How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game Essay

Good politicians get to know a lot of politicians. Lyndon Johnson would take four showers a day and brush his teeth over and over again so he would be in the same room with a bunch of politicians and he could talk to them briefly and make good connections. Lyndon Johnson also hired a man who would later turn corrupt named â€Å"Bobby† Baker who answered phones for the White House cloak room (a cloak room is like the break room for politicians.) With Bobby Baker, Johnson was able to know the inner workings of politics. Ronald Reagan also worked very hard to have good relationships in politics although he talked about Washington as if he’d never visited the place. Lyndon Johnson used a specific method to get to know important people called retail politic. In retail politics, a politician wins over one person at a time by learning about them specifically. Unlike LBJ and Reagan, Jimmy Carter lacked the charsima to win over people. Then Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill asked for seats to the inauguration ceremony, Carter offered him seats in the back of the hall; this incident hurt his support from the Speaker for many years. The author ends this chapter by explaining that he himself got to his position by networking with many important people. Good politicians get to know a lot of politicians. Lyndon Johnson would take four showers a day and brush his teeth over and over again so he would be in the same room with a bunch of politicians and he could talk to them briefly and make good connections. Lyndon Johnson also hired a man who would later turn corrupt named â€Å"Bobby† Baker who answered phones for the White House cloak room (a cloak room is like the break room for politicians.) With Bobby Baker, Johnson was able to know the inner workings of politics. Ronald Reagan also worked very hard to have good relationships in politics although he talked about Washington as if he’d never visited the place. Lyndon Johnson used a specific method to get to know important people called retail politic. In retail politics, a politician wins over one person at a time by learning about them specifically. Unlike LBJ and Reagan, Jimmy Carter lacked the charsima to win over people. Then Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill asked for seats to the inauguration ceremony, Carter offered him  seats in the back of the hall; this incident hurt his support from the Speaker for many years. The author ends this chapter by explaining that he himself got to his position by networking with many important people.

The Rap Culture and Today’s World

The Rap Culture and Today’s World The culture of rap was redefined when the music group N. W. A. released their debut album, Straight Outta Compton. This groundbreaking album was the center of controversy across the nation. Critics argued that gang violence, drug use, and crime were idolized in the group’s lyrics. Even the name of the rap group, Niggaz Wit Attitudes, sparked major controversy nationwide. This album began the evolution of the rap culture; a culture that has seen a rapid increase in popularity since the 1980s and exerts a major influence on the youth of today.Lil Wayne’s CD, Tha Carter III, was one of the most anticipated albums of all time for any music genre, showing the popularity and the influence of rap music on today’s world. Although rap music is seen by some as liberating and empowering, rap has helped create a culture in our society that idolizes gang activity, drug use, crime, and has a degrading view of women. Dwayne Michael Carte r Jr. , formally known as the rapper Lil Wayne, was born on September 27, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lil Wayne grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in New Orleans, Hollygrove.Hollygrove is notorious for its crime rates and poverty level. Wayne was no different from his neighbors, as he had many run-ins with the law. Lil Wayne has also publicly acknowledged his affiliation with the Bloods, the biggest criminal gang in America. He commonly mentions the Bloods in his songs and some of the criminal activity they have become infamous for. Also, Lil Wayne’s drug use has been well documented over the years. You can often see Lil Wayne smoking marijuana while being interviewed on radio broadcast or on the internet.The way Lil Wayne lives his life is portrayed in his music, just as most musicians put a personal twist on their art. With response to the influence of rap, Raquel Alvarenga states: â€Å"The lyrics of popular rap artists like Nelly and Jay-Z are much more than straightforward commentaries on social class inequity and the hardships of urban life†(13). Youth growing up in poverty stricken areas can relate to the words rappers â€Å"preach†. Many rappers have come from the ghettos across America, and speak of the illegal and illicit activities they used to participate in.The youth idolize these figures not only because they made it out of the hood, but because they glamorize the very same criminal activities youths are participating in. Much of the youth growing up in the ghetto resort to gang activity because they lose hope and believe that crime and selling drugs are the only viable options to making it out of the ghetto. Rap stars are idolized by the youth, and whether they want the responsibility of being a role model or not, it comes with the territory of the rap game.Additionally, rappers are notorious for their lyrics about â€Å"pimps and hoes†. Amongst other degrading things, half naked women are commonly found in rap music videos shaking their butts. Rap lyrics often refer to women as â€Å"hoes†, â€Å"tricks†, or â€Å"bitches†. Alvarenga says that â€Å"These lyrics, teeming with sexually explicit messages, encourage the subjugation of women and promote an ethos of disrespect against them† (13). The role of women has changed significantly over the last 20 years, but not the view and respect level given to them by their counterparts.It is hard to have respect for women that are showing more and more skin and beginning to do promiscuous things that have never been acceptable in the eyes of older generations. The culture of rap music has helped shaped the behavior and perception of women nowadays. Gang Activity has always been a substantial part of the rap culture, as many rappers come from a gang related backgournd. Most rappers have some association with a gang; whether they are a member or they represent them in their music.Top 6, a gang out of the Lake Wort h area, is famous for creating and producing their own music. Their music is center around the drugs they sell, hatred for other gangs, and crimes they have committed. Being that rappers have strong affiliation to gangs it is inevitable that gang life is portrayed in their music. The youths that listen to these rappers’ music think that it is acceptable to participate in gang activity since their favorite rappers are doing it. Drugs have always played a pivotal role in rap culture, as many rappers support drug use and selling drugs.Rappers often explain in their lyrics how they made it through the urban struggle by selling a multitude of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, and creak. Young Jeezy, a rapper from the Atlanta area, made millions by selling cocaine before he became a rapper. He often refers to his days as a cocaine dealer in his music. Many rappers have faced jail time during the height of their careers for drug related charges, including Lil Wayne who faced charg es in 2010 for marijuana possession.Drugs have always had a place in society, but there has never been an influx of celebrities that openly acknowledge drug use and selling drugs like many rappers do. The glamorous portrayal of drugs in the rap culture is harmfully impacting today’s society. Tha Carter III was released in the summer of 2008 and debuted as the number one album on the US Billboard 200 by selling over a million copies in its first week. A seemingly innocent baby picture of Lil Wayne can be found on the album’s cover, but anyone who has a deeper understanding of the rap culture knows this picture is not so innocent.There are multiple tattoos on the face of the baby, but the tear drops below his eye spark the most controversey. The tattooing of tear drops below the eye has become a popular tradition of the Bloods after they commit their first real act of violence or murder. By having a deeper understanding of rap music and familiarizing yourself with the ra p culture, you can then understand all messages found in rap lyrics and the potentially harmful effects they could have on audiences.The rap culture continues to have a negative impact upon all social classes. Urban youths believe the only way out of ghetto is through gang activity or striking it rich in the rap game. With a large fan base of rap coming from white, middle class suburbs, we are also seeing a lessening respect towards women and who are viewed as nameless and faceless objects. Even though some view the rap culture as a way of freely expressing yourself, rap has created a culture in our society that glamorizes gangs, drugs, crime, and has a degrading view of women.Rap music has become a multi-million dollar industry and is no longer considered a fad, but a mainstay in our world. With this realization, we must weigh the cons and pros that come with rap music and the culture it has created. As J. Annette Saddik explained, â€Å"Ice Cube was careful to make a distinction between occasions when rapper are just having fun and when they are performing more serious social messages†(110). Society, especially the youth, cannot continue to take the messages rappers are giving literally and try to imitate the lifestyles being portrayed in their music.Today’s society is walking a thin line when it comes to the ideals and values that rap music is instilling into the youth that could have potentially harmful effects for future generations. Revision Changes: For the most part this essay was well written. There were not as many typos and grammatical errors as the first two. I thought I developed the ideas nicely and made a good connection between rap culture and society. Some of my transitions in the paper did not flow as well as I hoped. I added more substance to these sentences in hopes of making my paper less choppy.The most challenging part of revising this particular work was making my transitions stronger and rewording sentences where I was go ing off topic or sounded wordy. Overall, this is the work I was most pleased with over the course of the semester. Works Citied Alvarenga, Raquel. â€Å"Hip Hop Generation: Sexually Explicit Rap Lyrics May Harm Youth. † Harvard Political Review 32. 2 (2005): 13-15. Print Saddik, Annette J. â€Å"Rap’s Unruly Body The Postmodern Performance of Black Male Identity on the American Stage. † TDR/The Drama Review 47. 4 (2003): 110-127. Print

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that begins in childhood and is characterized by worrying that is out of proportion to the situation of temporarily leaving home or otherwise separating from loved ones. Approximately 4%-5% of children and adolescents suffer from separation anxiety disorder. Separation Anxiety Disorder is more common in children with family histories of anxiety. Also, children whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy with them tend to be more at risk for developing this disorder.A majority of children with separation anxiety disorder have school refusal as a symptom and up to 80% of children who refuse to go to school qualify for the diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder. Approximately 50%-75% of children who suffer from this disorder come from homes of low socioeconomic status. The Physical effects and symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder are: orepeated occurrence of physical symptoms (nausea, stomachache, headache, vomiting, etc. on occasions that involve separation from a major attachment figure, such as leaving home to go to school; opersistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without being near or next to a major attachment figure; oExcessive, recurrent distress (as shown by anxiety, crying, tantrums, misery, apathy, or social withdrawal) in anticipation of, during, or immediately following separation from a major attachment figureSocial effects and symptoms are: persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school because of fear about separation There are no immediate effects on the spiritual dimension of health Psychological effects and symptoms of separation anxiety are: orepeated nightmares about separation; opersistent inappropriate fear of being alone at home during the day; oan unrealistic, preoccupying worry about possible harm befalling major attachment figures or a fear that they will leave and not return; oan nrealistic, preoccupying worry that some untoward event, such as the child being lost, k idnapped, admitted to hospital, or killed, will separate him or her from a major attachment figure; If left untreated, Separation anxiety disorder puts its sufferers at risk for depression and anxiety problems as adults, as well as personality disorders, in which anxiety is a major symptom. Teenage separation anxiety is not as common as separation anxiety in younger children, however, it does exist.Most cases of teenage separation anxiety have an earlier onset that went undiagnosed, but some recent case studies suggest there are some teens and young adults that have all the symptoms and a later onset. You can imagine how disruptive this could be to a teen’s life! Not only may these feelings prevent them from going to school, but from working, having normal social and peer relationships, and accomplishing the everyday activities of normal adolescents.

Discuss the role that governments have played in the development of Essay

Discuss the role that governments have played in the development of the Australian system of employment relations since 1980 - Essay Example Therefore, a sound employment relations system should create a favourable environment that is ideal for achieving maximum economic efficiency, motivation, productivity, employee development, and enhancing employee loyalty (Lewis, et al., 2003, p. 7). There are three main parties that make up the employment relations systems: employers, employees and the government. Employers have certain rights that are provided by their state labour laws. The main employer right is the ability to hire and fire employees. They also have a right to relocate, close or enter into collaboration with their company of choice. Moreover, employers have the right to introduce new technologies within the work place. Rights exercised by the employer may to some extent affect the employees adversely (Gardner, 1997, p. 6). Employees always aim at getting the best terms and conditions of employment from their employers. This process involves sharing their opinions with the management and also airing their grievanc es. Employees also use trade unions to fight for the right to take part in decision making at their workplace. Workers unions serve the purpose of presenting concerns of workers to the management, and they are as a result of workers uniting together against their employers (Gardner, 1997, p. 7). State and central government are particularly crucial in influencing and regulating employment relations through rules, laws, memorandums, and issuance of awards. Government includes tribunal courts, third parties and labour institution within the government (Gardner, 1997, p. 9). The three main parties in the employment system have their own representative bodies, which work on behalf of the entire party. Employers are represented by employers associations, employees by trade unions while the government is represented by the courts and tribunals such as Fair Work Australia (Forsyth and Stewart 2009, p. 4). The scope of employment relations is extremely wide, and there are five main issues c overed under the employment relations scope. These issues include collective bargaining, mechanisms for settling employment disputes, standing orders, involvement of workers in decision making process, and unfair labour practices (Rose, 2008, p. 11). Employers should be in the forefront in ensuring that there is a strong and healthy relationship between them and their employees. These excellent relationships can only be achieved through employment relations programs that are vital in the development of a motivated, competent, and loyal team of employees. This team can only be achieved through a well structured employment relations program that focuses on employee training, employee surveys, employee reward and recognition, and employee appraisal. Moreover, the program should focus on proper conflict resolution mechanism and hiring of most suitable workers (Lewis, et al., 2003, p. 27). Employment relations systems from various countries around the world operate in different styles, b ut the main aim is to maintain a healthy relationship between all the parties involved. Governments have contributed immensely in the creation of ideal working environments for the citizens. The Australian government is one such

Technology and business assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Technology and business assessment - Essay Example As stated on its website, Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create Internet solutions that allow individuals, companies, and countries to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction and strengthen competitive advantage. The Cisco name has become synonymous with the Internet, as well as with the productivity improvements that Internet business solutions provide. Cisco Systems vision statement claims that their vision "is to change the way people work, live, play and learn." Source from website ) Stanford University Computer Scientists Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack founded Cisco Systems. There was a genuine need for large scale computer networks based on industry standard technologies and while in college, they found that the inefficiencies of the current infrastructure led to great technical hitches in being compatible with the numerous mail clients. This inspiration served as a spark that set their ideas in motion and when they left the campus, they were ready to embark upon the operation. Surprisingly, its stupendous growth was the harbinger of its problems. Cisco grew rapidly and to cater to the company and product information distribution, launched an official website in 1991. It had a 50% share of the networking market and struggled to keep up with the calls it was receiving. By 1992, its market share was 85% and the customer service requests and training programs were severely straining its existing systems that were not built for these volumes. By 1993, Cisco boasted a growth of an astounding 270% growth, but its IT department was sorely lacking to cope with a half billion-dollar company growing by 50% each year. Unable to sustain, its customer service was not up to the standards desired and Cisco was losing its ratings. Its IT budget was a paltry 0.75% of sales that was way below industry standards. The Plan CIO Pete Slovik and Senior Executive, Doug Allred, brought a revolutionary concept that entailed that the IT spending was linked to the business units that in turn necessitated close alignment to the company goals. The managers of the business units would be required to independently take decisions about the investment required to reach the company targets and the level of customer satisfaction. Cisco's internal network would play a strategic role in providing the connectivity needed for the business units to build applications creatively and therefore this would require a thorough revamp of its internal infrastructure. Because it was a major decision that would cost millions, cash-strapped Cisco deliberated over the decision. Small technical difficulties kept occurring and in 1994, Cisco's systems broke down unable to cope and Cisco was forced to close down for two days. The Solution The board went ahead and approved the proposal for a $15 million Oracle ERP system. This would entail a 2.5 percent of the 1993 revenues, thrice the IT budget of the previous year. The total cost of completing the ERP was $100million. It is not an overstatement to say that the Oracle ERP system became the backbone of the Cisco E-Business. It unified all of the Unix Servers and became a source of centralized information.

Asian business and finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asian business and finance - Essay Example Australia, as this was a big opportunity to expand the gambling and entertainment industry in Asia5. By last year, 2006, there are 23 established casinos alongside other illegal gambling dens in Macau and the number of casinos is expected to rise. Along the development of the gambling entertainment industry mimicking Las Vegas are also the opening up of theme parks. In comparison, Hong Kong in terms of size is larger than Macau and in terms of historic significance has benefited quite well under the administration of the British government who levied a low flat income tax rate over Hong Kong before the handover in 1997. Although Hong Kong is slightly struggling politically under the leadership of the People's Republic of China (PRC), nonetheless its economic background is still going strong6. Considering that there is a small population in Macau and in Hong Kong an influx of expatriates and migrants from the Chinese mainland there is a steady, albeit more of a 'second choice' among Hong Kongers to move to Macau in search of work. Recently, Hong Kong's economic boom has been moving steadily although its tourism industry hasn't yet been able to fully recover from the Asian crisis and despite increasing numbers of tourists in 1999 to the year 20007, there is an actual decline in the tourism and hospitality industry. This is attributed to the spread of the SARS virus in Hong Kong and its open reputation for bad service. In fact, with the PRC's diversification of economy Hong Kong is no longer seen as the main financial base for the country and with this in mind if Macau's tourism industry will continue to grow it will finally overcome being under the shadow of Hong Kong's prominence. As I have mentioned above,... Macau’s increased attention by the Chinese government has resulted in China trying to diversify the economy. The PRC’s extensive means as to allow Macau to be the ‘gambling’ and entertainment hub of Asia will result in the creation of many and new jobs for the Chinese population, however Hong Kong’s slump in the tourism industry will greatly reflect on the Special Administrative Region as it is one of the major income earners for Hong Kong. The SAR however has taken steps to revive the Hong Kong tourism and hospitality industry including the Disneyland project that completed in September 2005, and last year, 2006, there were a series of tourist attractions and countless advertisements to give Hong Kong another go as a tourist destination. Although this move has yet to be seen in terms of Macau’s development as an ‘adult entertainment’ hub but it could be projected that with different aims on the two SARs could well benefit Chinaâ €™s transition towards mobilization of the modern economic global market. But Macau is selling itself short to say the least, it has not exploited its cultural traits, evident from the several Portuguese monuments that line the peninsula, it hasn’t fully understood its potential as Cheng has aptly put, its cultural ‘janus’, its fusion heritage that is nearly half a millennium old. It could have used these monuments to build Macau up not only as an ‘adult entertainment’ hub but a cultural heritage hub that needs China’s protection and maintenance.

Article Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Article Response - Assignment Example The breadth of Kuhn’s influence on intellectual fields is captured by Matthews (2003). According to Matthews (2003) more than a million readers were impacted by Kuhn’s works. Moreover, many more were influenced by educators and writers who discussed or otherwise debated or discussed Kuhn’s work. Matthews (2003) also points out that Kuhn’s impact on education goes further in sparking debate among scholars and impacting research and methodology techniques because Kuhn raised a number of philosophical and methodological questions relative to the acquisition of knowledge. This paper analyses Matthews’ (2003) article and draws on insight from the education philosophies of Gutek (2000) and Eisner (2001) in ascertaining the practical implications for education. This research study is therefore divided into three main parts. The first part of this study provides a summary of Matthews’ position. The second part of the paper analyses Matthew’s p osition and its practical implications for education by reference to Gutek (2000 & 2004) and Eisner’s (2001) philosophies of education. The third part of the paper will provide the author’s position and its practical implications for education. ... m theory relates to Kuhn’s conceptualization of â€Å"normal science† which is a research technique grounded by universal concept, theory, test and methodology (p. 23). According to Matthews (2003), when Kuhn wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, created an entirely different conceptualization of science and in doing so impacted â€Å"science education theory and research† (p. 91). Matthews (2003) begins by offering some insight into Kuhn as a philosopher. Kuhn was more of a â€Å"historian of science† and with no formal philosophical background was a self-described â€Å"amateur† philosopher (p. 91). Nevertheless, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions influenced philosophical argument disproportionate to the philosophical discussion contained in the actual book. Regardless, Kuhn still managed to articulate an apparently â€Å"new† and â€Å"epistemological paradigm, or theory of scientific knowledge† (Matthews, 2003, p. 92) . More specifically, Kuhn’s book: ...gave a modern, scientifically informed, philosophical legitimacy to much older relativist and sceptical traditions in epistemology (Matthews, 2003, p. 92). For example, ancient Protagoreans such as Plato and other realist philosophers argued that what appeared to be just was just. Influenced by Kuhn’s book, modern Protagoreans would argue that scientific truths and decisions were â€Å"intratheoretic† and a rational conclusion can be drawn by looking more closely at conflicting theories (Matthews, 2003, p. 92). Modern Protagoreans, took a more Kuhnian position arguing that â€Å"different paradigms saw different things† and not simply â€Å"saw the same thing differently†: ontological claim vs epistemological claim (Matthews, 2003, p. 93). Since this pattern could be observed in science, it can be

Scientific Notation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific Notation - Essay Example f writing 300,000,000 for the light’s speed in meters per second, by moving the decimal point from the rightmost zero eight places to the left until before 3, the value is reduced to 3 x 108 in scientific notation where 8 is a power of 10 that signifies the count of zeros responsible for the number’s lengthy structure. Basically, equations consist of variables that are normally combined with constants to form a specific relation between quantities that possess individual meanings such as cost (in dollars), number of years, population, number of items, or even revenue. Variables may be dependent or independent but by solving a system of equations, these unknown variables may be determined. In everyday life, when equations are solved, one is able to find out exact solutions of two functions whose intersection could mean a break-even point or a point where one relation bears equal advantage to the other. Obtaining real solutions in a process is essential in fields such as physics, chemistry, and other sciences that apply equations in

Implementing TQM Philosophy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Implementing TQM Philosophy - Case Study Example However, this study is not meant for discussing and comparing the quality measures implementation of large and small organization. In this study, the focus will be mainly on the principles of quality management, rationale behind companies considering the implementation of total quality management, the steps of implementing TQM and the result, outcomes and benefits the company gets for implementing TQM in the system. According to Jablonski (1992) â€Å"a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents and capabilities of both labor and management to continually improve quality and productivity using teams† (p.21). Total Quality Management has been one of the most popular business strategies in many leading business firms across the world (Khalid, Irshad and Mahmood, 2011). The principles of quality management are used by the management as a guide towards improving organizational performance. The principles are generally derived from knowledge and experience. There are eight quality management principles which are made apparent by ISO 9000:2005. The eight principles are consumer focus, leadership, participation of people, process approach, system approach to management, constant improvement, realistic approach to decision making, reciprocally advantageous supplier relationships (ISO, 2012). Only a few companies have been able to achieve success by the implementation of TQM. International Business Machines (IBM), Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Nokia are some of the companies achieved success for implementing TQM (Yusof and Aspinwall, 2000). This study will however shed light only on TQM implementation at IBM. Therefore, it is important to present a brief synopsis of the company. IBM: A Brief Overview International Business Machines Corporation or commonly known as IBM is a US based multinational consulting and technology firm. The company was founded by Charles Ranlett Flint in the year 1911 and is currently headquartered at Armonk, New York, U.S. W ith strong business network, the company is able to serve customers across the globe. IBM manufactures and markets software, hardware and offer customers with consulting and hosting services (Chacko, 2005). In the year 2012, Fortune ranked IBM as the second largest company in terms of the number of employees and fourth largest in terms of market capitalization. The achievements of the company clearly reflect their commitment towards gaining quality excellence. According to several company personnel, quality management is considered to be the most essential task. This is principally because of the company’s intention to offer quality products to the customers and enhance their market reputation. Moreover, with increasing level of competition within the consulting and IT industry, IBM was compelled implement TQM to a certain extent. The next section of the study will elaborate on the major rationale behind the implementation of TQM at IBM. Rationale for TQM Implementation Organ izations around the globe are exploring ways to enhance their business practice and achieve competitive advantage. In order to achieve the same companies often take the assistance of technology. One of the most viable technological innovations of the previous decade was materialization of ERP solution. However, the implementation of this system is a challenge for most of the organizations. The lack of technology and societal resistance are some of the major challenges of the organizati

Essay on Democracy Essay Example for Free

Essay on Democracy Essay Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the concept of democracy form of governance has long been in existence for centuries, it was the emergence of country state government system which gave birth to the rise and flourish of democracy that we enjoy today. In the modern day, almost three quarters of the world countries claim to be democratic. As accepted this form of governance may seem to be, still it has some inherent flaws as a system of governance. Most of the critics of this form of government claim that democracy is morally corrupt, humanly unfair, economically inefficient and humanly unfair. It is because of this view that Winston Churchill said that, â€Å"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those that has been tried from time to time. Democracy definition   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the English oxford Dictionary, democracy is defined as the system of government by all the eligible members of the state or the whole population. One time US president, Abraham Lincoln, summed up the very essence of democracy as it being, the government of the people, by the people and for the people (History Place 2012). This of course was an idealist view and in regard to the current system, we can say that the true democracy was only demonstrated in 1918 when the representation of people act gave women the right to vote or they were declared as eligible voters. Before this act enactment or reform, democracy in Britain was only afforded by the rich and in fact up to the end of the 18th century, only about two percent of the population were entitled to vote. Following a number of vital reforms in the break of the 19th century, voting rights were extended slowly that lead to the culmination of the third Reform Act of 1884 that saw all men acquiring votes. This is the time that we can term as the crucial turn of event that led to the democracy that we all enjoy today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are differences to the democratic forms of government that exist today. In UK, we have the centralistic form of government where decisions are made in the capital and the local authorities are demanded to act according to these decisions and rules. In contrast to this, the federal government of Germany gives a lot of power to the federal state and this is the same form of democracy that is practiced in the United States (Dobson, 2012) Other forms of government   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As we know, democracy is not the standardised form of government that is practiced all over the world. There are many other alternatives that are apparent in other countries. For example in the republic of Korea, there exists a totalitarian regime. This form of government is solely based on ideology. This ideology claims the general validity for all the life aspects and often tries to replace religion. A totalitarian form of governance does not tolerate any kind of deviation from the known ideology and any person who attempts to oppose this ideology is persecuted. This was of course the form that was adopted by the Nazi Germany that led to the political opponents being persecuted and tortured and also detained in the concentration camps leading to the genocide of the ethnic minorities who were in line with the Nazi policy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the authoritarian form of governance is linked to the totalitarian regime, they have no distinct state ideology and they also grant some cultural and economic freedoms being careful not to jeopardize their policies. The goal that the authoritarian regime takes as being the most important is the maintenance of power along with personal enrichment on the cost of the population and the country as a whole (democracy-building website, 2005.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are other forms of government that are apparent and the one that is of particular interest is the Theocracy form of governance that is practiced by the Republic of Iran. This is known as â€Å"government by God†. This is where the official policy is governed by divine guidance or by people or official regarded as divinely guided, or it is simply pursuant to the doctrine of a specific religion or a religious group (merriam-webster online encyclopaedia 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With regard to the UK’s democratic form of governance that we have in place, its success can be determined by how the government interpret what we as people wants. The recent changes like the Scottish devolution along with the creation of the Welsh assembly sends light that if democracy is for the people, then such constitutional changes can be termed as integral and also successful part of practice of democracy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As we said earlier, the literal meaning of democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. But when the concept of democracy is mixed up with that of governance, this is really not the case even though we get the supporters of democracy pretending to be so. When the people are told that democracy is the rule by the people, then that’s a fallacy. If there is governance that is over those people, than there exist no government or governance by the people. Owing to this argument, the democracies that are adopted by many countries for instance the western countries are in fact oligarchies in every detail. But the people who are the main subjects believe that there are free and become apathetic of the same and they do not see any further need for revolution. The formation that is surely oligarchy is the one that makes democracy to be termed as the worst form of government like Winston Churchill termed it. Bel ow the arguments that point out the worseness of the democratic form of government are discussed. Among these are democracy and economic instability and Democracy as a vehicle of chaos and anarchy. Also the connection of police violence in Canada and democracy will be discussed in details citing the main features of the issue, the advocates of the issue and also the perspectives of the issue. Democracy breeds Economic instability   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The frequent changes of power that follows the democratic concept of carrying a general election after a term period of four or five years is a major source of economic instability for the countries that practice democratic form of government. Prior to election, each political party comes out with their manifesto of how they will govern the nation. A political party that wins the election may not be the one that was previously on power. When a new political party takes power they bring other policies that were not the ones adopted by their successor. This leads to frequent changes of policies with regard to the country’s economy. These changes can not only highly daunt investments but also affects corporate and individual businesses, hence limiting the country’s economic growth. The short and limited duration that a certain political party takes power also leads to short term policies. This comes in because the politicians ha ve the idea that they are in power for a limited time period and so they adopt This leads to frequent changes of policies with regard to the country’s economy. These changes can not only highly daunt investments but also affects corporate and individual businesses, hence limiting the country’s economic growth. The short and limited duration that a certain political party takes power also leads to short term policies. This comes in because the politicians have the idea that they are in power for a limited time period and so they adopt short term policies that will bring immediate gratification for the citizens so that they can win their votes for the next general election. These policies are adopted even though they could be disadvantageous in the long-run. This means that the democratic nations mostly will sacrifice their short term pains for the long run gains. This adversely affects the economy of the country. In most cases, the economies are the ones that suffer because policies are not given that time period to be tested and tried before they are adopted. Only come with a policy that will proof to be effective to the common people even though it could be disastrous in future. The These policies are adopted even though they could be disadvantageous in the long-run. This means that the democratic nations mostly will sacrifice their short term pains for the long run gains. This adversely affects the economy of the country. In most cases, the economies are the ones that suffer because policies are not given that time period to be tested and tried before they are adopted. Only come with a policy that will proof to be effective to the common people even though it could be disastrous in future. The ever rising debt of the UK and Us and many of other democratic countries could be attributed to the economic instability that is brought about by short-termism which is the main flaw of the democratic form of government. These changes can not only highly daunt investments but also affects corporate and individual businesses, hence limiting the country’s economic growth. The short and limited duration that a certain political party takes power also leads to short term policies. This comes in because the politicians have the idea that they are in power for a limited time period and so they adopt short term policies that will bring immediate gratification for the citizens so that they can win their votes for the next general election. These policies are adopted even though they could be disadvantageous in the long-run. This means that the democratic nations mostly will sacrifice their short term pains for the long run gains. This adversely affects the economy of the country. In most cases, the economies are the ones that suffer because policies are not given that time period to be tested and tried before they are adopted. Only come with a policy that will proof to be effective to the common peopl e even though it could be disastrous in future. The ever rising debt of the UK and Us and many of other democratic countries could be attributed to the economic instability that is brought about by short-termism which is the main flaw of the democratic form of government. This means that the democratic nations mostly will sacrifice their short term pains for the long run gains. This adversely affects the economy of the country. In most cases, the economies are the ones that suffer because policies are not given that time period to be tested and tried before they are adopted. Only come with a policy that will proof to be effective to the common people even though it could be disastrous in future. The ever rising debt of the UK and Us and many of other democratic countries could be attributed to the economic instability that is brought about by short-termism which is the main flaw of the democratic form of government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The free market economists like Milton Friedman believed that democracy produces inefficient economic systems. These economists argue that if the government were to make effective economies, they need to make what is generally regarded as unpopular decisions, for instance mass privatisation; removing the rights of the workers and also deregulation especially a time like this of economic austerity. This example is the one that is termed as ‘governing paradox’ (Flinders, 2010, p. 311). Mostly, this is what is seen as inherent contradiction between capitalism and democracy in that, as economic agents, all individuals are expected to act in their own interest but when it comes to casting their votes, they are expected to act in the interest of the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The critics are perhaps rights when they say that democracy can lead to ineffectual government. This can be traced many years ago when Aristotle started establishing typologies and categorising political systems. According to him, democracy was a ‘perverted’ form of governance or rule by many. Democracy as a vehicle of chaos and anarchy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ancient great thinkers and philosophers like Plat, Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes were very critical on the flaws that come by with the democracy form of governance. They saw the concept of democracy as an unlimited freedom and liberty for all which is a tool of manipulation that can culminate into chaos and disorder in the society. Despite democracy being the most popular form of governance in today’s world, this form of government is prone to the manipulation of wild politicians and other stakeholders who are out to use it as a tool to acquire power and accumulate the country’s wealth for their selfish interest hence create anarchy and chaos to the society as a whole. For instance, Tomas Hobbes saw democracy as a form of government that permits reckless liberty that will usually undermine the law conservation and the societal order. Most of the politicians usually will exploit the antagonism between the economic classes and the dissimilarity in the ethnic groups to turn them into votes for their political parties. Instead of intervening for good and for the passions of the people, these politicians unruly politicians will obviously fun them so that they can be seen as the heroes. Firstly, they monopolize the media and use it to propagate these courses. This eventually pokes holes into the community and creates differences that eventually results into chaos and riots in these groups. In the year 2006 for instance, two major national wide riots erupted in the country of France. The first was in economic in nature and started in the month of February and the next was both religious and ethnic erupted in November the same year. These riots are among the examples that can be brought about by the diverse opinions within the nation. For instance, Tomas Hobbes saw democracy as a form of government that permits reckless liberty that will usually undermine the law conservation and the societal order. Most of the politicians usually will exploit the antagonism between the economic classes and the dissimilarity in the ethnic groups to turn them into votes for their political parties. Instead of intervening for good and for the passions of the people, these politicians unruly politicians will obviously fun them so that they can be seen as the heroes. Firstly, they monopolize the media and use it to propagate these courses. This eventually pokes holes into the community and creates differences that eventually results into chaos and riots in these groups. In the year 2006 for instance, two major national wide riots erupted in the country of France. The first was in economic in nature and started in the month of February and the next was both religious and ethnic erupted in November the same year. These riots are among t he examples that can be brought about by the diverse opinions within the nation. For instance, Tomas Hobbes saw democracy as a form of government that permits reckless liberty that will usually undermine the law conservation and the societal order. Most of the politicians usually will exploit the antagonism between the economic classes and the dissimilarity in the ethnic groups to turn them into votes for their political parties. Instead of intervening for good and for the passions of the people, these politicians unruly politicians will obviously fun them so that they can be seen as the heroes. Firstly, they monopolize the media and use it to propagate these courses. This eventually pokes holes into the community and creates differences that eventually results into chaos and riots in these groups. In the year 2006 for instance, two major national wide riots erupted in the country of France. The first was in economic in nature and started in the month of February and the next was both religious and ethnic erupted in November the same year. These riots are among t he examples that can be brought about by the diverse opinions within the nation. For instance, Tomas Hobbes saw democracy as a form of government that permits reckless liberty that will usually undermine the law conservation and the societal order. Most of the politicians usually will exploit the antagonism between the economic classes and the dissimilarity in the ethnic groups to turn them into votes for their political parties. Instead of intervening for good and for the passions of the people, these politicians unruly politicians will obviously fun them so that they can be seen as the heroes. Firstly, they monopolize the media and use it to propagate these courses. This eventually pokes holes into the community and creates differences that eventually results into chaos and riots in these groups. In the year 2006 for instance, two major national wide riots erupted in the country of France. The first was in economic in nature and started in the month of February and the next was both religious and ethnic erupted in November the same year. These riots are among t he examples that can be brought about by the diverse opinions within the nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Democracy can be said to be a pluralist system of power distribution that is set to distribute power among the many and diverse competing groups even though not equally. Even if democracy can be said to be somehow worse, it achieves a greater level of political equality amongst the citizens than any other form and hence reflects the fundamental belief that all individuals or humans are all born equal and so the consent of governance should originate from the governed (Dahl, 1998). In addition, this form of government allows individuals to protect their self interests. The nature of humans dictates that each and every individual desires some control over their needs and wants and John Stuart Mill said that the ability to protect ones interests protects us from evil in the hands of others. The competition that exists between different groups of people within the society is exactly what differentiates democracy from authoritarianism. As it wa s argued by (Flinders, 2010), â€Å"Difference is good†. The discussion and debate along with the exercise of the right to freedom of speech act as the pillars upon which democracy is formed. Inherently, democracy is a system of rights. By definition, democracy grants both civil and political rights to the citizens so that they can fully participate in the democratic process. The nature of humans dictates that each and every individual desires some control over their needs and wants and John Stuart Mill said that the ability to protect ones interests protects us from evil in the hands of others. The competition that exists between different groups of people within the society is exactly what differentiates democracy from authoritarianism. As it was argued by (Flinders, 2010), â€Å"Difference is good†. The discussion and debate along with the exercise of the right to freedom of speech act as the pillars upon which democracy is formed. Inherently, democracy is a system of rights. By definition, democracy grants both civil and political rights to the citizens so that they can fully participate in the democratic process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So as for all the citizens to participate and hear the voice of their people, it is then very vital to grant these citizens the right to the freedom of assembly that is not provided for in the totalitarian nor in the authoritative regimes. The belief of equality is also one of the building pillars of democracy and thus enforcing and establishing the rights gives this a greater degree of equality than any other non-democratic form of government. In fact, granting these rights helps shield the minority from persecution and also allow them to also protect their interests. The society that we are in these days is made up of heterogeneous groups, all which represent different and varied interests; all these must be respected and recognized. If we do not observe this, we will obviously be committing ourselves to rule by an elite or selected few who think that their interest are over those of the other people. The police violence and democracy in Canada   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Canada, the use of police force and violence has become one of the greatest concerns to the society. Many civilians and students are becoming more concerned about the force that is applied by the police in most encounters with the citizens in different situation. Following some of the bad encounters the people had with the police officers, many people are now tending to think that police in most of the time act to deprive the people their constitutional rights and hence they are violating the rule of democracy. The critics say that police sometimes employ much power to the civilians by use of violence and force. On the other hand, the advocates of this say that the police are entitled to use any power to stop crimes and also secure the people’s wellbeing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For years the violence and force that has been used by police officers and the local authority in Canada has been not only of major concern but also a significant issue that has to be addressed for democracy to be realised. It all commences when a police officer abuse the powers that has been delegated to them by the state and constitution. In Canada, it has become obvious that each day in and day out there must be a case where a police officer has employed excessive power to the civilians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the literacy levels are increasing all day, people are becoming more aware of their democratic rights and the voices are becoming united daily. The authorities and the officers are in place to protect, help and promote safety in communities. There many people who are filing complaints daily against the police officers who are causing violence and using unnecessary force during arrest. In many instances in the city, we have seen how two or three police officers beat up a defenceless citizen using their batons or how they mistreat women and teenagers. These are all the cases that are act against democracy of whom the people should be enjoying, owing to the fact that this is a rule for the people, for the people and by the people. The heightened technology and the media has promoted the awareness that the police are culminating violence by abusing their powers. This has created fear and mistrust by the people towards the police departments . In accordance to the penal law guidelines, the police are only justified to use force that is only necessary to prevent homicide or a crime. The advocates   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The advocates for the police usage of power and force term the police as an armed force for participation and protection. They declare the power of the police by them being armed forces; then, they demonstrate their power by stating protection and express their community connection by stating that they participate. First these officers have the delegated power by their weapon that they carry and the ability that this weapon has to make other people to comply to the law. They argue that, by the fact that police have been given the mandate to protect; they must in any means pursue this goal even if it means use of excessive or unnecessary powers. Finally, the participation concept emphasizes the relationship between the officer and the community. To ensure that the communities are safeguarded effectively, they are free to use any power whether it means to deprive a person his/her constitutional rights or not. How we can improve democracy on this issue   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The police officers also being one of the citizens, they should strive to serve the communities they are in with their best interest at heart while safeguarding the democratic rights of the civilians. The police officers are the officials that are mandated to impose the laws while preserving order in the society and they should not act in a manner that may culminate violence or in any case deprive any individual his/her democratic rights. In the cases that the police officers are called into some stressful and dangerous events that may involve violent altercations, that must be controlled. We as the citizens also do not want to see our streets run by criminals who terrorize other people. It is true that in some cases police officers are allowed to use force but not in all the situations or self created situations geared at harassing a civilian or depriving him/her his/her democratic rights. Let us all observe the law. References Abraham Lincoln. The Gettysburg Adddress. Available http://www.historyplace.com/speech/gettysburg.htm. Last assessed 05 June 2012 Dahl, Robert A. On Democracy. New Haven: Yale UP, 1998. Print. Dobson, William J. The Dictators Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy. New York: Doubleday, 2012. Print. Flinders, Matthew V. Democratic Drift: Majoritarian Modification and Democratic Anomie in the United Kingdom. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010. Print. Johnson, Marilynn S. Johnson, ed. Street Justice: A History of Police Violence in Canada. Beacon Press. p.  365. 2004. Loree, Don Corruption in Policing: Causes and Consequences; A Review of the Literature. Research and Evaluation Community, Contract and Aboriginal Policing Services Directorate. Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2006 Peterson, Amsterdam.Democracy, Policy and Economic development. Stockholm: Stockholm Press, 2005. Stein Ringen. Three Priorities to Improve UK Democracy,2007 Theocracy. Available: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theocracy.Last accessed 05 Jude 2012 Source document

Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell

Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell Winters Bone, written by Daniel Woodrell, tells the story of seventeen year old Ree Dolly and her struggles to save her family from the unfortunate circumstance that they have found themselves in. Deep in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, where family ties are very important and all you have to do be beat up is ask the wrong questions, Ree is confronted with a clinically crazy mother, missing father and two young brothers too look after, as well as having only a matter of weeks before they are to be kicked off their own property. After her father Jessup Dolly, a well-known drug dealer and crank chef, fails to show for court, the law gives her only a few days to prove that there is a good reason that he didnt show before they claim the house that Jessup put up for his bond, where she, her mother and two younger brothers live. The reason, being that he is dead. There is no specific time period identified. However, it is safe to assume that is set in fairly recent times due to the techno logy mentioned such as Walkmans and television, as well as descriptions of modern types of cars. The novel has personal interest to me as Ree is the same age, yet in entirely different circumstances. The conditions that she has found herself placed under teach her to be very strong and have maturity beyond her years. These struggles are similar to those faced by the characters in the other texts that I have reviewed, such as Matty Ross in the film True Grit. Matty is also in a way in search of her father, except in her case it is more metaphorically than literally, as she goes on her quest to avenge her fathers death. She also is a young girl under unfortunate circumstances, who has to grow up very quickly in order to fend for herself. The novel is written in third person from an omniscient narrative point of view, focusing on Ree. This allows the reader to get a close perspective of Ree and her thoughts, letting them know what she does, yet still not being from her point of view. I personally enjoyed this perspective as at allowed me to feel closer to Ree and appreciate her outlook toward other characters as well as get a clearer idea her surroundings. This novel is similar in theme to The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, in that the main character is a strong female of about the same age. Both Katniss and Ree are very protective of their younger siblings, Ree of Sonny and Harold, and Katniss of Prim, as well as having absent fathers and unsupportive mothers, leaving them to look after themselves as well as their siblings. They both are placed under unfortunate circumstances that force them to grow up prematurely and deal with things that people many years their senior would struggle to cope with. This plays on the sympathies of the reader, making them feel that the situation the character is in is unfair, making them want to read on to find vengeance. I believe that this text would be aimed at an older audience, as the writing style and themes involved would not be suitable for a younger audience. It is very poetic and well balanced, and would most likely be lost on the common fast paced style that is used in novels aimed at younger audiences to hold their attention. Themes like drugs and substance abuse, as well as physical abuse run throughout the text making it unsuitable for a less mature audience. It is my opinion that the book is beautifully written. It is a short book that avoids periphrasis and clichà ©, expressing only what is necessary to the imagery for the reader, making it dense and giving it the ability to hold the readers interest. It is almost poetic in the way that it is written, in that it uses a lot of imagery and gets a great deal of information out of a small amount of text, for example Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall. There are also parts where what is going on is implied rather than explicit, allowing the reader to think about what is going on and read between the lines. I believe that the way that the author portrays Ree is appealing, a veiled heroine in a brutal environment, who refuses to yield to the ugliness of the society in which she lives. The general atmosphere of the text is quite sombre, however it does offer triumphant moments. The quality of writing is very different from that of The Hunger Games, which although has a good story line, is lacking in much writing technique and the language is rather colloquial. Winters Bone on the other hand is such a rich tale with a very broad dictation that helps to keep the audience captivated from beginning to completion. One of the scenes that I believe to be important to the readers perspective of Ree is the scene where she teaches her brothers how to hunt and skin squirrels. By doing this she is ensuring that they can look after themselves in future if she is not there to care for them. It is admirable how at the age of only sixteen she has practically raised them, and has the initiative to think of their futures and to protect them against any eventuality where she may not be able to look after them. She isnt stupid and knows the gravity of the situation she is putting herself in by going in search of her father, and still puts her familys well-being ahead of her own. Later on in the book after Sonny asks her if she will be leaving them for the army, Ree replies Naw. Id get lost without the weight of you two on my back. I believe that this quote accurately sums up her attitude toward her brothers, how she has been burdened with looking after them for so long that that she doesnt know what she woul d do otherwise. This novel turns out to be much more than a simple tale of a girl in search of her father. It unravels to be an admirable tale of a young heroine who refuses to let the brutalities of the world in which she lives get to her even when put under the most unpleasant circumstances. It carries strong messages of family ties and the worth of having the capability to refuse to take no for an answer. It is possibly the best written book that I have read of late, and I would not hesitate to endorse it if asked for recommendation. By Emily Moss