How to write a good essay (technology related) Essay

What are the long term effects of living in a technological world? Are these negative or positive? Are the children now under 12 growing up in a different world than their older college age siblings? How is it different and what does that mean for them? What is the most important new technology for solving world problems? How has social media helped solve and create problems in countries outside the U.S.? Will governments like China continue to be able to control access to the Internet and social media among their citizens? How does social media, texting, cell phones and the Internet make the world bigger? Smaller? What are the implications of ever increasing globalization through technology to our global economy? Technology is moving so quickly that we are frequently using computers, software programs and other technologies that have frustrating glitches and problems. Is there a solution? How does our experience of social interactions with other humans influence the way we interact with machines? When does it become morally wrong to genetically engineer your child? What are new ways people can use digital tools to change the world? How is digital learning going to change schools and education? Does the Internet need controls or censorship? What kind? Do digital tools make us more or less productive at work? To what extent is the development of new technologies having a negative effect on us? How will technology developments change our lives in 20 years? Should people get an identity chip implanted under their skin? Should people in all countries have equal access to technological developments? Can video gaming really help solve world problems? (see video) How our our brains different than a computer? (see video) Is Organic food really better for you than genetically modified foods? What are genetically modified food technologies able to do? How does this compare with traditional plant breeding methods? Should genetically modified food technologies be used to solve hunger and nutritional issues in poorer nations? Since it is now possible to sequence human genes to find out information about possible future heath risks, is that something everyone should have done? What are the advantages or disadvantages? If people have genetic testing, who has the right to that information? Should health care companies and employers have access to that information. If parents have genetic information about their children, when and how should they share it with the child? What sort of genetic information should parents seek to get about their children and how might this influence raising that child? Would having cars that drive themselves be a good or bad idea? How might travel in the future be different? Should information technologies and Internet availability make work from home the norm?

Communication Memo

|To: |Dana Donnley, Director of Employee Communication. | |From: |Rey, Employee Communication Manager. | |Date: |March, 8th 2013. | |Ref: |Confidential: Employee Communication Strategy | | |Proposal for the Whirlpool Corporation Employee | | |Wellness Program. | | | | . Background. Whirlpool Corporation (hereinafter the â€Å"Company†) is facing financial problems, and therefore has decided to lower the insurance benefits expenses of its employees. As stated in the Bain & Company’s memorandum dated February 28th 2013, there is a direct correlation between the amount of money spent by the Company on insurance benefits and their wellness. Not only that, but also having healthier employees boosts their productiveness.As a consequence, the Company has included within its Human Resources strategy to offer and persuade its employees (and their spouses) to get in the headquarters a free mini-physical test, denominated the Employee Wellness Program, whereby the height, weight, blood pressure, and vital signs of the employees are measured (the â€Å"EWP†). This means only a routine exam that tests various bodily functions and reflexes, giving as an aftermath a diagnostic of the employee’s general condition.As a result of such test several diseases can be detected in their early stages, giving the employee the advantage of an early treatment, and the company its savings on insurance benefits payments. Whirlpool Corporation is heavily Unionized as a consequence of a responsible leadership of its authorities. 2. Query. You have consulted me in order to draw and structure strategy that the Company should carry out in order to communicate the employees the aforementioned EWP. 3. Response:We propose a multistep strategy that takes fully advantage of the prestige of the Company’s Union, and involves it directly to inform and persuade employees to perform the medical test. Also, main concerns should be specifically addressed, such as the confi dential matter of the information, its propose, and the fact that taking the medical test is voluntary. 4. Foundations of the Response: From a Human Resources standpoint the EWP should be managed carefully to avoid that the employees (and the Union) get confused regarding the real intention of it. In general terms, the communication should be simple, forceful and straightforward.However, some issues should be specially addressed, in order to avoid confusions. These are: 1. The Test is Voluntary. It should be pointed out that the medical test is voluntary, since employees could otherwise interpret it as a coercive measure by the Company. 2. Scope and Benefits of the Test. The communication should also explain the scope of the test, so the employees are sure what to expect when they take it. Also its benefits should be mentioned. 3. Confidentiality of the Information. In spite of being arguments against it[1], I am convinced that this point should be specifically addressed in the comm unication.There should not be doubt about it within the workforce. Also, a mention to the Professional Secrecy legal obligation should be done to reinforce the Company’s commitment to respect it. Hence, the only person to get the result of the test is the employee itself (therefore the Company does not get the information). 4. Use and Propose of the Information. It should also be pointed out that the only purpose of making such medical test is to get a diagnostic of the employee’s general condition for his own benefit and use. . Meeting with the Union. I believe that the Union’s prestige within the vast majority of the employees should be taken advantage of. Therefore, Union leaders should be called for a meeting and deeply informed about the EWP. In such meeting, special emphasis should be given in order to highlight the medical benefits for the employees that the EWP could have. Also, the Company should argue therein, that the only purpose of the meeting is to inform the Union and address its doubts and concerns. 6. Role of the Union.Having performed an informative meeting with the Union, I assume that it will have a very active role informing employees without any request from the Company whatsoever. In fact, for many employees, the Union has more credibility than management. Hence, by involving the Union with the communication, it will be the primary source of calm for many of the employees. In addition, it could advise employees of any legal consequence of a misuse of such information by the Company, which would have strong costs for it (could be considered an abusive dismissal). 7. The Test is Free.This should be explicit within the communication. 8. Spouses of Employees. As stated above, the EWP also includes the spouses of employees. However, in the communication to be delivered, no reference should be made in such regard, since it could be interpreted as intrusive. Therefore, only for those who accept taking the test a verbal exte nsion of the invitation should be performed to their spouses. 9. Formality of the Communication. I advise you to communicate the EWP to the employees via e-mail, since by communicating it by a more formal mean would only give this issue more significance that it has. 10. Further Details.It also should be address specifically that if anyone has any doubt or wants further information about the medical test, should contact either someone at the Human Resources department or at the Union. 11. Other Factors Taken into Consideration. Intimate employee information and its use are of critical importance to maintain an excellent employee-employer relationship. Not only that, but also their productivity is at risk if the message is misunderstood or the information is misused. In that regard, the confidence that the Company has built over the years with its employees can be destroyed in days, if the situation is not managed properly.I remain at your disposal for any further information that yo u may deem necessary. Yours truly, Rey. Employee Communication Manager. ———————– [1] It could be argued that by specifically addressing that the information will remain confidential could provoke a concern on employees, that otherwise would not be concerned. Nevertheless, we doubt that this would be the situation in the majority of the cases. We are convinced that most of the employees would be concerned about the topic, if a commitment of the Company declaring that information confidential were not made.

Hank Kolb Case

HANK KOLB CASE ANALYSIS The following are the problems that Kolb’s production line has to address: 1. Personnel – the operator of the filling equipment is not suitable for the job because of lack of knowledge and proper training 2. The filling equipment – the machine is not particularly designed for filling the Greasex cans. It was originally made for other purpose. 3. Maintenance – there is no definite schedule of preventive maintenance for the filling equipment. 4. Purchasing – agents from purchasing have not yet finalized on a supplier that has non-defective nozzle to fit on the nozzle heads 5. Product design and packaging – the contoured shape of the can is perceived to be catchy by the designers because of its easier to be gripped feature. But Kolb sees the shape as problem for filling 6. The manufacturing manager – despite the favorable production quota from Simmons, have some issues for cost improvements and reduced delivery times that Kolb has to re-consider before filling in Simmons for promotion 7. The marketing – the introduction of Greasex was rushed to market even if the product is still a bit off-spec Suggestions: Using the Six-Sigma Analysis, Kolb should solve the major problems of his production line using the DMAIC as recommended below: 1. Define (D) ?Identify customers and their priorities. ?Identify a project suitable for Six-Sigma efforts based on business objectives as well as customer needs and feedback. ?Identify the CTQs (critical-to-quality characteristics) that the customer considers to have the most impact on quality. Kolb should have in mind already the safety of the products to customers, not just target unit sales. Being the new Director of Quality Assurance, he must look closely to the process and implement improvement to which the steps are causing trouble or maybe eliminate or change what is causing the trouble. It is also important that he has an active list of customer feedbacks that he would refer to every time he tries to improve his processes. 2. Measure (M) ? Determine the measure the process and how it is performing. ? Identify the key internal process that influence the CTQs and measure the defects currently generated relative to those processes. Kolb can use the three tools i. . Run Charts, Pareto Charts and Checksheets to measure the process and defects that are found (usually in in type and number of customer complaints). After seeing the influencing factors and types of defects, he will be able to decide whether replace or improve these influencing factors. 3. Analyze (A) ? Determine the most likely causes of defects. ? Understand why defects are generated by identifying the key variables that are not likely to create process variation. Kolb can make use of the Fishbone Chart to analyze the causes of the problems in his line of work. The first cause of defect in his production line is the filling equipment because the machine is not originally designed for its current process. Kolb has to decide whether to continue using it or to replace it with equipment specialized for a specific activity which is filling the bottles. The personnel is also one reason for defects because of insufficient knowledge in his line of job. The purchasing department also caused defects because they acquired defective nozzles on a supplier just to keep up with the orders. 4. Improve (I) ? Identify means to remove the causes of defects. Confirm the key variables and quantify their defects on the CTQs. ? Identify the maximum acceptance ranges of the key variables and a system for measuring deviations of the variables. The Opportunity Flow diagram will be useful for Kolb in this step. To address his problem with the personnel, he can send the person for a formal training and testing. Or he can replace the personnel with a more qualified ind ividual. He may also replace the filling equipment which is the main cause of the defect – which exceeds the pressure of the cans. He also has a lot to discuss with the packaging, purchasing and marketing departments on many issues with the product. 5. Control (C) ? Determine how to maintain the improvements. ? Put tools in place to ensure that the key variables remain within the maximum acceptance ranges under the modified process. Kolb will have a difficult time to improve the processes in the production line but quality of the product should not be taken for granted. Once the improvements are implemented, he should still have a regular schedule of maintenance of at least once a month to ensure all equipments and processes are checked.

ET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ET - Essay Example In this scenario, the link between BA and strategy is coordinated. Here the BA function is purely reactive and there is no feedback procedure from BA to strategy. Method competencies help a business analyst to keep the tool kit in order. He or she should be able to deliver multiple information in same data and should be able to visualize the information as the user. Answer. A data warehouse provides an organization with data which is consistent, integrated and valid. It ensures the collection of data from its source. Data warehouse retains the desired key features and provides data for creating reports. Answer. A company can collect source data either by collecting primary data or secondary data. The data collected for the first time is called the primary data. A primary data when further used becomes secondary data. A secondary data is collected from already collected data.The data sources for a company can be classified as: 1.Data generating source system- A data generating source system specifies which systems which create data for the first time and which don’t. Some examples of data generating source systems are billing systems, Reminder systems, Debt collection systems, CRM systems, and Product and consumption information. 2. Source system -When a data generated for the first time is saved, it becomes the source system for data warehouse. Data in the warehouse comes from primary sources and is saved on the basis of organizations rules and requirements. Based on the data warehouse information a large number of analysis and business processes are carried. 1. Establishment of information wheel- In order to provide the right information to the right people at the right time, data is condensed into information and knowledge. This is called information wheel. An information wheel summarizes the knowledge and information. 2. Creating Synergies between Information Wheels- The BICC must maintain the information wheels. The BICC

My life sounds like Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My life sounds like - Essay Example The words in the song encourage me to do what I desire, and what contributes positively to the advancement of humanity. The words that insist that every second count because second chances do not exist inspire me. More to these, the song highlights about forgiving your enemies, which helps me keep from holding grudges in life, and aim at living at peace with all people. Being concerned about the well being of the less fortunate in society forms a significant part of my life. Consequently, Michael Jackson inspires me to participate, continually, in activities that promote the lives of the less fortunate. The song insists on caring for the entire human race, through such acts as giving. It also strengthens my unity values as it teaches me to look at the world as a place that should be filled with peace. Therefore, the song helps me to reach out to the needy around me, and help them live a better life. Switchfoot’s song â€Å"Dare you to move† keeps me going when I face hu rdles in my life. Whenever I experience failure, and thoughts of despair crowd my mind, the words â€Å"I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor† encourage me to keep on trying, no matter how difficult the situation may get. In my academics, for example, I am motivated to keep on working hard as the song teaches me that being strong makes a difference between where I am today, and where I could be tomorrow. The song increases my determination to face the tensions in all areas of life with an unfailing spirit.

Family nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Family nursing - Essay Example Mr. L lives in three-bedroom condo in residential areas. Living room and kitchen are on the first floor, and bedrooms and bathrooms are on the second floor. The house has a hardwood floor and there is a small rug under the sofa. The air conditioner is in the living room, and there are small fans in all the bedrooms. Family members take off their shoes before entering the house, and wear slippers. Mr. L was diagnosed with DM ten years ago, and now he is administered insulin injections. He often comes to visit his primary doctor because he has swollen ankles and 0.2cm by 0.2 cm foot ulcer on his big toe. He denies any other health problems or surgery history. The family is in the stage of launching the young adults because Mr. L’s youngest child got married in 2010, and a grandson was born last year. Children talk to Mrs. L easily but they rarely talk to Mr. L. All children want to have only one child because they feel that they would be burdened by responsibilities if they will plan more children. Whenever Mr. And Mrs. L’s children face any problem regarding the new born they take advice from their mother and Mrs. L has always responded to them gladly. .Mr. And Mrs. L rarely talk to each other. However, Mrs. L is always concerned about her spouse and his chronic health condition. Mrs. L cooks brown rice instead of white rice because she knows brown rice is good for health, and also helps to reduce blood sugar level for patients who have been diagnosed with DM. Dysfunctional communication patterns are observed between husband and wife. Communication patterns are one way. The husband asks his wife to do the certain job for him and the wife does it without raising any question. While watching the news, the husband discusses his opinion on the news, and the wife too tells her opinion but if somehow wife does not agree with the husband regarding his opinions, husband’s voice gets higher and insists that his opinion is right which leads to cessati on of communication between husband and wife. Affective messages are not exchanged between husband and wife. The wife is verbally and physically warm and close to her three children. Also, the children are affectionate to their mother. However, the husband only expresses warm feeling towards his oldest daughter, and has no warm words for the other two children. Life partners in this case, never express and share their internal warm feelings which they have for each other. Whenever the husband informs the wife about the problems that their family has exhibited, the wife angrily rolls her eyes at husband .It shows an incongruent message. Dysfunctional communication processes are seen in spouses. The husband himself assumes and makes decisions for his wife. While children plan a family vacation, Mr. L comes up with the argument based on his own assumptions that his wife is not interested in going anywhere. Close communication depicts the inner feelings between husband and wife. Cultura l variable affects the communication factor between the couple because they were born and raised in China. In this case, the male is dominant in the house, and wife is submissive negotiating the fact that they follow western culture where the couples are egalitarian. The husband makes all the big decisions of family by himself and does not take any advice from his wife or children.. The wife usually follows his decision without asking

Critically assess Marxist theories of fascism Essay

Critically assess Marxist theories of fascism - Essay Example One of these reasons is timing, in that it took several generations for the Left to realize that fascism was a not a clever manipulation of the populace by the reactionary Right, but was, rather, authentically popular to the masses. Another reason is because many states, during fascism’s heyday, tried to mimic the fascist governments, even though these states were not functionally fascist, essentially trying to identify themselves as fascists by their plumage or clothing. A third reason why fascism is difficult to define is because there is such a wide disparity between regimes due to space and time, as each fascist country derived their own fascist elements from their own community identity. For instance, religion would play a greater role in any kind of United States incarnation of fascism than it would in Europe, where the fascists were pagan. A fourth difficulty in defining fascism is that there is a tenuous relationship between its ideology and fascism as put into action (Paxton, 1998, pp. 1-4). While fascism is a concept that has eluded definition, there is some comfort in knowing that Marxist definitions and critiques generally differ from non-Marxist ones, in a number of different ways. In this way, fascism has a better theoretical ground when studied in light of fascist theories of the ideology, and these Marxist theories are the focus of this paper. That said, there are a number of fundamental differences between Marxist theories of fascism and non-Marxist theories. Marxist theories of fascism differed from the non-Marxist theories of fascism, in that non-Marxist theories do not study the class and social policies of Germany and Italy under fascism, doing little to explain how these regimes dealt with taxes, social services, business and labor conditions, as well as not asking for who benefited from fascism and for whom fascism was a detriment, while these questions are at the core of the Marxist critique of fascism (Pizzo, 1998, p. 97). This i s because the Marxist ideology sees class as central to government in general, whereas non-Marxists see state governments as being above class structures (Pizzo, 1998, p. 97). In other words, to Marxists, â€Å"fascism was a mass movement that acted independent of capitalist support† (Renton, 1997, p. 2). Another major difference between Marxist critiques of fascism from non-Marxist critiques is that the latter is concerned with fascism as a mature form of governing, focusing on the essence of fascism; non-Marxists concentrate on fascism as a movement. Thus, the non-Marxist critiques of fascism concentrate ideological themes and organizational principles of fascism than do Marxist critiques (Vanaik, 1994, p. 1730). Another major difference between Marxist theories and non-Marxist theories is that Marxist theories tend to view fascism strictly in economic terms, while non-Marxist theories see fascism in psychological and personality terms (Thomas, 1991, p. 1). According to the se non-Marxist theories, fascism is a product of a diseased society in crisis, or the consequence of moral failure and these theories revolve around the concept of a sick society and a world gone mad (Davies & Lynch, 2002, p. 4). These theories try to get into the psyche of leaders who embrace the fascist ideology, such as Hitler and Mussolini, as well as the psyches of those who were ardent followers of

D1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

D1 - Assignment Example the start, therefore, California was prone to fabricate its experience and have continued to show some version of the that experience on and off ever since. In addition, Starr meant that our actual lived experience takes place in California, where our marriages, tribes, cultures, histories and neighbors, public laws, private agonies and our real homes right down to our humble daily occurrences and activities such as eating existed. All these things were pursued by the fact that one belonged to California or was precipitated by California-ism which depend upon love affair, power and pleasure, norms and values of human made empires not those that emanate from Heaven. When Starr stated that California entered history is a myth, he tried to imply that California has been seen Shangri-la-the promised land of many pilgrims who looking for American dream. In addition, the statement implied that California which is the second most populous State in the United States has been blessed with human diversity and natural beauty (Starr 30). More so, the State has been witnessed many events such as innovation, triumph, and discovery. For many years, Ca lifornia native people lived in plenty or of good topography and climate suited to human habitation. During the renaissance period, European colonization were not the only one doing good and great things. This is because societies in other parts of the world flourished. As the world turned into the 15th century, it seems that each in the world had its own renaissance. Native Americans of North America were not an exception. These people had diverse languages and culture much such as Europeans. When colonizers from Europe landed in North America, they could not have imagined of the intricacy of the people they were soon to interact with. Not all Native Americans lived in peace like Europeans; the continent faced tribal conflicts that sometimes led to cultural and human destruction. European colonizers in California sought to

Strategy enter mode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy enter mode - Essay Example However, failures in regard to these plans cannot be avoided, especially if the enter mode chosen is inappropriate for the target market involved. The entry in a foreign market can be a risky initiative, especially when the global market is not stable. However, choosing an appropriate enter mode can help to reduce the risks involved in such plans. The enter modes available to firms that aim to enter a foreign market are discussed in this paper. The literature developed in this field has been reviewed so that all aspects of this study’s subject are adequately explained. Moreover, five studies have been selected and are presented separately for highlighting important points of the issues under discussion. It is proved that a variety of entry modes is available to firms that wish to internationalize their activities. Still, not all these modes can be equally effective; indeed, the risks involved in the target market can be many. It should be also noted that the benefits from entering a foreign market may not be clear in the short term. For this reason, a firm trying to expand its operations globally should have alternative strategies available in case that the enter mode initially chosen is proved faulty. When trying to enter a foreign market, a variety of criteria is used in order to decide which enter mode is most appropriate. The resources available for supporting this project can highly influence the relevant decision (Levi 2006). On the other hand, the experience acquired through similar initiatives in the past can help a firm to choose an appropriate strategy for entering a foreign market (Levi 2006). In addition, when trying to entering a foreign market a firm is expected to face a variety of forces (Albaum and Duerr 2008). Managing these forces can be extremely difficult depending on the firm’s market position and its objectives (Albaum and Duerr 2008). For this reason, a firm

Literature theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literature theory - Essay Example The only difference is that Iser impresses that the value of literature is in making sense of the literature itself while Barthes says literature is the product of the culture. According to Barthes, readers too read and find meaning in the literature just as anthropologists do. These are often expressed symbolically. Iser too finds gaps in the literature of which the reader is expected to make sense. The reader is also expected to make moral judgments of the characters, according to Iser. Compare/contrast the rhetorical theories of Iser and Fetterly. Try to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in their discussions of how readers read and/or how poetry affects its audiences. (186 words). Fetterly states that most of American literature has been written by male and from a male perspective. It also reflects the male oppressive attitude towards women and a woman is expected to identify against herself when she reads such literature. Fetterly further insists that a woman should resist what the literature wants her to do. In contrast Iser feels the value of the literature lies in trying to make sense of the literature. While Fetterly states that women should not allow this sort of literature to affect us as the literature carries the culture, Iser contends that we do not perceive or absorb all that the literature wants to convey at the same time. It takes place over a period of time. Fetterly believes that women should attempt to change the culture. They should not just try to read through the intention of the author but reject it if they find it objectionable but Iser feels that at times the effect on the reader is much later and this is true of a novel as well as poetry. Both however agree that literature affects the reader. Woolf, Arnold and Eliot all three agree that the individual writer is influenced by the literary tradition but they disagree on the

Employee voice Essay Example for Free

Employee voice Essay ‘Employee voice’ suggested by Geoff Armstrong (cited in Armstrong,2001) in the recent issue of Industrial Participation Association (IPA) Bulletin, historically meant collective bargaining, and that this ‘chosen method of joint regulation became a straitjacket inhibiting the very things we needed to be doing to win and keep customers! ’ Win and keep the customers because feedbacks and suggestions came from the employee who deals with the customers every day of their work. Companies are able to get the facts from how the customer complaint about their product and to what satisfies them. The word ‘voice’ was popularized by Freeman and Medoff (cited in Freeman Medoff, 1984) who argued that it made good sense for both company and workforce to have a ‘voice’ mechanism. This had both a consensual and conflictual image; on the one hand, participation could lead to a beneficial impact on quality and productivity, whilst on the other it could detect problems which otherwise might ‘explode’. Dundon et al (cited in Dundon, 2004;MC Cabe Lewin, 1992; Wilkinson et al,2004). The four principal strands of the thought or forms of ‘voice’ that are available to employees are: an articulation of individual dissatisfaction; existence of a collective organization; a form of contribution to the management decision-making; and as a form of mutuality in the organization. In the articulation of individual dissatisfaction, the employee aims to address a specific problem or issue with the management that is usually presented in the form of grievance procedure or ‘speak up’ program. An opportunity for employee representatives – union or non-union – to communicate the views of the workforce to managers either through partnership or collective bargaining is the form of collective organization. As a form of contribution to the management decision-making its purpose is concerned with improvements in work organization and efficiency more generally, perhaps through quality circles or team working. It is achieve by a dialogue with employees providing ideas to improve the organizational performance. The last form is the mutuality in organization in delivering long term viability for the organization and its employees, often through joint consultation, collective bargaining and or partnership. In an article by Sharon Shinn (2004,p 18), The Maverick CEO, he asked Ricardo Semler that if business students were reading a case study of Semco what was the valuable lesson they would they take away and he answered that, â€Å"the main lesson is that freedom is a prime driver for performance. † Through my research I believe that all of the employees’ benefits from ‘employee voice’ just revolve around Semlers’ idea. When an employee has the freedom to express himself it empowers him to decide the courses of action that must be done to achieve a certain objective of the company according to his ideals in work and life in general. When one has the freedom to say what for him is wrong or right it gives him the dignity of not only a worker of the company but someone who can make a change and influence people on top for the better future of the company. A sample of the ideal is displayed in Semco where employees can vote to veto new products or new product ventures. At Semco, (cited in Samler, 2004) â€Å"workers approve their own bosses and people only attend meetings if they think the meetings are important. It works because of peoples’ self-interest. Nobody wants to stay in boring meetings or work for bosses they didn’t choose. † Furthermore, â€Å"of course, you can make people come to meetings and look alert, but it’s more difficult to get them to perform what was decided at the meeting. We want people to follow their instincts and to choose as bosses people they respect – even if they don’t like them. This often happens at Semco. † ‘Employee voice’ can be channeled between union and non-union voice. Comparison of benefits between union and non-union voice has been noted. (cited in Freeman and Medoff, 1984) argued that only union forms of voice would result in voice benefits for workers and management. The reasoning behind this argument is that without a union to ensure fair treatment and an equitable distribution of the fruits of success, individuals lack the incentive to pursue public goods. Union voice promotes ‘independence’ unlike direct voice mechanisms’ where its effectiveness is challenged in their capacity to transform the power relations in an organization due to lack of sanctions for non-compliance, collective power and access to independent sources of advice or assistance, non-union voice mechanisms are more susceptible to managerial influence and control (cited in Golan,2009; Terry,199; Wilkinson et al, 2004). On the contrary, non-union or direct voice has been also argued to be superior to union voice for 2 reasons: first, barriers between employers and employees can be disintegrated by dealing directly with employees rather than through an intermediary (cited in Bryson, 2004; Storey, 1992); and second, direct voice allows managers to better respond to the heterogeneous interests of workers (cited in Storey,1992). Another distinct benefit of ‘employee voice’ is evident in the ‘monopoly face’ of unionism, whereby unions seek to restrict the supply of labor to the irm in pursuit of higher wages and benefits. In a general point of view because of the ‘employee voice’ managers give more positive responses to employee needs, greater levels of control over the work process and increased influence over job rewards. In relation with the benefits that can be gained by employees’ through ‘employee voice’ the said firms that practices this kind of system have a lot to gain out of it. One important factor that affects the companies’ profitability is its labor cost. Voice is considered important, in their classic work on US trade Unionism, (cited in Freeman and Medoff, 1984) post it that it is theoretically possible for trade unions to enhance the productivity of firms because they provide voice to workers. They argue that union voice can be productivity-enhancing where voice costs are lower than the costs of dissatisfied workers quitting, and lower quit rates encourage firms to invest in human capital, resulting in a more skilled and productive workforce. In union voice it may also reduce the transaction costs that employees face, for example, by enforcing and monitoring contracts (cited in Booth, 1995; Kaufman, 2004; Kaufman and Levine, 2000). The company of Semco is a great example of this, (cited in Shinn, 2004) Semler and a radical management team completely upended traditional business theory at Semco, doing away with conventional organizational charts while allowing employees more and more freedom to choose what products they would work and how they would produce them. Many employees were eliminated by job reconstruction or left because they couldn’t handle the turmoil. But those who remained became passionate about Semco and their place within it. At Semco they also believe in continuous growth and development so (cited in Samler, 2004) â€Å"people at Semco, by setting their own timetables and workloads, are more apt to take time out for learning. † He said that there were also sabbaticals, and a system whereby people can diminish and increase their work weeks by arrangement with their teams. They also have Retire-a-little where people can take a day, or half-day, off every week, to do what they would when they retire. Because of such changes, (cited in Semler, 2004) noted that it have raised Semco’s revenue from a $35 million to $160 million in the last six years. In addition, (cited in Shinn, 2004) Semler is deeply involved in promoting a workplace where freedom and flexibility is celebrated that he established a school in Sao Paolo practicing his values. (cited in Samler ,2004) â€Å"the school is in place and has started enrolling two-to-ten year olds. We want to change things at the starting point. At this school, our kids determine the rules and makes decisions ever week at a school meeting. We don’t want to holler and point fingers at kids. They are perfectly able to settle disputes and regulations alone. We do sit in to facilitate, when they want. † Furthermore, â€Å"at the Lumlar Institute, which runs the school, we develop a mosaic technology to teach free children effectively, something that the educational world knows nothing about. Since our kids are obliged to be in school but not in class, it behooves us to interest them – and we do. Children are already staying 1. 84 times longer at our school, out of free will, than at other schools in the system. After defining that there were two system of ‘employee voice’ which are non-union (direct) and union, in addition reviewing the benefits of implementing ‘employee voice’ to both the employees and company, Australia seems to place more importance to non-union voice that than union voice. Result from the studies of researchers proves that, for example, AWIRS (the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey) shows that only 16% of work places were there employee representatives on boards in 1995. (cited in Morehead et al, 1997; 506-67). Moreover non-union of employee representation was not institutionalized as they are in EU (European Union). With the Decline of Union membership, with 22% of employees now being unionized (and only 17 percent in the private sector), there is a growing ‘representation on gap’ for employees’ with some academic experts arguing that works councils could fill that gap. (Knudsen Markey, 2002). However, there seems little political will to progress this issue at the moment, with major interest focused on the recent Work Choices Legislation, rather than a broader discussion of work place governance. Thus, it appears that for the most part, participation in Australia will remain a matter for the firm rather that a broader social issue and its extent will be largely governed by management strategy and enthusiasm for the various direct participative approaches. Pyman et al (2006) In practical sense, the effectiveness of employee voice in Australia workplaces is dependent on a plurality of arrangements, that is multiple, mutually reinforcing channels. While achieving this is likely to present challenge for employers, employees and unions, the findings to do highlight the significance of labor- management interaction and thus the value of a union-employer partnership approach predicated on mutual benefits. Such an approach is seriously threatened by the recent changes embodied in the Work Choices Act 2005. This legislation unequivocally privileges direct or non-union representative voice mechanisms, while undermining union voice and multi-channel voice arrangements.

A Range Of Problems In The Future Essay Example for Free

A Range Of Problems In The Future Essay ‘The world will have to grapple with a range of problems in the future’ The world will inevitably change as time continues to expose the past’s perception of the future to the now. As the earth ages, generations to come adapt to the new world they perceive to be as It is near impossible for every parent to educate their young on everything they have ever learned; thus attitudes and morals are continually fluctuating. It is undeniable that it has already affected society it is evident throughout today’s problems that were never pondered upon by older generations such as the rapid advances in technology. The future can only change, and will encounter many dilemmas along the way. Earth already has an overwhelming number of human inhabitants, and the world’s population continues to increase. Many people do not want to acknowledge the problem, but ignorance will not change the inevitable consequences of overpopulation. No animal species can exist without adequate food, water, shelter and other essential resources and humans are not exempt from this rule. When the human population exceeds the resources needed to sustain it, the same thing that happens to any overpopulated species; nature will reduce the population through famine, disease, interspecies fighting or a combination of either one. That reality has already affecting people in some Third World countries. Because of cultural, political and religious attitudes, almost no world leader is willing to acknowledge the problem, much less take the necessary steps to resolve it. The underlying cause of almost every environmental problem in the world today is human overpopulation. Air pollution, water shortages, habitat loss, extinctions, and invasive species all are caused or intensified from having too many people in the world. Humans are unique among all animal species in having the ability to solve even a monumental problem like overpopulation. This awareness is existent in George Orwell’s ‘1984’, the effects of extreme totalitarian society have stripped society’s resources and forced them to live in a dystopian environment full of pollution and overpopulation. Such a situation of local overpopulation has existed since the dawn of humanity and is slowly becoming a global existential problem. Technology today has transformed the world and changed how people live in their day to day lives. As advances in technology are generally perceived to be an advantage, it can enable the most malevolent evil. The realm of communications has likewise seen immense change. People are provided with new ways to communicate with each other, such as email and instant messaging which can pose as a breach of privacy if used for the wrong intentions. Documents placed on the internet are sources of information for the rest of the world, and will forever leave a digital footprint. Global positioning satellites allow us to track our exact location and find our way to various destinations; such accessible conveniences can alter the future in foretelling ways. George Orwell’s ‘1984, illustrates a dystopian society ruled by a totalitarian government. This extreme realization portrays a government with absolute power, in which controls every aspect of human life using a number of dehumanising techniques. Orwell’s dark vision poses as a foreshadowing notice, which thoroughly explores the consequences of advanced technology and its misuse. As Oceania’s mechanical citizens are constantly monitored using microphones and surveillance, expunges their right to privacy and to make choices. It is clear that the innovations of technology could escalate out of control, leaving society with no defence against it. Thus, it will ultimately destroy humanity in the pursuit of absolute power. The discovery of DNA has the possibility to lead to major social and scientific issues in society. With new advances in technology, there are increases in the consequences that the new technology will allow. It is evident in Andrew Niccol’s film ‘Gattaca’ that the more powerful genetic engineering becomes the more helpful and harmful it develops. The film depicts a society ruled by ‘genoism’, where your genetics decide your social class in the world with a stressed need for perfectionism. This depressing image where there is no determinism for fate or influence for ethical standards eliminates the right for freedom of choice, that people freely and obliviously exhaust today. The consequences of selective breeding solutions are frequently addressed in past and modern literature. In ‘Jurassic Park’, a scientist exhumes and modifies dinosaur DNA to then create an island inhabited by dinosaurs. Consequently, the impact of unnaturally producing a breed that has been extinct for a long period of time threatened the rest of  the human race’s existence. It is clear that such meticulous science created in the wrong hands has the potential to impact the world permanently. Similarly, a frightening futuristic concept that threatens to dominate society is totalitarianism. The objective of totalitarian government is to limit and regulate every aspect of public and private life. George Orwell’s novel, ‘1984’, exemplifies a society lacking in freedom and expression. His fictional society in the year 1984 stands as a metaphor for a totalitarian society. Communication, personal beliefs, and national loyalty are controlled by the inner party which governs the people of Oceania in order to keep society from rebelling. The concept of also controlling the personal beliefs of the citizens promotes totalitarianism by limiting the form of any emotional or individual expression. The citizens of Oceania were forced to work long days which limited self-expression because they were too exhausted to do anything else. Oceania, where protagonist Winston Smith lives, is ruled by the INGSOC. â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU†, the main party slogan of Oceania which makes clear that every action you make is all seen by Big Brother, the big leader. The Inner Party, controlled by Big Brother, dictates several aspects of the people’s life. As a society, Oceania are completely brain washed by the continuous propaganda which is based on false news, a new language which reduces the capacity of using words in a double sensed way named Newspeak and indoctrination, this newborn dialect empowers and respects INGSOC. The overall concept is designed to control personal beliefs of the citizens by limiting their form of expression. Essentially, controlling the communication aligns with the Totalitarian aspects of governing. George Orwell envisioned the lack of communication could possibly result to total dominance and control of the people. As civilization moves toward the point where human life will be irreversibly transformed, it will also have to overcome the potential problems that are carried along with any advancement in technology and government. All of these possibilities portray a pessimistic view of the future which has the potential to accrue into tremendous issues of whom the world will have to grapple.

Media Essays Media Representations Public

Media Essays Media Representations Public Media Representations Public Abstract The purpose of the study is to examine how mental illness and crime is currently represented in the UK media; to what extent, if any representations have changed over the past decade. Furthermore, the study will adopt the theory of social representations, given the theory’s useful theoretical perspective for the investigation of media representations. The study will be qualitative in nature, comprising of content analysis of UK tabloid and broadsheet newspaper articles. Content analysis is considered to be ‘one of the classical procedures for analysing textual material’ (Flick 1998:192), and is the only method for the analysis of textual material within the social sciences (Bauer (2000). Also, the study will try and discover whether media representations differed considerably in accordance with the type of newspaper and the political orientation of a particular newspaper. Introduction Previous research by the Department of Health found that media representations of mental illness have a negative effect on public perception (Rose, 1998). Another study by the Glasgow University media group, confirmed the belief that people who saw a strong link between mental illness and violence, derived their beliefs largely from the media (Philo, 1993). Although the relationship between the media and public attitudes are complicated, there is however evidence supporting the view that details of mental illness promote and reinforce negative public perceptions (Cutcliffe Hannigan, 2001). Negative representations and the effect that the media has had when dealing with mental illness according to Cutcliffe Hannigan, (2001) makes the point â€Å"that supervision registers, supervised discharge and the appearance of a generally more controlling mental health policy framework in the 1990s emerged, in part at least, as a result of media-fuelled moral panic†. This was as a result of the powerful media coverage of mental health issues relating to the death of Jonathan Zito at a London underground station and the horrific death of Ben Silcock by a lion at London zoo (Cutcliffe Hannigan, 2001). Meanwhile, according to (Cutcliffe Hannigan, 2001) â€Å"Despite the recent European Convention for Human Rights Act coming into force in October 2000, some developments in British mental health care appear to be moving away from the position that upholds, wherever possible, the individual’s personal freedom as sacrosanct, towards a position more concerned with minimizing risk to others†. This development is evident in the policies and legislations that have been introduced by the Labour government since their election in 1997 (Cutcliffe Hannigan, 2001). Over the past 30 years a substantial amount of research has been conducted to determine the effect of the media on the public’s belief system. If public perception of mental illness is based on negative and false images perpetuated by the media, there is a danger that government responses to systems and people in the mental health field will also be based on these false realities, rather than on the true needs and issues of people suffering from mental illness (Cutcliffe Hannigan, 2001; Rose, 1998). Media Representations of Mental Illness Promote False and Negative Images and Stereotypes According to Edney, (2004) â€Å"The media play an influential role in shaping people’s attitudes about the world they live in and about the individuals who inhabit the world with them. Stories about or references to people with mental health issues are rarely out of the headlines in news stories, yet research indicates that media portrayals of mental illness are often both false and negative†. Negative Images and Stereotypes in News Media Furthermore, Edney, (2004) a â€Å"1993 Glasgow University study that conducted a content analysis of 562 newspaper items containing representations of mental health and illness identified within local and national media over the course of one month. The study concluded that 62% of those stories focussed on violence towards others in relation to a person with mental illness. Stories that garner the most media attention appear to be those that make a link between mental illness, crime, and violence†. Violence and Criminality in News Media Meanwhile, Edney, (2004) â€Å"nearly two-thirds of all news stories examined involving those with psychiatric diagnoses could be classified as crime news. Yet, when news on the whole was examined, only 10% of stories were crime news, with the other 90% of stories revolving around issues unrelated to crime or violence, such as politics, entertainment and health. Thus it is not that news overall is dominated by stories about crime, but rather that news stories featuring people with mental health problems are overwhelmingly given this specific and negative focus. Negative Media Portrayals and public’s Negative Attitudes However, according to Edney, (2004) â€Å"The few acts of violence committed by people with mental illness are generally directed at family members, not strangers. Media depictions of persons with mental illness attacking a stranger shape public opinion. The saliency of such high-profile crimes, despite their infrequency, makes it appear as though violent crimes committed by individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis are common, and that the general public has reason to fear people with mental illness†. Furthermore, Edney, (2004) â€Å"the media’s representation of people with mental illness as violent, dangerous, and unpredictable has resulted in the mentally ill suffering societal scorn and discrimination. However, mistaken and negative depictions perpetrate the public’s damning image of people with mental illness and sustain continued intolerance oppression. Such erroneous and negative associations are woven so thoroughly into the fabric of the public consciousness that sensationalism need no longer occur for the public to equate mental illness with dangerousness.† Meanwhile, according to Anderson, (2003), â€Å"Media representations of mental illness can have a significant effect on public images of people who experience mental health problems. The implications for people living in the community are considerable, particularly when the media depict people suffering from a mental illness as being ‘dangerous’ and violent†. Throughout the 1990s, Anderson, (2003), â€Å"the media increased attention on issues surrounding governmental community care legislation and the discharge of people from institutional care. This resulted in a stream of news reports on homicides involving a person known to be suffering from a mental illness†. Furthermore, Anderson, (2003) says that â€Å"Newspapers in the UK have been one of the most powerful forms of media portraying such incidents. The case of Stephen Laudat, a person known to be suffering from schizophrenia, and who was convicted of killing Bryan Bennett, is identified as the ‘Killer who should not have gone to jail’ in an article attempting to illustrate the inadequacies of community care provision†. Another report by Anderson, (2003) â€Å"confronts the reader with ‘Mental patient Kills mother after quitting hospital’, which tells the tale of Gilbert Steckel, who was found to have killed a teacher and her two daughters soon after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital†. These events, along with the cases of Christopher Clunis and Jonathan Newby, show the failings of health policies and the health service (Anderson. 2003). An article in the ‘Independent’ announced ‘NHS accused over mentally ill killers (Anderson, 2003). Furthermore, according to Anderson, (2003), â€Å"During the last decade a number of studies and analytical papers attempted to demonstrate that negative reports in the press have contributed to the formation of negative public attitudes towards the mentally ill. Broadsheet and tabloid newspapers made a significant link between mental ill health, criminality and violence. Such stories were often given more exposure than positive articles. Social Representations Theory Given the amount of work carried out using social representation theory, I will concentrate on the aspects of the theory that are useful for media analysis. Social Representation theory provides a framework for the understanding of common-sense thinking, and does not privilege one particular form of research methodology, thus reducing the possibility of bias or error. For example, social representations that emerge as a result of content analysis of media texts do not change as a result of being investigated, albeit representations rely on the interpretation of the researcher, and therefore may contain a degree of bias. In contrast, information gathered from individuals may be open to change, since individuals may behave differently once they are aware of the nature of the investigation (Farr, 1993). Social Representations theory also guides methodology as well as being theoretical and in this regard any researcher working with social representations need to be aware of their own bias. Social representations theory was developed by Moscovici who defined social representations as a: system of values , ideas and practices with a twofold function; first to establish an order which will enable individuals to orient themselves in their material and social world and to master it; and secondly to enable communication to take place among the members of a community by providing them with a code for social exchange and a code for running and classifying unambiguously the various aspects of their world and their individual and group history (Moscovici 1973: viii) Therefore, social representations are a system of organised structures of meanings which is expressed through the medium of practice and talk. It provides a person with a framework to make sense of their social world, and their understanding is influenced by the meanings associated to them by society. One of the main principles of the theory is the process of making the unfamiliar familiar; which allows a person to make sense of events or something new which is unusual or interesting. The theory suggests that individuals develop further ideas as they do not like to live in a society that is strange or unfamiliar. According to Moscovici, (2000) when â€Å"otherness is thrust upon us in the form of something not quite as it should be we instinctively reject it, because it threatens the established social order†. Newspaper articles showing acts of violence or crime sometimes sees the perpetrator as having a history of mental illness, or psychological disorder, which would suggest that mental illness, was the direct cause of violence. So, to what extent can and should the mental health services protect the public against crime committed by mentally disordered offenders. According to Turner, (1996). Section 1 of The mental Health Act (1983) defines mental disorder as mental illness, arrested or incomplete development of mind, psychopathic disorder and any other disorder or disability of mind. Furthermore, the Act sets out four types of mental disorder, being severe mental impairment, mental impairment, psychopathic disorder and mental illness (Turner, 1996). Whilst the definitions are in fact legal constructs the type of mental disorder attributed to individuals is dependant on the clinical judgement of doctors and psychiatrists. Thus, detention under the Mental Health Act (1983) depends on the recommendations of two medical professionals, and should the type of mental disorder differ between the two judgements then the detention is invalid. Moreover, the 1983 Act states that individuals should not be deemed to have a mental disorder buy reason only of promiscuity or other immoral conduct, sexual deviancy or dependence on alcohol or drugs. In other words, behaviour that is not perceived to be within social norms is not a mental disorder. Whilst alcohol and drug abuse may cause mental disorder, and thus fall within the scope of the 1983 Act, in isolation they are not mental disorders. Consequently, discussions on the best means of disposal of mentally disordered offenders has been the subject of many government policy initiatives. In relation to DSPD offenders the Home Office/Department of Health (1999) policy proposals for Managing Dangerous People with Severe Personality Disorder identified the need to protect the public and to provide effective services for individuals suffering from DSPD. Personality Disorder describes a range of different conditions, from those individuals who pose some threat to themselves as well as to their families or friends to individuals who are severely disordered and pose a high risk to the public. This group of individuals is characterised as having DSPD, and it is estimated that over 2000 individuals within England and Wales suffer from this disorder. Current provisions of managing DSPD are problematic, since DSPD sufferers pose new challenges to the mental health services; the lack of knowledge about causes of the disorder and the nature of treatment of the disorder. Although individuals with DPSD may also suffer from mental disorder as well as a personality disorder, they are perceived as having different needs from most mentally ill patients and often undermine hospital regimes (Home Office/DOH, 1999). DSPD sufferers are less likely to receive consistent and long term treatment for their disorder, often treatment being a result of crisis intervention. Furthermore, involuntary admission to hospital for treatment of a psychopathic disorder is conditional on the basis that the individual will benefit from the treatment in hospital or prevent deterioration. In the case of DSPD sufferers, psychiatrists are less likely to recommend hospitalisation unless they also suffer from mental illness. However, the majority of DSPD sufferers are found within the prison system, where it is argued they pose equally challenging problems for prison staff. Those individuals who are categorised as being disruptive are held in Close Supervision Centres within the prison, whereby they are subject to high levels of supervision. On the other hand, whilst some individuals pose no management problems in prison they present a risk to the public on release. Furthermore, assessment of DSPD sufferers in prison by mental health services is not a matter of course, but rather a matter of chance. Some might question that this system is a breach f the duty of care on the part of both the criminal justice and mental health services to such individuals. Whilst the causes and possible interventions of the disorder are unclear it is hard to prove whether consistent and long term treatments have reduced the likelihood of re-offending, and the risk to the public. More resources needs to put in place in order to provide the care required by particular mentally disordered people, thus not assumimng that mentally disordered people are homogenous groups. Therefore, in this regard one would suggest that the mental health services should not only protect the public from the risk posed by DSPD individuals but also should protect the individual sufferers. Nevertheless, the duty of care is not only the responsibility of the mental health services. The Criminal justice system play an important role in the management of mentally disordered offenders. Diversion of mentally disordered offenders into psychiatric care can occur prior and during the process of criminal proceedings. Firstly, the police have the power under Section 36 of the Mental Health Act (1983) to take a person, they believe to be behaving in a disturbed manner in a public place, to a place of safety, such as hospital for assessment. This power is open to the police even if an offence has not been committed. The Crown prosecution service may also take into account the mental health of an offender when deciding whether a prosecution is in the public interest. The power of the courts range from remanding the the individual in hospital for assessment, imposing a hospital or restriction order or order the transfer of an individual already in prison into hospital care. However, Grounds, (1996) argued that the provisions of the mental health services in relation to mentally disordered individuals are not â€Å"as full or comprehensive as is required†. Facilities within secure hospitals have been seen to be too custodial and non-therapeutic. As a result the Special Hospitals Service Authority was established in 1989 to manage the special secure hospitals of Broadmoor, Rampton and ashworth Hospitals (Grounds, 1996). Furthermore, the Butler Committee interim report (1975) recommended increased provision for medium secure beds within regional health authorities. However, Grounds, (1996) argued that the target proposed by the Glancy committee of 1, 000 beds had not been met. According to the Department of Health and Home Office (1991) the number of secure in regional Secure units on 31 January 1991 was 597 (Grounds, 1996). In addition, the provision for secure wards providing intensive care was consistent in some areas minimal, and 1community based forensic psychiatry services were also poorly developed’ (Grounds, 1996:289). One of the principles of the Reed committee report (1990) was that all mentally disordered offenders who required care and treatment should receive it from the health and social services rather than the criminal justice system. In practice, this is not the case since the Courts can only issue Hospital orders if a hospital is willing to admit the patient. Thus, despite the fact that the Courts can impose hospital orders in the disposal of mentally disordered offenders whom they believe require treatment, the actual numbers issued are low in comparison to the number of mentally disordered offenders remanded in custody for assessment (Grounds, 1996). The report suggested that in planning services for the disposal of mentally disordered offenders care should be based on the following criteria: wherever possible community based rather than institutionally based care; the level of security should be in line with the level of danger the individual poses to both himself and others; the type of care should maximise the rehabilitation of offenders, and assist individual in sustaining amn independent life; and the location of treatment should wherever possible be as close to the individual’s own home and family. Although the Government White Paper, The Health of the Nation, (1992) set a health target for the effective service provision for mentally disordered offenders the resource provision is not expected to be high. Another problem is that of risk assessment. Risk is a probabilistic quantiative notion, since it predicts the probability of specified harm in a specified time period. Risk assessment can be both false positives, where an event will occur but does not occur or false negatives, namely that a prediction is made that an event will not occur but it does. The notion of dangerousness is in itself an an imprecise concept, one that is based on subjective judgement. Dangerousness is not a pathological attribute but depends on both the issue of context as well as individual characteristics. For example an individual who is characterised as being pathalogicallly jealous would not be a danger to the general public, but would pose a risk to a partner. The evidence highlights the fact that provisions within the mental health services of dealing with individuals who pose a high risk to the public are lacking. The detention of DSPD individuals in prisons without consistent and lonf=g term treatment plans is not only detrimental to the individual concerned but also increases the risk of re-offending as well as increasing possible risks to the public. Moreover, lack of adequate treatments and support systems for individuals increases public perceptions of the failure of the Community Care policy. Furthermore, whilst it is clear that some individuals pose a threat to the public as well as themselves, some might argue that the process of risk assessment needs to be rigorous. A greater understanding of the needs of |DSPD individuals across both the mental health services and criminal justice services is urgently required; hence the need for the agencies involved with mentally disordered people to collaborate. Furthermore, provided there are adequate provisions available the majority of individuals may not pose any real threat to public safety, and the belief that all mentally disordered individuals pose a threat to the public is grossly exaggerated.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - lines 491-565 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the greatest 14th century text. The poem is made up of two stories, one (the testing at Bercilak's castle) set inside the other (the beheading of the Green Knight at the beginning and the return blow at the end). The unknown author describes in the poem adventure of the brave and courageous Sir Gawain who challenges the Green Knight. The passage that starts Part II of the poem illustrates the feast given to honor Sir Gawain for his bravery and courage after he meets the first challenge of the Green Knight. All knights present at the Round Table celebrate this great event and have a lot of fun after drinking: "Gawain was glad to begin those games in hall, /But if the end be harsher, hold it no wonder, /For though men are merry in mind after much drink" (Norton, p. 212). Furthermore, the author continues the poem by describing the seasons of the year that follow the Christmas celebration: "And so this Yule to the young year yielded place" (Norton, 212). The author clearly relates to the Christian traditions in the text. After Christmas comes, the time of Lent, a period of penance when people fast and get ready for the Easter holidays. This is also the time when everything becomes alive. Many animals wake up from the winter rest and all the plants become green. The unknown author creates for the reader a calm and easy mood while describing the seasons of spring and summer. Yet, by mentioning the green color of all plants, he reminds us about still-existing Green Knight who waits for Sir Gawain to come: "The ground and the groves wear gowns of green..." , "Glad is the green plant growing abroad, [...]" , "And the grass turns to gray, that once grew green" (Norton, 212, 213). With fall comes death, and the author tries to emphasize the fall of the Green Knight again, through the changing of the seasons The Author illustrates Gawain's bravery. Sir Gawain is ready to leave to search for the Green Knight. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - lines 491-565 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the greatest 14th century text. The poem is made up of two stories, one (the testing at Bercilak's castle) set inside the other (the beheading of the Green Knight at the beginning and the return blow at the end). The unknown author describes in the poem adventure of the brave and courageous Sir Gawain who challenges the Green Knight. The passage that starts Part II of the poem illustrates the feast given to honor Sir Gawain for his bravery and courage after he meets the first challenge of the Green Knight. All knights present at the Round Table celebrate this great event and have a lot of fun after drinking: "Gawain was glad to begin those games in hall, /But if the end be harsher, hold it no wonder, /For though men are merry in mind after much drink" (Norton, p. 212). Furthermore, the author continues the poem by describing the seasons of the year that follow the Christmas celebration: "And so this Yule to the young year yielded place" (Norton, 212). The author clearly relates to the Christian traditions in the text. After Christmas comes, the time of Lent, a period of penance when people fast and get ready for the Easter holidays. This is also the time when everything becomes alive. Many animals wake up from the winter rest and all the plants become green. The unknown author creates for the reader a calm and easy mood while describing the seasons of spring and summer. Yet, by mentioning the green color of all plants, he reminds us about still-existing Green Knight who waits for Sir Gawain to come: "The ground and the groves wear gowns of green..." , "Glad is the green plant growing abroad, [...]" , "And the grass turns to gray, that once grew green" (Norton, 212, 213). With fall comes death, and the author tries to emphasize the fall of the Green Knight again, through the changing of the seasons The Author illustrates Gawain's bravery. Sir Gawain is ready to leave to search for the Green Knight.

Brief Biography of John Steinbeck Essay -- John Steinbeck Writers Amer

Brief Biography of John Steinbeck John Steinbeck lead a life filled with words, from his award winning novels to the hundreds letters he wrote to friends during his career. He was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902, and lived there for the first sixteen years of his life until he graduated from Salinas High School in 1918. He took classes at Stanford, but spent more of his college years working to pay tuition than then he spent in the classroom. 1924 brought his first publication, two short stories in the Standford Spectator, but in 1925 he left his schooling and went to New York for a time. By 1926, he was back in California and his first book, Cup of Gold, was published the year the of great stock market crash, but had little success. In 1930, he married Carol Henning, and the two lived in Pacific Grove, CA for the next several years. These years were lean; Steinbeck was having trouble selling his work, even with the help of his literary agents, McIntosh and Otis. Often, selling a short story for 50$ or so was the difference between eating or not. In 1937, though, Steinbeck got his first taste of real success. Now living in Los Gatos, California, he had four novels and a play published in just three years. He burst onto the literary scene with Of Mice and Men, and published the first three parts of The Red Pony the same year. The play of Of Mice and Men went on stage and won the Drama Critics' Circle Award. The next year, he published The Long Valley and the last part of The Red Pony. His big project for the year, however, was working and researching a great novel, to be published in 1939 under the title The Grapes of Wrath. With this book, Steinbeck insured his future in the literary world. The book was so controversial that Steinbeck had to worry about attempts on his life or reputation; even now, it (along with Of Mice and Men) often are found on lists of commonly banned books. It was so well thought of that it earned him a Pulitzer Prize. It was so influential that President Franklin D. Roosevlet met with Steinbeck persona lly after a letter to the President from Steinbeck about the German influence in Mexico. Steinbeck had been in Mexico working on a film, and throughout the rest of his life, motion pictures were a second medium for him. The film of Of Mice and Men was released in 1939, and the film of The Grapes of Wrath came out ... ... n7 p4(6). Kelly, Dusty. "The Kurt Vonnegut Artificial Family Utopia." World Wide Web Page http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/5885/ Mack, Arien ed. Home: A Place in the World. New York: New York University Press, 1993. Morrow, Jeff. Personal Interview. April 23, 1998. Noble, Donald R. ed. The Steinbeck Question: New Essays in Criticism. Troy, New York, 1993. Pipher, Mary. Reviving Ophelia. New York: Ballantine Books, 1994. Reed, Peter J. and Marc Leeds eds. The Vonnegut Chronicles: Interviews and Essays. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996. Steinbeck, John. A Life in Letters. New York: Penguin Books, 1969. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin Books, 1930. Swerdlow, Amy, et al. Families in Flux. New York: The Feminist Press,1989. Timmerman, John H. John Steinbeck's Fiction: The Aesthetics of the Road Taken. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1986. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slapstick. New York: Dell Publishing, 1976. Weiten, Wayne. Psychology: Themes and Variations, Third Edition. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1997. Wyatt, David ed. New Essays on The Grapes of Wrath. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

Factors that Lead to Teen Pregnancy Essay -- Teen Pregnant Pregnancy E

Factors that Lead to Teen Pregnancy Although the overall rate of teen pregnancy has been declining, the rates have remained high for teens that are most vulnerable. The great majority of Americans believe that teen pregnancies are a serious national problem, indeed a problem that is the major component of what is thought to be national moral decline. However, what causes these teens to become pregnant at such a young age? A large body of research has identified a number of factores that underlie teen sexual and contraceptive behavior, pregnancy, and childbearing. There exists a three part framework of the factors underlying teen pregnancy. There are biological antecedents, including gender, age, testosterone level, and timing of puberty. These factors are causally related to adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior and pregnancy. A second group of antecedents can be viewed as â€Å"manifestations of social disorganization or advantage† (Kirby, 1997). These include factors in the community and the family such as violent crime, poverty, unemployment, family marital disruption, parents’ lack of education, poor child rearing practice, lack of parental support, and inappropriate sexual pressure or abuse. The second group also includes factors in the individual teen such as lack of religious affiliation, drug and alcohol use, engaging in risk behaviors and deviance, delinquency, poor educational performance, and low expectations for the future. A third group of antecedents are attitudes and beliefs about sexual behavior and pregnancy. These include beliefs, personal values, and perceived norms. Among the many factors which may lead to teen pregnancy, the four that are most predictive of early pregnancy are poverty, early behavioral problems, family problems, and a low self esteem. There are several theories about the reasons why so many young women in poverty become pregnant and carry to full term. Faced with an unintended pregnancy, many teens living in poverty are likely to view early childbearing as a positive, desirable choice. These teens feel that becoming pregnant may in fact improve their lives. Economics may also be responsible for the lower percentage of poor teens who terminate their pregnancies, since Medicaid policies in most states do not pay for abortions, but do pay for services related to childbirth. In addition, some re... ...hildren who are less likely to have early intercourse." Early childhood experiences can make all the difference. Higher levels of parent to teen communication have been related to less permissive sexual attitudes, whereas poor communication with parents and lack of parental support has been linked to earlier initiation of sexual activity. Both high levels of parental supervision and close relationships between adolescents and their parents were related to later timing of teen sexual activity. In addition, parental marital disruption and living with a single parent is associated with the early onset of sexual behavior. This finding probably reflects such factors as lower family incomes, less partental supervision, and parental modeling. The large, complicated, and interrelated accumulation of factors suggest that the course that leads to adolescent sexual activity and pregnancy is complex. Kirby states that â€Å"not merely one or two, but a multitude of antecedents are related to one or more sexual behaviors and pregnancy, including characteristics of the teens themselves, their peers and sexual partners, their families and their communities and states† (Kirby, 1997).

Intellectual and technological property Essay

In the United States, the stakes of identifying the best laws and policies for the use of intellectual and technological property are very high (U. S. Congress, 1986). As a general rule, developers of computer software seek legal protection for intellectual property by using traditional legal mechanisms found in copyright, trade secret, patent, trademark and licensing. Of these forms of protection the most easily attainable protection is through copyright law, which makes it illegal to make or distribute copies of copyrighted material in the U.  S. without authorization (Qu & Potkonjak, 2003). BUGusa should be using, first and foremost, the legal protection of copyright laws in order to guard its intellectual property. In an instance of educating Congress Members regarding the steps taken by the FBI for trade and intellectual theft, an example of a case was presented by the FBI to the Congress. Patrick Worthing was arrested by the FBI after agreeing to sell Pittsburgh Plate Glass information for $1000 to a Pittsburgh agent posing as a representative of Owens-Corning, Toledo, Ohio. Patrick Worthing was sentenced to 15 months in jail and three years probation for the Theft of Trade Secrets (Gallagher, 1998). Wiretime would have to face similar liabilities if Steve is caught in the act of transferring important corporate or intellectual information to his mother company. Walter could be guilty of may be a tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. The threat to hurt Steven can be interpreted as an assault. These claims rise from allegedly wrongful employment practices. The tort requires that the defendant’s conduct was extreme and outrageous and that severe physical or emotional harm resulted. Courts however demand more (Lindemann & Grossman, 1983). Seeing as Walter did not harm Steven in any way apart from threatening to hurt him, the chances of liability held against Walter and BUGusa are not tantamount to a lot. Steve himself had handed over the information to Walter and had left the small room without being physically harmed. Liu and Ye (2001) discuss various issues of security and application security related to software agents ranging from market chaos, agent authorization and transaction. For security, the prime advice I would give to BUGusa would be to protect the entire system with consistent and appropriate security measures. Sometimes the system is complex and often not designed with security in mind. Therefore it is important to scrutinize each component for its security weaknesses and protect it accordingly (Interactive Information Security Policies, 2007). In my opinion, BUGusa may not have to face liability if the vendor was attacked. The vandalism in the city is not under the control of the company and BUGusa must highlight the point that the company does as far as it can by making the parking lot and dock are well-lit. As for the vandalism and the theft, these are street crimes which the government and law-enforcement agencies are to be held accountable for. BUGusa may defend itself by suffering a loss themselves through the vandalism. It may also go on to assure for the future that increased security measures would be taken in order to avoid such circumstances. BUGusa needs to prove that Wiretime has committed some criminal activity against them. If Steve has been bribed by Wiretime to commit this act, or has been successfully proven into being seen as committing a pattern of criminal activity, RICO can be claimed. BUGusa must prove that Steve has been passing valuable information to Wiretime for over a large period of time. Sally DoGood may have a successful case against BUGusa for the tort of Product Liability. The product, through legal definition, has caused a defect due to the defect resulting from the basic criteria that it involved â€Å"seller’s failure to exercise reasonable care† and â€Å"would cause a reasonable person in position of the buyer to expect the used product to present no greater risk of defect than if the product were new†. Experts also say that if the plaintiff discovers that the alleged defect has been discovered, (which may be argued in the case of BUGusa) the plaintiff can move on to a negligence claim (Allee, 1984).

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Essay

Many characters in the Great Gatsby parallel to Fitzgerald life. For example, Daisy, the women Jay Gatsby has been basing his whole life on, is similar to Zelda Sayre, who would not marry Fitzgerald at first because of his lack of success. Gatsby and Fitzgerald both met vital women to their lives at dances, and both while they were stationed at camps in the army. Gatsby met Daisy at Camp Taylor in Illinois, where they danced and fell in love. However, after Gatsby went off to war, they never got back together again. Fitzgerald met his wife, Zelda, at Camp Sheridan in Alabama. Instead of going off to war (his regiment was ready to go to Europe, but the Armistice came before they could leave the States), he went to New York to get enough money to marry Zelda. In the movie version, Daisy tells Gatsby that â€Å"Rich girls don’t marry poor boys. † This line was taken straight out of Fitzgerald’s life. The father of his first love, a young woman by the name of Ginevra King, supposedly told him that after Fitzgerald asked for Ginevra’s hand in marriage. The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most renowned book, and still one of the most read novels in American literature. A book with this much success was obviously was a product of great influence. The Great Gatsby draws many extensive parallels between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and this novel. These similarities range from basing characters off important people from his personal life to interweaving intricate love relationships he went through into the novel to recreating the American Dream. The book comes as a direct result of many of the events in Fitzgerald’s early life. First off, are the most noticeable parallels, the character he chooses. Fitzgerald parallels himself in two of the main characters in The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, and Nick Carraway. Nick represents Fitzgerald’s passive, or indecisive, and observant characteristics. On the other hand, Gatsby shows Fitzgerald’s passionate and active attributes.

Tourist Places of Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir Travel Information -Srinagar is an ancient city and has many attractions that can attract even the most unwilling of tourists to this magical land. Dal Lake, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, and Chashme Shahi are some of the best-known tourist spot in Srinagar. Jammu is the winter capital of the state and next in importance after Srinagar. Most of the tourists who come to the Jammu region have the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine as their destination, which is quite close by. However, the spirit of holiness permeates through the entire city, so much so that Jammu is also known as the ‘City of Temples’. If Bahu Mata is the presiding deity of Jammu, the dargah of Peer Budhan Ali Shah is the other shrine that is believed to protect the local people. The other major tourist attraction is the Raghunath Temple Complex, which is the largest temple in North India devoted to Lord Rama. The construction of this temple was begun by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1851 and completed by his son Ranbir Singh six years later. The temple of Maha Kali (better known as Bahu or Bawey Wali Mata), located in the Bahu Fort, is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power. The temple was built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1822. Other temples in the city include the Gauri Kund Temple, Shudh Mahadev Temple, Shiva Temple, Peer Khoh Cave Temple, Ranbireshwar Temple, and the Parmandal Temple Complex. The most stunning site in Jammu is the Sheesh Mahal. The Pink Hall of the palace now houses the Dogra Art Museum, which has miniature paintings of the various hill schools. The museum also has the handwritten Persian manuscripts of the Shahnama and Sikandernama. The palace was once the royal residence of the Dogra kings. Built as a group of buildings around a courtyard, the palace has a commanding view of river Tawi on one side and the city on the other. The Amar Mahal Palace Museum is a beautiful palace of red sandstone, which stands amidst the most picturesque environs of Jammu. It offers a beautiful view of the Shivaliks in the north and the river Tawi in the south. This was once the residential palace of Raja Amar Singh, but now it has been converted into a museum. The museum has a golden throne made of 120 kg of pure gold. A treat for those interested in history is the town of Akhnoor, 32 km southwest of Jammu. Standing on the banks of the mighty river Chenab, the town tells the tragic tale of the lovers Sohni and Mahiwal. Along the riverbank are the majestic ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization that are of great historical importance. Patnitop, near the Vaishno Devi Temple, is fast becoming a busy hill station and a good place to enjoy the nature in its eternity. Ladakh is home to the minority Buddhist community in the state. They have preserved their unique culture for the past hundreds of years. Leh is the headquarters of this region. The major points of attraction are the Leh Palace, Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, Sankar Gompa, Shanti Stupa, and Soma Gompa.

Personal Development Paper

I was influenced the way I determine different actions or behavior in a particular situation since I was a child. Growing up with a Baptist mother and four brothers made me value different things and behave in a particular way. In addition, this made me a have a particular ethical system that influences the way I work and act as an individual. At the corporation level, ethics is important because they set the rules and policy. In this paper, I will explain the developmental aspects of my ethics as well as my ethical system, the effects of my ethics at my workplace, and importance of ethics in an association to achieve its goals. My ethical system was shaped since I was a child. Growing up with a Baptist mother, definitely influence the way I value my family. In addition, some of my decisions are influenced by this Baptist upbringing. We treated everyone in the neighborhood like relatives, so even if you had one parent the neighbors would help the parent raise you. This was the standard I was use to until middle school, when I started wanting more freedom. My ethical system really started to develop then. The middle school I went to was 97% black 2% Hispanic and 1% white. As kids on the verge of being teens, we would test each other to do things that we knew was wrong just to see if we could get away with it. As dumb as it sounds that was the rules. As a kid, you do not think of what can go wrong. Then in high school things, changed hormones took over and everybody wanted sex. We know at that age that should have been that last thing on our minds but it was the first thing we thought about from sun up to sun down. My ethics would not allow me to take drugs. I saw for myself the effects of drugs and that was a route I could not take. Joining the Army really set in stone my ethical system that I would come to live by. We had so many rules and regulations that govern us that it only took one mistake to ruin your life. My underlying ethical system was in jeopardy every day. Treat people how you wanted to be treated even if they did not. The drill sergeants did not have to treat us like people, so we became a product owned by the US government. I learned honor, duty, respect, selfless service, leadership, and other things. That is when I discovered that the world was bigger that just me. One time in Afghanistan, one of my soldiers was on detail to help fix roads in country. The location that they were at had not been scan for landmines. The people in charge did not know that, so I jumped in a vehicle to find her so she would not be injured. By the time I got there, they were already in the middle of the minefield. I should have waited for the recovery unit to get there but I did not want see anyone be killed. First, I made them stop what they were doing and backtrack all the way out. No one got hurt it was the fact that made feel like I did the right thing for my fellow soldiers. This was a case of a duty-based ethical system. Then along came the marriage and the family. This is where my ethical system changed to a relativistic system. Dealing with a wife and kids there is no black and white, but there are many gray areas. You can never be right unless you agree with your wife even if she is wrong. The kids ask questions that you cannot answer so you tell them something made up just to make them better. The potential effects of my ethics on my performance helps me make the right choices at work most of the time. Shipping parts and items internationally there are a lot regulations you have to follow. Some people try to cheat the system and half way do paperwork thinking we can let them get away with it. Well, if that happens and the item is held up at the docks or on the plane, the company has to pay a fine a big fine now a day. If you are involved in that, you can be fired. One time not too long ago we were helping a customer get their parts shipped to out Hardy facility. After 4:00pm, you cannot ship any big item at that time because of traffic. We told the manger that the item could not ship it will have to go out tomorrow. He stated that the customer wanted the item that day and could not wait. The item went out any way and was damaged because the driver had to take back streets to get to our other facility. The item was so tall that it hit every tree it came in contact with which cost the customer $125,000 dollars to fix. The next time they try to ship anything they have to get permission from more than just the customer. They have to get hand written permission from three different sections so they can get the best service that we can give them even if we do not give what they want all the time. Ethics are need in organizations like mine so people will not take advantage of other co-workers and the customers. People in these companies sometimes treat the worker unfairly and will not pay them for their worth. They work long hours and get no compensation. Some companies like ENRON cheat people and cause problems globally because of the different investors that have invested in the company. The individual loses their job, the organization suffers in the public’s eye and society see the company as a sham. If an organization’s ethics are being held by the employees the company does well and the people know that the organization can be trusted. Most of these organizations have ethics classes and different types of learning programs to help the employees understand the importance of ethics. Conclusion Many different factors guide a person to have the ethical standpoint they have in life. Over time and as that person grows their ethics change and grows with them. There are no black and whites, good and bad, just people for the most part doing what they believe to be right in there point of view.

Amistad Summary

Amistad Movie Summary The film begins in the depths of the schooner La Amistad, a slave-ship carrying captured West Africans into slavery. The films protagonist, Sengbe Pieh, most known by his Spanish name, Cinque, painstakingly picks a nail out of the ships structure and uses it to pick the lock on his shackles. Freeing a number of his companions, Cinque initiates a rebellion on board the storm-tossed vessel. In the ensuing fighting, several Africans and most of the ships Spanish crew are killed, but Cinque saves two of the ships officers, Ruiz and Montez, whom he believes can sail them back to Africa. After six weeks have passed, the ship is running out of food and fresh water, and Cinque is growing angry with Yamba who believes keeping the Spaniards alive is the only way to get back to Africa. During the night, they pass another vessel, carrying a group of wealthy English-speaking passengers having a dinner party on deck. The next day, they sight land. Unsure of their location, a group of African men takes one of the ships boats to shore to fetch fresh water. While there, La Amistad is found by a military vessel bearing an American flag the Spaniards have tricked the Africans by sailing directly for the United States. Captured by the American Navy, the Amistad Africans are taken to a municipal jail in New Haven, Connecticut, where the ships occupants, and a tearful Cinque, are thrown into a grim dungeon, awaiting trial. The films focus now shifts to Washington, D. C. , where a session in the House of Representatives introduces John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins), the elderly former President and politician. While strolling in the gardens, Adams is introduced to two of the countrys leading abolitionists; the elderly freed slave Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman) and Christian activist Mr. Tappan (Stellan Skarsgard), both of whom are leading shipping magnates in New England and co-proprietors of the pro-abolitionist newssheet The Emancipator. The two have heard of the plight of the Amistad Africans and attempt to enlist Adams to help their cause. Adams, apparently verging on senility, refuses to help, claiming that he neither condemns nor condones slavery. News of the Amistad incident also reaches current President of the United States, Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne), who is bombarded with demands for compensation from the juvenile Spanish Head of State, Queen Isabella II of Spain (Anna Paquin). At a preliminary hearing in a district court, the Africans are charged with insurrection on the high seas, and the case rapidly dissolves into conflicting claims of property ownership from the Kingdom of Spain, the United States, the surviving officers of La Amistad, and the officers of the naval vessel responsible for re-capturing the slave-ship. Aware that they cannot fight the case on moral grounds, the two abolitionists enlist the help of a young attorney specializing in property law; Roger Sherman Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey). At the jail, Baldwin and the abolitionists, along with a nervous Professor of Linguistics, attempt to talk to the Amistad Africans, but neither side is able to understand anything the other party says. In the prison, events among the Africans are accelerating. Yamba, Cinques apparent rival for authority amongst the Africans, has converted to Christianity and is now resigned to his death, believing that execution will send them to a pleasant afterlife. The death of a young man provokes the Africans into a furious demonstration against the American authorities, screaming and chanting in their native languages as a prison riot threatens. As the hearings drag on, Baldwin and Joadson regularly walk round the city docks, counting numbers in the Mande language, in an attempt to recruit an interpreter. They eventually happen upon a black sailor in the Royal Navy, James Covey (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Using Coveys linguistic abilities, Baldwin and his companions are able to talk to Cinque. In his first speaking role in the courtroom, Cinque, through a series of flashbacks, tells the haunting story of how he became a slave. Cinque, a peasant farmer and young husband and father in West Africa, was kidnapped by African slave-hunters and taken to the slave fortress of Lomboko, an illegal facility in the British Protectorate of Sierra Leone. There, he and hundreds of other captured Africans were loaded onto transatlantic slave-ship (Tecora). Cinque tells of the various horrors of the Middle Passage, including frequent rape, horrific torture, and random executions carried out by the crew, including the deaths of fifty people deliberately drowned in order to save food. Upon their arrival in Cuba, Cinque was sold at a slave market and purchased, along with many other Tecora survivors, by the owners of La Amistad. Once aboard La Amistad, Cinque was able to free himself of his shackles, and began the slaves rebellion for freedom. The courtroom drama continues as District Attorney William S. Holabird (Pete Postlethwaite) and Secretary of State John Forsyth (David Paymer) press their case for property rights and dismiss Cinques story as a mere piece of fiction. While exploring the impounded vessel La Amistad for much-needed evidence to support the Africans claims, Baldwin happens upon a notebook, stuffed into a crevice by Ruiz and Montez to conceal the evidence of illegal slave-trading. Using the book as hard evidence of illegal trading, Baldwin calls expert witnesses including Captain Fitzgerald (Peter Firth), a British naval commander assigned to patrol the West Africa coastline to enforce the British Empires anti-slavery policies. As Fitzgerald is cross-examined by the haughty Holabird, tension in the courtroom rises, ultimately prompting Cinque to leap from his seat and cry Give us free over and over, a heartfelt plea using the English he has learned. Cinques plea touches many, apparently including the judge in a court ruling, Judge Coglin (Jeremy Northam) dismisses all claims of ownership, rules that the Africans were captured illegally and not born on plantations, orders the arrest of the Amistads remaining crew on charges of slave-trading, and authorizes the United States to convey the Amistad Africans back to Africa at the expense of the nation. While Cinque, Joadson, Baldwin, and the jubilant Africans celebrate their victory, a state dinner at the White House threatens to overturn the ruling. While conversing with the Spanish Ambassador to Washington, Senator John C. Calhoun (Arliss Howard) launches into a damning diatribe aimed at President Van Buren, emphasising the economic importance of slaves in the South, and ends his tirade with a concealed but clear threat that should the government set a precedent for abolition by releasing the Amistad Africans, the South will have little choice but to go to war with the north. With his advisors warning that the Amistad incident could bring the United States one big step closer to civil war, President Van Buren orders that the case be submitted to the Supreme Court, dominated by its Southern slave-owning judges. Furious, Mr. Tappan splits with Joadson and Baldwin, who break the news to an enraged and disgusted Cinque. In need of an ally with legal background in the intricacies of Supreme Court workings, Baldwin and Joadson meet again with John Quincy Adams, who has been following the case carefully. Adams, aware that Cinque is now refusing to talk to Baldwin, invites the African leader to his home. While Adams gives him a rambling tour of his greenhouse, Cinques emotional reaction to seeing a West African violet, native to his homeland, convinces Adams to assist the case. At the Supreme Court, John Quincy Adams gives a long and passionate speech in defense of the Africans. Arguing that if Cinque were white and had rebelled against the British, the United States would have exalted him as a hero; and that the Africans rebellion to gain their freedom was no different to the Americans rebellion against their oppressors some seventy years earlier. Arguing that condemning the Amistad Africans would render the principles and ideals of the Constitution worthless, he exhorts the judges to free the Africans, stating that the looming threat of civil war will simply be the final battle of the American Revolution. His case made, the United States awaits the Supreme Courts ruling. On the day of judgment, Justice Joseph Story (Harry Blackmun) announces the Supreme Courts decision on the case. Believing that the Amistad Africans were illegally kidnapped from their homes in Africa, United States laws on slave ownership do not apply. Furthermore, since that was the case, the Amistad Africans were within their rights to use force to escape their confinement. The Supreme Court authorizes the release of the Africans and their conveyance back to Africa. Legally freed for the second and final time, Cinque bids emotional farewells to his companions; shaking Adams hand, giving Joadson his most treasured possession, a lion tooth which is his only memento of Africa, and thanking Baldwin in English. As Cinque is about to leave, Baldwin clasps Cinque and bids a farewell, in the Mande language, to the African leader. The end of the film depicts various scenes. Royal marines assault the Lomboko Slave Fortress, killing the slavers and freeing the kidnapped Africans held within the dungeons. With the fortress evacuated, Captain Fitzgerald, who has finally located the fortress, orders his warship of the Royal Navys West Africa Anti-Slavery Squadron to open fire on the facility, destroying Lomboko. Interspersed with this are scenes of Martin Van Buren losing his election campaign. The final scenes depict Cinque and the freed Africans returning to Africa, dressed in white, the West African colour of victory and accompanied by James Covey, who has shed his British uniform in exchange for African attire.