allow themselves unlimited access. Blocking software works in several major ways: blocking by word, blocking particular sites, blocking all sites except those on a "white list," and blocking by preset ratings. Most of the first blocking software worked by blocking words; the software would scan web sites for certain, unacceptable words such as "breast" or "sex." This type of software was often ridiculed, because it is ridiculously over broad, for example blocking sites on breast cancer or news sites about the President. In addition, this type of blocking has the disadvantage of not being able to scan pictures for unacceptable m... ...ts computers. Representative Bob Franks of New Jersey introduced a similar bill in the House, dubbed the "Safe Schools Internet Act of 1999". In addition, the constitutionality of library filters has been, and continues to be, litigated in several cases. All cases decided to this point have declared mandatory filters on all library computers to be unconstitutional. Many argue that the PICS system is the best way to provide for parental empowerment in order to manage their children's internet use. These people point out that, at least for now, the PICS system is voluntary and that third parties can rate sites. The rating systems used in conjunction with PICS establish a uniform standard that parents can rely on, instead of the opinions of software companies' list makers. The purpose behind Internet filters is to provide parents, educators and other with an effective tool to protect minors from harmful material through their computers. At first blush they appear to be a simple technological fix to the problem of indecency on the Internet. However, this simple solution has touched off a firestorm of controversy, which show no signs of cooling off in the near future.

Cast of Bahay Kubo

The wife of Perry, the adopted mother of Lily, Dahlla,JR, Jasmine, Violet, and Daisy, and the biological mother of Rose. Eric Quizon as Perry – The husband of Eden, the adopted father of Lily, Dahlia, JR, Jasmine, Violet, and Daisy, and the biological father of Rose. Eugene Domingo as Marang – The best friend of Eden and the wife of Habagat. Gloria Romero as Lola Ida – The mother of Eden, the dopted grandmother of Lily, Dahlia,JR, Jasmine, Violet, and Daisy, and the biological grandmother of Rose.Shaina Magdayao as Rose – The only biological daughter of Eden and Perry, the biological granddaughter of Ida, and the step-sibling of Lily, Dahlia, JR, Jasmine, Violet, and Daisy. She always has a rivalry on her step-sibling, Lily. She also hates Cholo so much because he kept on annoying her. Marian Rivera as Lily – The first daughter Eden adopted. She always has a rivalry on her step-sibling, Rose. Yasmien Kurdi as Dahlia – The second daughter Eden adopted whose ambition was to become a famous actress.Jlro Manto as JR – The third person and only son Eden adopted. Isabella de Leon as Jasmine – Along with her biological sister Violet, she is the fourth person and third daughter Eden adopted. Rita Iringan as Violet – Along with her biological sister Jasmine, she Is the fourth person and third daughter Eden adopted. Sam Bumatay as Daisy – The fifth and last person Eden adopted and is also he youngest among her seven siblings.Supporting cast[edit] Rayver Cruz as Cholo – A classmate of Rose who kept annoying her. Mark Herras as lake – A classmate of Lily who kept stalking her. Bearwin Meily as Habagat – The husband of Marang. AJ Perez t as Daniel – Cholo's best friend. Bela Padilla as Janet – Rose's best friend and a classmate of Cholo and Daniel. Anita Linda as Amelia Mhalouh Crlsologo as Allng Tiny – Another friend of Eden and Marang. Julia Montes as Young Lily Jane Oineza as Young Rose

Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Essay Example

Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Essay Example Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Paper Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Paper Essay Topic: American Beauty Film Where is the beauty in a plastic bag, a deceased bird, a dead person? Strange questions you may think if you havent seen the film American Beauty but it is one persons obsession with beauty that creates a fascination and a particular attraction towards it that makes it all comprehensible. Ricky Fitz, the new next door neighbour to the troubled Burnham family, adds a new dimension to their mundane lives, in some cases simplifying their situation and in other cases, complicating it. Ricky is generally a very interesting character that really captures an audience and entices them to look at life from another angle. He has a poor, harmful family relationship that he looks to escape from through change, a characteristic of all the characters in the film. He shares a sensual and physical relationship with the girl next door, Jane, whilst he also has a strong relationship with her father, Lester, a some what complacent and immature character. It is Rickys vision of beauty though, that really makes him stand out and makes him so quizzical. Ricky is generally a very insightful person, curious and up front. He is very honest about his feelings and his past, illustrated many times, but particularly when Jane asked him why he was sent to a mental institution and he was able to answer calmly and confidently. He dresses in a very specific way which is ordered and neat, described by another character, Angela, as a bible salesman. This is understandable due to the regimented life he lived, ruled by an ex-army officer, his father. His house is very symmetrical and cold, a symbol of the lack of connection between family members. Everything in the house is in perfect order and very clean; the slightest thing out of place would have been recognised suggested by the situation when Rickys father was able to work out that Ricky had been in his room, violently reacting. His bedroom is very orderly, clothes neatly folded and shelves stacked very neatly. His room expresses no colour or warmth, it is just an imperfect and futile room. Emotionally, Ricky comes across as strong, saying, I dont get scared but was institutionalised for losing control and being pushed over the edge. Everything bad about Rickys character could be blamed on the morose state of his family relationship. It is worth contemplating that if Ricky didnt get out when he did he could have turned out like his mother, an abused, reclusive person. As a result she was always on edge and couldnt relax around her husband. Ricky was abused by his father, but obviously not to the extent of his mother. We know this by the two scenes when he was physically assaulted by his father, yet he just accepted it. The family is a picture of dysfunction, illustrated by the scene when they are all sitting on the couch and the mother is trying to face the other way and avoid confrontation, the father is sitting upright, trying to act as the boss and Ricky on the other end absorbing the awkward silence of the moment. Ricky is eighteen and yet his father still does not know how to act around him or hold a proper conversation with him. There is also no trust between father and son depicted by the scene when Ricky had supply a urine sample yet he deceived his father by giving him a false supply. It is like his father saw his role, solely to teach Ricky structure and discipline. When Ricky eventually leaves, although a touching moment, there is no real emotion shown, he was not sad to leave. Ricky found a rare and hidden beauty in Jane, the girl from the adjacent house. To the average person, Jane is portrayed as a confused, unattractive and depressed person. However Ricky sees a form of beauty that we cant, attracting the two toward each other. Jane is strangely comforted by the attention of being filmed by Ricky making her curious about what he found interest about her. She even believes that she is unattractive portrayed by her interested in plastic surgery. Ricky remains totally focussed on Jane. He sees that no other girl has this kind of beauty that she has represented by his filming when he avoids the stereotypical beauty in Angela and zooms in on Janes reflection in the mirror. The development of their relationship allows Jane to open up and become more honest to herself and others; she starts to develop some of the personal traits of Ricky. A good example of this is when she stands up to her father and tells him that she is embarrassed by the way he acts when Angela is staying over. Something that she wouldnt have done before she met Ricky. Despite growing in similarity, when they contemplated a life away from home, their differences become obvious as Jane still feels for her family despite not sharing a great relationship with them. Lester Burnham, a casual and unenthusiastic character, is almost brought to life and re-ignited by Ricky. Arguably it was the beauty of Angela that was responsible for the rebirth but his encounter with Ricky gave him confidence and mental strength to change depicted through the party scene when Ricky calmly and boldly quit his job, an issue that most of us would have a lot of trouble doing. Lester responded by say, You have just become my personal hero, so impressed by his actions. It was the turning point in Lesters stupid little life when he started to take responsibility for his actions and do something about his mundane life. He became more assured and gained a belief in himself that he had never had before. We can draw this conclusion due to his actions, such as buying a car he had always wanted, quit his job and started to work out. The two share a close relationship but not as close as Rickys dad thinks. It is this misunderstanding that brings about Lesters death. Therefore it is arguable to say that the relationship had a positive and negative effect for Lester. Ricky does not see beauty in a rose, perfection, or a slim blonde but in obscure, natural elements. He describes beauty as though God is looking at you. The most beautiful thing he has ever filmed was a plastic bag, describing the electricity in it and that this bag was just dancing with me. To us the bag is just swirling around in the air, but Ricky can see the beauty in the lovely transient movement of the bag. Earlier in the film Jane and Angela caught him filming a dead bird. To him this was another form of beauty as was Lesters dead body, with his head resting on the table, blood streaming from his head. It makes Ricky happy to think that Lester was now free and contented. It seems that the seductive beauty that Ricky sees is the only thing that is capable of making him drop his guard and show any sort of emotion. Teeming with tears, he explains, Sometimes there is so much beauty in the world that I feel I cant take it. It is just evidence that beauty has such a great impact on people, even the most mentally strong.

On Virtue and Happiness, by John Stuart Mill

On Virtue and Happiness, by John Stuart Mill English philosopher and social reformer John Stuart Mill was one of the major intellectual figures of the 19th century and a founding member of the Utilitarian Society. In the following excerpt from his long philosophical essay Utilitarianism, Mill relies on strategies of classification and division to defend the utilitarian doctrine that happiness is the sole end of human action. On Virtue and Happiness by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) The utilitarian doctrine is, that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things being only desirable as means to that end. What ought to be required of this doctrine,what conditions is it requisite that the doctrine should fulfill, to make good its claim to be believed? The only proof capable of being given that an object is visible, is that people actually see it. The only proof that a sound is audible, is that people hear it; and so of the other sources of our experience. In like manner, I apprehend, the sole evidence it is possible to produce that anything is desirable, is that people do actually desire it. If the end which the utilitarian doctrine proposes to itself were not, in theory and in practice, acknowledged to be an end, nothing could ever convince any person that it was so. No reason can be given why the general happiness is desirable, except that each person, so far as he believes it to be attainable, desires his own happiness. This, however, being a fact, we have not only all the proof which the case admits of, but all which it is possible to require, that happiness is a good, that each persons happiness is a good to that person, and the general happiness, therefore, a good to the aggregate of all persons. Happiness has made out its t itle as one of the ends of conduct, and consequently one of the criteria of morality. But it has not, by this alone, proved itself to be the sole criterion. To do that, it would seem, by the same rule, necessary to show, not only that people desire happiness, but that they never desire anything else. Now it is palpable that they do desire things which, in common language, are decidedly distinguished from happiness. They desire, for example, virtue, and the absence of vice, no less really than pleasure and the absence of pain. The desire of virtue is not as universal, but it is as authentic a fact, as the desire of happiness. And hence the opponents of the utilitarian standard deem that they have a right to infer that there are other ends of human action besides happiness, and that happiness is not the standard of approbation and disapprobation. But does the utilitarian doctrine deny that people desire virtue, or maintain that virtue is not a thing to be desired? The very reverse. It maintains not only that virtue is to be desired, but that it is to be desired disinterestedly, for itself. Whatever may be the opinion of utilitarian moralists as to the original conditions by which virtue is made virtue, however they may believe (as they do) that actions and dispositions are only virtuous because they promote another end than virtue, yet this being granted, and it having been decided, from considerations of this description, what is virtuous, they not only place virtue at the very head of the things which are good as means to the ultimate end, but they also recognize as a psychological fact the possibility of its being, to the individual, a good in itself, without looking to any end beyond it; and hold, that the mind is not in a right state, not in a state conformable to Utility, not in the state most conducive to the general h appiness, unless it does love virtue in this manner- as a thing desirable in itself, even although, in the individual instance, it should not produce those other desirable consequences which it tends to produce, and on account of which it is held to be virtue. This opinion is not, in the smallest degree, a departure from the Happiness principle. The ingredients of happiness are very various, and each of them is desirable in itself, and not merely when considered as swelling an aggregate. The principle of utility does not mean that any given pleasure, as music, for instance, or any given exemption from pain, as for example health, is to be looked upon as means to a collective something termed happiness, and to be desired on that account. They are desired and desirable in and for themselves; besides being means, they are a part of the end. Virtue, according to the utilitarian doctrine, is not naturally and originally part of the end, but it is capable of becoming so; and in those who love it disinterestedly it has become so, and is desired and cherished, not as a means to happiness, but as a part of their happiness. Concluded on page two Continued from page oneTo illustrate this farther, we may remember that virtue is not the only thing, originally a means, and which if it were not a means to anything else, would be and remain indifferent, but which by association with what it is a means to, comes to be desired for itself, and that too with the utmost intensity. What, for example, shall we say of the love of money? There is nothing originally more desirable about money than about any heap of glittering pebbles. Its worth is solely that of the things which it will buy; the desires for other things than itself, which it is a means of gratifying. Yet the love of money is not only one of the strongest moving forces of human life, but money is, in many cases, desired in and for itself; the desire to possess it is often stronger than the desire to use it, and goes on increasing when all the desires which point to ends beyond it, to be compassed by it, are falling off. It may, then, be said truly, that money is desired not for the sake of an end, but as part of the end. From being a means to happiness, it has come to be itself a principal ingredient of the individuals conception of happiness. The same may be said of the majority of the great objects of human life:power, for example, or fame; except that to each of these there is a certain amount of immediate pleasure annexed, which has at least the semblance of being naturally inherent in them- a thing which cannot be said of money. Still, however, the strongest natural attraction, both of power and of fame, is the immense aid they give to the attainment of our other wishes; and it is the strong association thus generated between them and all our objects of desire, which gives to the direct desire of them the intensity it often assumes, so as in some characters to surpass in strength all other desires. In these cases the means have become a part of the end, and a more important part of it than any of the things which they are means to. What was once desired as an instrument for the attainment of ha ppiness, has come to be desired for its own sake. In being desired for its own sake it is, however, desired as part of happiness. The person is made, or thinks he would be made, happy by its mere possession; and is made unhappy by failure to obtain it. The desire of it is not a different thing from the desire of happiness, any more than the love of music, or the desire of health. They are included in happiness. They are some of the elements of which the desire of happiness is made up. Happiness is not an abstract idea, but a concrete whole; and these are some of its parts. And the utilitarian standard sanctions and approves their being so. Life would be a poor thing, very ill provided with sources of happiness, if there were not this provision of nature, by which things originally indifferent, but conducive to, or otherwise associated with, the satisfaction of our primitive desires, become in themselves sources of pleasure more valuable than the primitive pleasures, both in permanency, in the space of human existence that they are capable of covering, and even in intensity. Virtue, according to the utilitarian conception, is a good of this description. There was no original desire of it, or motive to it, save its conduciveness to pleasure, and especially to protection from pain. But through the association thus formed, it may be felt a good in itself, and desired as such with as great intensity as any other good; and with this difference between it and the love of money, of power, or of fame- that all of these may, and often do, render the individual noxious to the other members of the society to which he belongs, whereas there is nothing which makes him so much a blessing to them as the cultivation of the disinterested love of virtue. And consequently, the utilitarian standard, while it tolerates and approves those other acquired desires, up to the point beyond which they would be more injurious to the general happiness than promotive of it, enjoins and requires the cultivation of the love of virtue up to the greatest strength possible, as being above all things important to the general happiness. It results from the preceding considerations, that there is in reality nothing desired except happiness. Whatever is desired otherwise than as a means to some end beyond itself, and ultimately to happiness, is desired as itself a part of happiness, and is not desired for itself until it has become so. Those who desire virtue for its own sake, desire it either because the consciousness of it is a pleasure, or because the consciousness of being without it is a pain, or for both reasons united; as in truth the pleasure and pain seldom exist separately, but almost always together- the same person feeling pleasure in the degree of virtue attained, and pain in not having attained more. If one of these gave him no pleasure, and the other no pain, he would not love or desire virtue, or would desire it only for the other benefits which it might produce to himself or to persons whom he cared for. We have now, then, an answer to the question, of what sort of proof the principle of utility is susceptible. If the opinion which I have now stated is psychologically true- if human nature is so constituted as to desire nothing which is not either a part of happiness or a means of happiness, we can have no other proof, and we require no other, that these are the only things desirable. If so, happiness is the sole end of human action, and the promotion of it the test by which to judge of all human conduct; from whence it necessarily follows that it must be the criterion of morality, since a part is included in the whole. (1863)

Legalizing Marijuana in Arizona Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Legalizing Marijuana in Arizona - Essay Example â€Å"The Arizona department of health was then tasked with the regulation of sales and the use of marijuana solely for medicinal purposes†. In this quote, Donovan uses alliteration as is shown by the repetition of consonants sounds to bring about flow in the sentence. After the Proposition 203 had been approved, specific rules were put in place explaining who was allowed to grow, distribute, and or to use marijuana for the said medicinal purposes. It is vital to note that marijuana cannot be used for every medical condition. The discussion only gets as interesting as it is controversial. Thus, when Scott Cecil, a board member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, faced felony charges of possessing marijuana for his own personal use, he began to think that the war on drugs was targeting the wrong crowd. According to him, â€Å"the incident made me realize that every year; hundreds of thousands of people were arrested in connection to marijuana as well as other drugs. It is wr ong as these people had not committed any violent crimes nor were they selling drugs.† In his defense, they were just using the drugs for their recreational purposes. Mr. Scott’s sentiments are echoed by Mr. Dennis Bolkhe, the treasurer for Safer Arizona, who argues that Arizona would be a safe place when marijuana is legalized. Mr. Scott says that â€Å"the arresting of marijuana sellers, users, or distributors is completely outrageous and hence people should not be jailed for such†.

Joseph Brant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Joseph Brant - Essay Example Perhaps no Freemason who ever lived in America has been so condemned by some authors and praised by others as Joseph Brant, the powerful and influential Mohawk chief who sided with the British during the American Revolutionary War.Born at Cuyahoga Ohio Country on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, near present-day Akron, Ohio, during the hunting season when Mohawks travelled to the area, Brant was originally named Thayendanegea, which has possibilities of meaning two wagers (sticks) bound together for strength, or "he who places two bets." The parents of Joseph Brant were Mohawks whose home was at Canajoharie on the Mohawk River in New York. Brant, however, was born on the banks of the Ohio River in 1742 while his parents were on a hunting excursion to that region.(1) His father was Nickus (or "Nicholas") of the Wolfe family, who, although not a chief, was a Mohawk of some standing in the tribe. His mother Margaret, or Owandah, the niece of Tiaogeara, a Caughnawaga sachem, took Joseph and his older sister Mary , alsoknown as Molly, to Canajoharie, on the Mohawk River in east-central New York, where she had lived before her family moved to the Ohio River. His mother remarried on 9 September 1753 in Fort Hunter (Church of England) a widower named Brant Canagaraduncka, who was a sachem of the tribe. Thus he got the name of Brant.Sir William Johnson, the British superintendent of the northern Indians of America, who was extremely popular with the tribes under his supervision, developed a liking for Brant when he was just in his youth. During his time with the Iroquois, Johnson became particularly close to the Mohawk tribes. He was also a Mason and a former Provincial Grand Master of the New York colony. In 1759 Johnson's wife, Catherine died and he then married his Indian mistress who happened to be Brant's sister, Molly in an Indian ceremony later that year. It was due largely to Johnsons relationship with Molly that Brant received the favor and protection of Sir William and through him the British government, which set Brant on the road to promotion. Brant and a number of young Mohawks were selected by Johnson to attend Moors Charity School for Indians at Lebanon, Connecticut- the school which was later to become Dartmouth College. Here he learned to speak and write English and was introduced to Western history and literature studies. He is the only one of those chosen known to have derived any benefit from the educational process standing at that time. He left school to serve under Sir William from 1755-1759 during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). After these participatons, he became Sir William's close companion and helped him run the Indian Department which was administered by the British out of Quebec. He was also assigned the work of an interpreter for an Anglican missionary and helped translate the prayer book and Gospel of Mark into the Mohawk language, which he did in a quite orderly fashion. About 1768 he married Christine, the daughter of an Oneida chief, whom he had met in school. He then settled with her on a farm near Canajoharie which he had inherited. While here, Brant assisted in revising the Mohawk prayer book and translating the Acts of the Apostles into the Mohawk language. He also joined the Anglican Church, was a regular communicant, and evinced a great desire to bring Christianity to his people. His wife died of tuberculosis about 1771, leaving him with a son and a daughter. In 1773, he married his wife's sister, Susannah, who died a few months afterward, also of tuberculosis. In 1780, he married Catherine Adonwentishon Croghan, the daughter of the prominent American colonist, Indian agent, fur trader, and New York-Pennsylvania-Ohio landowner/speculator George Croghan and a Mohawk mother, Catharine Tekarihoga. They had seven children: Joseph, Jacob, John, Margaret, Catherine(2), Mary and Elizabeth. Through her mother, Catharine Adonwentishon was head of the Turtle