Intern Security Guard At Elk Ridge Ranch - 1908 Words

Over the course of the last ten weeks, I have had the opportunity to serve as an intern security guard at Elk Ridge Ranch in Shoals, Indiana. Elk Ridge Ranch is a unique place that sits just 12 miles from the town of French Lick, Indiana and 10.2 miles from the town of Shoals, Indiana. The ranch is owned by Dave Marshall and Wendy Henry-Marshall of Shoals, Indiana. Elk Ridge Ranch is one of the most beautiful places you will see if you visit the rolling hills of Martin County, Indiana. The owners operate a detox and fitness business that is associated with the ranch. The detox and fitness guests come from all over the United States. Along with the detox and fitness business, there are also several rental guests over the course of the year. These renters also come from all over the United States and rent rooms in the facilities on the ranch. Most of the room rentals are families that rent rooms for vacation, or corporate groups that are visiting the nearby French Lick area, but occasi onally there are private wedding parties and fraternity groups that rent the entire property on weekends. This particular property is one of the most unique places you can find in southern Indiana. The ranch is approximately 120 acres in size and has a 25 acre, 9-hole par-3 golf course that is surrounded by a grape vineyard that sits closer to the main lodge on the property. There are four main facilities on the property total. These facilities include a main lodge which is a fully restored and

The Machine Stops, By Jonathan Forster - 1266 Words

Society today possesses an over-reliance on technology. Advancements in technology paved the way for the formation of new applications and forms of social media that potentially lead to the loss of the intimacy of communication and personal relationships among users. As a result of the ease of communication through technology, face-to-face interaction rarely occurs anymore. Long before technology began advancing at a rapid pace, authors used their medium of writing to comment on the dangers of relying on technology too excessively. E.M. Forster’s short story, â€Å"The Machine Stops,† written in 1909, highlights a dilemma that society’s over-reliance on technology created between virtual connectivity and face-to-face interaction. That over-reliance, perfect for the futuristic, dystopian society in â€Å"The Machine Stops,† also serves as a cautionary tale for the technological culture of today. Vashti takes comfort in all the luxuries that the Machine provides, but that comfort comes with a price. Immediately after his birth, Kuno was taken from Vashti and placed into a public nursery, seeing as the â€Å"duties of [parents] cease at birth† (Forster). In the futuristic society of â€Å"The Machine Stops,† the expectations of parents do not include actually raising their children. Not once in the short story did Vashti voice any reluctance she may have had when Kuno was taken from her. Maternal instincts would prevent any mother from allowing her child to be whisked away, but Vashti’s relianceShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesinternational migration in the 1920s heralded the retrenchment of economic liberalism into greater isolation and autarky that characterized the next two decades. And the later revival of global liberalism (after 1950 and more worldwide after 1990) did not stop the multiplication of migration controls, the proliferation of identity documents, and ever more complex laws to sift and select the optimal migrant. In this sense, neoliberalism has proved to be more â€Å"quasi† than â€Å"neo,† promoting the free movement

Impact of ICT on Education Sectors in America Free Essays

string(555) " thought that consequence in soundjudgments Effective Communication Teaming-Ability to work in a squad Collaboration and interpersonal skills-Ability to interact swimmingly and work efficaciously with others Personal and societal duty -Be accountable for the manner they use ICTs and to larn to utilize ICTs for the public good Synergistic communication-Competence in conveyance, conveying, accessing and understanding information High Productivity-Ability to prioritise, program, and manage plans and undertakings to accomplish the coveted consequences\." The capableness for information and communications engineering has been grow up over the last 10 to 15 old ages. Nowadays the computing machine have become more powerful, besides have satellite, fibre ocular and the radio engineering has increased. Other than that, package developments such as multimedia authoring systems have made it easier to make digital stuffs such as educational stuffs etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of ICT on Education Sectors in America or any similar topic only for you Order Now In recent old ages, the US economic system has grow up really fast. Furthermore, enlargement has been marked by record emplotment but besides by low rising prices. In this long period of enlargement correspond with representative investing in and the diffusion of information and communicating engineering. In this on the job paper distribution with the part of Information and Communication Technology to economic system turn. Information and Communication Technology as capital inputs in all parts of the economic system. Another differentiation is between the effects of Information and Communication Technology on labor and on multi-factor productiveness. hypertext transfer protocol: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4FZUT8zJ5hkR4PyGgyiB2XNk9T5oietZN_to1qVtrBJ3rh4v-KnOBvLBzA-_FO_yvSqSl09DMHACajmmZ76T53aPMVBfSm4FIYoIm48XgSP78nB929V5LEw_E5NmCk8dVTYLeB-z8qI/s400/Networked+School+Community2.JPG hypertext transfer protocol: //edutechdebate.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/training-impact.jpg Knowledge, invention and Information and Communication Technology have had strong on many economic sectors, e.g. the information sciences and communicating, finance, and transit sectors. The knowledge-based economic system sets a new scene for instruction and new challenges and promises for the instruction sector. Education is a demand of the knowledge-based economic system, the production and usage of new cognition both require a more educated population and work force. Besides that, Information and Communication Technology is a really powerful tool for distributed cognition and information, a cardinal facet of the instruction procedure. The instruction sector has so far been characteristic by instead slow advancement in footings of invention development which impact on learning activities. Educational research and development does non play a strong function as a factor of enabling the direct production of systematic cognition. The fact, instruction is non a field that lends itself easy to experimentation, partially because experimental attacks in instruction are frequently impossible to depict in exactly adequate to be certain that they are truly being replicated. There is small classify cognition in the section of instruction and merely weak developed mechanisms whereby communities of module jointly can capture and profit from the finds made by their co-workers. Information and communicating engineering potentially offer increased possible for codification of cognition about instruction and for invention in learning activities through being able to present acquisition and cognitive activities. There are some existent facts in the modern instruction. First, the Information and communicating engineering has been developing really quickly presents. Therefore, in order to equilibrate it, the whole educational system should be reformed and Information and communicating engineering should be integrated into educational activities. Other than that, the influence of Information and communicating, particularly the cyberspace can non be ignored in our studentaa‚ ¬a„?s lives. So, the acquisition activities should be to explicate once more, from the manual beginning centered to the unfastened beginning 1s. In this instance the widely usage of cyberspace entree has been an ineluctable policy that should be anticipated by schools governments. Besides that, the company of games by cyberspace have another serious job that should be sagely handled by the educational establishments. The pupils can non truly extinguish from games. They can hold and make with it wherever and whenever they want. In some state of affairs, instruction constitution play an really of import function to snuff out these jobs. One of which is by easing the pupils to make edutainment or educational games. Schools can allow their pupils be familiar with educational games adjusted by their instructors. Besides, they can besides back up and ease their pupils to hold their ain web logs in the cyberspace. A batch of WebBlog suppliers are free to the users, such as WordPress. In their web logs, the pupils can make and compose something, like an article, verse form, intelligence, short narratives, characteristics, or they can besides show their sentiment by an on-line forum provided in the cyberspace. They are able to portion experiences throughout their web logs to others from all over the universe. I think it will be an interesting activity for them, and it will decrease their clip to see the negative or porn sites existed. I think our immature coevals will acquire more and more information and cognition by shoping in the cyberspace. So that, they can besides make more new things in web design that it may be out of the formal course of study content, but it will be utile for their hereafter. Advantages of ICT on instruction sectors The first advantage is up to day of the month and existent universe engineering, to fix the kids for the modern universe. Second, can allow us more comfy and dependability to the ICT when we are analyzing or working every bit good. Disadvantages of ICT on instruction sectors The disadvantage is ne’er adequate resources like computing machine for each schoolroom and you ca n’t anticipate parents to purchase their kids a laptop to take to school and some instructors are from the old school and garbage to encompass it in their schoolrooms. Skills Needed in the Workplace of the Future Digital Age Literacy Functional literacy-Ability to decode significance and express thoughts in a scope of media ; this includes the usage of images, artworks, picture, charts and graphs or ocular literacy Scientific literacy-Understanding of both the theoretical and applied facets of scientific discipline and mathematics Technological literacy-Competence in the usage of information and communicating engineerings Information literacy-Ability to happen, measure and do appropriate usage of information, including via the usage of ICTs Cultural literacy-Appreciation of the diverseness of civilizations Global awareness-Understanding of how states, corporations, and communities all over the universe are interrelated Imaginative Thinking Adaptability-Ability to accommodate and pull off in a complex, mutualist universe Curiosity-Desire to cognize Creativity-Ability to utilize imaginativeness to make new things Risk-taking-Ability to take hazards Higher-Order Thinking-Creative problem-solving and logical thought that consequence in soundjudgments Effective Communication Teaming-Ability to work in a squad Collaboration and interpersonal skills-Ability to interact swimmingly and work efficaciously with others Personal and societal duty -Be accountable for the manner they use ICTs and to larn to utilize ICTs for the public good Synergistic communication-Competence in conveyance, conveying, accessing and understanding information High Productivity-Ability to prioritise, program, and manage plans and undertakings to accomplish the coveted consequences. Ability to use what they learn in the schoolroom to real-life contexts to make relevant, high-quality merchandises The utilizations ICTs help better the quality of instruction Information and communicating can better the quality of instruction and preparation is a critical issue, peculiarly at a clip of educational enlargement. Information and communicating besides can heighten the quality of instruction in several ways, foremost, by the increasing scholar motive and battle, by easing the acquisition of basic accomplishments, and by heightening teacher training.14 Information and communicating are besides transformational tools which, when used suitably. Advancing cognition and the ( cognition ) economic system: the promises of e-learning The outgrowth of information and communicating is represents high promises for the third instruction sector. information and communicating Iowas could so play a function on three cardinal facets of instruction policy, is really entree, quality and cost. information and communicating is could perchance progress cognition by spread outing and widening entree to instruction, by bettering the quality of instruction and cut downing its cost. All this would construct more capacity for the promotion of cognition economic systems. This subdivision summarises the chief statements endorsing the promises. E-learning is a promising tool for the spread outing entree to third instruction. Because they relax infinite and clip restraints, ICTs can let new people to take part in third instruction by increasing the flexibleness of engagement compared to the traditional face-to-face theoretical account: on the job pupils and grownups, people populating in distant countries ( e.g. rural ) , non-mobile pupils and even foreign pupils could now more easy take part in instruction. Thankss to ICT, scholars can so analyze where and/or when they have clip to make soaa‚ ¬ † instead than where and/or when categories are planned. While traditional correspondence-based distance acquisition has long played this function, ICT have enhanced traditional distance instruction enabled the rise of a continuum of patterns between to the full campus-based instruction and to the full distance instruction. More specifically, to the full on-line acquisition can let big Numberss of pupils to entree instruction. The restraints of the face-to-face acquisition experience, that is, the size of the suites and edifices and the students/teacher ratio, represents another signifier of relaxation of infinite restraints. ICTs so allow a really inexpensive cost of reproduction and communicating of a lesson, via different agencies like the digital recording and its ( subterranean or coincident ) diffusion on Television, wireless or the Internet. The learning procedure or content can besides be codified, and at least some parts be standardised in larning objects, for illustration a multimedia package, that can in rule be used by 1000000s of scholars, either in a synchronal or asynchronous manner. Although both signifiers might bring on some loss in footings of teachers-learners interactivity compared to confront to confront learning, they can make a graduated table of engagement that would be impracti cable via face-to-face acquisition. When the demands are immense, to the full on-line acquisition can be important and perchance the lone realistic agencies to increase and widen quickly entree to third instruction. Some developing states have immense cohorts of immature people and excessively little an academic work force to run into their big unmet demand: given developing new instructors would take excessively much clip, notwithstanding resources, e-learning might stand for for many possible pupils and learners the lone opportunity to analyze ( instead than an alternate to full face-to-face acquisition ) ( World Bank, 2003 ) . E-learning can besides be seen as a promising manner for bettering the quality of third instruction and the effectivity of larning. These promises can be derived from different features of ICTs: the increased flexibleness of the acquisition experience it can give to pupils ; the enhanced entree to information resources for more pupils ; the possible to drive advanced and effectual ways of larning and/or instruction, including acquisition tools, easier usage of multimedia or simulation tools ; eventually, the possibility to spread these inventions at really low fringy cost among the instructors and scholars. Distance E-learning has non merely the virtuousness to be inclusive for pupils that can non take part in third instruction because of clip, infinite or capacity restraints, as it was shown supra. It can besides in rule offer to pupils more individualized ways of larning than corporate face-to-face acquisition, even in little groups. Although acquisition is frequently personalised to some extent in higher instruction through the modularity of waies, ICTs allow establishments to give pupils to take a wider assortment of larning waies than in non-ICT supplemented establishments aa‚ ¬ † non the least because of the administrative load this would stand for in big establishments. This means that pupils can experiment larning waies that best suit them. Furthermore, e-learning can potentially let pupils to take classs from several establishments, e.g. some campus-based and others to the full online. This possible flexibleness of single course of study can be seen as an betterme nt of the overall pupil experience, irrespective of pedagogical alterations. In one word, e-learning could render instruction more learner-centred compared to the traditional theoretical account. Decision It is clear that ICT capacity will go on to spread out at a rapid rate throughout the universe. This enlargement will be driven chiefly for commercial intents, but it will besides supply the chance for economically of import educational chances. Probably no state can afford to disregard this development. However, practical instruction requires a really rigorous set of conditions for it to work successfully. For these conditions to be met, there is a high cost in footings of investing and preparation. Most significantly of all, the technological substructure must be in topographic point. While the engineering underpinning practical instruction is developing quickly, the most valuable developments for poorer states are non yet commercially available or developed. Virtual instruction is non the reply to many of the most urgent educational problemsfaced peculiarly by poorer developing states. Other schemes, such as unfastened universities, can supply greater entree and more cost-efficient bringing of instruction. Governments can make much to promote the right environment for practical education.Indeed, authoritiess can non afford non to expose at least a minimal figure of its subjects to the benefits of practical instruction. The poorer the state, the more focussed itsefforts to back up practical instruction will necessitate to be. Partnership with more developed states, coaction between states with similar civilizations and phases of economic development and well-targeted, small-scale undertakings will all assist develop capacity and accomplishments in practical instruction. How to cite Impact of ICT on Education Sectors in America, Essay examples

Sex education problems and its solution Essay Example For Students

Sex education: problems and its solution Essay Sex Education : Problem and Its Solution Sex education in Malaysia at present be taught informally. Should sex education be introduced in school syllabus in Malaysia? Before answering this question, we must to Indicate the problems and Its solution. The mall problem Is the limited knowledge about body and sexuality among Malaysian teenagers. Due to sensitivity of this issue, it makes the adolescents receive inadequate education, guidance and services on reproductive health. This will led them vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and Infections. Also, rape cases In Malaysia will be increasing from time to time. Another problem is Malaysian adolescents and youth, especially girls, face daunting reproductive and sexual health problem: unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions maternal mortality and morbidity, violence, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, exploitation and discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation. The sex education should be introduced to increase the sexual awareness among youths. Sexuality education enables them to make informed decisions when they become young adults later in preventing unintended pregnancies, baby dumping ND getting sexually transmitted diseases (Camerawoman, 2012). A good sex education will help todays youths to acquire accurate sexual Information and make decisions about their sexual behaviors more wisely (Ramie, 2013). From the religious point of view, sex education can be taught in a way that informs young people about sexuality in scientific and moral terms. The moral and religious aspects of sexuality can be incorporated either In schools of a particular religious denomination or in adjunctive coursework offered by religious institutions. Regardless of the challenges of each society, young people must be adequately informed. In some Muslim communities, individuals are encouraged to marry at young ages. They need to be educated regarding sexuality prior to the marriage such that they know what to expect and can consider their options for birth control prior to consummating the marriage. In conclusion, sex education is the solution of all those problems stated if it be taught in a correct way. In our opinion, sex education should be introduced in school syllabus in Malaysia but It must be focused on preventing those problems. Appear. 340 words. References Camerawoman, A. (2012, February 29). Sex education helps young be responsible. The Star. Retrieved on 25th January 2013. Rams, T. S. (2013, June 27). Sex Education in OFF Malaysia. Free Malay a Outline of Term Paper on TNT January Sex Education: Problems and Its Solutions INTRODUCTION: Thesis statement: Should sex education be introduced in school syllabus in Malaysia? Before answering this question, we must to indicate the problems and its solution. PROBLEM 1: Limited knowledge about body and sexuality among Malaysian teenagers. A. The adolescents receive inadequate education, guidance and services on reproductive health. B. Vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and infections. PROBLEM 2: Adolescents face daunting reproductive and sexual health problem. A. Unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions maternal mortality and morbidity, violence, sexually transmitted diseases and infections. B. Exploitation and discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation. SOLUTION 1: Increase the sexual awareness among youths. A. Sexuality education enables them to make informed decisions when they become young adults later. B. Help todays youths to acquire accurate sexual information and make decisions about their sexual behaviors more wisely. SOUL I ION 2: From religious polls AT blew. A. Moral and religious aspects of sexuality can be incorporated either in schools of a particular religious denomination or in adjunctive coursework offered by religious institutions. B. Need to be educated regarding sexuality prior to the marriage such CONCLUSION: Restatement: Sex education is the solution of all problems stated. Suggestion: Sex education should be introduced in school syllabus in Malaysia but it must be focused on preventing those problems. Quotation and Idiomatic Expression: Prevention is much better than cure

Bulgarian and Romanian free essay sample

Bulgarian and Romanian citizens are free to live and work in the I-JK after controls in place since 2007 expired. Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz greeted the first flight from Romania as it landed at Luton airport on Wednesday morning. Romanian Victor Spiersau was aboard and said: l dont come to rob your country. I come to work and go home. The UK has not released forecasts of migrant numbers, but campaigners say up to 50,000 people a year could come. Immigration minister Mark Harper said curbs on access to benefits would ensure hose heading to the uK would contribute to the economy. New arrivals One of the planes passengers, Victor Spiersau, was coming to the country for the first time. Nigel Farage: Its irresponsible to open the door unconditionally The 30-year-old said he already had a car washing Job lined up that would earn him 10 euros (‚Â ¬8) an hour an improvement on the 10 euros a day he received working in the construction industry at home. We will write a custom essay sample on Bulgarian and Romanian or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page l dont come to rob your country. I come to work and then go home, he said. Here you paya lot; in Romania its very cheap. Mr Spiersau added: l dont want to stay here. I want to renovate my home and to make a good life in Romania because its much easier to live in Romania because its not expensive. A Home Offce spokesman said the government was working to reduce net migration and would ensure people entering Britain were doing so for the right reasons. However, more than 60 MPs are backing a campaign to extend the restrictions for a further five years, saying the British economy has not sufficiently recovered from the 2008 recession to cope with the change and that It will put pressure on public services and reduce Job opportunltles for Brltlsh workers. Welfare strain Laszlo Andor, the EU commissioner for employment, social affairs and Inclusion, said there were already three million people from Bulgaria and Romania llvlng In other European union member states. continue reading tne maln story Analysis image of Mark Lowen Mark Lowen BBC News, Bucharest Its a special new year for Romanians and Bulgarians, finally gaining equal rights to work freely across the EIJ seven years after their accession. Some, particularly Britain, fear large numbers will come, mindful that a decade ago the government expected 15,000 per year from Eastern Europe but a million and a alf came. No extra flights have been planned from Bucharest but one coach company has tripled services to London. Many here talk of their hopes of a better life with higher salaries but nobody knows quite how many will finally leave. It is unlikely that there will be any major increase following the ending of the final restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers, he said. Mr Andor said his organisation recognised that migrant influxes could strain welfare systems in host countries but since the EIJ provided contingency funds for this it was no reason to put up barriers. He said migrants were essential to economic recovery and must be protected from discrimination. l firmly believe that restricting the free movement of European workers is not the answer to high unemployment or a solution to the crisis, he added. Migration Watch which campaigns for tighter controls on immigration has suggested that many of the two million Romanians and Bulgarians currently working in Spain and Italy could now be tempted to come to the I-JK by the higher wages and access to in-work benefits such as tax credits.

Factors Affecting British Imports and Exports

Factors Affecting British Imports and Exports The British economy forms part of the United Kingdom’s economy. The United Kingdom comprises Britain, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Each of these countries runs its economy differently. Britain was the first country to industrialize. This gave it a dominant role in the eighteenth century. It was the largest and most powerful economy at the time. It did a lot of things right at that time (Harvard Business School, 2005, p.xi).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Factors Affecting British Imports and Exports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The United States and Germany became dominant after the Second World War. Britain still plays a very significant role in the global economy, alongside China, India, France, and the United States. A major part of the economic outlay of a country includes its import and export outlay. The key factors that influence Britain’s imports and exports are globalization, industrializ ation, living standards, and regional memberships. Globalization refers to the greater international connectivity that characterizes the relationship between various countries. Dalic (2007) refers to it as the â€Å"convergence of cultures† (p. 4). Technological advances in IT have been a primary driver of global trends. Today, no one needs to leave his or her country to trade with another country. Globalization has made it possible to conduct all business transactions online including viewing product, placing orders, monitoring shipments and making payments. With its historical advantages, Britain has been able to take advantage of advances in IT to increase both its imports and exports over the last twenty years. Montgomery and Porter (1991) state, â€Å"increasingly, both business units and corporations must compete globally† (p. xiv). The second significant influence to British imports and exports is industrialization. As the first country to industrialize, Britain has maintained its lead in some sectors such as in the pharmaceutical industry and financial services. The original benefits of the industrial revolution placed Britain at an advantage, with countries such as the United States catching up only after the devastating effects of the Second World War. While Britain may not be the industry leader in some of the sectors that define much of international trade such as the automobile industry, it still has a very strong presence in these sectors. On the imports side, Britain remains a major consumer of agricultural and mineral raw materials required to supply it industries. The living standards in Britain are among the highest in the world. As the sixth largest economy in the world measured by GDP, Britain has an enviable position among her peers. It has mastered the art of maintaining a â€Å"coherent sense of direction† (Wall, 2004, p 4).Living standards define the needs that people have. This means that Britain must import certai n types of products required by her people, and export some of those used in the country, which other countries need.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From Africa and Asia, Britain imports agricultural and horticultural products for food and aesthetic needs, while it exports machinery, automobiles, chemicals and pharmaceutical products. From Germany and the United states, it imports high quality domestic and industrial products that it requires to run maintain the living standards of its people. The living standards influence the products Britain must import and those it exports. The final significant influence to British imports and exports is its membership to regional and international bodies. Britain is a member of the EU, the G6, G7, G20, World Trade Organization, and the Commonwealth of nations, among others. These organizations define many of the policies tha t influence international trade, which Britain must adhere. Therefore, they have a significant influence in its imports and export business. Britain seems to have taken into account Mark’s (2004) advice to exploit, â€Å"multiple sources of attractive growth† (p. 11). Reference List Dalic, T., 2007. Globalization of Marketing Strategies in Light of Segmentation and Cultural Diversity. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Harvard Business School, 2005. Strategy: Create and Implement the Best Strategy for Your Business. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Mark, D., 2004. Strategy: A Step by Step Approach to the Developement and Presentation of World Class Business Strategy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Montgomery, C.A. Porter, M.E., eds., 1991. Strategy: Seeking and Securing Competitive Advantage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing Division.. Wall, S.J., 2004. On the Fly: Executing Strategy in a Changing World. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Factors Affecting British Imports and Exports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Issued of the ligalization of drugs Research Paper

Issued of the ligalization of drugs - Research Paper Example Illegalization of various drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and heroin creates a major social problem and conflicts in the society thus making the government lose substantial financial resources annual. The government should therefore legalize the use of drugs and create effective systems that are easy to manage in order to curb the menace s the discussion below portrays. Legalizing drugs has more advantages than the current state of affairs has. Some of the illegal drugs have medicinal value a feature that continues to enhance their usage. A drug like marijuana is among the most commonly abused dug in the United States. Users of such rugs cite its medicinal value. As such, the government should make marijuana a prescription drug a feature that would ease access to such drugs thus limiting the violence and crime often associated with the illegal outfits that peddle the drugs. â€Å"Decriminalization of drugs would lower the cost of regulating the use of the drugs in the society since it creates systematic structures for the supervision of the industry† (Leuw and Marshall 89). Legalizing the drug would lower the cost of sustaining the various law enforcement agencies in the country. As stated earlier, the government spends billions of taxpayers’ money in running various police outfits and correctional facilities most of which are strained by the high number of drug offenders â€Å"most of the inmates in penitentiaries have drug related cases. Marijuana is the most common case in the prisons† (Husak 121). This implies that by legalizing such a simple drug as marijuana, the government would save billions of dollars for use in other sectors of the economy thus enhancing the economic growth in the country. The reduction in the pressure in such facilities would create room for the effective and efficient management of the prisons thus enhancing the creation of a cohesive

American Fashion in 1980's through today Research Paper

American Fashion in 1980's through today - Research Paper Example The essay "American Fashion in 1980's through today" talks about the fashion and trends in America from the 1980s till today. In early 80s, men began wearing tight fitting trousers and loose shirts. This fashion applied in equal measure to women. In addition, men grew mustaches following the influence of TVs such as Magnum. Medium sized hair characterized the early 80s hairstyle for men. However, towards the end of 1980s men started growing long hair. Brand names were also a notable fashion of the time. Headbands were a popular fashion in early 1980s. Miniskirts and leg warmers were common among women. It is arguable that cheerleaders influenced the design and wearing of miniskirt. Valley girl a movie played in 1983 had a big influence to dressing style of many women. In mid 1980s, leather outfits and jeans gained popularity among women. Lace was also common among women. Women also dressed in miniskirts while going to business meeting. Notably, women wore miniskirts with leggings. So lid color, simple pattern, and silhouette were the design of most female clothing towards the end of 1980s. High-heeled shoes among women were common during this period. Another common shoe trend was dolly shoes, which edged to early 1990s. Fashion trends of 1980s started fading at the beginning of 1990s. Men started growing long hair. Flannel shirts were common among men. Navy blue blazers, Khaki slacks, canvas shoes, and leather jackets become common. Other common clothing was denim jackets, sheepskin coats, and polo shirts.

Taxtion Profect Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Taxtion Profect - Literature review Example However, the impact of tax travels to the end consumer in a VAT scheme much like other taxation systems since goods and services providers tend to move the taxed amount to the end consumer’s final price receipt (Ebrill et al., 2001). VAT Implementation in the United Kingdom VAT is not a new concept to the United Kingdom (UK) and was in place before the UK signed up for the European Union. The initial implementation of VAT in the UK dates back to 1973 when it was introduced by the national government as an entry condition to join the European Union (EU) (Warren, 1993) (IFS, 2009). VAT is not levied universally on all goods and services in the UK. Instead, VAT is applicable to certain goods and services at varying rates in the UK. Directives concerning the amount of VAT and its application to goods and services are provided both by the UK government and certain EU rules and guidelines. Moreover, VAT rates tend to vary for certain goods imported from outside the EU (HMRC, 2013). VAT Rates Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) provides for three different VAT rates that are classified as (HMRC, 2013): Standard 20% Reduced 5% Zero 0% Standard VAT rates apply to most goods and services consumed in the UK while reduced rates apply to certain items such as fuels, energy savers, power items etc. On the other hand, zero rates apply to certain other items such as certain food items, public transportation, books, children’s clothes etc. (HMRC, 2013). It must be kept in mind that zero rate VAT items are differentiated from items exempted from VAT. Any items that are exempt from VAT cannot have VAT based taxed applied to them under the law such as on insurance, charitable fundraising, life saving services etc. In contrast, zero rate VAT items are taxable but are charged for at 0%. The retailer may lodge a reclaim with the HRMC for zero rate VAT items but not for VAT exempt items (HMRC, 2013). In addition, VAT law provided by the EU mandates that the m inimum standard rate for EU members has to be 15%. Member states are also allowed to apply a maximum of two different reduced rates that should be at least 5% on certain goods (European Commission, 2006). Moreover, any changes in VAT especially changes concerning decreased VAT rates must be approved by the EU alone (Victor, 2010). Regional Comparisons VAT is applicable throughout the EU and certain member states exhibit exceptionally high VAT rates. Regional comparisons of VAT rates are presented in the table provided below. Table 1 - VAT regional comparison sourced from (Victor, 2010) Country VAT Rate (%) UK 20 Denmark 25 Hungary 25 Sweden 25 Iceland 25.5 Criticisms against VAT VAT is collected at each value addition stage in the provision of goods and services so ideally VAT’s burden should be borne by these stages and their stewards. However, practically VAT banks on the end consumer much like other forms of taxation. This tends to make VAT just as cumbersome for the avera ge consumer as other forms of taxation. In addition, it has been argued that VAT is essentially a regressive form of taxation though proponents of VAT consider it as progressive. The graph presented below presents how different taxes on consumers in the UK tend to vary by the income quartiles. Figure 1 - Tax composiitons and their differences according to income groups in the UK sourced from (Murphy, 2010) Tax collection through VAT is generally lower than expected

Impact of Human Activity on Migratory Activity

Impact of Human Activity on Migratory Activity Bird migration and the impact of human activity on migratory activity Migration is the movement made by animals between two separate locations on a regular basis for the purpose of accessing resources provided by these different sites (Alcock, 2013). [2]Migration is a common process throughout the entire animal kingdom. For example, there is the migration of the Monarch butterfly[3] across North America (Brown and Chippendale, 1974), the Atlantic salmons journey from river to ocean (Hansen, 1993), the marine turtles epic movement from feeding ground to breeding ground (Morreale et al., 1996) and finally there is our own species[4] migration across national and international borders. The focus of this discussion[5] however is the migration of Birds; most specifically looking at how, why and when they migrate and focusing on what exactly our impact as humans has on this very important phenomenon in the life cycle of many bird species.          Defining how migration first occurred   involves looking back over the history of migratory species and finding an evolutionary origin to the migratory lifestyle. In actual fact migration has evolved on several different occasions within the class Aves as shown in figure 1 which looks at the separate origins of migration within the family Turdidae[6]. The multiple evolutionary origins of migration suggest that there are numerous reasons as to why adopting a lifestyle that involves moving between different areas is advantageous to a species (Outlaw et al., 2003). With any adaptation, there must be a selection pressure forcing a species to develop a new strategy to be successful (Williams, 2008). In the case of bird migration, the seasonal variability of primary resources is a major driving factor for migrating but the changing climate conditions throughout the year is also one of the main benefits of being able to migrate [7](Alerstam, 2003). Birds can be long distance migrators, such as the Sooty shearwater, a sea bird that migrates approximately 64,000 km in 260 days with an daily travel distance of 900km (Schaffer et al., 2006). This heroic migration between North America and New Zealand is one of the largest migrations by a bird. In contrast the Spotted Owls of the Sierra Nevada have been observed to be altitude migrators, of short distance migrators, as they have a wintering site which is between 0.6-1.0 km closer to sea level than their usual nesting ground (Bias and Gutierrez, 1992). The comparisons between the journeys made by these two birds shows how two different environmental pressures can lead to the same solution. The long distance migrators[8] were driven to travel across continents due to the need to find a sustainable food source in changing seasonal conditions while the altitudinal migrators are driven to move based on climatic conditions[9] (Jenni and Kery, 2003). If migrating offers species a richer su pply of resources and a more favourable environment to survive in then why do only some species of birds migrate? As with many things in the natural world migration has its costs as well as its benefits, the costs and risks associated with migration are so high that not every species is adapted, nor needs to undertake the challenges migration creates. In order to travel such distances individuals need to be able to store resources by carrying extra weight leading up to the migration. This store must then be accessed during the flight meaning the individual must be able to alter their metabolism to store and release fats efficiently [10](Jenni and Jenni-Eiermann, 1998). Finally the risk of death during this journey is high as there many factors at play in the success of making the trip. The final aspect of migration is how species successfully manage to navigate from one location to another regardless of distance. There are three means of orientating observed in birds and they are pilotage, compass orientation and true navigation (Alcock, 2013). Pilotage is common in species such as homing pigeons where landmarks are used as navigational cues (Mehlhorn and Rehkà ¤mper, 2009). These landmarks could be environmental, such as rivers or forests but can also be artificial, in particular tall buildings and major roads. Migrating from one location to another without the use of cues requires a species to have a compass orientation and understanding of which direction it needs to travel to reach the location. An experiment done on the migratory European Robin showed that they can orientate using geomagnetic cues through a sense that is localised to the right eye (Wiltschko et al., 2002). True navigation is when a species has the ability to navigate towards the home location without any navigational cues and regardless of the direction (McFarland, 1999). [11]Having summarised the integral mechanisms behind migration I will now spend the remainder of this discussion focusing on what our impact as humans is on the migration of birds. Human interference on the animals we share the earth with is becoming an increasingly more serious problem. The effect we have on terrestrial migratory species may seem obvious as land use expands into new, wild territories but our effect on birds as they migrate through the power of flight is somewhat more complex. There are many factors that contribute to how we disrupt the migratory routes, territories and even the birds themselves. In parts of southern Europe and Northern Africa the illegal[12] shooting and netting of birds has become an increasingly popular industry. In Egypt 700km of nets are put up along the coastline designed to trap thousands of migrating passerine birds such as willow-warblers, red-backed shrikes and barn swallows all of which are illegal to catch under the national law (Salama, 2016). Recently there has been a strong push for the local authorities within Egypt to enforce the regulations that are in place as these nets are positioned to intersect with one o f the major migratory flyways from Africa to Eurasia as shown in Figure 2 where the area in question is within region 2. This area is not only targeted by nets in North Africa but many southern European countries such as France and Spain also engage in similar practices involving illegal netting.   In Italy, particularly in the Sicily region, shooting of birds is a common sport when migrators are making their journey to warmer climates in Africa. Unlike the mist netting practices, game hunting is legal to permit holders and the Italian authorities allow the 710,000 hunters to shoot 30 birds a day over a 2 month period (CABS, 2015).   A case against illegal hunting of birds has recently reached EU law regarding the trapping and commercial caging of birds in Malta. Many of the birds targeted are rare or protected species such as the endangered Pallid Harrier, the Purple heron and the Turtle dove (Raine et al., 2015). While the fight against illegal hunting and shooting o f these birds is ongoing, the effects of these activities in undoubtedly having a negative impact on their success. Migrating to breeding grounds that are better equipped with resources and protection should be an adaptation for success in these species. Instead they are being illegally hunted, trapped and shot while en route over this area resulting in a much lower number of birds successfully reaching breeding sites. Undoubtedly this seriously damages population size [13]of these European migrators and puts increasing strain on the challenging journey they make twice every year (Hirschfeld and Heyd, 2005). This particular study by Hirschfeld and Heyd (2005) reports that hunters are legally allowed to kill just 24 species of European native birds however a total of 82 different species were recorded to have been hunted that year. Despite the obvious illegal activity being done there is still a relaxed enforcement of these regulations across Europe and North Africa and widespread di sagreement around how to resolve the problems we, as humans, are causing. The current population of humans on earth is 7.5 billion with an annual growth so far, from January March 2017 is nearly 17 million (World population clock, 2017). As the global populations increase so to do food demands and a pressure to convert unused land into cropland or an expansion of existing urban regions. This unfortunately leads to widespread deforestation as the need for space increases on a daily basis (Lambin and Meyfroidt, 2011). Deforestation is threatening the ecosystem in which many migratory birds depend on. The cloud forest in Central America is under threat due to increases in forest conversion[14]. Many of the birds species in this region are altitudinal migrators and rely on the cloud forest for breeding (Cox, 2010)[15]. That is a very localised example of how deforestation is impacting migration but on a much wider scale the destruction of tropical and deciduous forests has a huge impact on birds migrating between the two tropics. The American Redstart, a smal l passerine bird, winters in the Caribbean, South America and Central America before migrating north to North America, and Canada to breed (Sherry Holmes 1997). Breeding success in these birds depends on the quality of both the wintering and breeding habitat and disruption to tropical forests in South and Central America and to deciduous forests in North America has influenced the reproductive success of breeding pairs in these regions (Norris et al., 2004). Deforestation is not the only interference to habitat we are causing, our need to continuously change landscapes so as they are better suited to our increasingly more developed societies is impacting many important habitats for migratory birds.[16] Conversion of open land [17]into man made developments can lead to many environmental disruptions. One case that I have a personal interest in[18] is the proposed development of a new dual carriageway between Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland. While there is widespread agreement that the existing A6 road has seen an increase in use over the past 10 years (Johnston, 2016) the proposed route of the new road has been highly controversial. The area in question is[19]shown in Figure 3 and the proposed route passes straight through sensitive land that is used by Whooper Swans wintering in Northern Ireland. According to the RSPB Whooper Swans are an amber list species due to their small population and limited breeding areas. The swans migrate to the UK from Iceland to winter and this particular area in figure 3 is a highly important habitat for migrating pairs. The fields are flooded regularly by the bordering Lough Neagh and so are a rich feeding habitat for these migrating birds (RSPB). A number of local and national environment agencies and organisations are working with the the Department of Infrastructure to find a compromise that protects this nationally important habitat for the Whooper Swans. While the effect on these swans is yet to be seen as work on the new road is only reaching preliminary stages this year it will undoubtedly cause disruption to these wintering populations in the years to come. While deforestation and urban development is a direct way in which we are destroying habitats of migratory birds an indirect way is through climate change. It is no secret that human activity is massively contributing to the speed at which climate change is occurring and some impacts of this is loss of habitats, reduced food availability and changing season lengths disrupting migration times (Travis, 2003; Bradshaw, 2006; Crick, 2004). In the UK we are seeing a lengthening of seasons[20] meaning birds are arriving earlier and departing later (Sparks and Mason, 2004). While this can be considered a positive for UK bird numbers the migrating species arriving early could be disadvantageous to their need of resources. While the birds may be arriving early due to the changing home[21] territory climate and the extended migratory territory season, food resources often do not sync with this change in habit. What is being observed is an increasingly unsuccessful first brood of early arrivers due to the food supply, whether it is insects or berries, not being available (Harrington et al., 1999). An example of a bird effected by this is the Waxwing, a Northern European and Scandinavian passerine bird that has increasingly been migrating to the UK during winter to access food supplies. This is because with climate change there have been fewer berries in the Northern and Boreal forests forcing the Waxwing to expand their migration further to the UK (Huntley, 2008). [22] One of the most common migratory flyways is from Africa into Europe. Figure 4 shows the different routes the Montagu Harrier uses to get from the Sahel region of Africa across the mediterranean into Europe. While I have already discussed the dangers of migrating across North Africa and Southern Europe regarding hunting, it is the journey across the Sahara desert that I will now be focusing on. The Sahel region is dominated by the Sahara desert with most of the land area being dry, arid land with the outskirts and coastal regions being populated and used for agriculture (Zeng, 2003). However in the decade the Sahel region has been under drought conditions meaning a lot of the once arable, green land is under going desertification, hence why there is a popular notion that the Sahara is expanding (Foley et al., 2003). Travelling across desert is not an easy journey to make. There is limited water, food, roosting sites and the climate is hot and dry. This means that birds such as the Mon tagu harrier (figure 4) or the Garden Warbler, both of which are summer migrants in the UK and Europe, need appropriate energy stores to attempt the journey (Jenni and Jenni-Eiermann, 1998). With this area of desert land expanding it makes the already challenging journey even more demanding on energy stores and as a result many of the smaller passerine birds such as the Garden Warbler are not as successful in migrating across Africa. Most species can not attempt the crossing in still air and require prevailing winds across the desert to aid in flight [23](Barboutis et al., 2011). With climate change set to continue the drought in the Sahel region migrating across this major ecological barrier successfully will become increasingly more challenging with a lot more pressure being put on stop off sites in North Africa and Southern Europe where there is already so much competition and hunting occurring (Trierweiler et al., 2014). Stop off sites [24]are crucial to the success of long distance migrations especially when birds are flying across challenging terrain or resourceless water. These stop off sites tend to be rich habitats that are used by migrants for intensive feeding to re stock fuel supplies for the next leg of the journey (Pomeroy et al., 2006). Common stop off sites are mud flats as they are rich in resources and often have low predation risks as migrants flock together on the shore. Species like the Sandpiper use coastal mudflats as stop over sites and a study observing site selection based on disturbances, predator presence and food abundance was conducted with results showing no preference of site when there are land disturbances or predator presence. The study by Pomeroy et al, (2006) did however provide significant results on site seleciton based on food supply indicating that this is the main purpose of choosing these sites for stop over points. One of the serious impacts of climate change i s rising sea levels and so, low lying coastal areas such as mud flats will gradually becoming permanently flooded as a result (Church and White, 2006). Sadly this means that not only are destination sites being lost but so to are the stopover areas that are essential for long distance migrators. Fighting climate change is one of the biggest environmental challenges we are undertaking. One method of cutting down the global carbon emissions, in an attempt to slow down the greenhouse effect and thus climate change, is increasing the production of renewable energy (Mitchell, 1989). Renewable energy offers clean production of resources that our expanding population demands and wind energy has made significant in roads in many countries. Unfortunately for migrating birds wind turbines are a serious hazard on their already difficult journey. Off shore wind farms are frequently causing disruption to flocks of nocturnal migrators flying across the baltic sea which has a large number of wind farms. A study taking observations of the collision frequency at a german offshore wind farm recorded a total of 442 birds of 21 different species were killed due to direct collision or subsequent death from injury over a one month period (Hà ¼ppop et al., 2006). While renewable energy is an impo rtant step towards fighting climate change, wind farm locations should be planned around major migratory flyways to reduce the impact they have on bird species. It is easy to focus on how we negatively effect migrating birds but it is equally important to highlight the positives. While climate change has resulted in a change in migration times due to longer seasons it also has meant that, particularly in temperate latitudes, there has been an increase in the length of the breeding season (Sparks and Mason, 2004). Small passerine bird that migrate breed in the UK typically have two broods during the breeding season if the food availability and weather conditions are right. However the increase in length of this breeding season has seen a boost in successful 2nd broods wit   some species such as the Reed warbler having as many as 5 broods over one season (Halupka, 2008). This increased success is due to the prolonged food supply allowing the fledglings to heighten their fitness and thus increase their chance of survival to adulthood[25]. However as mentioned previously the success of the longer breeding period is dependent on the migrat ory species arriving at a peak time where resources and weather conditions are adequate to sustain a breeding population (Harrington et al., 1999). Another negative human effect, that can also be deemed a positive, is urbanisation. Many species of migratory birds require navigational cues as means of finding flyways and locations. While in a natural environment these cues can be forests, rivers or mountains, man made structures can also prove to be very useful navigation aids (Kamil and Cheng, 2001). Studies into navigation and route choice of homing pigeons has shown that they choose to follow motorways and railway lines, using entrances and exits to navigate to their home territo[26]ry (Lipp et al., 2004). Finally, the recent initiatives of environmental agencies in the UK, such as the RSPB, to get involved and interact with garden birds has seen the number of households putting out regular bird food rise dramatically (Robb et al., 2008). While supplementary feeding provides our native garden birds, such as coal tits and blue tits, a year long food supply it also provides an invaluable resource for migrating birds. One species in particular that has started to expand its migration distance to include the UK is the Blackcap. While blackcaps were a rare site in UK gardens several decades ago they are now becoming a familiar winter addition to the suburban gardens. In the 1950s ornithologists began to notice this change in migration route, instead of choosing a south westerly migration into Spain, blackcaps have evolved a successful new route into the UK (Plummer et al., 2015). As human activity continues to threaten not just the migration of birds but global biodiversity as a whole, the Blackcaps success story is a welcomed positive of our impact on the world around us. Migration is an important adaptation in the life cycle of birds and allows many species to access resources that are necessary to survival. The evolution of a migratory life style was driven by environmental selection pressures and is now being inhibited by artificial pressures. As human activity becomes increasingly more intrusive on the environment the stress on migrating birds to navigate successfully, journey across challenging conditions and to find suitable territories is becoming ever more difficult. With stricter enforcement on hunting and capturing restrictions in Europe and North Africa the major African to Eurasia flyway could become a much safer route for migrating flocks. While that is something that can be controlled, the rate of population increase of the human race is getting higher and higher and so is the demand to provide resources, both land and food, for the population. If we changed our agricultural industry so that we are producing crops at a much more efficien t rate, the need to cut down forests would lessen and in fact we would preserve rare habitats that are used not just by native species but also visiting migrators. While we are starting to make significant strides into tackling climate change by developing renewable energy sources there is still a lot of room for consideration of environmental preservation. Finally however, it is important to highlight the improvements we are making for migrating birds, while there are only a handful of positive impacts there is room to expand and create a more global effect.[27] References      Ã‚   Alcock, J. (2013). Animal behaviour. 10th ed. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates, pp.Pg. 153-168. Alerstam, T., Hedenstrom, A. and Akesson, S. (2003). Long-distance migration: evolution and determinants. Oikos, 103(2), pp.247-260. Outlaw, D. et al., (2003). Evolution of Long-Distance Migration in and Historical Biogeography of Catharus Thrushes: A Molecular Phylogenetic Approach. The Auk, 120(2), pp.299-310. Shaffer, S. et al., (2006). Migratory shearwaters integrate oceanic resources across the Pacific Ocean in an endless summer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(34), pp.12799-12802 Bias, M. and Gutierrez, R. (1992). Habitat Associations of California Spotted Owls in the Central Sierra Nevada. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 56(3), p.584. Butler, C. (2003). The disproportionate effect of global warming on the arrival dates of short-distance migratory birds in North America. Ibis, 145(3), pp.484-495. Jenni, L. and Kery, M. (2003). Timing of autumn bird migration under climate change: advances in long-distance migrants, delays in short-distance migrants. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 270(1523), pp.1467-1471. Jenni, L. and Kery, M. (2003). Timing of autumn bird migration under climate change: advances in long-distance migrants, delays in short-distance migrants. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 270(1523), pp.1467-1471. Wiltschko, W., Traudt, J., Gà ¼ntà ¼rkà ¼n, O., Prior, H. and Wiltschko, R. (2002). Lateralization of magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird. Nature, 419(6906), pp.467-470. McFarland, D. (1999). Animal behaviour. 3rd ed. Longman Scientific Technical. Mehlhorn, J. and Rehkà ¤mper, G. (2009). Neurobiology of the homing pigeon-a review. Naturwissenschaften, 96(9), pp.1011-1025. Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (2007). Waterbirds around the world. 1st ed. Edinburgh Stationery Office. CABS, (2015). [online] Available at: https://www.komitee.de/en/projects/italy [Accessed 16 Mar. 2017]. Travis, J. (2003). Climate change and habitat destruction: a deadly anthropogenic cocktail. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 270(1514), pp.467-473. Raine, A., Gauci, M. and Barbara, N. (2015). Illegal bird hunting in the Maltese Islands: an international perspective. Oryx, 50(04), pp.597-605. HIRSCHFELD, A. A. HEYD (2005): Mortality of migratory birds caused by hunting in Europe: bag statistics and proposals for the conservation of birds and animal welfare. Ber. Vogelschutz 42: 47-74 Worldometers.info. (2017). World Population Clock: 7.5 Billion People (2017) Worldometers. [online] Available at: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ [Accessed 16 Mar. 2017]. Lambin, E. and Meyfroidt, P. (2011). Global land use change, economic globalization, and the looming land scarcity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(9), pp.3465-3472. Cox, G. (2010). Bird Migration and Global Change. 1st ed. Washington: Island Press. Chpt 10. SHERRY, T. and HOLMES, R. (1997). American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). The Birds of North America Online. Norris, D., Marra, P., Kyser, T., Sherry, T. and Ratcliffe, L. (2004). Tropical winter habitat limits reproductive success on the temperate breeding grounds in a migratory bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 271(1534), pp.59-64. BBC News. (2016). A6 upgrade: Legal challenge to road through Heaney country BBC News. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38094217 [Accessed 16 Mar. 2017]. Hodges, Lindsay. [Photograph, 2017] Whooper Swans in Northern Ireland. JPEG file. Johnston, W. (2016). A6 Legal Challenge what now?. Word press: Northern Ireland Roads. RSPB. Campaign for Nature: A6 duelling proposals. [online] Available at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-campaigns/campaigning-for-nature/casework/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-229175 [Accessed 16. Mar. 2017] Bradshaw, W. (2006). CLIMATE CHANGE: Evolutionary Response to Rapid Climate Change. Science, 312(5779), pp.1477-1478. Crick, H. (2004). The impact of climate change on birds. Ibis, 146, pp.48-56. Harrington, R. et al., (1999). Climate change and trophic interactions. Trends in Ecology Evolution, 14(4), pp.146-150. Sparks, T. and Mason, C. (2004). Can we detect change in the phenology of winter migrant birds in the UK?. Ibis, 146, pp.57-60. Huntley, B. (2008). Plant species response to climate change: implications for the conservation of European birds. Ibis, 137, pp.S127-S138.   Trierweiler, C. et al., (2014). Migratory connectivity and population-specific migration routes in a long-distance migratory bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281(1778), pp.20132897-20132897. Zeng, N. (2003). ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE: Drought in the Sahel. Science, 302(5647), pp.999-1000. Foley, J. et al., (2003). Regime Shifts in the Sahara and Sahel: Interactions between Ecological

The Paradox Of Community Essay -- essays research papers

The Paradox of Community   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One can see that insiders are caught in the paradox of community: The same cultural vocabulary that undermines community is simultaneously that community's idiom of self-affirmation† (Greenhouse, et al. 175). In Law and Community, David M. Engel explores how ordinary people in a small, rural, Illinois town perceive the law, courts, litigants, and community. By analyzing the legal practices and relations in Sander County, it is evident that law and the courts play a central role in the processes of making and unmaking communities. Furthermore, this study illustrates how such manifestations, reflections of the â€Å"insider's† ideology, fail to live up to the promises for â€Å" law† in our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1970s, Sander County was undergoing great social and economic changes. Agriculture, a central part of life for most residents, became more mechanized and a few large manufacturing plants opened, bringing in â€Å"quite a number of a certain element† Sander County had â€Å"never had before† (29). Long- time residents, worried about change, express what they believe to be â€Å"the new role of laws and the courts in the local and national societyâ€Å" (1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though personal injury litigation rates are lower in Sander County than other major types of litigation, a norm of aversion towards this legal discourse is evident throughout the majority of the community. Those who enforce personal injury claims are viewed by fellow residents as greedy, selfish, and â€Å"quick to sue.† Litigation is portrayed as weakening the collective values personified in the law as a means of turning the law against the community to make an â€Å"easy buck† (144). Even highly respected members of the community are criticized for making personal injury claims. For example, a minister filed a suit after slipping and falling at a school. A local observer commented by saying there are â€Å"a lot of people who are resentful for it, because...he chose to sue† (28). The long-time residents of Sander County were experiencing a prevalent sense of a collapse in the conventional dependencies and exchanges that had typified life in Sander County. Understandings of personal injury claims are largely shaped by these societal transformations as the local populace encounters them and also by the notion that traditional relati... ...ty (Carter 11). The irony lies in the fact that the power of the insiders as a whole disempowers the individual, whether the individual is an insider or an outsider. Every member of Sander County is rather powerless before the law; the efforts to keep the town safe from change paradoxically caused a lack of trust in the legal process. This lack of trust contributes to the chaos of community that already existed in Sander County.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Law is a language by which we constantly reconstruct our communities† (Carter viii). Instead of constructing community through just legal discourse, Sander County destructed what it had left of a community in a desperate act of warding of that which it did not understand (or did not want to understand). Law in practice, in Sander County, does not produce justice; it produces inequality. This prevalent inequality, or difference, is a â€Å"justification of litigation by ‘insiders' in defense of their community† (Greenhouse, et al. 175). They fail to see that their myth of community is challenging â€Å"community.† Disempowerment and inequality will not generate trust. Furthermore, of what use, or longevity, is a community without trust?

When Some People Win, Must Others Lose, or Are There Situations in Which Everyone Wins

Often times, people think of their relationships with one another as one of rivalry—some win, some lose. However, some seemingly limited victories may foster situations in which everyone wins. Challenging the traditions to pursue personal goals, people are in fact able to better one another as the society develops as a whole. Within a healthy environment in which personal interest and individual aspirations are encouraged and valued, everyone wins as a result of the improvement of the network as a whole.Instead of provoking hostile competition and combining the efforts of individuals, a network or a family that respects individual developments can maximize the capability of an individual and therefore the capacity of the community as a whole through the stimulation of independent thinking. Google, for instance, remains one of the most innovative enterprises by promoting the originality of its members rather than imposing systematic collaboration within the company.At Google, e ach member is given twenty minutes of freethinking to develop his own ideas, which he could later advance as a personal project. As a result, pioneering ideas such as Google news and Google Earth are able to come to light, allowing Google to keep growing as an entity and its working environment young and innovative. Seemingly personal victories are therefore transformed into ones that contribute to the bigger community through a shared value of pursuit in personal interest and creativity.In this situation, everyone wins and grows as an integral part of the family. Similarly, when people challenge conventional ideas to bring about a revolutionary change, everyone within the society wins. Rosa Park and her courageous refusal to give up her seat embody the spirit of a widespread social victory. Not willing to simply accept the supposed superiority of the whites, Rosa Park stood up for herself and her race instinctively without knowing the consequential outcome of her actions.She refuse d to acknowledge the natural barrier of race, a discriminating boundary that had been drawn since the creation of the country. Although she was put into jail temporarily, her peers were inspired to defy injustice and abolish segregation, triggering a national civil rights movement that eventually determined American values of freedom and equality that have become an integral part of American identity.Despite oppositions between different racial groups, the revolution elicited was not a victory of one group but a victory of the nation. America won. Freedom and equality won. Justice won. Motivated by personal interest and guided by a critical view of the world, people can often inspire a victory for all as the society breaks away from the old and embraces the new. There aren’t times when some people must lose, just as society progresses to eliminate the absolutes.

This academic paper seeks to compare and contrast Essays

This academic paper seeks to compare and contrast Essays This academic paper seeks to compare and contrast the presidential and parliamentary forms of government and discuss how each form of promotes liberal democracy in their three arms of government The main difference between a parliamentary and presidential system of government is that in a presidential system, the president is separate from the legislative body, but in a parliamentary system, the chief executive, such as a prime minister, is part of the legislative body, or parliament. A presidential system separates the executive and legislative functions of the government and provides what are commonly called checks and balances to limit the power of both the chief executive and the legislature. In a parliamentary system, the legislature holds the power, and the chief executive must answer to the legislature. Another main difference is that in a presidential system, the chief executive and members of the legislature are elected separately by the people, but in a parliamentary system, the legislature is elected by the people and then must appoint or recommend for appointment one of its members to be the chief executive. Many forms of government are used by countries around the world, and very few governments are completely alike, even if they use the same type of system. Presidential and parliamentary systems of government can vary in specific details from one country to another, but certain general aspects typically are the same in countries that have the same type of system. For example, in some parliamentary systems, the national legislative body is called a parliament, and in others, it might be called by a term such as "national assembly," but they generally serve the same purposes, regardless of their names. Likewise, the specific powers or duties of presidents might vary from country to country, but they generally are all elected by the people and are separate from the legislative body. In a presidential system, the president is the head of government and the head of state. As the head of government, he or she oversees the operations of the government and fulfils certain duties, such as appointing officials and advisers to help run the government, signing or vetoing laws passed by the legislature and establishing an annual budget . A president's duties as head of state include tasks such as making speeches, representing the country at public events, hosting or visiting diplomats from other countries, and presenting prestigious national awards. On the other hand, t he roles of head of state and head of government often are held by different people in a parliamentary system. For example, a country might have a prime minister who acts as its head of government and a monarch who acts as its head of state. Some countries that have a parliamentary system also have a president instead of a monarch, who acts as the head of state. A country that has both a prime minister and a president is sometimes said to have a semi-presidential system of government, although it is more closely related to a parliamentary system because of the power held by the legislature and prime minister in such a system. Another difference between these systems of government is the effects that each system has on things such as efficiency and political acrimony. In a presidential system, because the chief executive and members of the legislature are elected separately, it is possible for the president to be from one political party and the legislature to be controlled by a different political party. This can cause discord at the highest levels of the government and make it difficult for the executive and the legislators to achieve their respective goals. In a parliamentary system, the prime minister is almost always from the political party that controls the legislature, so there is less discord, and it is easier for that party to accomplish its goals. In addition, p arliamentary and presidential systems also differ in their abilities to remove the chief executive from power. In a parliamentary system, it is much easier for the legislature to remove the prime minister. Even a disagreement in policy or a lack of effective leadership could be enough reason for this to happen. A president is more difficult to remove from his

Free Essays on Reefer Maddness

, heavy u... Free Essays on Reefer Maddness Free Essays on Reefer Maddness The Webster’s Online Dictionary defines marijuana as the dried leaves and flowering tops of the pistillate hemp plant that yield THC and are smoked in cigarettes for their intoxicating effect. The heated debate over whether or not reaching this intoxicated state is illegal has been heating up recently. If you read any government funded articles, marijuana is painted in such a bad light that it seems to be a work of the devil. Turn on the TV and this ‘evil drug’ makes you hit little girls in drive-thru’s and shoot your best friend with your Dad’s gun, all because you couldn’t help getting high. If you read the propaganda published by those unapologetic stoners, the information isn’t biased, but takes a more rounded approach to looking at the debated drug. Interestingly enough, both sides use some of the same study findings to support their opposing views. A look at all sides still doesn’t provide the answers to the legalization issues. Marijuana’s effect starts immediately after being inhaled. The user’s heart rate increases, the delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is absorbed through the lungs and taken to the brain where it meets cannabinoid receptors located in various regions of the brain. One of the areas with the greatest number of receptors is the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain associated with memory. This explains the short and long-term memory loss experienced by users. The cannabinoid receptors also release the chemical dopamine, which is a pleasure causing neurotransmitter. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1999) Regular use of marijuana also exerts a negative effect on short-term memory, learning, and attention span (AAP, 1999). The negative effect marijuana has on memory is also supported by evidence in a study cited by the New Scientist magazine although when it came to remembering a list of words, heavy u...

How soon should the US pull out of Afghanistan Essay

How soon should the US pull out of Afghanistan - Essay Example America's pledge in Afghanistan is primarily a question of responsibility the United States must take for the chaos that was bear out of years of negligence and under-resourcing for the period of the Bush period.In light of all we know regarding Afghanistan after nearly eight years, it shows solid ground for President Obama to direct the United States to pull out of Afghanistan is because the public is exhausted of war.The United States policymakers have to; assess all actions in opposition to America's global concerns and the probable prospective costs. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, economical strategies don't have a positive record of achievements."America should do no more than what can be done from offshore, using intelligence, drones, cruise missiles, air strikes and small, effective Special Forces units, focusing on the porous 1,500-mile boundary with Pakistan."As conveyed by the President of the Centre of a New American security, John Nagl. He stated that, America hasfundamenta l national security interests in Afghanistanthat makes fighting there crucial. The key objectives of the campaign are preventing Afghanistan from again serving as a shelter for terrorists with global reach and ensuring that it does not become the medium for a larger regional security meltdown. Afghanistan also a known foundation that United States uses to attack al-Qaeda forces inside Pakistan and thus assists in the broader operation against Afghanistan's terrorist organization one that we evidently must win (Stephanopolous, 2009). The United States policymakers have to; assess all actions in opposition to America's global concerns and the probable prospective costs. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, economical strategies don't have a positive record of achievements. The drone attacks are affecting the sentiments of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and are also greatly undermining the popularity of America. Hence, the relation of Pakistan and America is at stake. Background: As Kristol stated in his article; referring to the Op-ed's columnist George F. Will's article in which he discussed about the Afghanistan and Afghanistan's casualties he was not happy about the length of America's long shot there the dismissive of the involvement of America's NATO allies, disdainful of the Afghan central government, and struck by the country's diffident. Kristol share many of these opinions. However they are just views. It would be better to find a major change in America's nationalized security strategy on disputes--especially if they are advocating an amendment from a policy that's been sustained for eight years by a bipartisan accord, and that engages the area that was the platform for Sept. 11 (Kristol, 2009). According to a latest Rasmussen Report, a public telephone surveyed that twenty percent (20%) of United States voters say all American troops should be brought back from Afghanistan instantly. An additional 17% oppose an instant withdrawal of United States services but believe a solid timetable should be established to bring all troops home within a year. Fifty two percent (52%) see no need for a removal or a timetable right now. Eleven percent (11%) is indifferent or uncertain. Democrats are much more strongly in support of pulling out the troops, which poses perhaps a greater concern to President Obama with some in his party already discussing a possible challenge to him for the party's presidential recommendation in 2012 (Kristol, 2009). America should operate its war on terror from abroad and in order to do that it has improved its relation with Pakistan as Kristol admits in passing what seems to be an additional important national interest Pakistan, "a nation that actually matters." (Kristol, 2009). Alternative Option: The prime mistakes United States made in Iraq were the postponement in decision making and the reliability of required resources. United States managed to turn that mission around and accomplish victory because Washington

DQ 4 Secondary Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DQ 4 Secondary Research - Essay Example Misleading - Secondary data is often misleading for the researcher as it is that this data had been collected for another purpose. It is merely the interpretation of primary data. The researcher should look from this point of view to understand the difference. Non-updated - Secondary data is collected from old sources. Therefore there sources may not be applicable for current needs. The researcher should check the date and time of publishing to find if the research still applicable or not. Difference in units of measurement - A researcher may mistakenly use the secondary research in his/her own units of measurement without realizing that they were in different units. The researcher should convert the units into the ones that he/she requires. Accuracy - The quality of secondary data depends on who had collected the data and how it was collected. The researcher has to be sure of the accuracy of the data before using it. Therefore the researcher should use renowned sources only to maintain the accuracy of the research. Costly - If secondary data is taken from corporate libraries or archives, the researcher would have to spend hefty sums to gain access to such libraries and archives. Non-paid websites and other sources can be used however authenticity and reliability must also be checked for. UWB is trying to launch a new product and for that purpose it hired a

Global Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Marketing - Essay Example There are many factors such as the changing consumers’ demographics and expectations, the nature of competitions and the advent of technologies that affect the operations of a firm among others. Question One: Environmental Factors Affecting Inniskillin The environmental factors play a significant role in the business and in a country’s growth. The numerous factors that will be discussed in this context are political factors, economic factors, social factors, technological factors, environmental factors and legal factors (Jones & Hirasawa, 2008). Political Factors It can be mentioned that the political as well as the legal factors have been favourable for the success of the Inniskillin. After the end of the prohibition on sales of the alcohol, most of the companies have built their reputation in Canadian market of spirits and beers. Despite the wine market remaining sectioned, the market seemed to be expanding because of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) that assists in maintaining the standard as well as the quality control. This can assist the Canadian wine to achieve more recognition in the global market especially for the production of the Icewine. It has been apparent from the case study that because of the permission that Vincor received from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)., the company was capable of being the biggest wine shop in the country of Canada. It permitted Vincor to set up its own shops whilst the other small wineries were capable of selling only at the government-owned stores since they had limited options from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (Jones & Hirasawa, 2008). The company was capable of gaining competitive advantage because of its own distribution channel in Canada. It was further apparent from the case study that domestic prices of the wine of the wineries in Canada were controlled by the government monopolies for getting their wine listed so that they can distribute as well as sell their wines. This led to low-sales volumes as well as restricted the options available in exporting, tourism activities along with the restaurant trade. Economic Factors The economic factors have been quite favourable for the Inniskillin. The reasons behind this have been the rising incomes as well as the rise in the consumption rate of the wine in terms of values and sales. The industry sought the global pressure of consolidation. However, Inniskillin undertook expansion strategy and thus enjoyed the benefits of economies of scale via acquisition so that it can produce cheap wines and thus ac hieve recognition in the domestic as well as global markets. It has further been apparent from the case study that because of the economic activities that have been concerned with the agriculture in Canada, the production of better quality European Vinifera has been possible (Jones & Hirasawa, 2008) Social Factors It can be mentioned that the taste and the preference of the consumers evolve on a continuous basis. With the rise in the income, the consumers were becoming more concerned regarding the taste. The premium wines became popular at the expense of low tier wines. It was because of the evolving consumers’ awareness regarding the premium brands that helped Inniskillin to enhance their product quality (Jones & Hirasawa

How to Empower Employees Essay Example for Free

How to Empower Employees Essay In today’s marketplace it is more important than ever to implement employee empowerment policies in order to keep a competitive advantage. An empowered employee feels in control of their position, as well as a valued member of their organization. These employees have a sense of job enrichment which creates a more productive work environment for them, as well as their coworkers. Employee empowerment is a way to allot power in the company while raising productivity and creating job fulfillment in the organization. This helps to offer some valuable advantages to the organization and lowers the employee turnover rate (Korkmaz, 2012). There are many different ways a company can increase employee empowerment. A few important examples are by allowing for a large degree of autonomy, creating jobs with significance and areas for future advancement, giving and receiving employee feedback, and having a competitive benefit and compensation program for employees. These enrichment techniques will help to improve productivity, create higher employee morale, relieve some of the pressure on management, and help to recruit high-skilled individuals for employment (Gerhart, Hollenbeck, Noe, 2011). The most important technique with regards to employee enrichment is Autonomy, which is adding more freedom in the decision making ability an employee holds. This is a great way to empower an employee. Two examples of this would be giving an employee the ability to decide the best process for creating a project, rather than instructing them on definite steps to take. One may also receive the authority to handle customer complaints. These critical thinking practices will make an employee much more involved in their position, while helping to relieve management of the constant supervision of less important tasks (Hardrà © Reeve, 2009). Another effective method would be creating a position which conveys a sense of importance, as well as having the possibility for promotion. This is a great way to create a long lasting relationship with an employee, while also encouraging them to strive for future advancement. Stressing the importance of the job at hand will motivate the employee, while giving them a greater sense of pride in the position they hold. This could be demonstrated by getting the employee involved in the bigger picture of what a company is trying to accomplish (Gerhart et al, 2011). Another technique with regards to employee enrichment is giving and receiving employee feedback. This action helps to motivate the employee by constructing positive reinforcement on the favorable aspects of their performance. This aids in guiding the employee with direct future expectations and goals, while also verbally rewarding them for their positive characteristics. This is a very motivating, yet cost effective technique that will benefit both the employee and the company. By also allowing the employee to give feedback regarding management and production, the employee gains a feeling that their opinion is meaningful and beneficial to the operations of the company(Harms Roebuck, 2010). The last example for creating employee empowerment is to have a competitive benefit plan for employees. Along with some of the benefits included in a standard plan, some examples of benefits that empower employees could include letting an employee create their own schedule, giving extra time off for meeting certain requirements, and the ability to choose certain assignments over others. Other ways to empower employees through benefits would be to allow each member to pick and choose what benefits are right for them based on their specific lifestyles. (Gerhart et al, 2011). Empowering employees is an important aspect for any company. There are many enrichment techniques that can be implemented to improve productivity, raise employee morale, and recruit high skilled employees for future success. By applying these techniques, management gives their company the competitive advantage over the rest, while creating long lasting relationships with their employees. References Gerhart, B., Hollenbeck, J., Noe, R., Wright, P. (2011). Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 95-116, 390-404. Hardrà ©, P. L., Reeve, J. (2009). Training corporate managers to adopt a more autonomy-supportive motivating style toward employees: an intervention study. International Journal Of Training Development, 13(3), 165-184. Harms, P. L., Roebuck, D. (2010). Teaching the Art and Craft of Giving and Receiving Feedback. Business Communication Quarterly, 73(4), 413-431. Korkmaz, O. (2012). Differences in Employees Perception of Employee Empowerment Practices. European Journal Of Social Science, 34(1), 43-57.

Issues In Reporting War And Crisis Global Overview Media Essay

Issues In Reporting War And Crisis Global Overview Media Essay The mass media have a powerful influence and control on how people view the world. Mass media sources i.e. newspapers, televisions and radios are frequently the only link to the situations occurring outside of ones vicinity. We live in the global age. We live in a world that has become thoroughly interconnected, interdependent and communicated in the flows of information and culture including, significantly, news journalism.(Cotler, For journalism in America today, the news has been encouraging and dispiriting. At its very best, during a time of crisis or a momentous event, the news media can do a marvelous job of telling the job the news thoroughly, yet quickly then follow up with needed interpretation and explanation to inform and reassure the public. Reporter plays a vital role because how the reporter frames the crisis, war or conflict. A story covered by a journalist or a reporter on an event can be the exclusive information presented to the masses. The news can bias the masses in support of one party, or one solution over another; it can build up the conflict, or cool it down. Whenever, the public think about any news, most of report is crisis and importantly journalists are participants in the crisis they report. However, the journalists main goal is to in form accurately and usually they make every suitable effort and attempt to be objective, but it becomes complicated at best. At times attempts to cover both views equally is actually favoring and supporting one over the other. If the report or news doesnt show that one overview is much more predominate, over another, it is commonly wrongly believed. Globally, if we analyze the situation of journalism there are many hazards and difficulties in this field. The foremost problem is that in the profession of journalism there is lack of training for journalists. Another one of the most pressing problems for the journalist is the question of ethics and the way reporting has to be shaped because of them. So due to these problems most of the complex crisis or conflicts are full of difficulties and hazards for journalists, but the more one understands what is actually going on in a conflict, and the responsibility of the conflict journalist, the better reporting one can do. From environmental change to the global war on terror, from forced migration to humanitarian catastrophe these are just some of the global crises. Global crises are conceived as the dark side of a globalizing world, but how they become reported and covered in the news media can also help maintain growing forms of global consciousness, global citizenship and global civil society. The news media have long been participant in the drama of war. The Spanish-American War of 1898 was provoked in pan by nationalistic press in the United States. Seventy years later, the media were involved in another war: The lack of public support for the US effort in Vietnam was blamed in part on correspondents who adopted a skeptical attitude in their assessment of Pentagon war claims. But rarely has the work of war correspondents come under the kind of scrutiny it does today. Journalists these days are not only accused of aggravating conflicts they are also expected to resolve them. The smaller the war and the wider their reach, the more impact of reporting is believed to have. Advances in information technology have made it possible for journalists to report instantaneously and immediately from remote locations. With the downscaling of conflict in the post-Cold War era, meanwhile, there are more wars to choose from. Some get covered and some dont, and the coverage decisions can be critical. All over the globe, professional editors and reporters define their job as bringing readers and audiences the answers to five ws and one h who, what, where, when, why and how. Due to the advent of new technology, journalists and reporters are able to communicate with one another more easily. So people on location in the desert can talk with those covering the Pentagon or the White House to confirm details. All of this technology was available in the Gulf War, but it was just really primitive, says Bob Murphy, a senior vice president at ABC News. George Seldes once said, Journalisms job is not impartial balanced reporting. Journalisms job is to tell the people what is really going on. A prominent BBC figure said: It will always be a grey area. There are never simply two sides to a story, theres a multiplicity of sides, which stretches out and stretches back. Theres a multiplicity of effects and of whats in the public interest, which will vary from issue to issue, from story to story. I dont see how you can logically, and rationally, impose some sort of blueprint which enables you to know whether its in the public interest or not. The news accuracy, unfortunately, is relative. Hence, one journalists truth is another mans misrepresentation. The public in general differentiate between truth and falsity in the course of a certain sieve they adhere to. And in todays world where there is a mix of religious and spiritual ideologies and philosophies, build out the truth is at best an educated guess unless of course the whole world starts seeing things through a single lens. Furthermore, it is journalists pivotal role that how to differentiate between objective and subjective realities. This confusion aggravated in case of crisis and war since it is not in the nature of the conflict to be unbiased. There will always be, whether its a economic, natural, military or political crisis, at least one party which acts in excess relative to the other party/parties. The media as a watch dog can play considerable role in scrutinizing and examining the public policies through analysis and furthermore with the response of public at large. It is observed that the media reporters are extremely useful sources in providing initial leads to investigate into the crisis, discrimination, conflict and war. CURRENT SITUATION: PAKISTAN Pakistan was born as an unambiguously Muslim state, and the wrestling linking its secular and Islamic natures has never been so evident as in latest years. Its other sources of unrest, including the militarys role as the authority of power, there have been four coups in its 60 years of independence i.e. its uncontrolled corruption and political instability and economic flux have been joined by the rise of Islamic militant groups that control of parts of the countrys western half and launch attacks that have slowly goaded the government to action. The ongoing violence in Pakistan, where over 1000s of people have been killed in terrorist activities, reminds us that journalists face a special challenge-and responsibility-to report accurately and fairly in times of crisis and war. Journalists play a constructive and productive role in places involved in political, ethnic or religious tensions. Pakistan has many problems, most build up after decades of governmental inaction, economic mismanagement, military coups and terrorist insurgencies. The journalists now would be under enormous stress from the complexities and the enormities of the current multifaceted challenges. Pakistans press has developed into a dynamic and significant institution. The Pakistani media have been instrumental in providing breaking real-time coverage of major events affecting the country, including the lawyers movement, the February 2008 parliamentary elections, and the recent flood situation. The number of private media outlets is increasing, and newspapers are more open in their reporting that has ultimately changed the country. It was expected by media organizations that the media especially electronic media following its incomparable development during the last few years would take accumulate its roles and responsibilities. The demanding environments are not encouraging to a culture of informed debate and the growth of sound authoritarian regimes. Nevertheless, there have been noises, pleas and appeals by several viewers, masses, analysts, forecasters and citizens even within the media organizations. From the violence and cruelty of displaying dismembered and mutilate limbs on television screens to creating a panic-oriented news culture and relegating the status of objective anchors to partisan political players, as a result the news were and persistent to be, disturbing and agitate. Against the milieu of the events of March 2009, the responsibility of the media lacked in many areas and far behind the expectations. The self admiring panic that currently pervades the various channels betrays their utter inability to appear back and introspect. In Pakistans crisis and war zones, rival groups seek to dictate the content and tone of news coverage. The country lost eight journalists in 2008, while 2009 has been equally gloomy. The murder of Musa Khankhel while he was reporting on a ceasefire negotiated in the pictorial but unstable Swat valley in Pakistans north-west shocked the country. According to the Report of World Press Freedom 2008-09, a total of nine journalists have lost their lives to violence in different parts of Pakistan. Furthermore, this report also files 23 cases of physical torture, threats and kidnaps that involved journalists and have resultantly greatly affected their work. Taking in concern the latest war zone of Pakistan i.e. operation in Swat Valley it is not just the targeted assassination of journalists and use of threats that are obliterating journalism. As a consequence, journalists they are not safe so they are leaving the region or moving their families to secure and harmless areas. Quite less journalists remain in the war area so there is less reporting from those areas. The biggest casualty of this war are the journalists rather the conflict itself. A renowned journalist Mazhar Abbas, who has for years contributed persistent efforts for the battle of the improvement of the operational circumstances of journalists in Pakistan, protect the judgment of many media professionals to move. He said: They are so poorly paid on an average they draw a monthly pay of less than 200 US dollars and have no life insurance cover that can you honestly expect them to risk their lives? Only one or two TV channels provide their staff with flak jackets and helmets. Until recently, they had no training on how to report from hostile environments. It is the PFUJ, in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists that has trained more than 200 Pakistani journalists working in the conflict zones. News is treated more as a commodity than as a social good, in Pakistani media and it is one of the primary problems. This rudimentary thought direct journalists to use metaphors, fancy expressions, axioms, and emotionally-charged opinions etc which effects the meaning whether they are exaggerated or do not tell the truth. These kinds of writings create distortions. The above described commodity concept also pushes reporters and journalists to use high pitched tones often choosing to report heavily on juicy feature of stories with shock value rather than reporting or informing on more imperative issues to the general public. One might say that if media is reflecting the general public, then these sensational ways of speaking are vindicated, considering that Pakistanis are however loud and emotionally charged people. Although, then there is something called Adab-e-Mehfil: simple things like not speaking before ones turn, not speaking loudly and so forth, that can be clearly seen in various Pakistani Talk Shows e.g. Capital Talk, Point in Focus etc. Rather the guests should be asked to present cultured and educated way of argumentation, based on facts and logic, instead of campaigns of slander, filled with cheap tricks and mocking undertones. To continue this problem it leads to: If It Bleeds, It Leads using the title of Mathew Kerbels famous book. This implies that media in Pakistan is passionate with the short end of the problem, or the symptom as it is quite rightly said. The challenge of social inequities, usually the root cause, rarely gets air best a personalized story or a documentary and then, moves on to something more exciting such as a blast. Pakistani media in general is responsible for factual reporting realities, but it has not met the standard of reporting. In Pakistan, media, abandon responsibility and accuracy for the purpose of sensation and attention grabbing captions. Especially, the print media is accountable for failing to shield the masses from inaccurate information which sometimes reaches public disguised as news. But when coming to the electronic media, it has become the biggest threat to countrys collective confidence. It ultimately thrives on conspiracies and sensational breaking news headlines throughout the entire day. Basically, rest of the media disclaim to grow above excessively vivid and completely overstated reporting of everything that goes wrong in the county, even if it is not correct or worse, or is less important. CRISIS REPORTING: Reporting in a crisis begins with fundamental question that how to report. News representations of crisis now form a key site for the exercise of power, seen as such by primary players and many others besides. This awareness, too, is shared by many beyond the traditional elite. According to an influential critique of reporting of the Great Lakes crisis of 1996-1997, journalists should that understand from the start that warring factions, even if their soldiers wear gumboots, have now acquired a sophisticated military doctrine and techniques for fighting low-level information warfare using manipulation, disinformation, misinformation and obstruction. The coverage of the Long March, also being maintained as a media success, was full of negligent opinion, which resulted in discouragement of elected institutions and glorifying street confrontation, as if parliaments were sheer attachment of power games. A few channels went beyond the norms of objective or even acceptable reporting by posturing that the proponents of the Long March were spouting the gospel truth, and any divergent view was unpatriotic and merited proceedings under Article 6 of the Constitution. Instead of educating the public on the responsibility of institutions and how states function, the entire discourse before and after the Long March remains focused on individuals. It has been completely forgotten that the current President was elected by two thirds of the Electoral College as prescribed under the Constitution. If anything, the degradation of the Presidents role as a usurper is now an image that has been carefully crafted and reinforced by a unvarying media discourse, and now made applicable to a president elected by Parliament. The truth of the matter is that in a parliamentary democracy the assemblies and officials are elected for five years. Accountability of the executive is a must, but not in the manner that is being carried out at the cost of the integrity of the autonomous system. WAR REPORTING: Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism says: Today, war reporting means not that you know whats going on and you make judgments about whats safe and appropriate to report. The military profoundly limits the access of reporters and thus what reporters know Censorship is no longer achievable, now that reporters can carry their means of transmission with them unlike World War II, for example, when reporters dispatches had to be transferred by the military, once they were reviewed. According to Tom Rosenstiel; as a result, A great deal more of what we consider war coverage today occurs in the Pentagon press briefing room. Taking in consideration the Pakistani situation; the Swat military operation, the house of a reporter in Mingora came under fire, apparently from the military. It killed his sister. The reporter was obviously incensed, but when he reported on television he still had to toe the official pro-Army editorial policy. He couldnt risk his job, now more than ever, because he had to support his family who had just relocated from Mingora to Peshawar. Another journalist based in Peshawar managed to get in to Mingora at a time when it was still off limits to journalists. He described horrific scenes of truckloads of dead bodies, and people carrying their loved ones. But these stories werent getting out because the management was censoring them. The ISPR on the other hand was very active in issuing press releases everyday, detailing the number of militants who had been killed and the military personnel who had been martyred (but never any mention of civilians). The military had restricted journalists access to the war zone (other than the occasional ISPR-chaperoned visit) so there was no way for journalists to independently verify any of the claims. So unfortunately, they just repeated the ISPR claims on television as if they were the truth. Pakistani reporters flee fighting in the Swat valley, Zubeida Mustafa reports on the conflicts effect on Pakistans press. Journalists love the thrill of working in conflict zones where they can cover events which change the course of history, says Mazhar Abbas, the former Secretary General of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). Sadly, this no longer holds true for Pakistani journalists required to cover the war in the Swat valley where they face dire security threats, Abbas continues. Every other day, there is news of journalists being killed or kidnapped, or threats to their families in the war-torn areas. These words concisely sum up the state of war coverage in Pakistan as Bill Clinton in 2000 described Pakistan as the most dangerous in the world. It has become even more unsafe since this statement. The media faced many challenges even before the Pakistan army went on the offensive against the Taliban in Swat. The Swat valley, was in the grip of intermittent violence with the two sides locked in a battle for the hearts and minds of the people, before the region became a theatre of war, It is expected that, the role of the media; press, television and radio assumed imperative importance, as journalism influencing the analysis of the everyday man. These are the least problems that a journalist face during reporting on the war in Swat last year, but rather reporters face more difficulties in covering the more recent wars in Waziristan, Orakzai and elsewhere. It may seem like there is a great deal of news coming from the war zone each day, but in reality it is a great big sanitized black hole in the distance, and we may never know about the civilian casualties. REPORTING CRISIS: An overabundance of TV news networks have set up in recent years. Intensely competitive, they have not avoid from covering shocking aftermaths of suicide bombings, stories of government corruption, or allowing their talk show hosts to be intrusive on air. In crisis situations, the cause of journalism would be better served if reporters and anchors were to err on the side of caution until rumors are confirmed beyond doubt. There was no need to show what looked like bodies as it can be clearly seen in the reporting of Air Blue crash. Many of the journalists while covering the rescue operation at Margalla Hills crash sight used the words dead bodies they werent whole after all. But instead of using these words they would have used parts of bodies that would have been much more effective and convey so much more. However, sentiments dont matter in the business of news anymore. It is a rat race instead of searching for authentic and reliable information, reporters are simply searching f or new ways to add more punch to stories. Victims emotions and personal stories are often exploited by the media to pull at the audiences heartstrings. The past few years, proved to be a critical year for Pakistani media persons who were callously neglected by the media owners, vis-Ã  -vis better wages, security of job and their life insurance, while they were increasingly targeted by the terrorists and other pressure groups in which numerous journalists lost their lives. One of two media trainers who designed a special training program for Internews aimed at journalists who work for media outlets within strife-torn areas named as Fiona Lloyd says: For journalists who live and work on the front line, one careless word or one inaccurate detail can ignite a conflict. But equally, one unambiguous, balanced report can help to resolve tension and neutralize fear. If truth is the first casualty of crisis, then correspondents reporting from regions of conflict face unique challenges in providing accurate and unbiased news.Pakistani journalists are caught in a vice between terrorists who use threats and kidnapping, and local government officials who do not hesitate to take the law into their own hands in order to detain troublesome reporters. PROFESSIONAL PROBLEMS: The main crisis in proper reporting is problems within an organization. The reporters and journalists must be properly educated, professionally trained and intellectually motivated to contribute towards the profession. Experience: Crisis and war reporting requires unique skills and experience, so editors should choose journalists who are competent and mature enough because they are used to crisis situations. The journalists that are covering a war for the first time should not be sent there unaided, but be accompanied by a more experienced correspondent. A collaborated, co-operated and teamwork in the field should be encouraged. Editors should thoroughly debrief staff because when they come back they can learn from their experiences. Preparation: Regular training in how to cope and deal in crisis zones or war areas will help trims down the risk to journalists. Editors should inform staff and freelances of any special training offered by nationwide or globally qualified bodies and give them access to it. All journalists called upon to work in a intimidating environment should have first-aid training and preparation. Every accredited journalism school should disseminate its trainee with these issues. Trainings/Workshops: Conferences, trainings and also workshops on innovation journalism best practices should be conducted. The conferences should be ranged from the models of modernization journalism to how to cover innovation a horizontal topic, crossing the normal invention lines in the news room. Pakistans journalism schools have not adequately met the needs of a rapidly changing and rapidly expanding media through innovation. Specialization: Specialization for journalists in explicit subject areas political, for instance, or military would produce more sophisticated reporting. So, the specialization should be encouraged. Communication Skills: Capacity-building needs range from the most basic to the most complex skills, methods and techniques. Both speaking and writing skills need to be emphasized. Even basic techniques, such as how to deal with visuals or how to balance a story, require far more attention and awareness than they presently obtain. ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS: Equipment: Journalists and their assistants should provide special correspondent working in war or crisis areas with reliable safety equipment (bullet-proof jackets, helmets and, if possible, armored vehicles), communication equipment (locator beacons) and endurance and first-aid kits. Insurance: Journalists and their assistants working in war zones or dangerous areas should have insurance to cover illness, repatriation, disability and loss of life. Concerned media authority should take all obligatory steps to provide this before sending or employing personal on dangerous mission. They should strictly observe and obey with all applicable professional conventions and agreements. Fahad Desmukh, a freelance journalist, says, Something needs to be done to deal with the cutthroat competition that forces journalists, cameramen and even the drivers to take needless risks. Journalists should not be penalized for walking away from a dangerous assignment. Right now, the owners care more about protecting their cameras, vehicles and equipment rather than the lives of their employees. 3. ETHICAL PROBLEMS: Commitment: The media, public authorities, editors and journalists themselves shall systematically seek ways to assess and decrease the risks in war zones or conflict areas by consulting each other and exchanging all useful information. Risks to be taken by staff or freelance journalists, their assistants, local employees and support personnel require adequate preparation, information, insurance and equipment. Newsworthiness: The journalists should evaluate the newsworthiness. When evaluating the newsworthiness of a story or footage the ethics of the situation should be assessed. When it comes to angst there is a simple standard: let mourning be private and when it comes to violence: speech is better visuals. The portrayal of violent or grief images increases the probability of several negative and pessimistic affects. This results in an aggressive and antagonistic behavior. According to a study by James W. Potter on Media Violence there are two prevalent affects desensitization and fear that are increasing due to the unethical treatment of media. Breaking News: It is noted that reporting ethics are involved in reporting of war and crisis. Special trainings to the journalists can play an integral role as reporting is done differently in normal and crisis/war situations. Most of the journalists show tears, dead bodies and interviews with the victims family and this is ethically immoral. 4. SAFETY PROBLEMS: The protection of journalists working on dangerous mission is not always assured, even if law provides adequate protection on paper, because forces these days are showing less respect for that law. News-gatherers cannot get assurances from belligerents that they will be fully protected. Because of the risks they run to keep the public informed, media workers, journalists and their assistants (whether permanent staff or freelance) working in war zones or dangerous areas are entitled to vital protection, reimbursement, compensation and guarantees from their concerned authorities, though protection must never be taken to mean supervision by local military and governmental authorities. A number of journalists while reporting about the situation in the tribal belt, they have been threatened and subjected to the most obnoxious language on telephone by unidentified callers and many of them have been murdered, kidnapped and harassed due to the non prevalent safety measures. 5. GENDER DESCRIMINATION: Despite the existence of high-visibility female journalists in Pakistan, gender barriers and gender-based discrimination in the Pakistan media persist. Every media organization ought to have and faithfully implement a clearly articulated code of conduct forbid gender-based discrimination. 6. NEWSROOM BACK-UP PLANNING: When a crisis hits in that part of the country where the newsroom exixts, newsrooms may be crippled. But planning ahead can enable a news organization to keep broadcasting or publishing even if the newsroom is directly affected. Foremost thing is to back up everything. If the newsroom loses power, computers wont work. Keep back up copies of computer files off site. Keep critically important information on paper and keep copies off site, as well. This includes contact information and the crisis management plan itself as it will greatly help in coping with the situation. Importantly, work out an arrangement in advance to use the facilities of another newspaper for publication or another broadcast station to distribute TV or radio signals in case of emergency. PROBLEMS IN REPORTING: From the crisis reporting we can clearly evaluate that it can lead to problems in reporting. Due to the lack of facilities, trainings and compensation to the journalists it can result in several discrepancies in reporting during war zones and crisis areas. REPORTERS INTENTIONALLY MISLEAD: Reporters we expect to provide objective facts not simply tell us what we want to hear. Currently many of the Pakistani reporters are intentionally changing their reporting to cover up uncomfortable or unpopular facts, infact they are not really reporting at all as they are misleading the audiences. If journalists are deliberately reporting what they think people want to hear rather than what the facts are, an information disorder and chaos results. Unfounded rumors and gossips becomes legitimized when they are repeated on media either on TV or in the newspapers, and then become even more ingrained. It is imperative that journalists report the facts even when these facts are uncomfortable. Otherwise, we will only be building on a foundation of error. PAKISTANS MEDIA SENSATIONALISM As Pakistanis we should now all be well versed with tragedy coverage. Bomb blasts, terrorist attacks, violent protests, military operations, natural disasters you name it and we have seen it all. However, instead of making us more proficient at covering tragedies, the influx of crisis situations seem to have worked in reverse. For media personnel these situations are double disasters. The more serious the disaster is, the worse the situation in the newsroom becomes. There is a way of addressing catastrophe, crisis and violence. And it is unfortunate that those who need to be the most sensitive at such times the journalists, reporters and news agencies end up being the most insensitive. News reporting in Pakistan must move away from the sensational and overly-hyped. The media; both electronic and print must be devoted to more investigative forms of reporting. The media can play a pivotal and constructive role in reporting the crisis as it is and should essentially ignore the conspiracies and anecdotes that may exaggerate the crisis, and harm the people involved in it. BREAKING NEWS SYNDROME: Breaking news or special report is a current event that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming in order to report its details. Many times in Pakistani news channels, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story. When a story has not been reported on previously, the phrase Breaking News is sometimes used its use is often loosely assigned to the most significant report of the moment or a story that is being covered live. It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise. TV channels of Pakistan often provide the oxygen of publicity to the extremist ideology and in a crazy competition for breaking news many channels report events without verifying and confirming the facts and often exaggerated the events and want to win the cat and rat race. SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS: ENHANCE THE REPORTING: According to former Los Angeles Times editor John Carroll, narrative writing should not be confined to massive enterprise stories. Any story should surprise and delight even a short police report. Carroll says todays news audience is bombarded by facts with no context, We need to gratify the readers emotions and intelligence (to help them) makes sense o