Communication Today

Many people have started taking short cuts in our modern world. The human population is doing everything they can to speed through life. One such short cut is the way society communicates. Though out the last several decades the technology that has connected all walks of life has dramatically changed, it went from word of mouth to the written word, to telephones and beyond. Now texting and wall postings are forms of communicating with friends and family all over the world. Many believe that these kinds of networks are destroying our communications as a society. However, these networks allow people to stay in constant connection with many people at once, they are convenient, and safe to use. Social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and many others connect people to all their friends and extended family members all at once in a number of ways. One such way is by statuses update which is when people say what is on their minds or what they might be doing that day. Another is posting pictures of just about anything so that family members who otherwise wouldn’t see them until a get together if at all could see them. People who are no longer near their loved ones benefit the most from these status updates. This constantly updated form of communication is almost as good as being with the loved one. With people all over the world using networking sites they have become more excusable, from being available at local public libraries to the convenience of being at the ready on a personal cell phone or other hand held devices free of charge. The convenience this has added allows people to not only update their statues at any time, but also post pictures of what is going on in their daily lives on the spot no matter where they are from their wireless devices. This enables all the friends and family connected to that persons page to know what is going on in someone's life who they may not get a chance to talk to on a daily bases. Facebook as well as many other sites are very safe to use (if the proper measures are taken) that everyone has started making pages, from kids in middle school all the way up to those kids grandparents. Such sites allows the user to set it up their page anyway they want. They give many choices on who is allowed to view that particular page. The options consist of blocking the page from everyone who is not on the user’s friends list and not being able to be found in a search, to having a completely open page where anyone can see all that the sight as to offer. †¨Most of these sights also have restrictions to where would be users are blocked from using the sites at all, or with other such precautions Everyday people are becoming afraid that our communication between friends and families are breaking down a little more every second. This is simply not true; in fact it is the opposite because of how rapidly technology is changing it allowing us to communicate at any given moment with all our friends and family. With statues updates and wall postings at our finger tips we are more connected at any given moment now than ever before. Sites like Myspace, Facebook, and many other are the main way that people in today’s society communicate do to the face that as a group we are speeding through life at warp speed.

Internet Security Essay

During the past ten years, the intensiveness and variety of electronic financial transactions have increased dramatically. The last decade was characterised by the rapid spreading of financial transactions involving the use of online and/ or remote mechanisms. E-services and e-transactions have become an essential element of the postmodern technological reality. As the number of online financial services increases, so do the number and variety of security threats. Small and large companies are equally vulnerable to the risks of security breaches in various types of financial transactions. These threats are becoming more and more complex and can take full advantage of the existing network and application vulnerabilities. The current state of technology provides numerous solutions to the existing and emerging security threats; however, the success of the proposed countermeasures will depend on how well businesses realise the seriousness of the major security threats and are prepared to invest additional resources in the development and implementation of the complex security strategies. Security threats and statistical information: The current state of literature A wealth of literature was written about the most serious security threats and the financial losses which security breaches and various types of system vulnerabilities cause to large and small businesses. The period between 2006 and 2008 was marked with the slight decrease in the number of financial frauds and security breaches in financial operations: U. S. Federal Trade Commission asserts that frauds as a percentage of online revenue in the United States and Canada has decreased slightly over the past few years and stabilised at 1. 4 percent in 2008 (Paget 2009). Meanwhile, the losses caused by security breaches and financial fraud display a marked increase – in 2008 alone, the American market lost over $4 billion due to security breaches and financial frauds (Paget 2009). This is a 20 percent increase compared with 2008 (Paget 2009). Given the new trends in technology-related financial services and businesses’ striving to reduce their transaction costs, the development of new methods of e-payment and the use of open architectures will create new technological challenges for professionals and new fraud opportunities for hackers (Glaessner, Kellermann & McNevin 2002). The current state of literature provides the basic overview of the most serious security threats and proposes unique solutions businesses and individuals can take to address these threats. Financial transactions and security threats: what literature says The discussion of security threats in the context of e-financial transactions is one of the most popular topics in scholarly literature. Today, the rapid growth of wireless technology and the increasing role of wireless solutions in daily financial operations turn electronic security into the issue of the major public concern. Numerous authors tried to identify the most important security threats and to categorise them according to their severity and define the risks they pose to the stability of the financial e-flows. For example, Glaessner, Kellerman and McNevin (2002) state that the most frequent problems in the financial transactions arena include (a) insider abuse, (b) identity theft, (c) fraud, and (d) hacking. Cate (2005) concentrates on the discussion of identity-based fraud and suggests that account fraud, true identity fraud and synthetic identity fraud are the three most frequent forms of security threats in online financial transactions. In this context, Keller et al. (2005) seem the most objective and detailed in their observation of the existing security threats and financial transaction issues. According to Keller et al. (2005), the first generation of vulnerabilities started in the middle of the 1980s and took a form of boot viruses that affected computers and networks over the course of weeks; the next generation of viruses was spread by means of macros and e-mails. Denial-of-service attacks became prevalent in the middle of the 1990s and still present one of the basic problems in financial transactions domains (Keller et al. 2005). New types of threats include worms that affect individual and multiple computers and networks, and can easily self-replicate to infect large number of users (Keller et al. 2005). Trojans are used extensively to steal passwords or create back doors on computers, compromising network security (Keller et al. 2005). Keller et al. (2005) believe that the rapid expansion of spyware and malware are of particular concern to IT specialists and business people – these programmes are downloaded into computers without users’ knowledge or consent, typically run in the background, track personal information and execute damaging commands. Statistically, every PC contains approximately 27. 5 pieces of various malicious programmes (Keller et al. 2005). Fortunately, IT professionals actively work to develop effective countermeasures against the most sophisticated security threats. Financial transactions and security threats: Potential solutions Given that malware presents one of the most serious issues in the field of electronic financial transactions, numerous authors sought to offer their solutions to the problem. Vlachos and Spinellis (2007) provide an overview of the so-called Proactive malware identification system, which is based on the computer hygiene principles and demonstrates relative effectiveness in combating the risks of malware in financial transactions. Vlachos and Spinellis (2007) call the proposed algorithm PROMIS and base it on a peer-to-peer architecture; the choice of the P2P architecture is justified by the fact that P2P networks often become a propagation vector for various types of malicious software. The P2P architecture used by Vlachos and Spinellis (2007) contains two types of nodes, the member and the super nodes, and all nodes wishing to participate in the discussed P2P networks must authenticate themselves to the super nodes. PROMIS nodes generally fulfill the two basic types of operations – a Notifier daemon regularly checks the log files on the security applications, while a Handler daemon analyses the incoming rates from other peers of the group and computes a global malicious activity rate (Vlachos & Spinellis 2007). The researchers use experimental design to prove that the performance of the P2P group improves proportionately to the number of P2P members. Extensive simulations suggest that PROMIS has a potential to protect the operating networks from known and unknown worm activity (Vlachos & Spinellis 2007). That during virus epidemics PROMIS exploits only specific vulnerabilities and leaves all other systems intact is considered as one of the basic system’s benefits (Vlachos & Spinellis 2007). However, Vlachos and Spinellis (2007) are not the only professionals in the field of financial security. The fact is in that malware is often associated with denial-of-service attacks, which continue to plague the Internet. Malware substantially lower the bar for massive distributed denial-of-service attacks (Wang & Reiter 2008). Unfortunately, the current state of protection against DoS attacks is passive by nature and does not offer incentives to the owners of the Internet networks to protect their computers from the risks of malware (Wang & Reiter 2008). Wang and Reiter (2008) suggest that client puzzles be a potentially effective mechanism against DoS attacks in financial transactions. Client puzzles imply that â€Å"a client solves a computational puzzle for requesting service before the server commits resources, thereby imposing a massive computational burden on adversaries bent on generating legitimate service requests to consume substantial server resources† (Wang & Reiter 2008). End-to-end puzzles imply that each client bidding for a financial service from the Internet server must present his solution to a puzzle; meanwhile, the server will allocate its limited resources to the bidders who solve the most difficult puzzles (Wang & Reiter 2008). In this system, an adversary cannot seize the financial and informational resources of a victim without committing its own resources first (Wang & Reiter 2008). These systems are effective in mitigating DoS threats at all application layers and can be readily interoperable with various legacy systems (Wang & Reiter 2008). These, however, are unique technological solutions to the existing security threats. Other authors offer less sophisticated but no less effective ideas of how to deal with security threats in financial transactions. According to Corzo et al. (2008), Automated Banking Certificates (ABC) can be readily used to timely identify unauthorised financial transactions. In the current system of electronic transactions, a financial transaction is considered authentic if it (a) is performed by an authorised entity; (b) has not been altered since the moment it was generated; and (c) is not a replay of another valid transaction (Corzo et al. 2008). Unfortunately, current banking systems can identify non-valid and fraudulent transactions only by means of audit after the transaction took place; as a result, there is an urgent need to develop a mechanism which will trace and identify fraudulent transactions before and while they are taking place (Corzo et al. 2008). An ABC is a data structure which allows monitoring the relationships between various transactions within one workflow (Corzo et al. 2008). A complete ABC allows tracing operations within workflows that go beyond the boundaries of one financial institution, as long as their tasks are related (Corzo et al. 008). The use of ABC’s in the current system of financial transactions proves that the task of identifying an unauthorised user is absolutely achievable. The use of network smart cards is another potential solution to the existing and emerging security threats. A network smart card â€Å"is a smart card that is an Internet node and is accessible from the Internet† (Lu & Ali 2006). The Smart Card stores user information and provides this information only to the trusted client or server, as soon as the user authorises the service or transaction (Lu & Ali 2006). Smart cards are beneficial in the sense that they can create and maintain secure Internet connections with another Internet node, a web server or a web browser (Lu & Ali 2006). As long as the smart card sends selected user information directly to the service provider, this information does not go through the local computer and the threats of identity theft or similar security breaches becomes minimal (Lu & Ali 2006). Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these developments is yet to be discovered. Meanwhile, companies continue using more traditional solutions to their security issues. The current research suggests that AdAware and Spybot are the most common tools used by businesses to deal with such threats (Keller 2005). Moreover, despite the availability of effective tools that cost little or nothing at all, many businesses recognise that they do not use any spyware at all (Keller 2005). As a result, businesses either lose significant material resources or fail to timely identify the emerging threats. The case is particularly difficult with the so-called insider threats, when security threats are being born from within the business entity. For example, in 2008, the FBI alleged that a former Intel employee copied top secret documents that posed a threat to the future of the whole company and its business projects (Patel 2009). The cases when bank workers become the basic sources of the security threats and the initiators of the complex financial frauds are not rare. As a result, the success of financial transactions, their security, and the technical safety of consumers depends on how well companies realise the seriousness of the security threats and whether they are prepared to deal with them. The current state of technology provides numerous solutions to the security issues in financial transactions, and businesses can secure themselves from the potential risks and failures by using the proposed technological Internet solutions at low or no cost. Conclusion The past years have been marked with the rapid increase in electronic financial transactions. The use of online and/ or remote mechanisms in financial operations has already become an essential element of the daily business routine. Financial transactions are associated with numerous security threats, including identity fraud, insider abuse, and the use of malware and denial-of-service attacks to access and steal personal user information. The current state of literature provides numerous solutions and ideas, which businesses could use to address the existing and emerging security threats. Smart cards, automated banking certificates, and the use of client puzzles are just some out of many ways to address security threats in financial transactions. Unfortunately, businesses often neglect the existing technological opportunities and do not deem it necessary to use effective protection from the real security threats. As a result, the effectiveness and safety of financial transactions largely depends on how well businesses realise the seriousness of the discussed threats and are prepared to invest additional material resources in the development of effective security strategies and solutions.

Finance and Accounting in the Entrepreneurship Business coursework Essay

Finance and Accounting in the Entrepreneurship Business coursework - Essay Example ase of the demand for the slap-up industrial coating material in the market, the SIJIA Industrial Material intends to come into the market of advanced PVC used as slap-up industrial coating material. According to the research, the demand for slap-up industrial coating material increases more rapidly than the supply. There are less than 10 manufactures which produce slap-up industrial coating material exclusively. Although some manufactures which produce mid/low end products whilst supplying the slap-up products, the scales are very small. And some of our existing customers are willing to purchase our slap-up products if we supply. The current thinking in Financial Management is that financial managers do not perform the role of goal keeping of financial data and information, and arranging funds, whenever directed to do so by the Board of Directors of Companies. Rather, financial managers perform key roles in top management areas by solving complex management problems. Financial management is a concept which deals with the efficient and effective use of economic resources, such as capital funds, in a most appropriate manner. Moreover, the concept of both finance and accounting is closely inter-related. As a finance manager, it is essential to provide a thorough analysis of almost all areas of business, to order to ensure the beneficial applicability of plans, policies and procedures. Finance managers lay stress on making judicious judgments on the profitability, solvency, liquidity, and growth aspects of the firm. Financial data occupy a bottom slot in business planning, albeit an important one, in business co ncepts and performance of the management team. Income statements are simple and straightforward reports on the proposed businesss cash-generating abilities. The advanced PVC used as slap-up industrial coating material is an important kind of the material for uniform such as the environment-protecting people’s clothes which require the highly damp proof

The Difference Between Inductive And Deductive Reasoning. How Are Essay

The Difference Between Inductive And Deductive Reasoning. How Are Issues Of Validity And Truth Distinguished - Essay Example The inductive reasoning is intuitive and majorly a result of guesswork. For this reason, inductive reasoning is said to be probabilistic (Hacking, 2001, p.38). The conclusions obtained from the specific examples are analysed to form a general proposition that is a probabilistic one. The general rule that is formed as a result of inductive is subject to test and the outcome of those tests could not be guaranteed. The concept of inductive reasoning was developed by the Scottish philosopher David Hume. Hume stated that the daily habits of human beings are the reflection of the uncertain conclusions that are derived from the limited experiences (Dewey, 2008, p.47). Thus the general principles developed are not tested and derived but are the outcome of specific events in life. This is where inductive reasoning is significant. There is no scope of drawing logical conclusions that could be guaranteed through inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning could be termed as bottom-up reasoning. .. . Deductive reasoning links the premises to the derived conclusions. The conclusions drawn from the general principles through deductive reasoning could be validated by specific examples. The conclusions derived from the general propositions are true for any individual event that is an application of the general rule (Descartes, 2006, p.26). The laws of syllogism provide one form of logical reasoning that helps in the logical deduction of conclusions from the general statements or propositions. The general statements being given, a hypothesis is designed which is tested in order to reach a logical conclusion. There are two other laws, namely the law of detachment and the law of contra-positive that are used in the process of deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning could be explained with the help of the following example. The general propositions considered in this case are: All tables are chairs and some tables are fans. From the given two statements, it could be deduced logically th at some chairs are fans. This conclusion has been deducted with the help of the given two statements and applying the laws of syllogism. Thus a specific instance has been drawn though deductive reasoning from the two general statements (Bacon, 2009, p.67). Distinction between validity and truth The process of deductive reasoning considers the general propositions and designs a hypothesis in order to logically deduce a conclusion. The conclusion drawn from the general statements are valid logically and are considered to be true. The premises or the general propositions are considered to be true for the purpose of logical deduction. The hypothesis is for the purpose for the logical deduction of the

Risk and Portfolio Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk and Portfolio Context - Essay Example Risk is a core element of investment and is inseparable from investment function. According to investment theories and actual practices, it is evident that there is no possibility of return over the investment without the assumption of risk in that investment by the investor. A conscious and willing assumption of risk by a knowing investor, expecting to earn a measure of return, lies at the heart of investment process (Sedleck, 2008, pp.1). Webster defines risk as â€Å"the possibility of loss or injury† (Sedleck, 2008, pp.3), in investment risk is the possibility of monetary loss through the loss in value of the investment instrument. Risk is a subjective measure with many possible definitions. This is because different investors adopt different investment strategies to attain their investment objective. Therefore, the subjectivity of the risk is its only main characteristic. It is an unavoidable function of investment, intelligent investment strategies can help to reduce it but nothing can help to ignore, negate or make risk zero (Sedleck, 2008, pp.3). Types of Investment Risk Investment risks are of two types systematic and unsystematic, however, they hole various other kind of risk in these two head branches of risk. The risks associated with investments are as follows: Systematic Risk It is the market risk, related to the factors the complete market economy or securities market. This kind of risk is beyond the control of the investor. As it is a market risk, it affects all the companies in the market irrespective of the company financial position, capital structure and management position. It involves domestic and international factors, depending upon the kind of investment (FINRA, 2013). Types of Systematic Risks Interest rate risk is the risk that due to change in interest rate over time will result in value of security going down (FINRA, 2013). Inflation Risk is the risk of decrease in purchasing power due to increase in prices of goods and services and cost of living (FINRA, 2013). Currency Risk arises due to world currency floating against each oth er. The reason for this risk is the change in exchange rate. Change in exchange rate can affect the return on a foreign currency investment in positive as well as negative way. This risk occurs only in circumstances of investment in international securities and funds (FINRA, 2013). Liquidity Risk is the risk that an investor might not be able to purchase and sale investments quickly at the price that is close to the actual underlying value of that investment. It is higher in over the counter markets and small-capitalization stock (FINRA, 2013). In case of foreign investment the timing of dealings, market size and number of listed companies can affect an investor’s ability to buy or sell foreign investment (FINRA, 2013). Socio-political Risk is the risk of adverse effect of instability and unrest in one or more region of the world on the investment market (FINRA, 2013). Defence against Systematic Risks An investor’s defence against systematic risk is the strategy of ass et allocation. This strategy dictates that the investor should build an investment portfolio with such investments that react differently to same economic factors. It involves investing in bonds as well as

Midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Midterm - Essay Example There are things that come into realization once the person is in tune with his spirituality, and often times it would even be life changing. c. Culture, gender and religion are important factors when counseling a family with HIV/AIDS. Culture dictates what should be and should not be – taboos; gender has its implications as well, women especially from minority groups and has low-income suffer psychological distress (Catz et al, 2003); Like for example, in the case of Latino culture, women are expected to be submissive to men while the men are expected to prove themselves. The concept of â€Å"machismo† dictates that males who had sexual intercourse with more women are more of a man than the others who have not. This of course plays a major role in the spread of the virus. e. Those who have been diagnosed positive of HIV are prone to domestic violence – usually in terms of physical and verbal. Some women may be beaten, forcing them to have sex or emotionally blackmailed, usually with guilt trips by men also forcing them to have sex. Women, particularly African American, who are infected by HIV/AIDS are more likely to be victims of physical and verbal abuse compared to those who are not infected (Jones et al, 2003). a. When counseling adolescents, it is important to point out to them that sexual behavior and sexual orientation is different so as to make things clearer and easier for them. Sexual orientation is simply a component of identity, and sexual behavior includes activity. According to Ryan and Futterman (2001) young kids limit sharing about their sexual identities with other gay people as they feel they might be criticized, lose friends, become victims of violence, etc... b. Two negative outcomes which may occur among LGBTQ populations due to internalized homophobia would be the inaccuracy of the information given to teens, and the

Employee Reward and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employee Reward and Development - Essay Example (Armstrong, 2004) According to CIPD, the following are the characteristics of a total reward system : 1. Holistic 2. Best fit 3. Integrative 4. Strategic 5. People-centred 6. Customisation 7. Evolutionary 8. Distinctive. The concept of total reward is fairly recent. The traditional â€Å"Salary administration† approach of the 1960s and the 1970s focused on the competitive attributes of the employees rather than as a strategic/ tactical tool. This approach gave way to the â€Å"Reward Management† line of thought wherein the emphasis was on all employees contributing to the success of the organization. This was a more dynamic approach which brought in non-financial rewards in the form of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, into the ambit of compensation of an employee. The â€Å"New Pay† model (Lawler, 1990) factored in the challenges of a competitive global economy and recommended that employees be paid for the value they bring to the organization. The popular mod els of total reward (Armstrong, 2004) are – Engaged performance model, WorldAtWork, Wyatt model, Towers Perrin model and Armstrong model. Of these, the Towers Perrin model reiterates, almost entirely, the Brown model of total reward. The Brown model (Brown, 2001), depicted above, deals with four elements of compensation – Pay, Benefits, Learning & Development and Work environment. A comprehensive model dealing with both the financial and non-financial components of pay. A good compensation approach to attract, motivate and retain the employee. Addresses the short-term as well as long term needs of employees. Pay component looks at base pay as well as variable pay whereby the employee is assured of a minimum income every month. Performance of the employee as an individual as well as a group is considered. Employee gets a part of profits of the company. This combined with the availability of the shares of the organization brings about a strong sense of ownership. Benefit s which are both individual and family based enables the employee achieve work-life balance. The Pension component assures an independent life style for the individual even after retirement. Learning and Development provides opportunities to develop and grow in the workplace so that the overall productivity is enhanced. Continuous learning takes place and the organization can move toward becoming a Learning organization and develop core competencies and competitive advantages in the market place. Career development helps become aware of the career progress and this helps to plan one’s life in the short term as well as the long term. Succession planning helps bring out the managerial and leadership skills in the individual for mutual benefit of the individual and the organization. Another highlight of this model is the work environment component. Organisational culture and non-financial recognition are highly effective motivation tools. Human dignity is fostered through work-l ife balance. Communication channels, especially grapevine, can be utilized to create a rich organizational climate. From the above, it is clear that Total Reward can be used as a corporate strategy to attract, motivate and retain employees in an organization and derive tremendous advantages over competition in a globalised and highly competitive

Management accounting and control (s-12 -1-4)) Coursework

Management accounting and control (s-12 -1-4)) - Coursework Example In this control model, there are several actions that ought to be subjected to control as argued by Otley and Berry (1980). In their argument, the authors point out four conditions of control. i. Existence of clear organisation’s objectives ii. The outputs of the budgetary process should be measurable iii. The effect of the control actions must be predictable iv. The organisation should be able to implement a corrective action throughout the budgetary process. Existence of clear organisation’s objectives Management of public and large private organisations is sometime hard to attain the desired ends. Activities and various operations should be monitored closely and action should be taken in order to achieve the intended objectives. Objectives drive an organisation in pursuing any activity. It dictates what ought to be done at specific period of time. An organisation has objectives and subsidiary objectives that influence its course of actions. Setting clear objectives i s one of the functions of modern management both in private and public sector. Measurement of goal attainment both financially and in terms of meeting demands of stakeholders is paramount. The issue of goal attainment cannot be achieved without confronting the issue of organisation’s effectiveness and efficiency, which means have direct effect on organisation’s budget (Bunce et al., 1995). The extent to which clear objectives apply in the context of budgeting As suggested by Otley and Berry (1980), objectives for budgetary process under control must exist; otherwise without them the control process is meaningless to the organisation. Well defined objectives compel an organisation to work without certain resource and time constraints. Most organisations around the world defined their objectives which ought to be achieved within budgeted resources. The objectives act a guide to the utilization of the existing resources as reflected in the budget. The authors further sugg est that the budgeting control process is influenced directly by the objectives to be attained during a specified period of time. It is demeaning for organisation to spend its resources on unbudgeted things since it will undermine the attainment of well defined objectives. Without objectives, the budgeting process will be aimless hence the entire concept of budgetary control becomes inappropriate. As the business operations progresses, an organisation continually monitors the world around and compares its current state with its objectives. Is the organisation in the correct route in respect to its budgeting process? Is its spending within the appropriate budget limit? Is the organisation avoiding resource strain? The objectives helps an organisation makes a budgetary observations by the use of measurable aspects of budget. The outputs of the budgetary process should be measurable Most literature advocate for adoption of performance based budgeting (PBP) as a primary way of attaining efficiency in the management of public resources. The sole aim of this concept is to link performance information with effective management and allocation of public or organisational resources. It emphasizes the significance of singling out measurable outcomes and effectively allocating resources to facilitate the realization of these outcomes. According to Otley

Nissan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Nissan - Essay Example These cars were developed first in the late 1960s and have continued to be modified to adapt to the changing the changing trends to date. On the other hand, there is the Nissan Patrol is a suburban utility vehicle (SUV) that was developed around 1951 to compete with car brands such as Toyota’s Land Cruiser. This car has been advanced over the generations and currently it is in its sixth generation, which began in 2010. The Patrol occurs has a four-wheel drive and is available in either short-wheelbase with three doors or long-wheelbase with five door chassis. Both cars come in a variety of models that have continued to attract customers due to the continued development. The development of Nissan Skyline GT-R brand has a long history that is linked to the previous products developed by Nissan. Prince Automobile Company was the first company to use the word ‘Skyline’- they developed sedan cars that fell on a line of Skyline products. However, after the merger with Nissan-Datsun, it adopted the Skyline series of cars. Skyline cars were developed with rear wheel drive, an aspect that continued to the 1990s when other manufacturers started focusing on shifting the drive to the front wheels. The adoption of the GT-R cars for racing purposes made them to have direct market while at other instances some of the versions such as the KPGC110 2000 GT-R made very little sales, a situation that was attributed to a looming energy crisis at the time. Just before the development of Nissan Skyline GT-R, there was the S54 2000 GT-B that was a powerful racecar at the time. The GT-R series saw the development of PGC10 2000 GT-R, which made very impressive wins over a period of almost two years. There were a number of racing victories that were associated with this particular car from 1964 to the time it was discontinued in 1972. The Nissan Motorsport (Nismo) has been on the forefront of developing this car to

Risk assessment and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Risk assessment and management - Essay Example Their tools are: - To keep account of their own risks, risk assessment and prevailing regulations - To establish internal goals for work environments based on risk assessment - To keep the employees informed and instructed, to have sufficient knowledge available to manage risks and ensure that the employees participate in the Health and Safety (H&S)-work. - To assess dangers and problems, measure exposure if necessary The company also has to carry out preventive measures like: - Substitution of chemicals, products, methods or processes - Technical measures (encapsulation, confinement, exhaust devices) - Organisational measures - Hygienic measures (clothing, availability of lockers and showers etc) - Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) - Perform internal audits, in form of verifications as well as revisions, surveillance 3 - Evaluation of preventive measures Stakeholders: Stakeholders should also be involved in the risk management in production and transportation of Formaldehyde so that a transparent and effective process is ensured. When stakeholders are involved, it gives them a chance to take part in the interactive exchange of information and opinion about risk. It also helps to connect gaps in understanding, to add to the distribution of values and perceptions, and to assist the exchange of information and thoughts that allow all parties to make knowledgeable decisions. (http://www.fao.org/docrep). According to the European Chemicals Bureau, elimination should be the main objective. But since the manufacture of Formaldehyde and its transportation is the main reason of survival of the company, it can adopt by taking preventive measures and... Risk assessment and management The different risk management tools which the management can use to reduce risk in the manufacture and transportation of formaldehyde is: (Ackley 1980, Bosseau et al 1992). The company has to implement the regulations laid out by the concerned body and has to try to establish a form of quality assurance (Internal Control) to ensure that they are actually implemented. This includes responsibility for characterising exposure, performing proper risk assessment of conditions and taking the necessary preventive measures. Do away with risks: Less risky situations can be ensured by bringing in changes in the productive process or substitution of dangerous substances; Decrease and limit risks by taking measures at the source of the exposure such as isolation, aspiration, ventilation systems, and other actions; And finally, protection of workers, in case the risks are not fully eliminated, or properly reduced and controlled. The worker has to be provided with individual protective equipment. Sometimes a combination of the three prevention measures above-mentioned may be required. If at all these preventive measures cannot be taken, then the risk is not fully eliminated or it can be said that it is not at a minimally acceptable degree. Technical evaluations in the form of tests to workers and the workplace environment should be done to compare the actual exposure in the workplace with threshold limit values.

The Mind Is the Best Medicine Essay Example for Free

The Mind Is the Best Medicine Essay The mind is the most powerful tool a man can use. The body is nothing without the mind. It gives us power to have a wild imagination and have infinite ideas. If the mind has delightful ideas, your body will survive and prosper. If the mind has immoral ideas, your body will stress and decay over time. Although the mind is very powerful, it is up to the person to control it. In As A Man Thinketh, James Allen elaborates on how the body is the servant to the mind. He also states how good thoughts are key to achieving a healthy body. Man can achieve prodigious health in the mind, and body, by simply having pure thoughts. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body (Allen12). Thoughts are the foundation of the body (Chu). Our body works off of what we think and feel everyday. If you have negative thoughts, your body will be very ill. A healthy body shall not have immortal thoughts. A healthy body has positive thoughts that pass through the body. The people who live in fear for disease will usually get it. This is because of the negative thoughts running through the body affects your health. Anxiety will completely demoralize the body (Cramer), which will give disease a great chance to attack. While impure thoughts will shut down the nervous system. Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it (Allen 12). Pure thoughts will clean the body of anxiety. Whenever thoughts are pure, it detoxes the body of all the negativity. The results of pure thinking will only shed good results. When the mind is pure, the body is healthy. Men will continue to have impure blood as long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Negative thoughts only harm the body, which will cause harm in the future. Change of diet will not help a man who won’t changes his thoughts (Allen). Although diet is important to stay healthy, thought is much stronger than food. A man who eats ruthless will also have impure thoughts. Men who can’t control what they eat, usually have trouble controlling their mind. If you can’t control your stomach, you certainly wont be able to control your thoughts. Temptation is very strong, but you mind is even stronger. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he has no longer desire for impure food. If you would perfect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts (Allen12). Having a thick face is also important for a healthy body and mind. You shouldn’t let others get in your way of pure thoughts. Envy is the cause of impure thoughts. You shouldn’t envy a person, bur rather succeed and surpass the person. Disappointment also causes impure thoughts to the body. You shouldn’t be disappointed but rather appreciative of what you have. All of these thoughts can be controlled by the mind. Having these feelings will cause depression, which means you can’t control your thoughts. Impure thoughts will slowly harm the body causing major damage to the mind. There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill-will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, and to patiently learn to find the good in all such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor (Allen 12). You don’t need a doctor to tell you how to use your mind. You should be your own doctor, because you are the one controlling your thoughts. Positive thoughts will keep you away from the doctor. If you have corrupted thoughts, you are just digging a whole for yourself (Cramer). If you have constant impure thoughts, the body will be under major stress. When the stress builds up so does all the impure thoughts. The body does not function efficiently with these impure ideas. Causing harm to the mind and body, one shall get rid of impure thoughts. They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying, all of which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power-evolving universe (Allen 14). People who don’t know what to do in life will have impure thoughts. One who thinks of small problems will have major anxiety causing harm to the body. If you can’t control your thoughts, little things will tend to bother you. Even though these problems are not major, it can lead you to bigger problems. These impure thoughts ill only lead you to failure. Having small problems on your mind will only cause you to think of more problems that you already have. When all the impure thoughts build up, it will be very difficult to have any pure thoughts in your mind. A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should mak e this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings (Allen 14). You are the one controlling yours thoughts. Another person should not be the creator of yours thoughts. You should think deeply of your thoughts and not let them go to waste. The mind is very powerful and the thoughts are its artwork. You should take your time in making a great piece of artwork. If your thoughts are impure, the art will come out with dark colors. If your thoughts are pure, your art will come out with extravagant colors. You should have a legitimate purpose for your ideas. Once a great thought has come to you, you should set forth and try to accomplish it. Thoughts are just in your head if you don’t do anything about it. The important part is accomplishing your pure thoughts. With great accomplishments comes a great thought. A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve greatness by uplifting his thoughts. Thinking positive is very important because it gives you a sense of direction. If a person has negative thoughts, they usually wont come up with many pure thoughts. Negative thinking can harm the body and mind to look at the downside of things. Positive thinking on the other hand, is essential to pure ideas. A positive thinker has a pathway to pure ideas. You cannot achieve a lot of things with negative thinking. Men will remain weak, and abject, and miserable by refusing to lift up his thoughts. The body is nothing without the mind. Our mind is the creator of our thoughts. Whether our thoughts are pure or impure; our body does not function properly without our mind. To sustain a healthy lifestyle, one should have pure thoughts. Your body is not healthy if your thoughts are not pure. Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it (Allen 12). Impure ideas will only cause harm to the body. Impure thoughts lead the body to undergo stress, which leads to disease. One should not worry so much because harm will come to the ones who worry most. Anxiety will only cause harm, and ruin your positive thoughts. Having pure ideas is important to staying healthy. Man can achieve prodigious health in the mind, and body, by simply having pure thoughts. Works Cited Allen, James. As A Man Thinketh. White Plains, NY: Peter Pauper Press, 1970. Chu, Chin-Ning. Thick Face Black Heart. NY,NY: Warner Books , 1994. Cramer, Michael. Power moments: positive motivation and powerful inspiration. Brentwood, TN: JM Press, 2002. Deci, Edward L. Why we do what we do: the dynamics of personal autonomy. New York: Putnams Sons, 1995.

The global stage

The global stage Global Media: Foreign Media Organizations in China In the globalization age, information flow, just like commodity flow and capital flow, increasingly takes place at the global stage. Global media and communication, although certainly has its flaws, has become a prominent phenomenon today. This constitutes the international environment in which the current development of media in China takes place. Globalization and Global Media When communications satellites and computer networks took off in the early 1990s, the world found itself faced with a new generation of media technology which not only undermined geographical distances but also national borders. Fueled by a wave of communications policy deregulation, changes in the media industries soon led to the belief that the whole world was now linked by global media which transmit messages in split seconds to audiences everywhere, including those living in the most remote corners of the world. The era of global media thus pronounced itself arrived. In recent years people have come to witness interesting, albeit somewhat puzzling, developments in the world of media, specifically the transnationalization of national, or even local, media in many parts of the world. These developments have painted a media landscape that quite different from what people used to be familiar with. In the discourse of globalization, there does not seem to be a generally accepted definition of the term. On many different occasions the term has been defined as the free worldwide flow of the production elements and resources, as borderless or stateless economy. It is also widely viewed as the cultural, political, and economic, integration of the whole world. Even before the term â€Å"globalization† became a catchword in the academic and popular vocabulary in the 1990s, global operations and transnational corporations in many industries had long aroused academic attention. In addition, many scholars have long been noticing the connection between the media and globalization. For instance, McLuhan, a media theorist, was claimed to have suggested their connection â€Å"by combining ‘the medium is the message with his ‘global village† (Rantanen, 2004:1.) Globalization suggests simultaneously two views of culture. The first, taking a monoculturalist point of view, treats globalization as the â€Å"extension outward of a particular culture to its limits, the globe,† through a process of conquest, homogenization and unification brought about by the consumption of the same cultural and material products (Featherstone, 1995:6). The second one, adopting a multiculturalist stand, perceive globalization as the â€Å"compression of cultures† (Featherstone, 1995:6). While the meaning of globalization remains ambiguous, â€Å"global media† or â€Å"media globalization† have quickly become clichà ©s in media studies. Two questions can be raised about the use of such terms, however. First, what is meant by a globalized media industry, and secondly, can we assume that a genuine globalization of the industry has already taken place? More precisely, what is the direction of changes that we can observe now-globalization, localization, or something else? Too often when the term â€Å"global† is used in conjunction with the media, it refers primarily to the extent of coverage, with the popularity of satellite television and computer networks serving as evidence of the globalization of communications. However, the linkages brought about by the globalization process are largely confined to OECD and G7 member countries, which constitute one-third of the world population. And even when a medium, e.g. CNN, can put over 150 countries on its map, the rate of penetration and actual consumption can present rather a different picture. As Street (1997:77) has said, the fact that a product is available everywhere is no guarantee that it achieves the same level of popularity, let alone acquires the same significance, meaning or response (Featherstone, 1990:10). It is no secret that CNNs audiences normally account for only a small fragment of a nations population. But even with its conceptual flaws corrected, coverage is merely one of the important dimensions of the media industry. The meaning of a globalized industry would be seriously distorted if other dimensions were left out of the discussion. These dimensions, including the dynamics of the market, modes of production, the contents and messages transmitted, are closely related to the perception of the role and function of media in the globalization process, the direction of change in the industry, and ultimately, the cultural images presented by the theories of globalization. What roles and changes, then, should be expected to see in the media industries according to the monoculturalist point of view? Media Development in China Since the 1990s, with broadcasting and newspapers outlets already reaching large numbers, China has moved onwards into a new stage of media development, prioritizing quality improvement, intensive management/operation instead of increase in numbers, and optimization of the industry structure. In the globalization context with a goal of making its media more competitive and more effective in the mass media market, as well as to strengthen the media industry, China has been adopting the strategy of optimization of the media industry structure (Zhang, 2007:78). The country has closed down, combined, or transformed several media organizations that failed to satisfy the needs of the market competition. In recent years, Chinas media development is also mirrored in the adoption of the latest information technologies, most especially the Internet, by media organizations. In the late 1990s, media organizations in the country used computer technologies extensively. The fever in adopting Internet technologies was spurred on primarily by factors like the eagerness to embrace the trend throughout the world, towards building an information superhighway, the need to stay competitive with other media institutions, and the desire to grasp the opportunities for the stations or papers new development (Zhang, 2007:78). The Chinese experience suggests a strong link between globalization and the enthusiasm of the media organizations to adopt Internet technologies. Starting from the year 2000, media in the country have maintained such desire to adopt state-of-the-art information and communications technologies. Along with the ever-increasing media websites, a new type of websites has emerged sites jointly established and operated by several media institutions in a region (Zhang, 2007:78). Presently, new media technologies are in the spotlight in the technological stage in Chinas media industry. For example, CTP technology is widely used in the countrys newspaper industry. Digital TV and digital audio broadcasting have also emerged in China. Internet protocol TV (IPTV) is also one of the highlights in the current development of the Chinese TV industry. In the area of online outlets, news websites have become a recent type of media outlets in the country. News websites are composed of three levels: websites of large national media organizations, major provincial/municipal ones, and city-level ones (Zhang, 2007:79). Moreover, cross-media operations in mass communications constitute another important aspect of the development of media in China (Zhang, 2007:80). Foreign Media Since China entered the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, the government has eventually opened its domestic media market. Because of the the increasing degree of the media openness, foreign media organizations have begun to enter the Chinese media market. In 2001, from October to December, the government permitted three overseas TVchannels to go into Guangdong province. These are Star TV, Phoenix Satellite Television, and CETV, which is owned by AOL Time Warner. It is the very first time for China to allow foreign channels to be played on local cable and satellite system. Despite these limited entries, the event has caused major ripples throughout the entire Chinese media industry. In addition, in October 2004, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SART|FT) enacted two regulation policies allowing foreign media in the country through more diverse formats (Chan and Ellis, 2005:1). It suggested a constantly-open media market toward foreign capitals in China, a fiery trial for the entire country. Due to the easing of regulation, foreign media organizations have started to swarm into China. In 2008, SARFT approved 33 foreign channels. Many broadcasting organizations had branches in Beijing, Guangdong,Shanghai, and Chongqing. These include Time-Warner, Sony, Disney, News Corp, and Viacom (China Business New, 2008:1). Shanghai, for example, houses competitive foreign media organizations like CNBC (US Cable Network), BBC (British Broadcasting Company), FBC (Italy FactBased Communications), NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.), and SUNSET (France), with investment flowing from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, among others. Localization According to neo-Marxists, who advocate a homogeneous world view, one of the major characteristics of globalization is that everyone has the feeling of being a member of one single society. The feeling, as described by Albrow (1990:8-10), is the sense of â€Å"the whole earth as the physical environment, where all are citizens, consumers and producers, possessed of a â€Å"common sense interest in collective action to solve global problems.† The increasing interdependencies of nation-states has been cited as a major cause for nurturing such a feeling. Today the comforts and assurances of local communal experience are now undermined by distant social forces. Communications media, TV in particular, is an important factor in the compression of time and space. It constantly brings distant events and concerns to the homes and minds of people around the world as they happen. This constitutes an intrusion of distant events into everyday consciousness. However, this compression of time and space is not without its limits. As pointed out by Mittelman (1996:229), capital and technology flows must eventually â€Å"touch down† in distinct places. These places, in contrast to the global phenomenal world, are where everyone lives his or her local life. To human beings, wanting a place where one feels a sense of belonging is natural. However, such a sense of place is cultural, as has been pointed out by Hall (1995:178). Despite the intrusion of distant social forces, feelings and perception of people about their environment remain closely associated with the memories and personal ties they have, together with the social, cultural, and even geographical and climatic setting of their environments. The emphasis on what is called a â€Å"local culture† is â€Å"the taken-for-granted, habitual and repetitive nature of the everyday culture of which individuals have a practical mastery† (Featherstone, 1995:92). This and the cultural forms, the common language, shared knowledge and experiences associated with a place, are the essence of the concept of local culture. Global political and economic factors and media technologies serve to compress, but not eliminate, time and space. In addition, the sense of place, something associated with the essence of a local culture, has become a major determinant in the restructuring of the world communications industry. To suggest that media globalization is no more than a part of a process of domination by Western media and ultimately of the Westernization of world cultures conflicts with the advocacy of Asian values in Asia and is reductionist. To modify the monoculturalist image of culture, Featherstone (1995:6) suggested that globalization may be better considered as a form, a space or field, made possible through improved means of communication in which different cultures meet and clash, or simply a stage for global differences. According to him, this conception points directly to the fragmented and de-centered aspects of the globalization of culture, and in the mean time suggests greater cultural exchanges and complexity. One may argue that a multiculturalist view of globalization does not advocate the localization of transnational media as the only venue for communication as a platform for cultures to meet and clash. But powerful as the idea may be, this view does not offer a clear picture, nor an indication of, how the structure of the world cultural industries has, and will, change; how different it is from what we used to have, and how the ideals of meeting/clashing points may be achieved and professed. According to cultural and media imperialism theories, the demise of local cultures and cultural industries was something predictable, as a consequence of the importation of television programs. By the 1990s, however, it has become evident that the theories have suffered from a lack of evidence. Destructive or Constructive? Since many foreign media organizations have penetrated China, it can be argued that Western media products transmitted in the process will challenge or damage the local culture. However, the impacts of these organizations in the local media market in China appear to be constructive, not damaging, to local cultural heritage. Foreign programs offer great opportunities for reflexive awareness. Audiences do not just receive meanings passively. They are critical and active during the reception process. Watching Hollywood movies and foreign TV shows does not mean the local audience are being American. Instead, in theory, Chinese viewers form a reflexive awareness (who am I? or, who am not I?). Also, many studies in China and the rest of East Asia have suggested that the opposition to foreign culture has been engendered by watching overseas TV shows and thus evokes a protective attitude toward their local culture. While the purity of cultural identity remains a much debated issue, there is no denying that the Chinese audience are also reflexively considering their own identities while being faced with increased importation of foreign cultural products. Regional or national consciousness more than a homogenous global identity enlarges as exposure to alien cultures speeds up. In spite of some visible evidence of cultural homogenization as part of the everyday life, like westernization, it seems that people have a stronger sense of membership in their groups (Morris, 2002:278). In addition, according to Harvey (1989:306), â€Å"localism and nationalism have become stronger precisely because of the quest for the security that place always offers†. On the contrary, there is little evidence of â€Å"cultural abrasion†, instead there is an increasing protective attitude and reflexive awareness within the receiving nations (Varan, 1998:58). The entry of foreign media organizations in China appears to be constructive, not destructive, when one views localization as a form of cultural adaptation. Cultural adaptation, in the mass media context, refer to a comprise strategy, like adding Chinese subtitles for overseas programs. It also refers to an active devotion into the local culture made by the transnational media. Foreign media organizations not only provide Chinese subtitles to achieve high ratings, but they also do research and make compelling contents for the local audience in China. In order to produce a program that will fit with the Chinese culture and one that will not offend sensibilities, many foreign media organizations actively delve themselves into local cultures. They also try to penetrate the market by employing local production groups, such as producers, directors, and performers, as well as as original scripts.. The contents are produced to satisfy the local taste, full of cultural factors and traditional background. Thus what transnational media organizations have brought to the country seems not to be the threat of foreign or western cultural products, but the significant amount of foreign investment used to produce local cultural programs. From the cultural point of view, these programs owned by foreign media organizations would not damage Chinese native norms or values. This is because many shows are produced considering the local audience and embedding with them strong traditional cultural background. From the economic point of view, the significant amount of foreign capital brought by the large media organizations can help the local media market prosper. Basically, local media companies benefit from the competition by cooperating with foreign companies. The localization process of the media in China not only induces the indigenized strategies of global companies; it also induces the globalized reactions of local media industries. The strategy of localization cannot be understood simply as a unidirectional flow of global power on the local media industry. Mutual influences suggest a complex and complicated reciprocal interaction between the global and the local, taking into consideration the reverse effects that the local brings to the global. For example, AOL/Time Warner promised to air CCTV 9th channel through its cable network in Houston, Los Angeles, and New York. CCTV 9th channel contains music, news report, travel and leisure, nature, as well as mandarin education specifically designed to expand the Chinese traditional culture. The aim of such move appears to be the reeducation of the Americans and Chinese Americans and changing of their attitude toward China (Rowe, 2001:1). This shows that Chinese TV officials have already realized the significance of exportation of Chinese programs. By borrowing resources from foreign media organizations, China is able to to send out locally produced products, shaping western attitude toward China and its culture ideologically. It is also noteworthy that many other broadcasters throughout Asia have already begun to target people in overseas market. For example, TVB has been serving Chinese speaking subscribers in North America and Canada. Likewise, MBC, a Korean broadcaster, has established a channel aimed at Koreans in the US. Zee TV, a South Asian broadcaster, has also penetrated The US and the UK (Chadha and Kavoori, 2000:415). As media globalization goes intensive, further reaction taken by the receiving societies is not limited to the cultural resistance of the local audience any more. It now has changed to the active competition among media organizations as well as the exportation of cultural products outside China. Such active activities from China, and also the developing countries in Asia, are seen to increase in the next few decades. With a stronger than ever economic development, the exportation of media contents will became more and more. It can be argued that there is actually no absolute weak and strong culture in the media globalization trend. Every culture changes over time no culture is exempt from this fact. In economic arena, the :Third World† or â€Å"developed countries† category has constantly been facing challenges and has been forced to change. The same is true in the media and cultural arena. No one culture in the world will be the stronger or weaker culture forever. Conclusion The influx of foreign media organizations in China has not yet threatened the local culture as seriously as many observers have proclaimed. There is a conscious effort among transnational media organizations to adapt culturally in order to produce programs that cater to the local taste and ones that embed traditional culture in them. Local Chines audience have a strong reflexive awareness, making them active viewers not passive. This safeguards local culture. Similarly, the local media industry is not passively waiting for challenge; rather, local media organizations actively pose serious competition with media conglomerates, borrowing their resources to promote Chinese culture outside China and to educate people around the world about their culture. Cultural hybridization is expected to be promoted by the strong influences of local responses. Recent exporting activities in China and other Asian nations suggest a novel reciprocal interaction between the global and the local. What the globalization of media brings to China, and the less developed countries in Asia, is not only the difficult challenges, but also the many benefit. While the eastern and western cultures become increasingly because of the media globalization trend, local cultures are also given the opportunity to keep its own characteristics and its independence. Overall, the consequences of media globalization to China seem to be constructive rather than destructive both from local cultural and economic points of view.

Kneeling During the National Anthem: An Opinion Piece

Kneeling During the National Anthem: An Opinion Piece A Bad Combination The NFL represents â€Å"The National Football League,† which contains thirty-two professional American teams (â€Å"NFL Football Teams,† para 1). Over the past year to present time, there has been a lot of controversy within the league concerning a major political issue with select NFL players kneeling during the playing of the national anthem before kickoff. Kneeling is executed to represent a form of silent protest. The NFL players who are kneeling believe that there are prevailing issues in the United States that need to be brought to the public’s attention. According to the philosopher, Boxill, protest is meant to not only stop the injustice from happening, but to also show self-respect (Boxill, para 1). The injustices that the NFL players are silently protesting against during the playing of the national anthem, are police brutality and racial inequalities occurring in the United States. The issues behind the protest should be addressed, but the way the NFL is allowing players to kneel during a time which celebrates patriotism and the symbolic representation of our country, should not be allowed. The protest first began in the NFL when a player from the San Francisco 49ers sat on the benches during the playing of the national anthem at preseason games (Mindock, para 3). Later in the season, he changed to kneeling during the national anthem while his other teammates remained standing (para 4). Ever since the first player, Colin Kaepernick, kneeled during the anthem, it has started a widespread protest encouraging other players in the NFL to join. The reasons behind the protest, such as police brutality and racial inequalities, are extensive issues in the United States. According to the mapping of police violence, police have killed 1,079 people in the United States this year. Of these 1,079 people, 26 percent of those killed were of the African American race, which represents 13 percent of the American population (â€Å"Mapping Police Violence†). These statistics are well known and alarming to most. The NFL players felt that something needed to be done in order to bring the injustices to the public’s attention. As mentioned above, the protest itself is genuine, but the way it is being executed is exceptionally wrong and troubling. My first argument, is that the form of protest the NFL players are using shows disrespect towards the members of the military and the American flag because the national anthem is played during sporting events to display patriotism for the wars that were fought. The national anthem was written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, which was a conflict between Great Britain and the United States, killing roughly 15,000 Americans (â€Å"Star Spangled Banner Lyrics,† para 2). By kneeling, the players are showing a lack of patriotism for our country and this draws attention away from their concept of protesting. Under Title 36 in the United States Code, Section 301 states, â€Å"all other person’s present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart† (â€Å"United States Code,† para 2). Although there is no federal punishment for violating the United States code, it shows overall disrespect towards the country. Many soldiers have lost their lives fighting for the freedom of the United States, and to military personnel, it may come off as very discourteous. The first argument not only enrages the majority who serve in the military, but it also upsets the fans. The disrespectfulness fans perceive from the way the protest is performed, can lead to unintended consequences. Protesting in the public eye may lead to boycotts and un-peaceful events. Ever since the protest began, more security has been needed at the games to protect fans from violence that might occur due to the kneeling that takes place (â€Å"Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem,† para 8). Also, fans have been committing arson by burning the jerseys of players who promote the protest to show dislike (para 8). Not only is the kneeling making the audience feel uneasy, but causing them to lash out to also be heard. My second argument, is that not standing up during the national anthem is a very ineffective way to promote a protest of injustice. Kneeling during the national anthem catches the viewers’ attention, but can be a major distraction (para 6). It can be a distraction to their teammates and can also cause internal team controversy for those who don’t agree with the style of protest. Not standing for the national anthem before the game, can get in the way of the main message they are trying to protest, which is police brutality and racial injustices. The national anthem stands for men and women who have fought for our country (para 5). Once people see a player kneel, it is hard for them to get past the perceived disrespect for the military personnel of the United States and listen to the deeper concerns of the protest. Many fans get distracted by the action the players are performing, not even realizing there is a bigger cause behind the action. Not only does it distract the players and the audience, but it takes away from the overall football game starting minutes after the kneeling occurs. In addition, the protest draws attention away from the actual reason people bought tickets, which was to view and enjoy the football game between two opposing teams. There are many objections that you could use to rebuttal against the first argument. I think the best objection is that if one believes the United States is not holding up the foundations the country was established on, not standing during the playing of the national anthem is reasonable. The reason the protest was executed by kneeling, was because Kaepernick felt that his country wasn’t showing justice for all and was oppressing African Americans (para 3). He did not want to show pride in a country and flag that undermined police brutality and racial injustices, acting like these were not issues in the United States. Many other players now kneel during the national anthem for this reason. The players are not purposely trying to offend the military, police, or others who find it disrespectful, they are trying to bring recognition to the issues, so other people can be informed. Raising awareness of social injustice is their main target, not dishonoring those who have risked their lives for America (para 3). Another major objection to the first argument could be that kneeling during the national anthem is protected by the First Amendment. The football players are exercising their constitutional right to peacefully protest, bringing the issues of police brutality and racial injustices to the public’s attention. Legally, there was nothing wrong with Kaepernick’s form of protest. The players of the NFL have the right to speak out and make a statement about something they believe is unfair. The First Amendment states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances† (Staff, para 1). In addition, it is an individual’s choice whether or not he or she wishes to participate in standing for the national anthem. With the freedom of speech, comes the right to express your opinion peacefully with either direct words or symbolic actions without diminution, and that’s exactly what the NFL players are doing (â€Å"What Does Free Speech Mean?,† para 1). The second argument emphasized that kneeling during the national anthem is not an effective way to promote and protest the injustice occurring in the United States. A possible response to this argument could be that kneeling is an effective way to promote the issues because it easily grabs people’s eyes on a platform that is viewed by millions of Americans. Kneeling is an unexpected action taken by the NFL players and it shocks the audience which makes them pay attention to the issues (para 6). This sparked other players to join Kaepernick in the kneeling because they realized the public would react, good or bad. Also, it created a conversation on social media and in the news. The protest spread like wildfire, and people were widely talking about it. On social media, there were those who took the NFL players’ side and others who did not agree with the form of protest. By grabbing the fans’ attention, they are able to speak out and voice their opinions on racial issues that needed to be displayed. Now that the public is more aware of the police brutality and racial injustices, actions can be taken to try to prevent those injustices from happening further. The objection to the first argument was that refusing to stand during the anthem was justified if you feel that your country is not holding up the ideals it was founded on. The other objection to the first argument was that the right to peacefully protest is protected by the First Amendment. A response to these two objections could be that yes, NFL players are protected by the First Amendment, but if they are going to protest it should be done respectfully. The national anthem is repeatedly used to honor those who lost their lives or those who were injured while fighting for the United States. It is not something that should be belittled by a protest against totally separate prevailing issues. You gain self-respect from protesting injustices done to you (para 1). Through this form of protest, the NFL players are gaining self-respect, but are alienating others such as select military personnel and viewers who don’t agree with kneeling. The players are utilizing the First Amendment to proceed with their protest, and therefore can’t fully state that the United States is not holding up its ideals which is the reason why they kneel. As for the second argument, the objection was that kneeling is an effective way to protest because it makes others notice and is widely seen by many. A response to this could be that kneeling does grab people’s attention, but it takes away from the game NFL players are paid to play. Adding politics to a professional sport, creates even more tension and possibly the loss of fans. There are more effective ways to protest that are more serene and reduce unintended consequences. The players could conduct a protest that can be heard and seen outside of the football game, or even spread the issues another way during the game. Several other ways the NFL players can speak out about the police brutality and racial injustice in the United States could be by wearing a piece of clothing, making a speech, or dedicating a color to the cause. Another alternative could be the NFL players kneeling before the national anthem playing begins and then standing back up, which shows solidarity without being divisive. If they used one of the other ways mentioned, people would not feel disrespected and attention would still be drawn to the present issues. The protest against police brutality and racial injustices began by one NFL player kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. This created tension between fans and the players. Now, there are over 200 players kneeling for these issues and the number of players participating in the protest is growing. There are some who think the kneeling is justified and others who believe it is disrespecting our country and those who fought for the United States. Police brutality and racial injustice are major issues occurring throughout the country, and it is important for others to speak out on the issues they believe are corrupt. Due to the First Amendment, people have the right to freedom of speech with includes peaceful protest, which is what the NFL players are executing. Although protesting by kneeling during the national anthem is viewed by many as disrespectful and can cause viewers to have negative thoughts towards the NFL, players are proceeding with the protest. There is a significant reason behind the cause, but the form of protest could be conducted in a more efficient and less controversial way. The kneeling should not be allowed during the national anthem, so that there is less tension and miscommunication between the public and players. The protest should be executed in a different way in order to only draw full attention to the issues at hand. Works Cited Boxill, Bernard R. â€Å"Self-Respect and Protest.†Ã‚  Self-Respect and Protest, vol. 6, no. 1, 15 Feb. 2017, pp. 1–13. Accessed 3 Dec. 2017. â€Å"NFL Football Teams Official Sites of all 32 NFL Teams.†Ã‚  NFL.com, 2017,www.nfl.com/teams. Accessed 12 Dec. 2017. â€Å"Police have killed 1,079 people in the U.S. this year.†Ã‚  Mapping Police Violence, 4 Dec. 2017, mappingpoliceviolence.org/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2017. â€Å"Refusing to Stand for the National Anthem: Top 3 Pros and Cons.† ProConorg Headlines, Procon.org, 27 Sept. 2017, www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005323. Accessed 3 Dec. 2017. Staff, LII. â€Å"First Amendment.†Ã‚  LII / Legal Information Institute, 5 Feb. 2010, www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment. Accessed 3 Dec. 2017. â€Å"Star Spangled Banner Lyrics.† Star Spangled Banner Lyrics and Meaning ***, 2017, www.american-historama.org/1801-1828-evolution/star-spangled-banner-lyrics.htm. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017. Mindock, Clark. â€Å"Taking a knee: Why are NFL players protesting and when did they start to kneel?†Ã‚  The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 25 Sept. 2017, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/taking-a-knee-national-anthem-nfl-trump-why-meaning-origins-racism-us-colin-kaepernick-a7966961.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2017. â€Å"United States Code.†Ã‚  OLRC Home, United States House of Representatives, uscode.house.gov/browse/[emailprotected]/subtitle1/partA/chapter3&edition=prelim. Accessed 3 Dec. 2017. â€Å"What Does Free Speech Mean?† United States Courts, www.uscourts.gov/about-federal courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does. Accessed 11 Dec. 2017.

Attitude Towards War in The Soldier and Anthem for Doomed Youth Essay

Attitude Towards War in The Soldier and Anthem for Doomed Youth The two poems that I will be comparing in this essay are: â€Å"The Soldier† By Rupert Brooke, and â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† By Wilfred Owen. Both of these poems are sonnets and both are written during The First World War. Although both sonnets are set during the same time period and are about the same war, the poets have very contradicting views; these views are expressed in their work. The first poem; â€Å"The Soldier† is focused on the different meanings and aspects of dying for your country in a foreign land, or behind-enemy-lines. In a war as brutal and tragic as the Second World War, the death of a mere soldier is often neglected and cast aside. Therefore, the poet concentrates on not only the physical consequences and effects of his death, but the mental and spiritual ones too. The poet believes that because he is an Englishman he represents a small moving part of England. This leads him to believe that if he dies on the battlefield, the ground on which his corpse decomposes will become a tiny fraction of England. The poet believes that the only purpose of his death is to bless the land he dies on. â€Å"If I should die, think only this of me : That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England.† This is proof of the poet’s belief that if he is to die away from his homeland he will turn the ground he dies on into a piece of his homeland. This shows that he is patriotic and that even in death he feels he will be doing something to help his country’s cause in the war. In the same stanza the poet goes on the praise the rich and wealthy value his death will bring to the country he dies in. The poet sees England as a super... ...e readers attention. After reading these two poems, I had a very different opinion of war. The references to â€Å"cattle† in the second sonnet and the patriotism in the first particularly helped me to understand war more intelligently. If three-hundred people die in a plane crash, it is seen as a tragedy. If one-million people die in a war, it is seen as a statistic. By understanding the emotions and opinions of people truly affected by combat, you can gain valuable knowledge and insight into the real horrors and atrocities of war. It is often the dream of schoolboys to go to war and fight. If they understood the more horrific and damaging aspects of conflict I am sure that they would not dream for a second, of going to war. That is why I believe these poems are very valuable in the modern world. They are an effective tool in the education of young minds.

monuments :: essays research papers

Monuments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Monuments are a symbol of a significant time in history. Monuments represent life, death, success, and struggle just to name a few. They have become as important to society as the events they represent. They bring history alive to new generations and memories to those who experience them firsthand. Monuments create a bridge between generations. Many parents feel a certain indescribable joyfulness when they see the look in their child’s eyes they had went they viewed the same monument.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people feel a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism when they view a monument. Pride in one’s country is a great feeling. Monuments help bring out those feelings of nationalism. Homeland monuments such as the Statue of Liberty and Madison Square Garden makes one feel special. Millions of people from all over the world come to where you call home to view something that is special to you. We take such things for granted too often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I came across many monuments in my research for this paper. I was very intrigued by monuments in New York City. Many people forget about the less talked about monuments. Such as the Flatiron Building and Gracie Mansion. Of course they are those well-known monuments as well. There is the UN building, which has been around since 1949. Penn Station is also another well-known monument. It has been around since the early 1900’s. There are many others including Grand Central Station, the George Washington Bridge, the Cathedral of St. John and Yankee Stadium just to name a few.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have seen and been to a few monuments in my life. The one that’s sticks out in my mind the most is my visit to the World Trade Center after the first bombing. I remember the first couple of floors were being worked on, and you couldn’t really walk pass the building. Still, it was a magnificent site to see. I must have looked like a tourist because my eyes were constantly focus on all the huge skyscrapers that surrounded me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another monument I recently visited is the Reynolda House in North Carolina. The mansion was transformed from a place of living to a thriving monument.

The General Electric Company Essay example -- Technology, Investment

The General Electric Company abbreviated as GE is among the main expanded technology, mass media and fiscal services corporations internationally. The headquarters is in a town known as Schenectady in New York and in Fairfield, CT. It functions via 11 core areas, they include GE Advanced Materials, GE Consumer & Industrial, GE Energy; GE Healthcare, GE Infrastructure, GE Transportation, NBC Universal (80 percent owned by GE), GE Commercial Finance, GE Consumer and GE Insurance. GE is a multinational and functions in in excess of 100 countries globally and makes roughly 45 percent of its incomes away from the US. Through the progress of its over 110 years of invention, GE has amassed in excess of 67,500 copyrights, and the company's scientists have been bestowed with two Nobel Prizes and several other honours. History The antiquity of the General Electric (GE) Company involves a noteworthy portion of the antiquity of technology within the borders of US. GE has progressed from the home laboratory belonging to Thomas Edison into one of the biggest corporations within the world, subsequent to the development of electrical technology from the humblest initial presentations into the 21st century ‘s high-tech sorcery. The corporation has correspondingly progressed into a corporation, with a cumulative move from technology to services, and with 11 main operating units. Swot analysis Strengths Universal acknowledgment: GE has invested in the world market therefore attaining universal acknowledgment for its exclusive merchandises. Forbes magazine, i... ...nal corporations, GE has to wrestle with such matters and manage them efficiently. Technological Analysis: Machinery in the contemporary world is progressing at an massive pace. Pioneering merchandises are constantly being familiarized utilizing technology that is more advanced every day. Older technology is subsequently being obsolete at an extremely elevated rate transversely all segments in the economy. Heading for exceeding competitors, several corporations have turned to novelty, research and expansion, which have resulted in upgraded heights of technology. The degree of technology progression internationally differs with each republic that GE has ventured into as they differ regarding resources accessibilities. Amongst the republics with the uppermost degree of technology progression is Japan and US in which GE has invested in (General Electric, 2009).

Police misconduct Essay

Police misconduct majorly refers to the various actions that the police officers (force) involve in their line of duty which are actually objectionable or questionable. Some of these activities are carrying out brutality, indulging in corrupt activities, falsely arresting various individuals without any basis, cooking evidence so as to justify the arrest of certain persons who might be actually not guilty, intimidation of the public in a number of ways, taking sides in the political arena so as to favor a given politician for instance the incumbent president, abusing various individuals sexually and also enhancing other forms of abuse. Generally, police misconduct has been a serious problem world wide. A good amount of effort has been put in place so as to combat this problem but due to certain problems like the culture of resistance to change by individuals and organizations it has been very challenging. In this paper, the stand that I will take with respect to the topic is that police misconduct is indeed a very significant issue in policing as it was in the time of Serpico as described in the book ‘Serpico’ written by Peter Mass. This means that it is a very important issue that must be addressed to ensure that policing in both developing and the developed countries occurs in a manner that is expected. Significant as it is, police misconduct determines a number of things in this area of service including how the civilians view and respond to the work of the police. Police misconduct is actually different from police corruption. As mentioned above, police misconduct deals with outright brutality and various things that the policemen do as they work (in their line of duty) which are actually can be questioned or objected. Some of these things or activities actually go against human rights. On the other hand, police corruption refers to a given category or example of police misconduct that is normally basically tailored towards availing financial benefits to the concerned officers. This can also lead to the advancement of police officers’ careers due to not pursuing or selectively pursuing an arrest or investigation. Some examples of police corruption include: soliciting or accepting bribes so as to allow certain individuals to carry on with something which is unlawful, use of falsified evidence to secure the convictions of certain suspects. This mounts to breaching the police code of conduct. Both police misconduct and police corruption are related to each other because both of them are actually done in the same way, it is only that one of them is an example of the other one which is relatively wide. Both of them are actually, the subject matter of these theses. There are a number of contemporary issues as regards police misconduct. Even though this is a real problem in the current world, various governments have not been very keen or serious with putting in place stringent measures to fight it. Some governments have, however, tried to put in place some measures but the concerned officers continue to enhance this vice. Police misconduct has resulted in very serious consequences which includes unfair death of innocent individuals e. g. In January 1997, A thirty four year old man who was not armed was carelessly shot dead by a Rhode Island police officer after a low speed car chase, having been just suspected of driving a stolen car. Another issue is that this misconduct of police has led numerous situations where the citizens’ rights are adversely violated by police officers for instance, some of these very innocent citizens are normally tortured, seriously beaten, or even struck to a degree that is not commensurate to the punishment for the crime they are being suspected to have committed and this is normally done when some of them are out rightly not guilty. It is important to note that even though police misconduct is actually rampant in many stations, we have not lost the fight against it.  It is still very possible to cub this practice. This can be achieved when individuals, governments and even the officers themselves just organize themselves as it is currently in the United States and purpose to do away with this vice. The specific topic under discussion here is that police misconduct is very significant an issue in policing as it was in the time of Serpico as described in the book ‘Serpico’ written by Peter Mass. There are a number of issues that actually qualify police misconduct as very significant. It is real or true that this is a serious problem in the United States currently and even world over that actually affects us and consequently needs to be solved. There is no police department world over that is actually free of misconduct yet police officers are very important for the provision of security in all nations world wide. It means that this is a real problem that is actually with us and affects certain things in our day to day lives making it significant. This vice therefore has to be fought both locally and internationally. It is also important to note that the departments of justice has in a way contributed to this seriousness because in some cases, they have failed to prosecute officers who are proved to have indulged in police misconduct. The law that is operational in many countries also does not clearly define how to handle this problem. It is apparent that policing is a very important requirement of enforcing law so as to facilitate day to day activities anywhere yet police brutality and misconduct has brought a hindrance to proper, good or professional law enforcement. All the officers are normally well trained before they are allowed to practice policing yet the manner in which they carry themselves in this profession is so wanting. It is naturally expected that once these officers have undergone good training, then they should exercise a high level of discipline as they execute their duties. It is therefore a disappointment seeing them operate in a very indiscipline manner invoking the need to consider what should be done so as to put things right with respect to this. Therefore makes police misconduct a significant issue (United States Commission on Civil Rights. 1979). The significance of the above is also seen through consideration of how it contributes to corruption in large scale in various states or largely countries. Corruption is a vice that really contributes to loss of numerous resources which should otherwise be used to enhance the development of various countries or cities especially the developing countries. Through police misconduct, some of the dues that are supposed to be received by the government directly for development e. g. through taxes end up unfairly in the hands of few individuals who use it in unwanted ways. This to a larger extent contributes to underdevelopment especially in developing countries where police misconduct is actually rampant. One of the major roles of policing is to ensure that democracy is maintained in a country or state, for that matter. This involves among other things protection of the rights of citizens e. g. the right of speech so as to ensure that they command a good public trust (Champion, Dean J. (2001). In a freely democratic state, individuals are in a position of speaking out or sharing what they know and desire freely without any unnecessary restrictions i. . the freedom of speech is practical. In the past, police officers have interfered with democracy in many states in a way especially during electioneering periods in which they lean on only one side of the political divide ending up favoring it over then other. In such cases, police officers have unconstitutionally prevented individuals from contributing to chatting the way forward on certain political issues at hand especially if there is a somewhat serious problem or crisis. Such matters are normally national and so affect a lot of things in the state. This also explains why police misconduct is significant and should actually be seriously looked into (Archbold, Carol. (2004). It is also important to note here that each and every worker or rather civil servant in the current world is normally expected to achieve certain set goals and objectives(job requirements) stated by performance contracting in certain states. Likewise, policing in its mandate of enhancing law enforcement should meet certain standards that have been set for them. Research has, however, shown that most officers in the police force are actually very far from achieving the standards that have been set for them. This poor performance is majorly contributed to by the police misconduct which includes brutality, corruption among other things. As a result of this, a number of things that are supposed to be achieved by them do not come to pass. This also explains why police misconduct is really significant and so a number of ways should be suggested to ensure that it is checked and managed. In the book ‘Serpico’ a number of incidences transpire which show out rightly how police misconduct occurred in this episode. At some point it is evident that even though police officers are brought to a number of issues that they should respond to, they actually ignore and not act upon them after all (Tomasi. (2005). This is shown on page 14 of the book where key municipal and police officials are brought to allegations with an evidence by Serpico which they are actually supposed to act upon but up to this point, they fail to do so. â€Å"†¦ and key municipal and police officials at last admitted under oath that, despite the specific allegations brought to them by Serpico, they had in fact done nothing. .. † (pg 14). In another incident, we come across a situation where an individual is literally shot for some crime that was supposedly committed. According to the code of conduct of policing, no officer is supposed to shoot to kill save for specific circumstances which are actually entrenched in the law (Finn, Peter. (2001). For instance if an individual is actually in confrontation with a polic e officer in a given scenario yet he or she is not armed then the officer should not even attempt to shoot. This excerpt suggests that the person was actually shot only that the bullet deviated from original line of fire which would otherwise paralyzed the person’s arms. â€Å"†¦ If the bullet continued along its original line of fire, it would have struck the upper part of his spinal cord, paralyzing his arms and legs †¦ † pg 20. There are also cases in which police officers are involved in overreaction to gang problems. This is driven by the assumption that those who associate with known gang members must be involved in criminal activity even in situations that there is evidence that this is not the case. Some of the things that the police officers do are mass stops and arrests of various people, demanding certain things from various people (like the youth) on the basis of their dress and race in stead of on the basis of their criminal conduct (Robinson, Paul H. , (2006). This actually amounts to breaching the code of conduct and professionalism of the police force currently and in the book â€Å"Serpico†. With regard to comparing and contrasting contemporary issues pertaining police misconduct and Serpico, we can note that in both cases, this has led to a number of very serious consequences. One of these is unfair death or serious injury of very innocent individuals. This has consequently led to reduction in the labor that is needed by the state for instance in the civil service. This is because part of the labor may become lame due to torture or may simply be done away with due to death for instance through shooting (Mitchell, Richard H. (1992). Another thing is that in both cases, police misconduct has proved to be very challenging to control. A number of ways have been devised to curb this practice for example at some point in the Book; Serpico tries to challenge some people who are in the process of enhancing it. Though it is not very successful, at least something is done. â€Å"†¦ Peter Maas suggested that there was no point in his hanging around any longer. â€Å"What do you mean? † Serpico asked him, puzzled. â€Å"Kid, it just can’t be,† the detective said. †¦ † pg 98. BODY This paper is basically about my stand of showing that police misconduct is actually a significant issue and that ways should be devised to curb it. In the introduction above a number of cases have been highlighted that show how serious this practice actually is. A number of points will also be given in this section in support of the same From ‘Serpico’ and other sources (Hinton, Valeska S. ; DeWolfe, Ruthanne. (1981). Police misconduct in a way contributes to underdevelopment e. g. in a country. This can occur if police officers constantly indulge in corrupt activities denying the state a good amount of revenues which can be allocated to develop various areas (United States. (2007). In ‘Serpico’ a situation is described where one wants to give money to supposedly avert a given penalty. If the person is guilty he would be taken to court where he would likely produce some dues to the state. In this case, however, Serpico demonstrates his independence and no need of the money. â€Å".. Serpico started up the car. â€Å"No,† he said blankly. â€Å"I’m really pretty independent. I don’t need the money. † â€Å"You sure? Real†¦ † (pg 102). Corruption as discussed above is a real enemy to development and so its practice here makes police misconduct really significant. Indulgence in unnecessary torture and killing/shooting of citizens also leads to underdevelopment. This is because it interferes with labor which is very vital in a country’s economy. A report â€Å"police conduct report† indicates how police officers involve in unnecessary killing of individuals in the name of carrying out a security operation in the area. The killed individuals would have played a major role in enhancing the economy and so their death was a loss as regards development (United States. , Congress. (2001). Police misconduct also contributes greatly to tainting professionalism in the practice of policing. This is very important in commanding public trust and enhancing efficiency of the practice. The book ‘Serpico’ indicates an incident in which various officers who are supposed to act on an issue fail to do it at the required time after having been forwarded to them. This is a sign of non-professionalism. â€Å".. municipal and police officials at last admitted under oath that, despite the specific allegations brought to them by Serpico, they had in fact done nothing.. † pg 14. In another incident recorded in one of the papers in the US, a young man was ruthlessly shot dead by a Rhode Island police officer as he was driving on one of the roads in the city. This brother, who was actually not armed, was being suspected of having stolen a car. Proper professional police practice demands that in this case, the concerned is apprehended and a proper investigation is done. This brings out the significance because the practice actually interferes with the professionalism that is needed in the police force. It is also important to mention that police misconduct has contributed to the increase in crime hence insecurity of various properties in a state. This majorly occurs in situations where police officers liaise with criminals by receiving some cash from them and tolerating their criminal activities. This leads to a lot of insecurity in the areas of operation of these people. ‘Serpico’ describes a situation in which a certain detective is reluctant to execute his duties as pertains to a given investigation (Maas, P, 2005). Serpico is being discouraged from staying any longer at the scene probably because Peter Maas has his own plans. â€Å". 98 PETER MAAS suggested that there was no point in his hanging around any longer. â€Å"What do you mean? † Serpico asked him, puzzled. â€Å"Kid, it just can’t be,† the detective said. .† Such kinds of negligence can really lead to more criminal activities. External evidence is a situation where it is recorded in one of the US paper archives that given police officers deliberately delayed or rather averted a case that they were handling having made an agreement with the concerned that they would be given a big sum of money if the case was done away with. It was unfortunate that this plan succeeded and so the criminals went scot free. The danger of this is that the criminals may opt to continue with their criminal activities hoping that the same would occur to them in future. This increases crime in a country and hence insecurity (BATFE. (2006).