Americas security and economic priorities

Americas security and economic priorities The United States of America has always prioritized on security and economic matters. The highest priority of the United States on matters of security is to ensure that all the American citizens are well protected by the state from any form of insecurity, either internal or external. The safety and the safeguarding of human life have been termed as matters of priority.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Americas security and economic priorities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Over the years, the United States has been attacked severally by the terrorists who kill a lot of innocent Americans. To prevent any further attacks, the federal government has ensured that security remains a key priority. This has made the president become committed to the provision of ideal security in order to prevent any terrorist attacks and any related threats against the homeland security. The government has also ensured that through the co operation with the other stakeholders it is in the position of prevent and provide mitigation response mechanisms. The national strategy on matters of security has laid a strategic plan that addresses the issues of security in the 21st century. A report released by Fanez (2011) on matters of international security show that violence and organized crimes at the transnational level have been identified as matters of primary challenge that needs to be addressed quickly. Since this is a grave matter, the international community and the Central American governments have joined hands to ensure that the regional security is maintained. The different stakeholders have come together to ensure that citizens’ security is given priority and that the rates of violence are reduced. The economic interests and priorities of the United States government are to ensure economic recovery within the shortest time possible. This stimulation would enable the country to maintain strong ties with the international community and other players for economic development. The government intends to establish an economy based on transparency, accountability and responsibility among the key players. The government is working towards the improvement of the economy and a reduction of the high rates of unemployment and healthcare.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By ensuring that the economy of the United States stabilises the U.S would be in a position to ensure that corporation exists with the international community. The economic policies of the U.S shape the other economies in the world and its wellbeing ensures that all other economies are operating from the same level. The aid offered by the United States to less developed nations assist in ensuring that economic ties exists as the debts are reduced and the level of standard of living is upgraded. International relationships have been ensured because of the economic interests of the U.S. The longevity of the US regional alliances is influenced by its cultural superiority, military strength, and the trading markets. These have caused imperialism in the region hence its long stand. U.S is a multilingual state that accommodates almost all the people in the world. The U.S deploys its military to different parts of the world. It also offers military assistance in both in human capital and knowledge leading to empowerment in military strength. Its might in military technology has ensured that other states can adopt the same through military aids and trainings. The trading blocks of the U.S have been opened to other countries. In conclusion, the U.S security priority is to protect its citizens against any internal or external security matters. It also aims at fighting terrorism, organised crimes, and violence that have become international matters. On economic matters the U.S aims at stabilising its economy a nd reducing the high rate of unemployment and making healthcare affordable and available to its citizens. New markets, military strength and cultural superiority have ensured that U.S stands out in the region. Funez, Angela. International Conference in Support of the Central America Security Strategy. 23 Jun 2011. Web. https://events.iadb.org/calendar/event/13928?lang=enAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Americas security and economic priorities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Homeland Security. n.d. Web. https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/economy-jobs/

Class and Its Derivatives

Class and Its Derivatives Class and Its Derivatives Class and Its Derivatives By Mark Nichol The Latin noun classis, meaning â€Å"category† or â€Å"fleet† or referring to a group of citizens called up for military duty, is the source of the word class and others derived from it, which are listed and defined in this post. In educational contexts, class pertains to a group of students (whether those enrolled in a particular course or in the same grade level), a course of instruction, or a meeting of such a course. In a socioeconomic sense, it refers to a stratum of social standing, in science it denotes a level of organization of living things, and in general it refers to a category. The verb class, meaning â€Å"categorize,† is used in the scientific and general senses, and the word serves as an adjective, including in the idiom â€Å"class act,† which offers an additional meaning equivalent to the adjective classy, meaning â€Å"elegant,† â€Å"refined,† â€Å"skillful,† or â€Å"well mannered.† The adjectives first-class and second-class literally pertain to a high and a moderate quality of accommodations during travel, respectively, and figuratively denote superiority and inferiority, respectively. (High-class and low-class are equivalent to the latter meanings.) The nouns â€Å"upper class† (pertaining to the affluent), â€Å"middle class† (those living a moderate lifestyle), and â€Å"lower class† (those with low incomes or none at all) also serve as adjectives. â€Å"Leisure class† refers to people wealthy enough that they are not required to work for a living. â€Å"Working class† describes people employed in jobs that do not necessarily require higher education as an employment qualification. (Underclass is similar in meaning.) The pejorative, condescending expression â€Å"chattering classes† alludes to political opponents who utter what are considered meaningless opinions. Terms related to education with the root class include classmate, referring to one enrolled in the same course or grade level, and classroom, denoting a room used for instruction. An upperclassman is a student in one of the two higher grade levels in secondary or postsecondary education (often identified as a junior or senior), and an underclassman has a standing in one of the two lower levels (a freshman or a sophomore.) (The female equivalents upperclasswoman and underclasswoman are rare.) Several terms based on class allude to a high quality of artistic achievement. Classic, as a noun or an adjective, alludes to something authoritative or typical, or long considered an exemplar of great achievement or high quality, though by extension it now describes anything memorable, even if merely because it is highly amusing or ironic. (â€Å"Did you see her trip and fall into her wedding cake? That was classic!†) â€Å"The classics† describes either the extant works of celebrated Greek and Roman writers or a nebulous body of more recent literature that those who claim to be erudite should be acquainted with. A style of architecture or art, including literature, that calls to mind the characteristics of corollary Greek or Roman achievements is referred to as classicism. Neoclassicism is an esthetic form influenced by classicism, and postclassicism denotes one that follows a period understood to be one of classicism. (The adjectival forms are classical, neoclassical, and postclassical.) Classical music is a form of sophisticated musical expression as distinct from simpler music such as folk or jazz. In terms of quality or social strata, other words derived from class include classism, meaning â€Å"discrimination based on class,† as well as classless, which can refer either to a lack of sophistication thought to be the result of being raised in an inferior class (dà ©classà © is a synonym for this sense adopted directly from French) or to someone who lives outside of class-based strictures or to freedom from class distinctions. Words pertaining to categorization include the verb classify and the adjective classified, which simply means â€Å"arrange into classes† but is also part of the standing phrase â€Å"classified ads† (sometimes truncated to â€Å"classifieds), which refers to advertisements divided into categories; the adjective also describes something categorized as being of restricted to a certain audience, such as a government document. Something that can be classified is classifiable, and classificatory describes something pertaining to classification. To outclass is to outperform someone considered to be in the same class, and a subclass is a further division of a category. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 101Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Criminology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Criminology - Research Paper Example There are stipulated guidelines that govern how various groups come to co-exist together, but this varies from country to country. Where these rules are broken then the effective and binding law is broken. An immigrant in a broad sense is said to be a person of foreign citizenship enters a country illegally without proper documentation from the state department (Levy 89). It cans also occur that one has proper documentation but clearly overstays the allocated time in the visa by the immigrations department. This paper, therefore, seeks to look into illegal immigration in the United States of America, the opportunities and treat it presents to the economy and an insight into some sociological theories that try to explain the above. Immigration started in the ancient times with the most recent one being the slave trade from sub-Saharan Africa into Europe and the US. However in recent days, it has changed to involve even sex slave from the Asian continent. There are various perspectives that endeavor to explain this. This theory depicts the society as a social system that is made up of different, interdependent parts that rely on each other for the full functionality of the society. This is accompanied by different levels of social stratification so as to attain a social balance. In a recent study, in the US, it has been established that the number of illegal immigrants is fast out spacing that of the legal immigrants (Levy 103). This shows there is a dynamic shift in this particular social class stratum. In the same study, it has been established that the illegal immigrants are no longer staying in areas with large legal immigrants but rather have started spreading all over the United States. The study further indicates a peculiar trend on the level of education of the immigrants who are educated up to college level. This theory brings forth an argument between

Paper about Atheism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paper about Atheism - Essay Example It could be that they think in the tangible sense that anything that exists must be able to be proven. Many highly intellectual people need proof and evidence of something to ever believe in its being. Some philosophers and sociologists are not this way as they create a thought and see how society relates to it or use philosophy to explain something. Religion in some ways, is a philosophy. Religion could be seen as a way to keep going in life. To have faith in something that is unseen often gives people a meaning to their point of being. People use religion to talk to a God or to ask for help from angels in hopes that there is something out there to help them through. One would think that a life without some sort of spirituality or religion would be a life that has no meaning. For many, having a God or something to believe in is as essential as breathing. Varying religions contradict each other so much. Hundreds of religious views are followed by a group of people. Is religion a form of brainwashing? Religion and a belief in a higher power could just vary so much because for each person, that is what works for them and it is what they have come to know. Not that all people who believe in religious views are naà ¯ve. Those who are atheists, certainly are not naà ¯ve into believing that there is some other power that is accountable for all that is incorporated into being. They are not willing to turn their lives into something that they cannot see, hear, feel or touch. To have faith in a god is to believe in something that cannot be felt among any of those senses but to only read teachings of those that came before us. There is controversy about the actual term atheism. The word is of Greek origin of a combination of â€Å"a† and â€Å"theos.† The true meaning of â€Å"atheos,† though is questionable. â€Å"Atheos† could mean â€Å"no God,† â€Å"without God,† â€Å"lack God belief† or

The Life and Times of a Nobel Laureate Essay Example for Free

The Life and Times of a Nobel Laureate Essay One of the more important historical figures within the scientific community was what Werner Heisenberg contributed to quantum physics. Born in Germany on December 5, 1901 to Dr. August Heisenberg and Annie Wecklem, the influences were already prominent for Werner to excel in sciences as he father had already excelled in his own dominance of â€Å"Middle and Modern Greek languages at the University of Munich† (Nobel Foundation, n. d. ) After graduation from the University of Munich in 1920, he excelled substantially in the field of physics and worked under such great physicists as Max Born, Franck and Hilbert and became an assistant under Max Born after receiving his Ph. D. in 1923. Heisenberg’s life moved on to become one of the better known physicists in German and until the Second World War he was a â€Å"Professor of Physics at the University of Berlin and the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics. † (Nobel Foundation, n. d. ) Dominance in Physics Heisenberg continued his dominance in the field of physics well after the War and continued to pursue his lifelong love of physics well past the War with his â€Å"return in 1946 to Germany and reorganized, along with colleagues, the Institute for Physics at Gottingen and in 1948 it was renamed the Max Planck Institute for Physics†. (Nobel Foundation, n. d. ) Perhaps the best association the world of physics has with the Heisenberg name is through the publishing of his â€Å"theory of quantum physics, published in 1925, when he was only 23 years old. For this theory and the applications of it which resulted in the discovery of allotropic forms of hydrogen, Heisenberg was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1932† (Nobel Foundation, n. d. ). This theory was based only â€Å"on what was observed, that is to say, on the radiation emitted by the atom. We cannot, he said, always assign to an electron a position in space at any given time, nor follow it in its orbit, so that we cannot assume that the planetary orbits postulated by Neils Bohr actually exists. Mechanical quantities, such as position, velocity, etc. should be represented, not by ordinary numbers, but by abstract mathematical structures called â€Å"matrices† and he formulated his new theory in the terms of matrix equations. † (Nobel Foundation, n. d. ) Heisenberg’s theories were not simply limited to quantum physics but he was also famous for his â€Å"principle of uncertainty† which â€Å"lays it down that the determination of the position and the momentum of a mobile particle necessarily contains errors the product of which cannot be less than the quantum constant h and that, although these errors are negligible on the human scale, they cannot be ignored in the studies of the atom†. (Nobel Foundation, n. d. )

I, Too, Am America :: essays research papers

I, Too, Am America by kooshla America, the melting pot of the world, and yet its different races have so much trouble melding together. According to statistics, in all probability, I have a higher chance than any other race teenager of not graduating from high school. By stereotype, all I do is eat fried chicken, sell drugs, and play basketball. In society, I might work twice as hard as the next man and not get the promotion. I am a part of the percentage who chooses to defy the probability, break the stereotype, and change society. I, Too, Am America. Unfortunately, in my experience through junior and senior high, the common black attitude towards education has been one of neglect. Not caring about one "F," or the other, careening through high school with a gpa of 1.5. However, there are those who really care about their grades, earning the respect of their peers and friends. I strive to be in the latter group, so that I can better myself. For every black student who makes that extra effort, that better grade, there will be another person who becomes more enlightened to the facts and not the fiction of black life in America. In the act of improving my mind, I am not only helping myself but furthering the cause for complete equality throughout the nation. As part of America's black youth, I must grow up in a world of racism, no matter what supposed "huge steps" have been made. It is up to me not to use this as an excuse but as an obstacle to surmount. In my lifetime I will be faced with prejudice which may hinder my progress. This opposition must not be met with excuses for substandard work, or inadequate job qualification. It must be met with a serious work ethic, justly qualified applicants, and intelligence so not to be denied for any reason. Through this procedure black people will gain equality and vanquish the racist mentality. I will be one of those people to meet the adversary with full force of mind. I am a black teenager who plays soccer and tennis. Sometimes I am ridiculed for playing these sports by other blacks. I also face ridicule when I make good grades and care about my school work. There will be times when I will have to fight against my own race to get where I want to be in life. My high school career is one of those times. I am and will continue to be myself. I will not stray from my path.

Economic Development Models Essay

Different economic development models have been the product of theorizing from various economic and political contexts. With regards to underdevelopment, the dependency model was chosen for discussion in this paper because the model itself was developed from the experience of underdeveloped countries. The experiences of the Philippines and Venezuela were selected for comparison and contrast because of their relationship to one developed country – the United States where the former is a loyal ally and the latter is presently an ally turned critique. The Dependency Model The Dependency Model as a theory of economic development is based on the premise that in the world today, there exists an unequal relationship between satellite and metropolitan countries. This relationship is based on the evolution of an international division of labor under the world capitalist system which dictates that the role of underdeveloped satellite countries is to provide cheap raw materials and labor necessary for industries in the metropolitan or capitalist countries (Todaro 2006: 25). This is based on the assumption that economic and political dominance is held by capitalist countries and leads to the phenomena of neo-colonization that is the existence of dummy governments subservient to the economic interests of developed countries. Dummy governments are perpetuated by an elite class whose economic interests lie in the raw material export-finished products import orientation of domestic economy and whose political interests lie in protecting these class interests (Perkins, Radelet and Lindauer 2006:24). Some Marxist-leaning dependency theorists attribute these relationships to the occurrence of the crisis of overproduction evident in imperialism where the economic survival of metropolitan states largely depends on the additional role of satellites as markets for finished products (Perkins, Radelet and Lindauer 2006:24). The dependency theory was developed to mirror the underdevelopment and widespread poverty in Latin America which was a vastly contrasting experience to the trickle-down effect of economic wealth from capitalist countries as proposed in neoclassical models of economic growth. The dependency theory further opens alternative roads in attaining development. One is through local development of industries for domestic needs in order that resources would serve the interest of the general population which at the same time reduces the need to import (Todaro 2006: 401). This takes into account that genuine economic development is not only based on actual domestic production but more importantly in how resources and the gains in production actually benefit the people. However, this depends in part on the political will of third-world governments to effect necessary political and economic changes not for the elite but for the population living in poverty (Ferraro 2006). In general, the dependency model predicts a worsening and continued poverty in satellite states as long as the dependency relationship exists. Although there have been no actual third world experience proving the viability of certain methods undertaken to effect domestic economic development, the historical and prevailing circumstances of underdeveloped countries show that the only way out of dependency is through a change in the structural context in which it is rooted. Dependency in the Philippine Context The Philippines, located in Southeast Asia, has a population that is expected to hit 90. 4 million this year and is currently experiencing political turmoil as evidenced in coup-de-etat attempts, allegations of large-scale corruption in government and extrajudicial killings allegedy perpetuated by military forces. The Philippines traces its history to Spanish colonization which profoundly changed the historical direction of the feudal states, semi-slave and semi-communal societies that prevailed during that time. The primarily trading and subsistence based economy that co-existed in the archipelago were transformed into feudal kingdoms ruled by the Catholic Church and the Spanish bureaucracy (Agoncillo 1980:11-16). Economic resources were used to finance Spanish wars, the galleon trade and the excessive lifestyle of the Spanish while the native elite were co-opted into the bureaucracy to consolidate political control over the populace (Agoncillo 1980: 18). The defeat of Spain led to the handover of the Philippines to U. S. auspices through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. The U. S. , then a capitalist state, set up its own bureaucracy under the concept of benevolence assimilation and transformed the feudal remnants of Spanish rule into raw-material extraction for export and promoted the importation of finished products (Eviota 1992:8-9). Large-scale mines and logging operations were opened as well as semi-processing in the textile and electronics industries by multinational companies. A mix of export based agricultural production and semi-processing industry under colonial political conditions was created. The locals were educated and evangelized along Protestant religions which promoted an individualistic and highly consumerist culture, the origin of the Filipino’s propensity at emulating the American lifestyle. The members of the middle class were given Fullbright scholarships which provided the necessary training for their participation in the various levels of colonial economy, politics and culture. The social upheavals after the second world-war fueled movements for independence in U. S. colonies. This was the context in which Philippine independence was granted in 1946. However, economic structures essentially remained intact with the exception that the elite land-owners and big businessmen now made up the bulk of the political bureaucracy (Eviota 1992: 12). Economic and political pressure from the United States ensured the subservience of past and present Philippine governments and cooperation is to a certain extent a primary determinant for a president to stay in power (Agoncillo 1980: 65-68). Although Japan and the members of the EU also have stakes in Philippine import and export, it is largely dominated by U. S. economic interests. At present, the tenets of globalization are firmly enshrined in economic policies of recent and current governments. The large-scale privatization of public utilities involved in energy production and distribution, education and others are already underway. The deregulation of the prices of basic commodities such as oil and gas has been instituted since 1995. The liberalization of trade and agriculture has opened up these crucial aspects of the domestic economy to unfair competition from developing countries and the first world (Ibon 2008). Looking at present economic indicators, the Philippine gross national product for the past year stands at P7,274,660 million, GDP is at P6,651,320 million and balance of trade for 2007 is at $-114 million (NSCB 2008). Of the GDP, 14% is attributed to the agriculture sector, 31% to the industry sector and almost 55% to the service sector. Labor force accounts for 35% in agriculture, 49. 3% in the service sector and 15. 1 in the industry sector (NSCB 2008). The latter involves workers in mining and quarrying, construction, electricity/gas/water and manufacturing. The service sector also includes the growing number of Filipinos employed in call centers sprouting all over the country. In addition, overseas workers contribute about 10% to the total GDP and economic figures do not accurately reflect the cushioning effect of dollar remittances from these workers who leave the country because of the absence of meaningful employment in the country (Jimenez-David 2007). Top 10 Philippine exports include gold, petroleum products, coconut oil, woodcrafts and furniture, ignition wiring sets, other products manufactured from materials imported on consignment basis, cathodes and section of cathodes of refined copper, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, electronic products, metal components (NSCB 2008). Manufactured goods are mainly from export processing zones in various parts of the country. This reflects the semi-processed and raw material nature of Philippine production. Its top 10 imports on the other hand include cereal and cereal preparations, iron and steel, organic and inorganic chemicals, mineral fuels/lubricants and related materials, plastics in primary and non-primary forms, electronic products, textile yarn/fabrics/made-up articles and related products, telecommunication equipment and electrical machinery and electrical machinery/transport equipment (NSCB 2008). The imports reflect the absence of basic manufacturing industries in the country. Although, economic growth has been posted for the 4th quarter of 2007 other indicators should be taken into account to determine the state of economic development especially with regards to the poor. Simple literacy (2000) is 92. 3% and functional literacy (2003) is 84% (NSCB 2008). The top 10 causes of deaths include respiratory infections, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, perinatal conditions and heart diseases, ailments that are easily curable and preventable in the first world (NSCB 2008). In terms of income, the annual income for a family of 6 in 2006 was P173,000. 00, but unemployment and remains high with 6. 3% and 18. 1% respectively in 2007 (NSCB 2008). This translates to around 21 million people. In addition, inflation has most probably decreased purchasing power vis a vis the rising costs of petroleum products in the world market that affects the prices of basic commodities. If the daily cost of living is P680. 00, the annual income per family would only yield P254. 00 per day. Finally, the Philippines has a current $54. 4 billion foreign debt and continues to borrow for payment of debt interests and pad its annual budget deficits (Dumlao 2007). Loans usually come with corresponding Structural Adjustment Programs while loans for public sector projects are usually funded through a build-operate and transfer scheme in favor of companies from the funding country (Ibon 2008). In the realm of politics, the Philippines has the longest running communist insurgency in the world implying that there is a general discontent among a portion of its population (Ibon 2008). The Philippine government has responded by increased military spending and military equipment acquisition. It has also supported the war on Iraq by actually sending members of her military for combat and allowed the entry of U. S. visiting forces despite local calls sovereignty. Although â€Å"democratic† is generally used to describe local politics, elections are characterized by patronage politics, violence, massive vote buying and manipulation so that only the elite have the capacity to run for office (Eviota 1992:12). On a cursory view, current data seems to reinforce the historical developments outlined above and presents how the Philippines has come to be part of a continuing dependency relationship that is far from changing. Dependency in the Context of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Venezuela, with a population of 26. 7 million in 2005, shares the same historical experience as the Philippines in that both have been subjected to successful Spanish colonization efforts. Exports were primarily cacao, cotton, beef and coffee until the early 1900’s (Salazar-Carillo and Cruz 1994:33). After Spain lost in the series of local uprisings against her, the political landscape was dominated by successive civil wars that served to oust an existing government and install another. In 1908 emerged a dictator, Juan Vicente Gomez who was elected by Congress under questionable circumstances and ruled unchallenged until 1935 with solid control over the military and presumably foreign support (Lieuwen 1969:50). The discovery of oil around that time drastically changed Venezuela’s economy, politics and culture. Necessary technology to develop oil as an industry was undertaken largely with the involvement of the foreign oil companies, notably Shell from Britain and later the Creole Petroleum Company from the United States (Salazar-Carillo and Cruz 1994:42). Both countries had friendly relationships with the Gomez dictatorship because of oil interests. Two decades later, Venezuela has established itself as one of the important sources of oil in the world. Royalty sharing between government and foreign oil companies was through a 50-50 scheme and as foreign revenue increased, it enabled the country to pay its foreign debt (Lieuwen 1969:46). However, much of the wealth created was accumulated by the dictatorship with its policy of well-arming the military to quell dissent. The focus given on the oil industry and overdependence on its revenues resulted in the neglect of other productive sectors such as agriculture such that Venezuela started food importation in the 1920’s (Tinker-Salas 2005:1). Foreign control over the oil industry was entrenched through the promotion of a culture among the intelligentsia that equated prosperity with the oil industry and that foreign oil companies are essential to economic development (Tinker-Salas 2005:1). This was despite the fact that a substantial portion of society, especially those in the agricultural sector who still comprised the bulk of labor force and the displaced peoples from the construction of the oil industry infrastructure, were poor. It is in these aspects that a form of dependency relationship between Venezuela and primarily the U. S. , who had greater control over oil concessions after the Great Depression, was developed. A different turn of events to the contrary occurred with the privatization of the oil industry in the 1970’s. The Petroleos de Venezuela, S. A. (PdVSA) was established as a state-owned company that undertook the sole extraction, processing and exportation of domestic oil (Tinker-Salas 2005:1). However, privatization created a business enterprise out of the oil industry that was virtually untouchable. Because they held (and misused) the bulk of the country’s revenue, the officicials of PdVSA had almost the same political powers as the president and created a sector of managerial personnel that constituted the elite in society (Tinker-Salas 2005:1). Thus, the general view that the oil industry never improved the standards of living of most brought to fore the smoldering class tensions that have been existent in Venezuelan society. The opening up once again of oil concessions to foreign oil companies in 1992 through the Apertura Petrolera policy fueled public perception that the PdVSA worked more for foreign interest than domestic advantages (Tinker-Salas 2005:1). This was the context in which Hugo Chavez found himself when he was elected president in 1998. Contrary to existing PdVSA practice, he instituted reforms in the oil industry, putting more government control in its operations, drafting new laws with regards to oil resources and allocating funds from oil revenue for social programs (Alvarez 2006). In 2001, Venezuela had a crude oil production rate of 3. 6 million barrels a day where about 60% of this is exported to the U. S. conversely supplying an estimated 11% of total U. S. imports of the product (EIA 2008). Though still largely dependent on income from the oil industry, Venezuela is starting to diversify in order to lessen the economic impacts of oil price fluctuations in the world market and decrease importation of basic food stuffs (Alvarez 2006). There are also efforts to decrease reliance on the U. S. oil market through market expansion to other countries in Latin America, China, Iran and India (Alvarez 2006). In addition, Venezuela has started providing foreign aid from its oil revenues to its Latin American neighbors and initiated agreements for a joint venture in natural gas extraction and the refining of crude oil produced in neighboring countries, solidifying its economic and political ties in the region (Alvarez 2006). These developments have earned both commendations and criticisms from the international community but generally seem to point to a nation’s attempt to remove first world control on local resources and industry and effect the delivery of social services from the wealth created as benefits for the people. With regards to how these reforms will significantly and reliably raise the current standard of living of Venezuelans and the Latin American region remains a subject for study by social scientists in the coming years. Its success will provide dependency theorists with empirical evidence of how a satellite state can break away from dependency. List of References Agoncillo, T. H. (1980) The History of the Filipino People. Philippines: Garotech Publishing Alvarez, C. (2006) Venezuela’s Oil-Based Economy [online] Available from [17 February 2008] Dumlao, D. (2007) Foreign debt stock up to $54. 4B [online] Available from [16 February 2008] Energy Information Administration (2008) Available from [17 February 2008] Eviota, E. U. (1992) The Political Economy of Gender: Women and the Sexual Division of Labour in the Philippines. New Jersey: Zed Books Lieuwen, E. (1969) Venezuela. London, New York and Toronto: Oxford University Press Ibon E-Media (2008) The Philippines and Globalization [online] Available from < http://info. ibon. org/index. php? option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=5&Itemid=27> February 2008] Jimenez-David, R. (2007) At Large Migrant Nation [online] Available from [16 February 2008] National Statistics Coordination Board-Philippines (2008). General Reference [online] Available from [17 February 2008] Perkins, D. , Radelet, S. and Lindauer D. (2006) Economics of Development (6th ed). New York and London: Norton Salazar-Carino, J, Cruz, R. (1994) Oil Development in Venezuela. London: Praeger Publishers Tinker-Salas, M. (2005) ‘Fueling Concern: The Role of Oil in Venezuela’. Harvard International Review 26: 5-10 Available from [16 February 2008] Todaro, M. P. , Smith S. (2006) cc Economic Development in the Third World (6th ed). New York and London: Longman Vincent Ferraro-Mt. Holyoke College (2006). Dependency Theory: An Introduction [online] Available from [16 February 2008]

Being Cheyenne

Waking in the dark, the sun not yet lighting the where the land meets the sky, I build the fire and begin my work for the day. I step in line beside my sister in law as we walk the path down to the stream to begin collecting water for the day. Each day since we have come here the dirt along the path has become smoother, beaten down by the repetition of our feet as we women come daily to draw from the water source.When we once more move on to follow the herds as the season changes, the smooth expanse will be left behind to be swallowed once more by nature. It has been our path for a small time but has always belonged to nature, who will reclaim it once we are gone. Though each day we walk together, the early morning walk to the stream is largely silent as we each think of the daily tasks ahead. This morning, I quickly run over my tasks for the day, allowing extra time to help prepare the buffalo if the hunt is successful.A successful hunt means more work today but peace of mind as wel l since I know we will not go without. For now though, my task is simple – to gather the water as I do every morning. The first thing I do this morning, as I come upon the stream is to step out of the worn moccasins that will encase my feet for the rest of the day and let the cool water rush between my toes. It is here that I watch the sun begin to color the sky, changing from dark to day.Between the water needed for cooking and cleaning, there will be several trips this morning to the stream. On the third trip to the stream, I hear the splashing of the boys bathing and playing at being warriors and begin to hurry. My sister-in-law is no longer by my side but back beside her own fire, preparing the morning meal. I hurry up the path noticing that the camp is now fully awake, as my two boys rush past, impatient for a full belly before going to tend to the horses.

Approaches of Response to Intervention

Approaches of Response to Intervention Response to intervention (RTI) is a number of procedures, which can be used in determining why and how students respond to change in specific instructions (Muoneke, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Approaches of Response to Intervention specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More RTI approach provides advanced procedures for school in designing, implementing, and assessing educational interventions; it helps students who are having difficulties in learning (Muoneke, 2007). This paper will discuss about the response to intervention (RTI) approach. RTI approach has been designed to benefit students and education institutions. One of the greatest benefits of the RTI approach is that, it eliminates the ‘wait to fail† situations (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). With RTI approach, learners have access to immediate assistance and student’s learning difficulties are addressed directly. This reduces the chances of failu re because teachers tackle student’s problems before they get worse. Secondly, the RTI approach can be able to reduce the number of learners being referred for special education program. Considering that the RTI approach provides effective instructions and progress assessment, it has the potential of reducing the number of students being referred for special education while increasing the number of successful students (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). In addition to this, the RTI approach provides more useful instructions compared to the traditional approach (Muoneke, 2007). With the utilization of the student progress-monitoring program, the RTI approach is able to meet the needs of learners directly. Parents and teachers have observed this benefit. On the other hand, when trying to put into practice the RTI approach, they are numerous challenges that hinder this model from being fully effective.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get you r first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The first issue is the problem of limited progress and monitoring tools for secondary schools (Muoneke, 2007). According to Muoneke (2007), less attention has been focused in the secondary schools and this has resulted in having few tools for progress monitoring in schools. Due to the nature of the secondary school system such as departmental structure, there has been a shortage of progress and monitoring tools making it hard to implement this particular model. Secondly, there is the issue of funding. To ensure the RTI model is implemented successful, proper funding is required to enable the entire program to work properly. There is poor allocation of resources to support this model. This hinders meeting the needs of struggling students as required (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). The other challenging issue that must be addressed is redefining the roles of educators (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). While trying to implement the RTI approach in our schools, this issue is has emerged. The existing educators such as classroom teachers and educational service providers have not been given enough orientation (Muoneke, 2007). As such, there is need to redefine the roles of educators to ensure that the program becomes effective. For those schools already using the RTI approach, they are facing problems in clarifying the role of parents in this program (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). Notably, schools that have involved the parent in the RTI approach usually have positive results in student’s academic performance (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). However, most schools have not been able to describe the role of the parents in the RTI model. The involvement of the parents is helpful in promoting communication of the progress and monitoring program. There is need to clarify the role of parents when implementing the RTI model in schools (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Approaches of Response to Intervention specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another big challenge in our schools when implementing the RTI approach is incorporating culturally instructional practices (Muoneke, 2007). The use of cultural instructional from different backgrounds is beneficial to the students (Muoneke, 2007). However, it has been very challenging in selecting the cultural instructional that can be able to work with the students of different cultural background (Muoneke, 2007). Finally, most schools using this model experience problems of understanding the scaling up RTI implementation (Muoneke, 2007). Since RTI model is a new concept in education sector, a lot of time is required to develop guides that will facilitate understanding this model (Muoneke, 2007). However, until this is achieved, grading level will remain a big challenge for schools that are already using RTI approach. To ensure effective implementation of the RTI program, all major challenges affecting this model must be addressed. Teachers, parents, government, and all other involved stakeholders should work towards ensuring effective implementation of the RTI model, which is no doubt very beneficial. Different strategies can be employed to overcome the existing challenges. First, the government should focus its attention in supporting this program. It should provide schools with enough funds to facilitate implementation of the program. This will solve issues of funds shortage. Secondly, teachers and parents should be given enough orientation through training and education programs to sensitize on the utilization of the RTI approach (Muoneke, 2007). This will clarify the roles of parents in the school concerning this particular model. It will also help in redefining the role of teachers in making the model to become successful. To address the shortage of progress and monitoring tools in secondary school, the involved stakeholders and government should come in and emphas ize the need to focus attention to our secondary schools. The government should also provide financial support to increase the necessary tools for progress and monitoring to be effective in the school system (Muoneke, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are many advantages of intervening early in student’s learning experience. First, intervening early in children’s learning experience helps the parents and teachers to indentify young children who are at the risk of experiencing learning difficulties (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). The ability to recognize children with difficulties of learning enables the teachers and parents to develop policies that will facilitate learning among the affected learners. This helps in eradicating cases of school failure. Early intervention of children’s learning experiences facilitates social change. The situation in which teachers can be able to detect difficulties in learning abilities of certain students revolutionizes the way children’s needs are addressed (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). Detecting that a particular student has learning problems gives teachers opportunities to offer special care to the affected students. This facilitates positive change in the society. Apart f rom recognizing students with learning difficulties, early intervention of children’s learning experience helps in making children with special needs to be successful in their first school experiences (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). RTI approach offers the necessary solution. It is the first step in making sure the needs of students with learning difficulties are addressed. In summary, RTI approach is a developed system of instructions and intervention that has been created to cater for students with learning difficulties (Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). There is no doubt that the RTI approach is useful and very beneficial in eliminating cases of school failure among the student. This model represents the latest improvements in education sector since it ensures that students with learning difficulties are assisted. Despite the challenges facing implementation of RTI approach, this model can bring positive changes in our schools. Reference List Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L. (2006). Introduction to r esponse to intervention: What, why, and  how valid is it? Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 93–99. Muoneke, A. (2007). Response to Intervention (RtI): A Systematic Approach to Reading  and School Improvement. Retrieved from sedl.org/pubs/magazine/

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV

The History of Black Videos Aired on MTV When MTV launched in 1981, viewers struggled to find videos featuring black artists. The network so sparingly showcased African Americans in its early days that Rick James and David Bowie publicly took it to task.  Despite the channels embrace of black musicians such as Beyonce,  Jay-Z  and  Kanye West  today,  theres no denying  MTVs  rocky history with  black music. So, how did MTV shift from shutting African American musicians out in the early 1980s to routinely spotlighting their contributions decades later? A brief history of the channel’s progress regarding race helps to answer that question. Did MTV Exclude Black Videos?   When MTV debuted on Aug. 1, 1981, at least one black face on the network was a mainstay. It belonged to J.J. Jackson, the sole African American on MTVs roster of video jockeys, or VJs as they became known. Despite Jackson’s presence on MTV through 1986, the network faced allegations of racism for giving scant airtime to videos featuring people of color. MTV executives have denied that racism was at the root of the network’s â€Å"blackout,† saying that black artists received little airplay because their music didn’t fit the channel’s rock-based format. â€Å"MTV was originally designed to be a rock music channel,† said Buzz Brindle, MTV’s former director of music programming, to Jet magazine in 2006. â€Å"It was difficult for MTV to find African American artists whose music fit the channel’s format that leaned toward rock at the outset.† With so few black rockers, adding African Americans to MTV’s roster proved difficult, according to the network’s co-founder Les Garland, whom  Jet also interviewed. â€Å"We had nothing to pick from,† Garland explained. â€Å"Fifty percent of my time was spent in the early days of MTV convincing artists to make music videos and convincing record labels to put up money to make those videos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One artist needed no convincing. He’d even made a video for â€Å"Dont Stop ’Til You Get Enough,† a cut from his 1979 album Off the Wall. But when approached by Michael Jackson’s  record label, would MTV agree to play his  music videos? How the King of Pop Changed MTV It took major prodding to get MTV to play â€Å"Billie Jean,† the second track from Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller. Released Jan. 2, 1983, the single would go on to top the Billboard 100 chart for seven weeks, but Walter Yetnikoff, president of CBS Records Group, reportedly had to threaten to remove all other CBS videos from MTV before the network agreed to air the video for â€Å"Billie Jean.†Ã‚   Garland  denied such a confrontation occurred, telling Jet that the network began playing the video on its own. â€Å"There was never any hesitation. No fret,† he said. Based on his account, MTV aired the video the same day that executives screened it. However â€Å"Billie Jean† ended up on the network, there’s little doubt that it changed the course of MTV. The first video by a black artist to receive heavy rotation on the network, â€Å"Billie Jean† opened up the door for other artists of color to be featured on MTV. â€Å"Billie Jean† also paved the way for Michael Jackson to star in the 14-minute music video â€Å"Thriller,† the most expensive music video ever made at the time. â€Å"Thriller† debuted Dec. 2, 1983. It proved so popular that it was released as a home video that  went on to become a record-breaking bestseller. Rock Music Takes a Backseat Black recording artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston dominated the pop and RB charts in the 1980s. During the same period, however, another urban art form was commanding the music industry’s attention- hip-hop. The films Beat Street  and Krush Groove  paid homage to hip-hop in the first half of the decade. By the second half, MTV had taken notice. It debuted its hip-hop-centered program â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps† on Aug. 6, 1988. According to USA Today, the show was the first ever to exclusively focus on hip-hop. (BETs Rap City premiered the following year.) â€Å"Yo! MTV Raps†Ã‚  aired on MTV for seven years. The program opened the door for â€Å"MTV Jams,† a program with an urban music focus that premiered in 1996. Although MTV began with a rock format in mind, the popularity of pop music, hip-hop, and RB among the general public left the network no choice but to diversify its playlists. By the late 1990s, rock music received increasingly less airplay on the channel as boy bands, Disney starlets, and rappers gained ground with audiences, and rock music recovered from the death of grunge. Black VJs MTV may have been criticized for failing to showcase black recording artists from the outset, but it has always included African American VJs among its staff, starting with the late J.J. Jackson. Other notable MTV VJs of color include Downtown Julie Brown, Daisy Fuentes, Idalis, Bill Bellamy, and Ananda Lewis. On shows such as the long-running â€Å"Real World,† MTV makes a point to showcase cast members from diverse backgrounds, albeit often stereotypically. Cartoon Controversy Although MTV has made considerable gains in diversity over the decades, the network has suffered race-related controversies in the 21st century. In 2006, it drew backlash for airing a cartoon that featured black women as canines - tethered, squatting on all fours, and defecating. The networks then-president, Christina Norman, defended the cartoon, calling it a parody of an appearance rapper Snoop Dogg had made with two black women wearing neck collars and chains. Black activists found this response unacceptable. But as they lobbed their accusations of racism and misogyny at the network, they had to take into account one major development at MTV: A  woman of color ran the channel. That’s right; Christina Norman is black. She served as president of MTV from 2005 to 2008. The cartoon controversy reveals that  during Norman’s tenure, MTV still had much-needed lessons to learn about race. But her rise to the top also indicated that the network accused of shutting out black recording artists now welcomed  diversity both on its airwaves and in its boardroom. Programming That Challenges Racial Bias In 2014, through a partnership with David Binder Research, MTV conducted a study of bias among the millennial generation. Soon after, it launched the website Look Different, a resource for young people wishing to fight for greater equality among marginalized peoples.  Ã‚   A year later, MTVs vice president of public affairs, Ronnie Cho, announced that MTV would create and sponsor ongoing programming designed to  change attitudes and behaviors around racial bias.  Included in that programming was MTVs July 22, 2015, premier of the documentary  White People, in which Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas traveled across the country speaking to white millennials about topics like privilege and race relations.

Influenza communication campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Influenza communication campaign - Essay Example The biggest challenge that health agencies and the government face is the sustaining of alertness and awareness among the public over the particular period that the pandemic is in session. The response to this challenge and others that are posed by the management of risks emanating from unfamiliar health hazards calls for the recognition that the process of promoting this sustenance not only involves ensuring that the information gotten is right but also making sure that the mode of communication of this information is one that incorporates and accommodates diversities that are present in the community’s needs, expectations and characteristics (Ratzan 2012 p. 21).This is why various communication campaigns have been formulated to act as a platform through which the public can be educated about the dangers of pandemics and the methods of coping with them.The campaign that I am to describe took pace in West Virginia several months ago. This was a vaccination campaign conducted i n West Virginia, a state in United States of America. It was composed of audiences and audience segments. The audiences shared some similarities as well as differences and the campaign team conducted several studies to understand the nature of the audience. The most effective way to segment is by use of psychographic and cultural variables. The audiences targeted by the campaign were told that they were not going to be passive who just receive the messages but an active audience able to participate. The team also planned to understand incentives that motivated the audience to participate in the program. It also went ahead to find out the challenges that prevented people who were willing not to participate. There were specific audiences targeted by this campaign which included; parents who had children less than 18 years and younger because they have the power to convince their children to participate. The parents have the responsibility of ensuring that that all their children up to the age of 18 years are protected through vaccination. Others included adults who are healthy who have not yet been infected with the flu and so by vaccinating them, ensures that they are protected. Adults suffering from chronic health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer and other diseases are also a target group. A person lives with such diseases for lifetime is a vulnerable group given that their immunity is very low and so the body cannot protect itself from an infection. Expectant women especially those in their late pregnancies that above four months are at risk for their immunity is also low. Those people who live with people at risk such as the health care workers or home caregivers given t hat they live with those who are already affected by the disease and so are more exposed than any other group outside (Ratzan 2012 p. 37). People from minority groups for instance, African Americans who are less privileged in terms of resource allocation and health care services. These are the people groups who are normally neglected and when there is an outbreak of a disease, it takes a long time for them to access health care service centres. The message was to inform people that there is an outbreak of the vaccine in their community and this helped to raise awareness among the community members of a disease, which was not common in the area, and they became alert and cautious enough and got prepared to take precautionary measures. Another thing was to let the public know that there was enough vaccine for all community members that are free of charge. There is

Essay on Ethics in Technology Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On Ethics in Technology - Essay Example The software companies purchase these copyrights so that the software cannot be copied anywhere else globally. In any case, if the owner wants duplication of the software then a unique kind of copyright is purchased for the software, which is known as the copy left. It allows duplication within specific regions allowed by the owner. Trade secrecy is another form of software protection, which allows the owner to determine where he is willing to sell his software in the world. There are no rights purchased for this type of ethical measures. One of the major characteristics that differentiate trade secrets from others is utilization of trade secrets by companies when they classify the work that does not fall in existing public domain of information. As for software patents, there is no legal existence because the law cannot define whether a software is genuinely a unique invention or not (Reynolds, 2010). Patents usually are given for a period of twenty years for an invention or creatio n. These are three ways software can be protected and their legal usage i.e., ethical usage be made possible. Technological ethics need to be highlighted on a vast scale as when they are enforced with great force, legal usage of the technology can be achieved on a greater margin. These methods of protecting the technology are common yet need special considerations in their development so that they become a strong force in battling against the unethical usage of technology. Any use of product or service that exploits is considered unethical and which gives rise to ethical perceptions. The technology has enabled us to apply several concepts of ethics by our own selves yet we are unable to define what the exact perimeters of ethical usage in technology are. The copyright act of 1976 proposes five basic rights owned by a copyright owner (Tavani, 2011).These rights describe as to what owner’s obligations are and