How Much Influence Does the President Have over the Legislative Process?

How much influence does the President have over the legislative process? (15) Many powers that the President has, Congress will be able to check due to the checks and balances imposed by the Founding Fathers. The fact that the Government has separation of powers, it is hard to gain the agreement between the legislative branch and the executive branch which the President needs. One could argue that the president does have influence over the legislative process to an extent, but it is significantly restrained by the checks and balances put in place which the Founding Fathers imposed. A key part of the legislative process is having a bill proposed. Whilst the President does have the power to do this, we must question how much influence he has over this. Congress has the power to amend, delay and even block the bills. The power to set the legislative agenda does not mean that the process will go according to plan. Even flagship legislation can fail, such as Congress defeating President Clinton’s flagship legislation which was intended to reform the health care system in 1994. Congress can also delay a bill through filibustering, which is where any senator/senators can talk for as long as they can on a bill (essentially talk a bill to death) unless 60 of 100 Senators vote to bring the debate to a close. A President may choose to veto a bill, which would exercise the Presidents influence. However, Congress could choose to override it, which then questions how much influence the President then has over the legislative process The president has some choices as to what to do with the bill before it is passed. The President could simply just sign it into law, which is what could happen if he wanted to take some credit for the bill and agree on it all. However, he could just leave the bill on his desk, which shows he would have very little influence on the process, and could indicate that he may know a veto would be overridden. Overall, the President does have some influence over the legislative process, however if he were to veto legislation, he could face criticism in the media and this could affect his popularity and therefore to an extent, the President has some influence over the legislative process.

Coffee Shops and Mobile Apps

Researcher Role The researcher role in this qualitative study was to oversee the data collection process and analysis of the study. The data collection and analysis process consists of gathering and measuring themes of interest in a fashion that answer questions and evaluate outcomes. Participants The population of this study was employees and customers of coffee shops.The participants for this convenience sampled, interview study consisted of employees and customers of local coffee shops located in the Saint Paul, MN. Participants were contacted in person and asked to participate in the study. Overall 15 customers and employees were solicited. Participants were told a brief overview of the purpose of the study and presented a consent form. The consent form contained information relating to the purpose of the study and information ensuring the participant that their identity and confidentiality would not be compromised.Data Collection Technique Before collecting data, the researcher completed the required ethical training by reviewing and understanding the ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. Informed Consent A walk up approach method was used to solicit prospective participants for this study. It was stressed that participation was voluntary and confidential. A letter in Appendix A was prepared for interested parties. If prospective participants did not show an interest in the interview, they could Just decline to participate and no further involvement was needed.Instruments The two data collection instruments, one for employees and one for customers, were composed six structured open-ended questions in Appendix B. The questions were designed to capture participant feelings about mobile app technology and its adaptability to coffee shops. Data Collection Data was collected through an in person structured open-ended interview. The researchers were able to interview the participant during the end of the work day by walking up to the prospective participant and asking if they had a couple of minutes to answer a couple of questions.The researcher would then ask the participant six questions and record the participant response. The interview would end with the researcher thanking the participant for their time. Data Analysis Data Analysis Technique The raw data was separated into the two instruments and analyzed by group first. Through the first pass of each questionnaire, the researcher highlighted and noted interesting thoughts from each of the individuals and then determined which comments stuck out more frequently and noticed comments that were unique but very valid points, both for and against the mobile app idea.By doing this, the researcher was able to develop themes and then make an assessment as to if the customer or employee saw potential with the app and if there was going to be a level of demand high enough to support the amount of investment and increase in resources within the coffe e shops. Data Analysis – Customers The researcher was able to get 8 customers varying in age and gender to take the 10 to 15 minutes with me to answer the 6 question questionnaire. As expected, the researcher got many similar answers to the questions however; the researcher did collect some very interesting comments that were unique.It was found that of all the customers have heard of this mobile app technology and of those, 75% said that they would use the technology if it were available. The main theme for participants who said yes was because they thought it would be a great way to save time and avoid re typically compulsive and would not want to use a telephone to order in their vehicle. The customers who answered yes agreed that they would use it for all of the items on the menu, especially the food items because those tend to take a little longer.When asked about potential complications all said they could see things going wrong particularly regarding the quality and te mperature of the pre-ordered items. A few were concerned about the actual mobile app technology staying current and functional. Another idea was to add a feature to the app to act as a reward punch card. Data Analysis – Employees The employees, on the other hand, had a bit of a different view on the functionality of having a mobile app ordering process.All seven of the employees interviewed shared the knowledge of the technology, but only 14% thought that it would work and the others thought that it only could work or it would be rather challenging to implement successfully. The employees shared the same concerns as the customer about quality and temperature however, this was more of their focus because they have certain standards they have to meet based on their business model. It was also made apparent that the majority of coffee shops business model involves face-to-face contact for suggestive selling and for customers to come in and stay a while.Many of the employees thou ght that there would have to be a dedicated member working in a distinctly different area of the store with more resources, for example more screens, a new POS system, more counter space and more employees. Some of the thoughts were that mobile app users and regular order in customers should not be forced to be in the same line. This could cause client satisfaction to be decreased. That being said the employees did have many positive things to say about the mobile app.Many thought that there would be more organization behind the counter and it could increase sales and revenue and it could reach a completely new realm of clients. Some thought that this would work great for locations with a drive thru window. Many said that this would be a great opportunity for larger orders for example when people need coffee for more than 5 people at once. The larger coffee canteens take a while to make and get ready for customer pickup especially during busy times. Lastly, to go with that it was sa id by many that they could see this working much better if there were a limited menu for the app.Limitations/Delimitation's Limitations in this exploratory research were that when trying to interview employees, there were a couple of times we were rushed or interrupted because of customers. In addition, we were limited to only the population that was in the coffee shop at that time therefore not allowing for a large demographic diversity. Population and Sampling The target population of this study consisted of customers of a coffee shop in the United States. The expected size of the sample was over 25 participants where we didn't know anything about if they even drank coffee or visited coffee shops.Also we had no idea if they were handy with mobile APS. Data Collection E-mail or a message board requests via Backbone and Linked were used for this study. This method made sure that participants knew this was voluntary and confidential. A letter on the first page of the survey was prepa red for interested parties to learn more about the study. If potential participants did not want to partake in the survey, they could disregard the request and no further contribution as needed. Instrument The data collection instrument (Appendix C) was composed mostly of quantitative closed-ended questions.

Treasury Yield Curve Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Treasury Yield Curve - Coursework Example Inflation affects purchasing power of money and therefore has a major effect on interest rates. Therefore if inflation rate is expected to be 1% during the next year this is added to the risk free interest rate (say 3.5%) and so the Treasury bill rate will be: rT-bill = rRF = r* + IP = 3.5% + 1% = 4.5% The inflation rate is the main factor which determines the shape of the treasury yield curve. If the inflation rate is expected to increase, then the treasury yield curve will slope upwards; which is normal. On the other hand, if the inflation rate is expected to decrease, then this will cause the treasury yield curve to slope downwards. Another factor affecting the Treasury bill rate is interest rate risk. When interest rates rises the prices of treasury bonds decline sharply and since this is a regular occurrence all long term bonds including treasury bonds have an element of interest rate risk. A maturity risk premium (say 2.5%) is therefore added to the risk free rate resulting in the following formula for calculating the Treasury bill rate. rT-bill = rRF = r* + IP + MRP. = 3.5% + 1% + 2.5 = 7% This premium increases with the time to maturity. Therefore, the longer the period the higher maturity risk premium. ... This information tells me that interest rates are subject to various economic conditions that will cause it to rise or fall and that the trend does not have to be continuous as it would appear from the examples seen. This yield curve has a dip and a hump indicating that the interest rates on one year maturities are higher than interest rates on 5 year maturities. The interest rates on medium term maturities rises constantly between year 6 and year 20 and then falls resulting in interest rates on some long term maturities being much lower than the interest rates on some in the medium term. Part 2 Yield to Maturity The yield to maturity is the annualized discount rate that equates the future coupon and payments to the future coupon and principal payments to the initial proceeds received from the bond offering (Madura 2006, p157). Consider Wal-Mart bond which matures on July 2015 with coupon rate of 2.25% which is paid semi-annually. The value of a bond (Vb) is found using the following formula. Vb = 1000 = [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)1] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)2] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)3] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)4] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)5] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)6] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)7] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)8] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)9] + [$11.25/(1 + rd/2)10] + [$1,0001/(1 + rd/2)10] The PV table can be used to find the figures for each of the ten six-monthly period: where $11.25 is the half yearly coupon rate. The time to maturity is five years and so Wal-Mart 2.25% Corporate Bond Time Periods Interest Payment Maturity Payment Total cash Flow PV Factor (1.125%) PV of Cash Flow    $ $ $    $'000 0       1000 1 1000 Par Value of Bond 1 11.25    11.25 0.9889 11.1251 2 11.25    11.25 0.9779 11.0014 3 11.25    11.25 0.967 10.8788 4 11.25    11.25

Why hotel firms choose to integrate both vertically and horizontally Essay

Why hotel firms choose to integrate both vertically and horizontally within the wider tourism industry - Essay Example The purpose of a business is to get and keep a customer. As hotel firms are dynamically evolving entities operating within a dynamically evolving environment, some means of evaluation of the way in which the two interact has to be found to enable them to be better matched. In order to achieve these goals tourism and hospitality industry choose to integrate both vertically and horizontally to meet the needs of their customers and achieve overall objectives. It should be mentioned that integration is development beyond the present product and market, but still within the broad confines of the 'industry' within which the company operates: for example, Sheraton and Crowne Plaza are diversified corporations, but virtually all their interests are in the consumer service industry. Integration both vertical and horizontal therefore builds on the assets or activities which the firm has developed in service or market terms (Nebel, 1991). 1.1. Vertical integration. Vertical integration is a broader term used to describe either backward or forward integration. Backward integration is popular in tourism and hospitality industry. It refers to development into activities which are concerned with the inputs into the company's current business (i.e. are further back in the value system). Backward integration is important for tourism and hospitality industry because it refers to development into activities which are concerned with a company's outputs (i.e. are further forward in the value system), such as transport, distribution, repairs and servicing (Powers, Barrows, 2002). 1.2. Horizontal integration. Horizontal integration refers to development into activities which are competitive with, or directly complementary to, a company's present activities. A lending library's extension into tourist information or video cassette material would be an example (Stutts, 2001). The acquisition of, or merger with, a competitor would be one way of achieving this, for example. The strategic logic behind horizontal development is typically to gain leverage or market power over suppliers or buyers. Higher volume generally confers greater scale economies in purchasing whereas larger product market share confers greater pricing power over customers. 2. The role of vertical integration in hospitality and tourism industry Backward vertical development is movement towards a supplier of resources used by the business. This might be an attempt to secure supply of a key resource or to gain a cost advantage over competitors by 'locking in' a supplier. Conversely, forward vertical development is growth towards the next stage in the supply chain by gaining an interest in a buyer of the company's outputs. In both cases, the strategic logic is to secure a foothold in the same supply chain to guarantee supply or distribution. This degree of vertical integration was unusual in an industry which had become characterised by specialist companies concentrating on just one of these roles. The company believed the strength of its philosophy was that one division could help out another when times got hard, as in the recession of the early 1990s. For example, although demand for low rate hotels had declined, but standard services had experienced strong. As a result, the low rate hotels h

Systems Programming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Systems Programming - Essay Example One thing that a any user will notice immediately with Windows 8 is that the ‘boot up’ will be significantly faster - perhaps as much as one-third. This is because the Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) processor start-up code that has been used (in various forms) since the advent of usable IBM-architecture PCs, has been replaced by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) executable, developed by Intel from 1998 onwards (and made open-source by Intel in 2005), when it became apparent that BIOS would no longer be up to the job. The underlying support for the execution of processes and threads is, according to O’Brien, [Engadget Online Magazine. Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 share lots of code, NT kernel. Terrence OBrien. Jun 20th, 2012. (Accessed 17th March 2013) (Online). the same as with Windows NT, as this basic architecture has been retained with Windows 8, although it is inferred form a consensus of the available sources that the detailed ‘code’ that implements these functions has been radically changed - whether for the better will have to be seen as Windows 8 beds in. As well as the memory management functionality previously incorporated into previous versions of Windows, and retained in Windows 8, the following new memory management features have been incorporated, both to promote better memory management and to improve information security. The exception Handler has been removed. Apparently, a lot of malware and root kits were using the Exception Handler to get into Windows and damage applications and extract data. The implication is that Microsoft’s developers have introduced an operating system procedure that does the same job as an exception handler, but works on radically different principles. states in his online article that Microsoft has been very ‘cagey’ about the specific security features that have been built into the Windows 8 kernel - which is hardly

Aquisitions and Payments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aquisitions and Payments - Essay Example ing the entire useful life of assets, the management would be paying fewer taxes under double- declining method of depreciation during initial years of useful life. This is because double- declining method uses double the rate of straight line method. Depreciation would be higher in initial years as compared to straight line method. Carrying value of in later years would be lower as compared to straight line method and hence lower depreciation would be charge to income statement resulting into higher income and thus higher taxes during later years of useful life. The position is exactly reversed when management decide to use straight line method of depreciation. However, when using double- declining method and paying fewer taxes in initial years of useful life of asset, the company will have to make provisions for deferred taxation. The cash flow statements of Pier 1 Imports show an entry under the head changes in cash from ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’. . That means that Pier 1 had to resort to Securitization laws to take hold of assets covered for receivables that became bad and unrecoverable. The company is generating cash by way of making sales of those assets or beneficial interests held in place of bad recoverable under the provisions of the law. This indicates that there were recoveries that turned bad and Pier 1 had to resort to take possession of some beneficial interests to make good some of the bad debts. â€Å"Securitization is the process of pooling and repackaging of homogeneous illiquid financial assets into marketable securities that can be sold to investors.† (Lakshmi Mohandass). This shows that securitization is undertaken only of those financial assets which become illiquid or bad to recover. The amount shown under the above stated head ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’ is quite significant. In 2007 changes in cash flow from such

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 Assignment

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 - Assignment Example During the September 1 attack on the U.S, the terrorists hijacked a passenger carrier airplane sending worrying signals to customers regarding their safety. Customer’s reaction in relation to the safety concern is evident in all motor carriers within the U.S. In examining whether strategic change is essential for the long-term benefits of an organization, the study: To change or not to change, takes a close examination on customer’s feelings regarding all motor carriers’ firms’ response after the September 11 incident (Atwater et al, 2011). The data gathered indicates a huge disruption and downturns following the terrorist attack. For example, the normal operations in the motor carriers firms declined by more than half. Although, some carriers changed their strategies after the attacks, performance was still not impressing. All the carriers performed awful following the attacks as customers grew fear irrespective of any security measures the firms included (Atwater et al, 2011). As a matter of fact, a declined performance was achieved by firs that opted change their strategies as opposed to those that stuck with earlier strategies. In conclusion, adopting strategic measures after a strategic surprise is not a guarantee of developing customer satisfaction (Kotler, 2010). As evidenced through the change of strategy by the carrier firms that changed their strategy following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Other than adopting strategic changes, the study finds out that customer satisfaction and integration is a continuous

Compare and contrast two main characters from Don Quioxote and the Essay

Compare and contrast two main characters from Don Quioxote and the movie Toy Story - Essay Example "That is impossible," said Don Quixote: "I say it is impossible that there could be a knight-errant without a lady, because to such it is as natural and proper to be in love as to the heavens to have stars" (Chapter 13). Both protagonists, Don Quixote and Buzz, are men of almost divine tolerance and sympathy, with a feeling for humanity that only a few have possessed and revealed. The main difference between Don Quixote and Buzz lies in their motives which force tem to fight for truth and universal virtue. Love and romance are the main features of Don Quixote while honesty and desire to save the planet from Evil emperor Zurg characterize Buzz. Don Quixote describes his feelings: "when they are in love; and so true is this that there have been knights who have remained two years on rocks, in sunshine and shade and all the inclemencies of heaven" (Chapter 13). Both of the charcaters are on predestined journeys, all striving for what sometimes seemed unobtainable to them and the audience alike. But, wherever the meeting with Roque Guinart took place, Don Quixote remained with him in those craggy solitudes for three days, moving about with the gang and finding matter for observation and wonder. "There's a remedy for everything except death" (Chapter 54). The other difference between these characters is pessimism of Don Quixote and bravery of Buzz. Don Quixote con tribution to the pessimism which characterizes so much of the important writing was to probe the inner recesses of human behavior to see by what instincts people are governed. Sancho describes their journey with Don Quixote "We squires to knights-errant have to bear a great deal of hunger and hard fortune, and even other things more easily felt than told" (Chapter 31). Don Quixote proposes a view of man's essential nature which one might more normally expect to find argued in a philosophical treatise. Indeed, if the reader feels sometimes that the plotting of this hero is too schematic and relentless, this may be because Buzz are more concerned to demonstrate his theory about the incipient self-centeredness of the human species than to explore the psychology of individual characters. Another similarity can be found between Woody and Sancho Panza. Both of them play secondary roles and depicted as the common man. Using these characters, authors unveil thoughts and actions of the protagonists their inspirations and self-esteem. Both of these characters support protagonists and their actions remain independent doers of their destinies. "Senor," replied Sancho, "is it a good rule of chivalry that we should go astray through these mountains without path or road, looking for a madman who when he is found will perhaps take a fancy to finish what he began" (Chapter 25). The main difference between these characters is that Sancho-Don Quixote relations are based on master-men relations while Woody and Buzz are enemies. Don Quixote describes Sancho "Sancho, my friend, night is drawing on upon us as we go, and more darkly than will allow us to reach" (Chapter 8). In contrast to Woody, the main feature is that Sancho exhibits the remarkable prevalence of humanism in a movement that claimed to promote peace and love. He is fascinated about Don Quixote. "And what greater misfortune can

Professional Bio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional Bio - Essay Example He also has comprehensive knowledge in therapeutic interventions and collaborative treatment process, besides outstanding interpersonal and communication skills that include superior accuracy in patient history, charting, and other documentations. Mr. Martins has also demonstrated his ability to forge and motivate outstanding healthcare teams that provide top-quality patient care.  He is objective oriented, self-motivated, and energetic and is a focused professional with a strong professional and academic background in nursing. Attributed to his major strengths are characteristics such as flexibility, good client relations, nursing knowledge, decision-making skills, and communication skills for training and presentations. in 2009, and a Certificate in Nursing Vocational Management Training in 2003. Other academic qualifications include a Certificate in Nursing Health Training Services from Wheaton Maryland in 2000, and High School Diploma, Government High School  General Studies in 1994. Mr. Martins has, since 2007, worked as a registered nurse in various institutions; Davita downtown Baltimore, Prince Georges Regional Hospital, Woodbine Nursing and Rehab, Inc Virginia,  and Home Health Connection in Chevy Chase. While in these institutions, he served in different capacities such as in medical surgical unit, monitoring and evaluation of nursing care in acute respiratory unit, and general care services such as admission and discharge of patients as well as patient education. Prior to these, he had worked as a licensed practicing nurse with Home Health Connection in Maryland, Manor care Nursing and Rehabilitation in Wheaton Maryland in 2007, and Springhouse Manor Care Health in Bethesda, Maryland in 2005 where he administered patient care. He also worked as a Geriatric nursing assistant with Collins Hood Nursing and

Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War Essay Example for Free

Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War Essay Germany was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War do you agree? I do not agree fully that the Germans were to blame for the outbreak of war. German intentions were not to start a war, however there are a few events where they unintentionally helped to escalate the situation. There is no doubt that they did help to escalate the situation between Serbia and Austro Hungary. In this essay I will be arguing that Germans did not cause the outbreak of the war. I will be doing this by discussing the blank cheque, the Schlieffen plan, the September programme, the actions of the Kaiser and the actions of Bethmann Hollweg. Many historians argue that because Germany pre-planed for war that when the chance of war arose they obviously provoked it. The evidence for this argument is the Schlieffen plan, it was a military strategy devised in 1882 as a means of coping with a two front war. Some people argue that the Schlieffen plan is the first traceable reason why the war started. However this is hardly true the Schlieffen plan was drawn up because of the increasing pressure Germany was under because of the triple Entente. Germany was after all geographically in bad position on one side they had France and on the other Russia, to make this situation worse France and Russia were allied. Therefore it is not surprising that a plan was created in case a war with the both countries was to occur. A war such as this would have to be fought on two fronts so to be able to fight a war like this on side would have to be disabled quickly. The Germans plans to get to Paris in 6 weeks is seen to be an aggressive tactic that is why some people see the Schlieffen plan as a plan to expand Germany if war was to break out. It is clear this is not the case, the Schlieffen plan was a defensive strategy designed to help Germany to come with a war on two fronts. The Schlieffen plan can hardly be seen as the Germans planning for war because other nations had simial plans such as Russia who had to stick to their plans so completely that hey had to declare war on Germany. An argument has been put forward that Germany declaring war on France is proof that the Schlieffen plan was a form of expansion for Germany and that that it was not a defensive plan. However this is hardly true, Germany declared war on France because Russia had declared war on them and Russia and France were allies. So to Germany I was natural that France would join the war because of the alliance system. Russia also did the same when the Tsar was told that he could not mobilise against Austria alone because the plans were for a war with Austria and Russia. The September programme drawn up by the chancellor of Germany, Bethmann Hollweg is seen as another piece of evidence suggesting that Germany had planned the war. The September programme was a document that set out Germanys war aims, including a list of territorial acquisitions. This is seen to be incriminating because it was written so soon after war broke out. However Bethmann Hollweg was under a lot of pressure from military who needed to know their objectives. It should also be considered that the German army had been mobilised for a few months so plans for the army had to be drawn up. Some people argue that because the September programme was released so quickly that these objectives must have been premeditated. This is not completely true, it was important for the germens to think quickly what they were going to have to achieve in the war after all they were fighting on two fronts. Some of the objective might have been premeditated but these were probably defensive ones thought up long ago. It is clear to see that Bethmann Hollweg was caught between the Kaiser and Moltke. Bethmann Hollwegs behaviour is often criticized during the July crisis. It is Bethmann Hollwegs actions that are used as the argument against him. However what he did can be seen as a gamble that went horribly wrong. Bethmann was not consulted on the blank cheque but did back it. Some people argue that Bethmann wanted to manipulate Russia into mobilising against Germany so they didnt look as if they started the war. This is untrue because instead Bethmann thought that he could keep the Balkan war localized. The evidence for this argument is that Bethmann thought that Russia would not help Serbia if a war happened because the Tsar would not lend his support to royal assassins. Bethmann also felt that Russia was not military or financially ready for a war. Germanys mobilisation against Russia was only meant to deter Russia from war not to provoke them into war that is where Bethmanns gamble failed. The blank cheque is seen as confirming Germanys guilt in starting the First World War. The blank cheque is another example of a mistake made by Germany. The Kaiser gave unconditional support to Austria, this was done because Germany felt isolated by the triple entente and wanted to make it clear to Austria that their alliance was strong. However as professor Rohl argues the Kaiser was a very unstable man. There is a lot of evidence to support this argument such as when the Kaiser decided to change is mind about the blank cheque but then was convinced by his wife to be a man. The Kaiser was heavily influenced by others and there are many examples, such as the first Moroccan crisis where he was pushed by Bulow and Holstein into provoking the French. The blank cheque is greatly misunderstood the vague phasing used is open to interpretation. The historian Gerhard Ritter argues that Germany sought to deter Russia from war, not to provoke conflict with her. The blank cheque like the September programme is seen as evidence that Germany had wanted a war for some time but really they have both been misinterpreted. The real nation that was to blame for the outbreak of war was Austro-Hungary who even after finding no evidence that linked the assassins to any terror groups in Serbia and after Serbia agreed to their ultimatum still invaded their country. This is really the behaviour of a nation with war on their agenda. Austro-Hungary it can be said had to avenge the death of Franz Ferdinand. Russia too could have avoided war but much like the Kaiser the Tsar kept on changing his mind. In conclusion from the evidence above it can be seen that everyone muddled into war and that no one power is to blame. The September programme and the Schlieffen plan which are seen to highlight German guilt, do not and are actually defensive precautions not premeditated plans for war. Bethmann Hollweg and the Kaiser both were trying to achieve the same objective but were both communicating very well. The nations involved in the July crisis can be blamed for standing by their alliances instead of sorting out the situation. Germany did contribute to the mix up between nations in the Balkans and for inciting Austro-Hungary however they are not ultimately to blame for the outbreak of war.

Strategies to Improve Recruitment Processes

Strategies to Improve Recruitment Processes Report 1 An interview is an organised formal meeting of an interviewer (representative of the employer) and interviewee (job applicant) used to evaluate a potential employee for the purpose of employment at an organisation. Interviews are one of the most common recruitment and selection processes. Job interviews typically precede a hiring decision and often form part of the assessment centre process. Interviews can be conducted in several ways such as Face-to-Face interviews, telephonic interviews and interviews over the internet. Most job interviews last for about one hour, although telephone interviews and technical interviews are usually shorter. Even though interviews are the most widely used employment technique, research has not been able to show that it has high predictive validity. An interview does not accurately assess the candidate’s ability at work, relevant experience and work skills. A further problem with interviews is that factors that are not related to the job influence the employment decision: clothing, colour, ethnic origin, gender, accent, physical features or a disability might be such factors. There is also evidence that interviewers make decisions very rapidly on little information and hence interviews are exposed to interviewer bias and failure of human judgement. This low validity of interviews is compounded by evidence of poor interviewer reliability leading to a lot of complexity in the selection process. There are potential pitfalls in using interviews as a selection process and it is advisable to choose supplementary techniques. Therefore, being the Head of Personnel Management at Recovery Insurance Group, I would like to introduce supplementary techniques in order to increase the efficiency of recruitment and selection in the organisation. It is possible to complement information gained from interviews by different supplementary techniques and integrate additional measures into the selection and decision making process. These techniques can aid objective assessments of a candidate’s ability. However, the use of such techniques requires a high degree of skill and training and their use should be carefully monitored and controlled to ensure they are free of bias and that they do not inadvertently discriminate against disadvantaged groups. For example, special facilities may be required when testing disabled candidates. Following are the supplementary techniques to improve the effectiveness of recruitment and selection process: Tests The use of assessment processes based upon tests and questionnaires is expanding. It reduces the risks of hiring and developing people who turn out to be unsuitable. The financial costs attached to wrong decisions on employment can be considerable. Tests can be a very useful tool in the recruitment and selection process as it can actually replicate certain parts of the job. Whereas, an interview can only indicate that the applicant has the ability to do the job. Certain types of common tests used in recruitment and selection are Psychological tests, Aptitude tests, Personality tests, Intelligence tests, Ability tests, Work sample, etc. A test requires the candidates to do something which will be done in the job and hence increases face validity, making it more acceptable by the candidates. Therefore, tests can be used in interviews as the basis for further investigation and questioning about an applicant’s abilities. Group Exercises Most jobs involve working with others and so the selection process should involve an element of group work. A group exercise is an assessed discussion exercise that involves a small group of candidates (usually 8-10 people), following a question posed by a member of a company’s recruitment team. Group exercises allow plentiful possibilities for active working and interactions within the candidates. Interaction allows different experiences to be exchanged and applied to the subject. The candidates can be asked to complete a practical task or take part in a discussion and their ability to interact with people can be assessed. Group exercises help the recruitment team to identify leadership skills, responsibility, team working skills and a shared group dynamic. It supports role play and provides candidates with social feedback. Job Simulation This method involves the construction and application of a procedure or task that simulates or models the work involved in the company. The simulation is designed to represent, as closely as possible, the actual job situation. Candidates try out their performance in the simulated activity and have it evaluated based on how much a task is accomplished. The candidates are provided certain objectives, play the game, and have their output monitored. Their performance can be documented and measured and the candidates with highest performance are generally short listed. Job simulation is a very important supplementary technique for selection and recruitment of complex job profiles. Report 2 Organisations use a variety of recruitment sources to attract applicants like direct applications, employee referrals, newspaper advertising, employment agencies, and executive search firms. Recruiting the right person to the right position is of crucial importance to the performance of every company. At the same time recruitments are expensive, difficult and time-consuming. Web based recruitment tools can be used to publish job postings, administrate applications, including spontaneous applications, and build up a CV Database. This recruitment strategy includes identification of the right channels with a campaign that effectively summarizes the job requirements, company and community. A simple job posting in a publication or online career centre is no longer enough – the employer also needs to market itself as a place the candidate would want to work and its community as a place the candidate would want to live. Companies often adopt online systems because they believe e-recruiting is more likely than traditional recruitment sources to uncover individuals with unique talents and skills. The logic here is that online recruiting systems permit firms to cast a wide net across a broad labour market and, therefore, may be more likely to reach high quality applicants than other sources. I would recommend the line managers of Recovery Insurance Group to opt for this system of e-recruitment as it is clear that job applicants are using online systems to search for jobs and gather information employment opportunities in organisations. Furthermore, e-recruiting may be particularly effective as we are searching for personnel assistant proficient with computer systems. Also, online systems can be used to attract passive job seekers who are currently employed, but are secretly searching for new and better employment opportunities. There has been increased volume of online applications because individuals often spend more time searching for jobs online as the process is simpler and faster than traditional systems. However, increasing the volume of applicants may also lead to increase in administrative burden in an organisation and increase overall transaction costs over time. Furthermore, some analysts have argued that online systems allow employers to tailor their recruitment to specific labour markets through the use of specialised websites and job boards that target applicants with distinctive skills and backgrounds. Some candidates may be more receptive to e-recruiting and more likely to use the system than others. This is because candidates need to have an access to computers and have the skills needed to use the technology. As a result, online recruiting systems generally attract candidates who are well educated, have the ability to navigate the internet and are searching for relatively high level jobs. Online recruitment attracts individuals with higher achievement, drive, and persistence levels than traditional recruitment sources. Effectiveness of Online Recruitment Organisations use online recruitment systems for multiple purposes, including attracting candidates, communicating benefits about the organisation, and assessing applicants’ knowledge, skills, abilities and other personality requirements. Some companies now use software to scan applicants CVs for keywords and provide them immediate feedback whether they are qualified for the job. Other organisations use online aptitude tests, personality inventories or simulations to assess candidates’ critical thinking and decisions making skills. Many firms conduct online interviews or allow candidates to submit video clips as part of their application process. The online recruitment system allows a large number of applicants to be screened quickly and efficiently. The growing use of these systems justify that the online assessment techniques may be much more objective and, therefore, less biased by non job related factors like age, race, gender, etc. Online recruitment systems also allow companies to provide applicants with unique information about their company and give them a more realistic idea of what it is like to work for that organisation. Some organisations allow candidates to observe the firm’s activities through virtual systems, and others use highly creative means of providing applicants with realistic job previews. Applicants can collect more realistic information from the websites rather than traditional sources because websites allow flexibility in gathering data that were relevant to them. They choose jobs and organisations that fit with their personal values, beliefs and attitudes. As a result, many organisations emphasize information about their strategic goals and culture so that applicants can make informed decisions about whether they will be satisfied with the organisation. Another potential benefit of online recruitment systems is that websites can easily be used to communicate vacancy characteristics like pay, benefits, perquisites, and advantages of working with the company. Report 4 There has been a tremendous increase in the use of telephone interviewing for recruitment and selection. Many organisations conduct telephone interviews in the early stages of the recruiting and selection process because it can be a cost and time efficient way to short list candidates. This method of interviewing also offers valuable insight for positions that require phone communication skills. Recruitment teams generally conduct face to face interviews before making a final hiring decision, but telephone interviews can help them select the best candidates to meet. Telephone interviews can be used to screen out unsuitable applicants or as an integral part of the selection process. Telephone Interview for Screening: Short, rigidly structured interviews based on criteria. A competency-based screening interview, where candidates are asked a number of multiple choice questions to gauge suitability for the job role. Telephone Interview for Selection: A structured telephone role play when roles require advanced telephone communication skills. A sales telephone interview when a candidate is asked to sell something to the interviewer over the phone. An in depth semi-structured for senior or managerial positions where it is more difficult to capture experience and skills on paper. An alternative to face to face interviews for people who are based overseas or unavailable for long periods of time. Pros of Telephone Interviewing Can be quicker to arrange and conduct than other conventional methods. Can be cost effective as an initial screen. Can maintain a degree of confidentiality of post as these details will only be provided once the initial screening is completed. Acts as an ideal way to assess the candidate’s telephone manners. There are fewer interpersonal distractions. They provide little or no opportunity to discriminate on the grounds of race, disability, age or other non job related factors. Cons of Telephone Interviewing Candidates may be unfamiliar with the format or uncomfortable using the telephone, which could make them nervous and/or provoke uncharacteristic responses. It is difficult to make a thorough assessment of a candidate over the telephone. Non-verbal behaviour or body language, both of which are important in forming an opinion of people, cannot be gauged over the telephone. Telephone interview candidates learn less about your business than those who visit your premises and meet potential colleagues in person. The on-site experience helps candidates decide whether they wish to pursue the interviewing process. It is important to remember that the recruitment process works both ways, providing an opportunity for candidates to assess your business as it allows you to assess them. Considering the pros and cons of telephone interviewing, I will not recommend Recovery Group to reply on this method as a selection tool for recruiting a Personnel Assistant. The skills and attributes expected from the potential employee cannot be effectively assessed over the telephone. Therefore, it is advisable to conduct a traditional face to face interview supplemented by other selection tools for the recruitment of an ideal candidate. http://www.nuigalway.ie http://www.bnet.com http://www.businessballs.com

Goodfellas Essay example -- essays research papers

Goodfellas" is a dramatization of life in the New York Mafia. It is based on the accounts of real life ex-gangster turned state evidence. He tells his story from when he was hired by a wiseguy as a teenager in the fifties, to the time he is put in the witness protection program in the seventies.The movie portrays the spirit of the Mafia and demonstrates their distinctive values, customs,gangster like lifestyle. The Mafia is groups of criminals that developed for the purpose of protecting those who can not go to the police for protection. Its roots can be traced back to Sicily, where the Mafia was based on the premise that any member suffering an injustice was to take personal vengeance while avoiding all contact with legal authorities. Even in the modern day American Mafia, each family ruled it's own territory and when others from outside the territory interfered they were dealt with through violent methods.The wiseguys paid for their protection by paying the head of their local family. This payoff was also known as paying tribute to the boss. Many of the Mafia's morals and policies were identified throughout the movie. Some of the informal rules held by the Mafia were the codes of trust and silence. In other words, never rat on a friend and keep your mouth shut. These rules were highlighted when the narrator, Henry Hill, had his first arrest. He was brought to court, defended by a Mafia paid lawyer and after ...

Old Memories :: essays papers

Old Memories "I put your red sweater under your flannel shirt. The red one is warmer than the gray one so wear it when the temperature gets low. Inside the black plastic bag is some medicine. These are for cold and flu. Take them when you don't feel well. If you start coughing, take those green capsules plus one of these yellow antibiotics. Remember, just one. They are really strong. Don't take those white tablets during the day because they make you feel drowsy. But if you . . . " â€Å"Mom, I know, I know," I said impatiently. It was August 2000, a few days before I left home for college. Mom tried to squeeze everything that I might need into the boxes she took from Safeway. I watched her putting things in, taking them out, and then putting them back again to make sure that things stacked on one another as perfectly as the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Finally she was convinced that no one could squeeze even one more molecule into any of the boxes, and she looked satisfied. My things stuck o ut of the top like the stomach of a three-hundred pound beer drinker. The picture of things jumping out like Jack in the box when I opened the boxes ran through my mind quickly like a five-second cartoon. "I am not going to take those with me," I thought. In my mind, I was thinking about how those people in the PBS travel programs always fascinated me. I often imagined myself traveling in different countries with a single backpack hanging on my back that showed so much carefree leisure and mature independence. I could sleep in a park or in a subway station because a true traveler could feel at home anywhere. The idea of carrying some awkward luggage simply did not appeal to me. I also thought she worried too much. After all, I was eighteen years old and already graduated from high school. I had learned many things from books and I knew how to deal with different people. Her "you-are-still-a-little-girl" tone sometimes irritated me, and her doubt of my ability made me more eager to prove myself. Therefore with much confidence I left, like a young b ird flying from the nest, without even looking back at its aging parents.

Australia has a policy of indefinite detention for asylum seekers. Do you feel this is a breach of human rights? Why or why not? Essay

The human rights of people in immigration detention are of special concern to the Commission because the right to liberty is a fundamental human right recognised in major human rights instruments to which Australia is a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The human rights of vulnerable groups – including children, asylum seekers and refugees – are given special protection under international law. The conditions for and treatment of people in immigration detention should comply with Australia’s international human rights obligations. These are contained in a range of international treaties the Australian Government has voluntarily become a party of. Under the Migration Act 1958, it is mandatory for any non-citizen in Australia without a valid visa to be detained, whether they arrive on the mainland or on an ‘excised offshore place’. These people – called ‘unlawful non-citizens’ under the Migration Act – may only be released from immigration detention if they are granted a visa or removed from Australia. Any asylum seeker who has arrived in an ‘excised offshore place’ by boat from 13 August 2012 onwards is potentially liable to transfer to a third country for processing of their claim for protection. Some of these asylum seekers have been transferred to Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea where they are in immigration detention. A large number of people who arrived in Australia from 13 August 2012 onwards remain in immigration detention in Australia. Some have been released on bridging visas. There is a well-established link between prolonged indefinite detention and serious mental health issues. Uncertainty about their future, lack of independence and loss of control over their lives, the monotony of life in detention, concern about family members still living in dangerous situations overseas, the impacts of past torture and trauma and witnessing the negative impacts of detention on other detainees all contribute to the deterioration of mental health and wellbeing. Detainees may experience a range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, cognitive problems, difficulties regulating their emotions, consistently behaving in a way that is not characteristic or normal, sleep-wake cycle reversal (suffering insomnia and an inability to sleep at night) and engaging in negative coping strategies such as self-harm. In serious cases, prolonged indefinite detention can lead to suicide. Alternatives to detention for asylum seekers are not only more humane than immigration detention, they have been found to be effective in managing risks to the community and far less costly than detention in closed facilities. Releasing asylum seekers from detention after they have passed initial health, identity and security checks, and allowing them to live in the community while their applications are processed, greatly reduces the human and financial costs of immigration detention while also ensuring that potential risks to the community to be managed effectively.

Myth vs. Reality

The Holy Bible has been dubbed as the all-time bestseller and most widely read book, with 2 billion printed copies around the world. It is composed of a collection of ancient manuscripts that served as basis for some of the world’s religions. The Old Testament (OT) of the Bible has twenty-four books written in Hebrew (except for a few passages in Aramaic) and is often called the Masoretic text. At the time of Reformation, the Hebrew books were rearranged and some were divided and so became thirty-nine in all. Roman Catholics, like Protestants, divide the Bible into an Old and a New Testament.The Roman Catholic Old Testament (OT) contains 46 books (most of them from the Hebrew Bible). Some are called canonical or authoritative; others deuterocanonical, secondary, but nonetheless authoritative. Protestants term the deuterocanonical books â€Å"The Apocrypha† and consider them to be outside the Canon of Scripture. For its Old Testament, Catholics follow the list of books i ncluded in the Septuagint, a Greek version that was the source of the Latin Vulgate translation. The following chart lists the agreements and differences between the order and content of the books of the Hebrew Scripture among Jews, Catholics, and Protestants.Some Eastern Orthodox communities include 1 Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and 3 Maccabees as part of their Old Testament canon. Catholics and Protestants are in virtual agreement on the 27 books of the New Testament (Flinn, 2007). No doubt, the Holy Bible is the foundation many religious doctrines. In fact, the Bible is constantly studied to provide clerics not just with the basis of his doctrine but also with an infinite repertoire of examples which served to illustrate their positions. Since the Bible contains both historical and literary texts, many people have their own interpretation of what they read in the Bible.Not to mention, the Bible has been translated many times from Hebrew and Aramaic to Latin to pres ent-day languages. In view of the discrepancies in interpretation and translation, the veracity of what has been written is constantly debated by many religious pundits. Are words written in the Bible truth or is just a collection of ancient myths? How can people detect truth in the Bible? In this paper, we will try to delve deep into the veracity and authority of the Bible as a factual source of historical and religious events. Baring the Truth in the BibleIn an article, Bob George (2005) proclaimed that the Bible is the â€Å"only source of truth about Jesus Christ and God†. He argued that Christianity is rooted in historical truth because the Bible presents objective, concrete facts—not fanciful tales or mythical legends. George (2005) proved that persons, places, and times has factual basis. For example, he said that when Caesar Augustus â€Å"was governor of Syria† (Luke 2:2) he ordered a census of the empire, â€Å"so Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem† (Luke 2:4).John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, began his ministry â€Å"in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar† (Luke 3:1). All these events can be traced back with historical data available. Trembath (1987) agreed by citing theologian John Warwick Montgomery as he presented a â€Å"deductivist historiography according to which the truth of the Bible can be inferred from the historical accuracy of the gospel authors in recording the life of Jesus†. Another theologian Edward John Carnell understood that the inspiration of Bible is what accounts for its â€Å"systematic consistency† of the Bible.For Carnell, the truth of the Bible rests on the fact that it is God's rendition of both logic and history (Trembath 1987, p. 9). The Bible is a miscellany of genres: story, history, law, prophecy, song, poetry, and letters, making up a sacred ‘encyclopedia’ which has for centuries been a prime source of reading throughout the world. The different genres of the Bible tended to make it into a historical, human document whose truths might be relative rather than absolute. This is why some enlightened scholars began to interpret biblical language as symbol or allegory.They assumed that although the literal meaning of biblical stories might be rooted in historical context, these stories nevertheless conveyed deeper universal truths. However, biblical inspiration has sometimes been misunderstood as simply synonymous with ‘inerrancy’ or immunity from error—a view that creates impossible difficulties for those who cherish the Bible. One should prefer to discuss truth rather than immunity from error and, even more importantly, appreciate that truth is a result or consequence of inspiration.Despite a mechanical view of inspiration that highlighted the role of the Holy Spirit as â€Å"principal author† and hardly allowed for the sacred writers being genuine human authors. This is why, Pope Leo XIII in his 1893 encyclical Providentissimus Deus clarified the distinction between biblical inspiration and truth: the Bible is inspired, and therefore it is true (O’Collins & Farrugia 2005, p. 111). Defending Inconsistencies It cannot be denied that errors and inconsistencies can be found in the Bible. Like for instance, the account of the world’s creation being completed in a week (Gen.1: 1-2; 3) looks incompatible with the findings of cosmology and the theory of evolution. The Psalms and other OT books reflect in places the view that the earth is a flat disc and the sky above is a solid vault supported by columns at the ends of the earth. Add too the fact the Bible gives us conflicting accounts of the same episode. How did the Israelites elude their Egyptian pursuers? In describing the escape through the Red Sea, Exodus 14-15 offers three versions. Moses stretched out his hand and — as in the Cecil B. de Mille mo vie depicted — the waters piled up like walls to let the Israelites pass through.Then the waters flooded back over the Egyptians (Exod. 14: 16, 21, 22, 27, 28). In a second version, an east wind proved decisive. It dried up the sea for the Israelites, while the Egyptian chariots got stuck. Then God stopped the Egyptians with a glance and threw them into the sea (Exod. 14: 21, 25-6). Finally, an angel of the Lord and the column of cloud no longer went in front of the Israelites, but behind them. As a result the pursuing Egyptians could no longer see their quarry, who thus happily escaped (Exod. 14: 19-20). Then who killed Goliath—David or Elhanan (1 Sam.17; 2 Sam. 21: 19)? Did the site of the Jerusalem Temple cost David 50 shekels of silver or 600 shekels of gold (2 Sam. 24: 24; 1 Chr. 21: 25)? In short, factual inconsistencies and errors of a historical, geographical, and scientific nature turn up frequently in the scriptures. Faced with such evident factual, moral, an d religious errors, O’Collins and Farrugia (2005) explained the biblical truth in recalling three interconnected points: the intentions of the sacred authors, their presuppositions, and their modes of expression.Thus, the authors of the opening chapters of Genesis could be defended. They intended to teach a number of religious truths about the power and goodness of the Creator God, about the sinfulness of human beings, and so forth; they did not intend to teach some doctrine of cosmogony and cosmology. They simply did not aim to describe coherently and in â€Å"scientific† detail the origins of the universe, our earth, and the human race. In recalling the second coming of Jesus, Paul did not intend to communicate a timetable of its arrival but to encourage a full and urgent commitment to Christian life.In sum, it is unfair to accuse biblical or any other writers of falling into error by ignoring the difference between the points they really wished to communicate and th ose that lay outside any such intentions. Second, O’Collins and Farrugia (2005) justified that some biblical authors show that they shared with their contemporaries certain false notions about cosmology and astronomy. But, their acceptance of a flat earth, for instance, remained at the level of their presuppositions; it was not the theme of their direct teaching.The Bible was not artificially protected against geographical, cosmological, and astronomical errors to be found in the presuppositions of the sacred authors. Similarly the view that genuine human life ends at death formed a presupposition for the drama of Job and not the direct teaching of that book. At a time when death was believed to end all, how could an innocent person interpret and cope with massive suffering? Job did not debate with his friends whether or not there is life after death, but whether undeserved suffering can be reconciled with the existence of an all-good and all-powerful God.Third, O’Coll ins and Farrugia (2005) cited Pope Pius XII’s1943 encyclical letter that pointed out how alleged errors are often simply no more than legitimate modes of expression used by biblical writers: In many cases in which the sacred authors are accused of some historical inaccuracy or some inexact recording of certain events, on examination it turns out to be nothing else than those customary forms of expression or narrative style which were current among people of that time, and were in fact quite legitimately and commonly used (O’Collins and Farrugia 2005, p.113). Conclusion Bishop J. W. Colenso wrote that â€Å"he did not see any conflict between divine revelation and human reason, and the Bible had to be approached scientifically and logically†. Colenso assumed that â€Å"scientific reasoning is privileged, not in opposition to God’s revelation but as itself a gift of God†. Thus, it depends on the â€Å"reader of the Bible is encouraged to employ what ever resources are available — mathematical skills, history, philosophy and comparative religious texts, in the firm belief that truth is one and belongs to God† (Sugirtharajah 2001, p.144). In detecting the truth in the Bible, we should take into consideration context in which biblical language had been spoken. It was recognized that the meaning of words or stories might depend on the broader cultural environment in which a given text had been produced. Furthermore, it was supposed that meanings might have been lost or blurred in the course of history as cultures changed to make them less apparent. Finally, we should all remember that truth is subjective.When semantic, systemic, logical or empirical truths come into conflict, theorists urge that we believe that truth as such has no cognitive value—that we literally should not care whether our beliefs are true or false, but only whether they enable us to achieve more substantive goals such as happiness and well-b eing. Thus, we should believe that the Bible speaks the truth because it can serve as our moral and spiritual guide to attain a spiritually sound and happy life. References Flinn, F. K. (2007). The Bible. Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Encyclopedia of World Religions. New York: Facts On File, Inc.George, B. (2005). Conservative Christianity Is a Biblical Relationship with God. In M. E. Williams (Ed. ), Opposing Viewpoints: Constructing a Life Philosophy. San Diego: Greenhaven Press. O’Collins, G. & Farrugia, M. (2003). Catholicism – The Story of Catholic Christianity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sugirtharajah, R. S. (2001). Bible in the Third World : Precolonial, Colonial, Postcolonial Encounters. Port Chester, NY: Cambridge University Press. Trembath, K. R. (1987). Evangelical Theories of Biblical Inspiration : A Review and Proposal. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Texas Constitution and New Hampshire Constitution

The constitution is the fundamental principles of law that the state's law system is base on. Regardless of where it was created, New Hampshire or Texas, the constitution always went through different processes of drafting, revising, and amending several times over the courses of history to result in the modern constitution as people look at it today. At a glance, there is Texas, a state that is known for its notorious cowboy culture and rebellious history, to be compare to New Hampshire, a quiet little state that locate in the northeast corner of the US.In omparison and contradiction, the two states' constitution share many similarities in their bills of rights but maintain many differences in their legislature, especially in the meeting cycles. Whether or not Texas should change its constitution in order to ensure the effectiveness of legislative session in a given time frame is still in debate. One of the major and most obvious similarities that appears in almost every state's con stitution is the freedom of religion.In Texas constitution, this category is worded as â€Å"freedom of worship†, section 6 of article 1 states, â€Å"All men have a natural nd indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion†¦ † (Texas Constitution. Art. l, sec. 6. In a like manner, the New Hampshire constitution states, â€Å"Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his peers on, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God. † (New Hampshire Constitution. Part 1 . Art. 5) The first two sentences from each section of the two states constitutions strongly proclaim that it is the natural right of the people to worshiping any kind of deity without getti ng punish or being force to worship a different deity against their wish.This similarity of religious freedom from both constitutions illustrated the state founders' strong desire for a society in which people are free to pursuit a faith of their own. However, within these similarities there are still some important differences. To be more specific, the second sentence of religious freedom on the New Hampshire constitution does mention that the right to worship can be achieved only if â€Å"†¦ he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship. (New Hampshire Constitution. Part l. Art. 5). This statement means to say that one individual cannot use their freedom of worship to disturb other individual's life or his or her freedom of worship. Texas constitution did not state specifically the same idea but it took into account another important element- the equality of religions: â€Å"It shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such laws as may be ecessary to protect equally every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship. (Texas Constitution. Art. I, sec. 6). This is one very important element that the New Hampshire constitution does not mention. Texas, in the other hand, put down in text that the government is responsible to protect every religion the same as others by passing such law to Speaking of the government structure, both Texas and New Hampshire have the basic form of government in which the structure is similar to the United States federal government. Each has three branches: legislative, executive and Judicial.The Texas legislature, however, has one substantive difference to the New Hampshire legislature, the meeting cycle. The Texas constitution requires the legislature to meet in regular session once every two years. â€Å"The legislature shall meet every two years at such time as may be provided by law and at other times when convened by the Governor. † (Tex as Constitution. Art. Ill, sec. 5). Normally, the session held on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years and may last for 140 days.The New Hampshire constitution requires the state legislature to meet more often. Article 3 of Part II of the New Hampshire constitution states that the state legislature is to meet in session for once a year in January (New Hampshire Constitution. Part II. Art. 3); a session usually last until June. In addition, the legislature has to meet again on December of the next even-numbered year for organization purposes, bringing the number of session to three times every two years.The difference between each state legislature's meeting cycles is particularly stood out because Texas is geographically huge state with large population, and the fact that its meeting cycle is too far away from each other is very uncommon among other large states. The difference between Texas and New Hampshire constitutions in regard to the frequency of legislative mee ting can be explain by several reasons. According to Texas former senator Will Harnet, â€Å"Annual sessions are expensive and can chase off quality law-maker that are paid as little as $7,200 a year† (Schechter).But in contrast, meeting annually has advantages that included dealing with complex problems, inishing works on time and reducing the number of special sessions (Schechter). For a state that is the second most populous in the nation, Texas is the only large state that has legislature meet every two years, the other states are Montana, Nevada and North Dakota, all with tiny populations (Schechter). Recently, this frequency of meeting has shown its disadvantage. The most obvious example is that during the summer of 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry has called three back-to-back special sessions (Schechter).This puts a question mark on the Texas constitution, why ouldn't change the legislative meeting cycle to annual if Texas law-makers are not able to get their business done on time? New Hampshire has a much smaller population than Texas and still able to meet annually without any restrictions. The legislature meeting cycle is one big problem that Texas needs to amend into the constitution, not only to save the budget from all the extra special sessions but also giving law-makers a more flexible cycle to work on many complex problems.In the end, both Texas and New Hampshire constitution serve one and only one urpose is to maintain their societies within the law of the state and also in respect to the United Stated constitution. A society in which every individual are born with natural and unalienable rights including the right to worship, and that no human authority can restricts people from doing so. On the other hand, the differences of population, geographic and political beliefs are reflected on the word of each state's constitution, which in this case is the difference between the legislative meeting cycles.The Texas legislature apparently had experience the flaws of their cycle, eing said, it is now the time for the Texas government to reconsider amending their constitution, in order to create a better legislative system that is capable of getting their business to finish on time.

Why I Love Pakistan

Love is a great passion. It is natural that man loves his native country. The same case in with me. I love Pakistan because it is my dear homeland. It was a dream of Allama Iqbal. And the Quaid-e-Azam struggled hard against the Hindus and the British to turn it into a reality. It appeared on the map of the world on the 14th of August 1947. I love Pakistan because God gave it to us as a gift to fulfill our desire to make it an ideal Muslim State. We got it in the name of Islam.It was the duty of our leaders to honour their pledges, but we are ashamed to say that they did not or perhaps they could not. It ought to have been an Islamic Country like Saudi Arabia, having a purely Islamic constitution an Islamic outlook of life and a strong love for an Islamic way of living. But we are not hopeless yet. I hope a time will come and Pakistan will become a real fort of Islam (Inshallah). I love Pakistan because there are still many people in it who demand crimes to be punished as laid down in the Holy Quran.And when this is done all social and moral evils amongst us will come to an end. We shall then become Muslims in the real sense of the word. And then Allah's promise in the holy Quran that â€Å"you will be most exalted if you become true Muslims† will insha Allah be fulfilled. I love Pakistan because while living in it we are free from the maltreatment of the Hindus. We are not forbidden to sacrifice the cow. Our shops are not looted by them our houses are not burnt by the bad characters amongst them.The doors of all important services are not closed on us. We re thankful to Allah because there are no ill natured Hindus here to fill our hearts with constant fear by their destructive designs and anti Muslim activities to kill us to loot to burn our property simply because we are Muslims. I love Pakistan because it is progressing by leaps and bounds in every field. I love Pakistan because its army its Navy and its Air Force are strong enough by the grace of All ah to guard every inch of his sacred territory.I love Pakistan because its government is our own government and its commerce its industry and its imports and exports are in our own hands. I love Pakistan because the doors of its services are all open to us and we are free to worship Allah as we please. We are free to go to mosques. Rather everybody is free to offer his prayers according to his creed. I love Pakistan because Allah wants it to exist despite our faults and it will Insha Allah exist as long as any other country does.I love Pakistan for the sake of all the saints who lie buried in it. I love it for the sake of all martyrs who fought for it. I love Pakistan because it will sooner or later win for itself a place of great honour and importance amongst the Muslim countries of the world. It will become the fountain head of Islam. It will work for the glory of Islam. Pakistani people will leave no stone unturned to spread Islam all over the world. I love Pakistan because it is the land of peace and its object is world peace. The CivilizationPakistan is not a recent figment but a continuation of 5000 years of history: quite sheepishly, I admit, that I am an adherent of the view held by many historians that the Indus valley and the Indus man were always somewhat distinct from their brethren across the Indus. I do not wish to venture into this debate but I am proud as an inheritor of Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro and Mehrgarh (not strictly in this order) and this makes me feel rooted and connected to my soil as well as ancient human civilizations and cultures.It also makes me happy that no matter how much the present-day media hysteria about Pakistan (and â€Å"natives† in general) diminishes my country and region, nothing can take away this heritage and high points of my ancestral culture. Pakistan is not just Indus civilization – it is a hybrid cultural ethos: the Greek, Gandhara, the central Asian, Persian, Aryan and the Islamic influences merge in to this river and define my soul – how can I not be proud of this? The People I simply love the Pakistani people – they are resilient, diverse and most entrepreneurial.They have survived calamities, famines, upheavals, injustices and exploitation and yet, by and large, retain a sense of humour. I am not naive to say that they are totally free of the various bondages of history but they display remarkable entrepreneurial and creative potential. Most of them are â€Å"real† and rooted and yet not averse to modernity. There is an urban revolution taking place in parts of Punjab and Sindh and the drivers are neither the state nor external donors but the people themselves. The private sector has even contributed to build an airport.There is an ugly side as well: the absence or predatory activities of the state (e. g. Karachi) has also provided a breeding ground for mafias but this is not a unique Pakistani phenomenon. From LA to Jakarata, such groups operate within t he folds of urbanization. I am proud of my people who have proved themselves in all spheres and countries – whether it is Professor Abdus Salam, the Nobel Laureate or Shazia Sikander, the miniaturist of international fame or Mukhtaran Mai who has proved her mettle in giving a tough time to forces of oppression.The Spirituality There is inordinate focus on Pakistani madrassahs, the pro-Taliban groups and the violent jihadis. How representative are these groups? Only Pakistanis know that such groups are marginal to the mainstream attachment to and practice of religion. The rural folk are still steeped in Sufi worldview and many versions of Islam exist within the same neighborhood. Of course there is manipulated curse of sectarian violence but that mercifully is not embedded despite the attempts of big external players and the octopus-like state agencies.Ordinary Pakistanis, such as me, value their Islamic beliefs, are God fearing and follow what is essentially a continuation of the centuries old traditions of spirituality that survives in the folk idiom, in the kaafis of Bulleh Shah, and in the verses of Bhitai and Rahman Baba. Our proverbs, day-to-day beliefs are all mixed and laced with history, oral tradition, Sufi lore and of course Islamic simplicity. It is another matter that there are individuals who want to hijack this thread and impose their nonsense on us – but we as a people have resisted that and shall continue to do so.After all we inherited the confluence of ancient religions and practices. Pakistan is where Buddha taught and Taxila shined, and where Nanak preached and the great saints – Usman Hajweri, Fariduddin Ganj Shakar, Bhitai and Sarmast – brought people into the fold of Islam. Despite the revisionist, constructed history by extremists in India, the sword had little to do with Islam’s rise in this region. The Natural Beauty Well the spirituality of my homeland is not just restricted to the intangible belief systems. It also reflects in the splendors of Mother Nature.From the pristine peaks in the north to the mangroves of the Indus delta, Pakistan blends climates, geographies, terrains in its melting pot. Within hours of leaving an arid zone, one enters into a fertile delta. And again a few more hours put you right in front of otherworldly mountains. The deserts of Cholistan radiate the moonlight and the surreal wildernesses of Balochistan are nothing but metaphors of spiritual beauty. Where else can I experience the aroma of wet earth when the baked earth cracks up to embrace every droplet and where else can one find a Jamun tree with a Koel calling the gods?An everlasting impression on my being shall remain the majestic sunrise at the Fairy Meadows amid the Karakorams and the melting gold of Nanga Parbat peak. I love this country’s rivers, streams and the fields where farmers testify their existence with each stroke, each touch of earth. I cherish trees that are not just tree s but signify Buddha’s seat or the ones in graveyards nourishing the seasonal blossoms. The Cuisine Yes, I love the aromas and myriad scents of Thai cooking, the subtlety of the French and Lebanese or the Turkish dishes but nothing compares to the Pakistani cuisine.Forget the high sounding stuff; ghar ka khana (homemade food) no matter which strata are you from is difficult to find elsewhere (except India of course). Whether it is a simple Tandoor ki Roti with Achaar or Palak (in the Punjab) or the intricate Biryani with ingredients and spices of all hues, the food is out of this world. In my house, we were used to at least ten different rice dishes (steamed white rice/saada/green peas/vegetable/channa/choliya/potato Pilau), three types of Biryanis (Sindhi, Hyderabadi, Dilli or just our cook’s hybridized Punjabi version), and my grandmother’s recipe of Lambi Khichdee.The list continues. In the Northern areas, there are Chinese-Pakistani concoctions, in the North West Frontier there is meat in its most tender and purest form. In Balochistan there is Sajji, meat grilled in earthenware at low heat until all the juices have transformed the steaks into a magic delight. And, the fruits and the sweets – the mangoes that come in dozens of varieties and colours, melons of different sizes, the pomegranates and the wild berries that still grow despite the pollution everywhere! How could I not love this eclectic cuisine? And Finally†¦ the sum-total of all five: I love Pakistan as this is my identity – immutable and irreversible. Simple. The genesis of this post. I am averse to the ratings and rankings that characterize the junk-journalism of our times. Much like the embedded style of reporting such a view remains partial and often ignorant of the nuances and layers of subtext that are almost unachievable in the pop-view of the world. Readers might question this apparent paradox as on the one hand I am participating in this top-five series and on the other I am also being critical.Well, well this is kosher from a South Asian perspective as we remain a mythical-modern bundle of contradictions. The real reason for me to ‘submit’ my top 5 is the inquiring spirit of Mayank Austen Soofi whom I don’t know and have never met. But I am quite empathetic to his efforts at understanding Pakistan. At least he ventures into the ‘other’ territory and unlike the mainstream media and writers, does not view Pakistan as a threatening collage of burqa clad women, terrorism and gun toting radicals.Even as he carries out his current obsession, i. e. Pakistan, there are many in the blogosphere who have questioned his motives and alleged deliberate derision of Pakistan and its inhabitants through his writings. Since I do not suffer from this sort of irrational paranoia, I am happy to let him write more on my country. At least there is one alternative voice, one un-cliched perspective from the other si de of the border. Even if my young friend employs a cliched format in this series, it is better than ‘high writing’ churning more cliches!

Critique on Gordon Allport (Theories of Personality)

Gordon Allport- theory review PSY201 Boitumelo Chantelle Mangope ? Introduction Gordon Allport was truly a phenomenal personality theorist who explained what a personality is and he bent most of the rules that were set out by other theorists including the father of personality himself, Sigmund Freud and in addition to that, he considered Freud’s theory of personality as the worst theory of all time. The Life of Gordon Allport Gordon Allport was the first American-born personality theorist and hailed from the state of Indiana, Montezuma.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/allport-1.jpg" alt="allport criticized older theories of personality for" width="340" height="322" />He was born on 11 November 1897 and died a month before his 70th birthday (9 October 1967) due to lung cancer. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts, (majoring in Economics and Philosophy), Masters of Art in 1921 and a PhD (all three at Harvard University) at the tender age of 24. After he completed his degree, he took a g ap year and taught English and Sociology at a university in Istanbul, Turkey. Gordon was lucky to have encountered an experience with Sigmund Freud for when he was returning back to the U.S to start off fellowship to do graduate work in psychology at Harvard, he stopped off at Vienna to visit one of his brothers and wrote to Freud (who was situated there) a letter asking for permission to visit him. The permission was granted and he explained there encounter as an unsuccessful on. He told Freud a story of whereby he met a young boy in a tram car ride who had a dirt phobia and he frantically told his mother not to let a dirty man sit next to him. Freud then went on to insinuate that the little boy was Allport and this caused a misunderstanding between them.This event lead to Allport having to probe further into psychology and the elements of personality because he felt that depth psychology overlooked the important truths. He developed a theory that ignored the unconscious and that w as not scientifically-based thus, stating that in order for one to learn about an individual, they have to be studied and not base the person’s personality on their unconscious motives nor on a study that was based on a group of people and an average which determined that group’s personality was found. During his prime, he held many prestigious positions and received many honors.Firstly, he served as the President of the American Psychological Association (1939) and also president of the Eastern Psychological Association (1943). He was also the editor of the Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology (1937-1949) and in 1964, he received the APA’s Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology. In addition to that, he received another award, i. e. APA’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award (1964) and as if that wasn’t enough, he was the first lecturer to teach the first course on psychology (the course was dubbed Personality: Its Psychological & Social Aspects) ever offered in the United States.Work Gordon Allport was one of the first psychologists to focus on the study of personality, and is often referred to as one of the fathers of personality. He believed that one’s personality could not be determined from the support of science and rather, through thoroughly studying an individual. He defined personality as â€Å"the dynamic organization within an individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment† Allport was a trait theorist who believed that one’s personality was made up from different traits (i. . mental structures which initiate and guide reactions and thus ultimately accounts for the consistency in one’s behavior) and those traits were organized accordingly. To further support this, he said that those traits arise within a given situation e. g. if one has a trait of being aggressive, that trait will be suppressed until the need for it to be exposed to a situation due to a stimulus (e. g. during a quarrel). He rejected the behavioral (which he thought was too deep) and humanistic (which he thought wasn’t deep enough) approaches.He emphasized on the uniqueness of each individual and the importance of the present, as opposed to his/her history, for understanding their personality. From that statement alone, it is clear that Allport was optimistic towards human nature for he further on went to say that there are individual traits, i. e. a unique pattern of traits which are possessed by an individual, and common traits, i. e. traits which are used to describe a group of individuals. One can clearly see that Allport was for human nature and uniqueness and appreciated that each individual had their own pattern of traits which could not be exactly the same as anyone else.He also went on to say that individuals are motivated by present motives and not passed motives and called this concept, t he Functional Autonomy. Major concepts of Gordon Allport Gordon Allport deduced that there are different types of traits being individual traits and common traits. As mentioned earlier, individual traits are those traits which are possessed by a certain individual and common traits are those traits which are shared by several individuals. Allport believed that in order for a personality theorist to succeed in studying an individual, they (the theorist) should focus on the individual traits and not the common traits. Those individual traits are actually a cluster of traits and not just one trait. For example, a pattern of traits which I possess are the humanitarian trait, talkative trait, friendliness trait and many more. This pattern is unique to me for it is rare for any other individual to possess it. Gordon Allport believed in using the idiographic method of research and not the nomothetic method of research because, with an idiographic method, a theorist or analyst uses a single case through intensively studying an individual whereas with a nomothetic method, one studies a group of individuals and deduces an average (i. . traits/ personality) for that group. Allport then went on to identify three types of individual traits (which he later called personal disposition). These were cardinal, central and secondary dispositions/traits. i. Cardinal Trait This trait is the one which dominates an individual and it shapes an individual’s behavior and becomes the dominating theme within a person. An example would be of Mother Theresa, the dominant theme which ran throughout her life was a humanistic theme. It is rare for most people to lack a single theme that shapes their lives. ii. Central traitsThese traits are general characteristics which are found in some degree in every person. These are the basic building blocks that shape up most of our behavior although they are not as dominant as cardinal traits. An example would be a trait of honesty. iii. Seconda ry traits Secondary traits are similar to habits or attitudes but are still more general than either. They must be included in order to provide a complete picture of human complexity. An example would be the types of clothes or food that an individual prefers. Aspects of Gordon Allport’s theory that I liked â€Å"The same fire that softens the butter hardens the egg†.That statement caught my attention when I read it and I went back to read the concept that was supported by it over and over again until I really agreed with it. The concept which supported that saying was Gordon’s concept of trait were he says that since no two people possess the same pattern of traits and that traits respond to an environmental situation (i. e. they are not always present until the need for them arises), if a single stimulus was to be administered to two different people, they would reacted differently to that stimulus. I conquer with this concept for this always happens to me.My best friend and I respond differently to stimuli. For example, I once made her buy my favourite ice-cream (because she didn’t know which one to buy) and she ABSOLUTELY hated it! This goes to show that Allport did in fact appreciate the fact that individuals are different, thus you cannot say that people who had horrible childhoods will turn out as X, Y and Z. I also favoured the â€Å"Letters from Jenny Concept† were Allport believes that one of the best methods to use in order to study an individual is to use personal documents such as diaries, autobiographies and letters.I also conquer with this for most females always write down their feelings through diaries. This has been told to us that it helps us relieve the pain or the stress and if a psychologist was to use one’s diary to determine the traits which that person possesses. There is a consistency which can be picked from a person’s daily entrants that are within their diary. Aspects of Gordon Allpo rt’s theory which I did not like Within Allport’s theory, there is a part whereby he talks about a healthy mature adult and an unhealthy (neurotic) adult.The difference between a healthy and a neurotic person is that is that the motives of an unhealthy person lie in the past whereas the motives of a healthy person lie in the future. I agree with that statement but I did not conquered with him where he mentions that one can swinging back and forth from being an unhealthy to healthy person and back to an unhealthy person (it’s a cycle). According to him, the characteristics of a healthy person are similar to those who have self-actualized (through Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation) and Maslow states that in order for one to self-actualize, they need to go through a series of stages.So, the question here is that can a man go through important steps which help him build him up then instantly dilapidate and return back to an unhealthy state? Concepts that I would use in my personal theory For my personal theory, I would definitely use the Allport’s concept of trait (whereby he mentions that a stimulus is reacted differently to different people) because it is a concept which is very practical and one goes through it on a daily.Secondly, I would use his components of personality statement whereby he states that personality is constantly (Dynamic Organization) changing. This is evident for I believe that one’s personality cannot be determined whilst they are within their first five years (unlike Sigmund Freud) because that individual is going to go through many trials and tribulations which will influence the person to ensure that they do not step into the same river again thus, they will change to a certain degree to ensure that they do not go through that again.For example, if a naive 17 year old girl has a trait of promiscuity and during her prime time, she gets raped by someone who is totally unexpected two weeks befor e her BGSE exams, she WILL change her ways of living to ensure that she never has to go through that ordeal again. Personal Critique I believed that this theory is researchable qualitatively because it stresses on how one cannot use nomothetic methods of research and should instead, use the idiographic method of research because it involves an intense study for a single case.There are a lot of cases whereby one can do their own primary research to determine whether Allport’s guidelines are in line. Also, there is a lot of secondary data which is available online and even at the library which deal with Allport’s theory. However, there are a lot of people who have criticized Allport’s work by saying that it is impossible for one to ignore the fact that scientific research needs to be done in order for one’s personality to be analyzed and assessed.This leaves a lot of field to do further investigations for someone who is interested in finding out whether All port’s work is feasible by testing his concepts and also taking into consideration everything that the critics have said and ultimately, determining their one findings. I also believe that this theory is of clinical utility because as the saying goes, â€Å"your past does not determine you future†.There are patients who are not naturally expressive of how their past was shaped up (maybe because they may be too embarrassed to voice it out) thus, a clinical psychologist could use any personal documents of the patient to try and determine problems which cannot be voiced out. Also, a clinical psychologist will be able to understand the pattern of traits that their patient has by probing on the matter of knowing what their motives are and ultimately, determine whether they are a healthy adult who is future driven and doesn’t base his/her motives on the past (as of an unhealthy person).However, this theory will not ensure consistence because if three clinical psycholo gists were to analyze one patient, each of them will have a different analysis because they will all have their own opinions thus, they might not all agree on whether the individual is a healthy adult or not. This theory is highly applicable within Botswana’s culture for Batswana are receptive people who are looking for ways in which they can better their futures. Therefore, the healthy and unhealthy concept would work greatly within our land.As a matter of a fact, the theory as a whole would experience high and positive agglutination within Botswana. In order for one to understand the nature of Botswana’s culture, one has to look at it from the following point of view. The culture of Botswana may be looked in two aspects. The older generation practices enculturation* whereby they stand strong on the Tswana morals and beliefs and practice them on a regular, for example, the patlo, kgotla meetings & letlhafula events. The younger generation practices acculturation* whereby they are receptive towards other cultures and eventually practice them for example, following he pop culture of piercing on every part of one’s body and wearing baggy (men and lesbians) and skimpy clothes (females and gays) and the culture of food (Western, Oriental, Italian and Vegetarian). If Allport’s theory was to be practiced within Botswana, it would have to be amongst the receptive group of Batswana who are willing and able to share their future goals (i. e. motives) and allow a psychologist to take a look at their personal documents and this is likely to be the younger generation.This theory is unique in its own way for it truly emphasizes on not using scientific methods when analyzing ones personality thus most theories are not like it. However, since Allport was a trait theorist, it can be noted that he wasn’t the only trait theorist. Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysneck were also trait theorists who believed that one possesses a lot of traits. How ever, they used nomothetic methods of research thus, their beliefs were not the same as Allport’s theory. Allport’s theory does not emphasize on the development of personality at the expense of another.He focuses on personality as a whole and gives a holistic view of it. Since he did not conduct nomothetic research or scientific research, he could not use the backing of those research methods to determine whether when one aspect grows, another suffers on its account. Gordon Allport was truly a man who stood by his word no matter who criticized his work and he backed his concepts with relevant research that even a lame man would understand. He is one of my favorite personality theorists and I believe that his theory is applicable to my life.