The Dutch Health Care System The WritePass Journal

The Dutch Health Care System Introduction The Dutch Health Care System EHCI rankings (Arne BJornberg, 2012).   Analysts report that this consistent performance is mainly due to the policy reforms and the introduction of the ‘Health Insurance act’ of 2006. Not only did the Netherlands top the EHCI which is generally regarded as   measure of ‘consumer friendliness’ of the national health care policy, but it also ranked among the top three nations when measured for outcomes related to critical and chronic conditions such as cardiac problems, diabetes, HIV and Hepatitis   (Arne BJornberg, 2012). The appendix A includes graphical figures showing the performance of Netherlands in some of the important healthcare metrics such as infant mortality levels, elective surgery waiting time, etc.   Reports suggest that though there is some scope for improvement in terms of reducing the waiting time and the overall accessibility of services, the Dutch healthcare system has hardly any weakspots (Arne BJornberg, 2012) The success of the Dutch model has bought increasing global focus on its model of care delivery. This paper therefore explores the vital aspects of the Dutch health care system. Methodology This is a secondary research and involved searching for national reports and health policy documents and journal articles pertaining to the health care policy of Netherlands. Pubmed database was searched for a combination of keywords such as Dutch Healthcare system, health insurance, structural reforms, etc. Google search was also conducted on these keywords and this provided access to comprehensive national reports. Since the search resulted in a wide array of documents only those reports and articles which were authentic sources such as the Dutch ministry of health and articles from peer reviewed journals and magazines were selected for use in this report. The Dutch Health Care system (The problems that existed) The healthcare system in the Netherlands was totally different before 2006, when it was restructured with the introduction of the ‘Health insurance act’ (Zorgverzekeringswet, Zvw). A brief overview of the earlier system would help us better understand the evolutionary response and the introduction of the much touted ‘health insurance act’ of 2006. Earlier, universal health coverage was achieved by a combination of government funded and privately funded insurance systems. Social health insurance (ZFW) funded by the government provided coverage for all those who were under the prescribed income limit. The vast majority of the Dutch population was under the ZFW coverage. Another government funded program known as the AWBZ (exceptional medical insurance act) provided coverage for long term care and other exceptional medical treatments. Around 30% of the Dutch population who were above the prescribed low income level to qualify for the ZFW were encouraged to purc hase coverage from private health insurance services (PHI) (David, 2008). These private health insurance schemes were mostly funded by the employers or in some instances directly by the individuals. While the Dutch system was working good in providing universal access to coverage there were systemic problems. Sustainability of the system was one of the pressing issues. For instance, the aging population and the growing health care needs implied that the majority government- funded health coverage would consume a significant portion of the national GDP. (14% and above). Secondly the model did not provide sufficient quality incentives for the care providing organizations and there were also growing concerns about the accessibility to some services. Particularly, there was a tendency to postpone elective procedures at the end of the year for pure accounting purposes. Thirdly, insurance premiums under the PHI or private providers were rising considerably for those with chronic conditions and this, in fact, discouraged many from the PHI schemes and such people went without insurance. Last but not the least, was the problem of insurance portability(David, 2008). Owing to participation of numerous small insurance companies in the PHI scheme, there were significant coverage limitations. To eradicate all these problems the Dutch government came up with fundamental changes in the delivery model with the majority government funded social insurance system giving way to a privately insured, yet government regulated, model of care delivery. This has greatly improved the healthcare system by addressing the above mentioned problems. The Health care Act (2006) (A sustainable solution) This act structurally redesigned the Dutch healthcare system by introducing private social insurance (ZVW) as a mandatory coverage for all citizens above 18 years of age while the government covers all those below 18 years of age. The important feature of the ZVW scheme is that it provides universal coverage for all citizens without any restrictions based on their age, health status, pre existing conditions, etc. Also the distinguishing feature between the ZVW and the earlier ZFW is that it is totally managed by private insurers. This act is a significant move towards the private free market. However, it is regulated by the government and the price for the basic benefit package under the ZVW is stipulated based on annual projections. The ZVW covers all routine checkups, hospitalizations, medication and doctor’s fees. Other services that do not come under the ZVW such as dentistry, cosmetic services, physiotherapy, etc could be optionally covered through supplementary policies (Maarsse, 2011). The following illustration depicts the prevailing health care insurance system in Netherlands Fig : Health Insurance system after the 2006 Health Insurance act (Maarsse, 2011) The ZVW (A hybrid system) Health care as a market service is not recommendable as governments do not see health care as a business but as a social provision. Under these circumstances the introduction of the private ‘for –profit’ business entities to provide insurance coverage creates undesirable consequences that might affect the equitable distribution of health care. Such discrepancies in service provision by private insurance entities in the US offer a clear case that confirm the fears that markets are not the ideal way to deliver health. (Angell, 2008)   However, one of the highlights of the Dutch healthcare system is the uniformness of coverage that it allows. Dutch lawmakers have incorporated several legal features that protect the consumers and ensure that the ZVW is a hybrid form of the social insurance and the private insurance (VWS, 2012). Since the Dutch government compensates the insurers for high risk patients in the form of the risk equalization fund the system avoids â€Å"cherry picking† which is a pressing problem in countries such as the US where private insurers are very selective in covering high risk patients. (Angell, 2008). The Dutch model on the other hand, by compensating insurers for enrollees with a higher risk prediction, encourages them to provide coverage for everyone without a risk bias. The concept of risk equalization therefore helps to achieve universal coverage even under a ‘for –profit’ private insurer based system. As Michael Borowitz, a senior health policy analyst with OECD says, this system provides insurance companies â€Å"no incentive to pick people who are only healthy†. (PBS, 2009) This is a key policy control mechanism that aids with the success of the universal coverage and the absence of such a policy control in the US created a pure business like approach where the goal of profit maximization naturally discourages private insurers from providing coverage for people under a higher risk category (Angell, 2008). Insurer Competition and Consumer Freedom Another aspect of the thoroughly regulated Dutch private insurance system is that it creates healthy competition between insurers. The government permits health consumers to switch between insurers once every year.   Thus the privately administered and government regulated insurance model provides choice to the consumer and serves to improve the quality of services by the insurance providers.   The health insurance act also provides sufficient freedom of choice to the consumer. For instance, enrollees can opt for policy in- kind or a restitution policy. In the first instance, the insurance company itself takes care of all the details including finding the appropriate health providers and the payments etc. In the restitution option the enrollee can choose his/her own providers, at their own time, and also pay up for the services. The cost of such services is then reimbursed by the insurance provider. The later option is referred to as the personal care budget (pgb or persoonsgebon den budget) (Daley Gubb, 2013). On top of this flexibility, the Dutch ZVW insurance scheme also provides for compensatory features such as deductibles. Deductibles apply to any enrollee that has not utilized the health services beyond a minimum cost during the year and these are automatically applied to the premium in the next year (David , 2008). This feature adds to the solidarity of the Dutch insurance system. GP’s as Gatekeepers As in the UK, the Dutch also adopt the gatekeeper approach when it comes to availing specialist care. The General Practitioner (GP) is the primary care provider of the patient and is usually the family physician. Any consultations with specialist service providers operating in secondary and tertiary care units is made possible only through a referral from the  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   GP. This method is applied in order to contain health care costs associated with unnecessary specialist consultations (Daley Gubb, 2013). Quality of care is a high priority in the national health policy. The policy allows insurers to select hospitals or care providers based on the quality of their service. If any providers are found wanting in quality, insurers have the option not to contract such providers.   Furthermore feedback from patients are considered and promptly attended to. The General administrative law act makes it a priority for the AWBZ implementing body to promptly assess and address any cu stomer grievance. If the customer is not satisfied with the response from the AWBZ body then he/she could lodge a complaint with the national ombudsman which would not only assess the provider for upholding contractual provisions, but also verify if the patient was meted out equal treatment, reasonableness and proper care. Furthermore, if the Ombudsman received many complaints of similar nature the problem is referred to the health ministry which would take it into consideration for further changes to the health care policy(VWS, 2012). These feedback systems ensure that the experience for the patient at the point of care delivery is motivating and positive. Conclusion The health insurance act of 2006 bought a significant reform to the way healthcare is delivered in the Netherlands.   Widely praised as a successful evolutionary response, the health insurance act created a move away from the segmented structure of insurance towards a mandatory single scheme for all citizens. Equity of access, quality of health services and financial risk protection are the key aspects that govern universal coverage. The inclusion of social preconditions such as the provision of equitable coverage for all citizens, as well as insurer and consumer friendly components such as ‘risk equalization fund’ and ‘deductibles’ have made private insurance based universal coverage a reality. In Netherlands, strict government regulation of private insurance has created a level playing field, stimulating healthy competition among the insurers while at the same time providing freedom of choice for the health consumer. References Claire Daley James Gubb (2013) , Healthcare Systems : The Netherlands , viewed March 26th 2013, www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/download/netherlands.pdf Arne BJornberg (2012), Euro health consumer Index, 2012 report, published by Health Consumer Powerhouse Maarse, H (2011), Dutch Health Care Reform at the Crossroads, The Hastings Centre, viewed March 26th 2013, http://healthcarecostmonitor.thehastingscenter.org/files/2011/06/Maarse-Dutch-health-care-reform-at-the-crossroads-long-version1.pdf Marcia Angell (2008), Privatizing healthcare is not the answer: Lessons from the United States, CMAJ 179 (9), 916-919. Naidoo J Wills J (2005), Public health and health promotion: Developing practice, London, Elsevier. PBS (2009), Comparing international health care systems, viewed March 27th, 2013, pbs.org/newshour/updates/health/july-dec09/insurance_10-06.html Perott, David, (2008), The Dutch Health care system: Possible model for America? Physician Executive, 34(6), 16- 8 20-3 VWS (2012), Health insurance in the Netherlands, Ministry of health and sports publication, viewed March 26th 2012, www.government.nl//health-insurance-in-the-netherlands.pdf

Nitrogen or Azote Facts

Nitrogen or Azote Facts Nitrogen (Azote) is an important nonmetal and the most abundant gas in the Earths atmosphere. Nitrogen Facts Nitrogen Atomic Number: 7 Nitrogen Symbol: N (Az, French) Nitrogen Atomic Weight: 14.00674 Nitrogen Discovery: Daniel Rutherford 1772 (Scotland): Rutherford removed oxygen and carbon dioxide from the air and showed that the residual gas would not support combustion or living organisms. Electron Configuration: [He]2s22p3 Word Origin: Latin: nitrum, Greek: nitron and genes; native soda, forming. Nitrogen was sometimes referred to as burnt or dephlogisticated air. The French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier named nitrogen azote, meaning without life. Properties: Nitrogen gas is colorless, odorless, and relatively inert. Liquid nitrogen is also colorless and odorless and is similar in appearance to water. There are two allotropic forms of solid nitrogen, a and b, with a transition between the two forms at -237 ° C. Nitrogens melting point is -209.86 ° C, boiling point is -195.8 ° C, density is 1.2506 g/l, specific gravity is 0.0808 (-195.8 ° C) for the liquid and 1.026 (-252 ° C) for the solid. Nitrogen has a valence of 3 or 5. Uses: Nitrogen compounds are found in foods, fertilizers, poisons, and explosives. Nitrogen gas is used as a blanketing medium during the production of electronic components. Nitrogen is also used in annealing stainless steels and other steel products. Liquid nitrogen is used as a refrigerant. Although nitrogen gas is fairly inert, soil bacteria can fix nitrogen into a usable form, which plants and animals can then utilize. Nitrogen is a component of all proteins. Nitrogen is responsible for the orange-red, blue-green, blue-violet, and deep violet colors of the aurora. Sources: Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78.1% of the volume of the Earth’s air. Nitrogen gas is obtained by liquefaction and fractional distillation from the atmosphere. Nitrogen gas also can be prepared by heating a water solution of ammonium nitrite (NH4NO3). Nitrogen is found in all living organisms. Ammonia (NH3), an important commercial nitrogen compound, is often the starting compound for many other nitrogen compounds. Ammonia may be produced using the Haber process. Element Classification: Non-Metal Density (g/cc): 0.808 ( -195.8 °C) Isotopes: There are 16 known isotopes of nitrogen ranging from N-10 to N-25. There are two stable isotopes: N-14 and N-15. N-14 is the most common isotope accounting for 99.6% of natural nitrogen. Appearance: Colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mainly inert gas. Atomic Radius (pm): 92 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 17.3 Covalent Radius (pm): 75 Ionic Radius: 13 (5e) 171 (-3e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 1.042 (N-N) Pauling Negativity Number: 3.04 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1401.5 Oxidation States: 5, 4, 3, 2, -3 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 4.039 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.651 Magnetic Ordering: diamagnetic Thermal Conductivity (300 K): 25.83 m W ·m−1 ·K−1 Speed of Sound (gas, 27  °C): 353 m/s CAS Registry Number: 7727-37-9 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952) International Atomic Energy Agency ENSDF database (Oct 2010)Return to the Periodic Table  of the Elements.

Lifes Graetest Miracle Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lifes Graetest Miracle - Lab Report Example Life’s greatest miracle is a very informative film that expounds on the basic concept of cell division in human beings. It also provides details on the main stages in the development of the fetus. The main approach taken by Nova in this film focuses on both entertaining and teaching the interested audience. Despite its antireligious philosophy in the opening sentence, the film gives quality science explanation for the great number of science enthusiast. As the cell division progressively takes place in the female’s body, there is a perfect creation of an embryo. There is a closed reaction of the feminine gender on the verge of pregnancy. The change of eating habits is eminent alongside morning sickness. The documentary further illustrates on the embryo’s different stages of development. There is a clear perception on formation of blood vessels in the earliest three weeks. A large brain, a primitive backbone, and the eyes form in four weeks. The cells also turn on genes to transform the growing embryo into the appropriate gender. In this case, X chromosome embryo forms a girl while Y forms a boy. All through the imagery techniques of the photographer, there is an indication of monthly stages of embryo’s development right from the bones, legs, hands amongst other parts. This growth begins in the fourth month up to the final moments of the contraction of the uterus ready for the birth process. In this educational documentary, there is a sharp and extraordinary video presentation quite different from any other theoretical film. The detailed, bright and vivid colours give the right indication of the obstructive view in the real miracle of life. Its Dolby track surrounding makes it one of the few unique science documentaries. The films sound portrays imperative robustness with additional bass, which constitutes its outstanding nature. The plain truth is that

Social Enterprise And Increasing The Overall Well-being Research Paper

Social Enterprise And Increasing The Overall Well-being - Research Paper Example From the point of view of asset management, a social enterprise can increase the overall diversification of the portfolio while at the same time add more ethical trading and investing philosophy into the overall portfolio management also. It is generally believed that portfolio managers may have to only invest in the commercial entities to generate more value for their clients. Overall risk diversification and return strategies are therefore often tailored according to the dynamics of how a for-profit business actually operates and generate more value for the portfolio managers. Non-Profit wealth creation through social enterprise is viable and sustainable activity and can increase the overall well-being of the society while at the same time allowing asset managers to actually diversify their risks and also add more ethical investing and portfolio management orientation to the whole process of asset management. (Field, 2014) This paper will be focusing on understanding the impact of non-profit wealth creation on the overall portfolio risk and return. This paper will further add on to whether the non-profit wealth creation will actually add more ethical orientation to the portfolio management or not. The overall concept and idea of a social enterprise existed for long, however, it has recently gained more momentum with large organizations such as Dannon entering into joint ventures to form social enterprises. A social enterprise’s focus is on the use of commercial strategies and tactics to achieve more value and improvement in the human and environmental well-being. A social enterprise’s main objective, therefore, is not the maximization of the shareholders’ value or wealth but to help improve the environment and the human life.

Final Exam Study Guide Fall Semester 2012 Essay Example for Free

Final Exam Study Guide Fall Semester 2012 Essay Why is it said that the U.S. has a dual court system? There is a federal judicial system and 50 state court systems. What is the meaning of the concept of jurisdiction? A court has the right to hear a particular type of case. What is the meaning of the doctrine of â€Å"presumption of validity?† Courts must assume that, unless the burden of the evidence is clearly to the contrary, legislatures would not enact or executives sign into law measures which violate the constitution. What is the meaning of the term â€Å"stare decisis?†? Legal term meaning let the decision stand. Establishes precedents stand unless overruled. Judges may overrule if they have compelling reasons to establish new precedents. What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony? An anti-social conduct that is relatively minor is called a misdemeanor. A felony is a disorderly conduct that is more severe. What happens in the event of a conflict between a state law and a Federal law or a state law and a U.S. treaty? Federal law overrides state law any day. What is meant by â€Å"judicial activism?† Interpretation of the constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decision. â€Å"Judicial self-restraint?† a self-imposed limitation on judicial decision making How are Federal judges chosen? Federal judges are nominated by the president and voted on by the senate. What is the term of a Federal judge? Term ends when justice dies. Why has the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee come under fire for the manner in which it â€Å"screens† appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court? Justices are declined if they politically go against the senate. Why did the committee reject Judge Robert Bork as a Supreme Court justice? He did not politically agree with the democratic run senate. What does it mean that Senators Joe Biden, Ted Kennedy and Howard Metzenbaum â€Å"borked† a Supreme Court nominee? They voted against a justice because of their political party. What was the nature of the political uproar over the nomination of Clarence Thomas to be a Supreme Court justice? He was accused of sexual assault. Who is Anita Hill? A law professor who accused Clarence Thomas of sexual assault. What are the provisions of Article III of the U.S. Constitution regarding the Federal judiciary? It establishes the judicial branch of the federal government. It establishes jurisdiction between the courts based on subject matter or the nature of the parties. It declares that the power of judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one supreme court. There is no specific provision anywhere in article III giving Federal courts the power of judicial review. What was the importance of Marbury v. Madison? The case that established judicial review. What is judicial review? Review by the Supreme Court of the constitutional validity of a legislative act. What, if anything, can be done to overturn a U.S. Supreme Court decision? Nothing can be done unless it involves amending the constitution, or if the court rules on something that contradicts a previous ruling. Who controls the Supreme Court’s docket? The supreme court itself does. What is the â€Å"rule of four?† The supreme court only hears cases if it grants a writ of certiorari. Where consent of four justices are given. What is a writ of certiorari? A common law writ issued by a superior court to one of inferior jurisdiction demanding the record of a particular case. What is the primary role of the U.S. Court of Appeals? To hear and dispose of the vast majority of cases appealed from the district courts. What are U.S. District Courts? General trial courts of the united states federal court system that hears both civil and criminal cases. When would a Federal District Court have jurisdiction in a case? If a case involved crimes against the united states, suits under national laws involving use of the mails, patent, copyright, trademark and other such technical matters and civil rights laws. What is the difference between a â€Å"petit† and a â€Å"grand† jury? Petit juries have 12 members who decide, based on evidence, if the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Grand juries indict people. Its functions is to decide if the government has a case or not. How are they chosen? Through a jury pool from those serving jury duty. What are their respective functions? To decide if the government has a case, and to decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Also if a person has won or lost a lawsuit. How do cases reach the U.S. Supreme Court? Through appellate and original jurisdiction. Mostly from appeals though sent from the court of appeals. Under what limited circumstances may the U.S. Supreme Court exercise original jurisdiction? When it accepts a suit if it feels a compelling reason to do so. Who determines the appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court? What are some of the political and ideological considerations involved in U.S. Supreme Court appointments? Generally their party affiliation and how they interpret the constitution. Does race, gender, religion, ethnicity matter in a President’s nomination of a Supreme Court justice? Yes. Who are the present nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court? What are their backgrounds? John G. Roberts Jr., Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, Clearance Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Steven G. Breyer, Samuel Anthony Alito Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. RELIGION Why did the authors of the Bill of Rights put religious freedom first in the First Amendment? It is more of an article of peace. It was mainly to remove religion from politics. What are the â€Å"wall of separation† and â€Å"accommodationist† positions on the Establishment Clause? Wall of separation believes that church and state should be entirely separated. No affiliation between the two. Accommodationists believe that no religion should be favored, but all should be accommodated. Why have Americans had fewer problems with the â€Å"Free Exercise† Clause than with the â€Å"Establishment† Clause? Free Exercise clauses are only in effect if the religions practices don’t get in the way of any laws. Establishment clauses include clauses that excuse kids from school to go to church, this was very controversial because atheist children were left out. Much more controversy in establishment clauses. What are some of the issues raised by groups like the Amish (Wisconsin v. Yoder), Jehovahs Witnesses and other religious minorities regarding interpretation of the â€Å"Free Exercise† Clause? These allowed laws to be bent for people of certain religions. Wisconsin v. Yoder allows Amish children to be excused from school at 8th grade vs. the age 16. Jehovah’s Witnesses are allowed to be exempt from the draft due to their pacifism. Why did the U.S. Supreme Court rule against prayer in the public schools in the New York Regents prayer case (Engel v. Vitale, 1962)? It was said that New York could not write prayers. It is unconstitutional to do so. What was the nature of Madalyn Murrays objections to the Maryland school prayer/Bible readings law? Her son was left out. Also she was athiest and she viewed the bible as merely a storybook. Why did the Schempp family object to the Pennsylvania law? They felt it was in direct violation of the establishment clause in the first amendment, also it theologically went against the Schempp’s Unitarian views. What did the Supreme Court rule in the companion Murray-Schempp decision of 1963? It ruled 8-1 striking down both the Pennsylvania and Maryland laws requiring prayer. Under what circumstances may students have prayer at their high school graduation ceremonies? As long as it’s student-led and is non-sectarian. May students form prayer and Bible study groups and use public school facilities for their meetings? Yes. What was the Equal Access Act of 1984? It required public secondary schools to allow religious groups to meet on school property if other groups exist. Even if one group is allowed to use the facilities, the school becomes a limited open forum where all groups can use the facilities. What did the Court rule when it was challenged in the 1990 Mergens case? 8-1 upholding the law. May public college officials deny use of campus facilities to religious groups for Bible study and prayer meetings? No, it is discriminatory. One of the most controversial areas is that of â€Å"parochiaid,† or state aid of various types to parochial schools. What three-part test did the Supreme Court devise in Lemon v. Kurtzman? It was called the Lemon Test where there must be a secular purpose rather than a religious purpose, the law cannot advance or inhibit religion, and government cannot be entangled in it. What was the fate of the law, challenged in Lemon, authorizing partial payment (secular subjects only) of teachers’ salaries in parochial schools? It was stricken down. May state and local school districts finance bus rides for children attending non-public schools (Everson v. Board of Education of Ewing Township, NJ, 1947)? Yes. What is the child benefit theory? The law aids the school child rather than a particular religious group. What did the Court rule in June, 2002, in the landmark Cleveland, Ohio, School Voucher Reform Case, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris? It held that 5-4 that Cleveland program did not offend the establishment clause. Can public school students, on parental request, be released from class to attend religion classes, conducted on public school property, during the school day, where the program is supervised by public school administrators (McCullom v. Champaign, Ill., Board of Education)? No, it is not viewed to be abiding by separation of church and state laws. Can students, on parental request, be dismissed from classes to attend churches or synagogues, as part of a program of religious education in public schools (Zorach v. Clauson)? Yes. Under what circumstances are courts likely to uphold or declare unconstitutional nativity displays on public property at Christmas time? Whether or not other religious symbols are there to balance it, also secular symbols like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. What did the Supreme Court rule in Donnelly v. Lynch? It upheld the nativity scene on the basis that both religious and secular symbols. County of Allegheny, Pa. v. ACLU? The court concluded that the nativity scene with the words â€Å"glory in the highest† was promoting Christian religion, but the menorah was okay. In the area of free exercise of religion, can children of Jehovah’s Witnesses be expelled from public schools for refusal to salute the American flag? Yes. Why do the Witnesses object to flag salutes or standing for the national anthem? They believe it violates one of the 10 commandments. What did our highest court rule in Minersville, Pa., School District v. Gobitis? 8-1 stating that one could not refuse to pledge allegiance to the flag. West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette? The court reversed itself, saying it was okay to excuse one’s self from saluting the flag or standing at the national anthem due to religious beliefs. How did the Supreme Court broaden the rights of conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War? It allowed any passifists who were against not only one war, but all wars to be exempt from the draft rather than just religious passifists. What did the Court rule in the Seeger, Welsh and Gillette cases? Seeger ruled that a belief in a traditional God or religion was unnecessary in order to be exempt. Welsh held that humanistic conviction was equivalent to religion. In Gillette held that one must be opposed to all wars in order to be exempt. What did the Court hold in the Mormon polygamy case (Reynolds v. U.S.)? They ruled against it. Polygamy is illegal in Utah. Why did the Roberts Court grant a religious exemption from some civil rights laws in Hossana-Tabor v. E.E.O.C. (2012)? The separation between church and state allows this. EXPRESSION (SPEECH AND PRESS) There are a number of theories about how the First Amendment’s free speech and press guarantees ought to be interpreted. What is the â€Å"absolutist view,† held by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the late Justices Hugo Black and William O. Douglas? They rejected line-drawing, what the law says goes in a literal sense. â€Å"when it says no law, it means no law. The â€Å"two-tier theory,† associated with the late political philosopher Alexander Meiklejohn? The press may say anything about the government. The â€Å"line-drawing† position, held by most judges? Establishing a number of standards to guide them between permissible and impermissible forms of free expression. What is meant by the â€Å"preferred freedoms† concept? First amendment freedoms should be given potential treatment by the court because they are essential in a democratic society. What is â€Å"commercial speech?† Speech done on behalf of an individual or a co mpany in order to produce a profit. Why did John Stuart Mill oppose censorship in his classic work, On Liberty? John Stuart Mill believes that the majority should not always influence the minority because if the majority is wrong, then the truth goes unheard, but if the majority is right, then the minority doesn’t understand why they are wrong. What is the argument against the suppression of ideas that we find not only unpopular, but even hateful? All ideas must be allowed, even if those ideas are sexist, racist, or angering. If, as judges say, the line must be drawn somewhere and free expression is not an absolute value, then what guidelines have they used to draw that line? Anything can be said, even violent things, as long as there is no evidence of intention to commit lawless acts. The right to swing your arms ends right as my nose begins. What is the â€Å"clear and present danger doctrine† (Schenck v. U.S.)? Enacted during WWI which created the Espionage act, where nobody could say anything that interfered with allied war efforts like encouraging young men to dodge the draft, or any other armed forces recruiting. The â€Å"evil tendency test† (Gitlow v. New York )? The government does not protect the expression which created a tendency toward illegal actions. The â€Å"clear and probable danger test† (Dennis v. U.S.)? The law prohibited the advocacy to overthrow the U.S. government and the conspiracy as well. What did the Supreme Court rule in the Smith Act cases of the 1950s? it is illegal to violently overthrow a government. 70 communists were convicted after this was established. What was the significance of Yates v. U.S.? Mere theoretical advocacy to overthrow the U.S. government by force and violence was a judicially protected right. What is the difference between liberty and license? Liberty means freedom under law ( the right to do something as long as nobody is hurt.) License is an abuse of liberty( such as libelous publication or slanderous speech). What is meant by the doctrine of â€Å"no prior restraint† on publication? A doctrine that states that published material does not have to be pre-screened in order to be published and viewed by the public. What was the significance of Near v. Minnesota? The court ruled that the press gag law was unconstitutional due to the fact that it restricts freedom of the press. New York Times-Washington Post v. U.S.? These newspapers published pentagon papers that were a study of the U.S. decision making in the Vietnam War. It embarrassed the President and the government. This resulted in the lifting of the district court’s restraining order on the press due to the failure to prove that publication of the documents jeopardized national security. How and when can First Amendment values collide with those of the Sixth Amendment? The right of the defendant in a criminal case to a fair trial by an impartial jury of his or her peers. Sometimes, judges have concluded, the press has cond ucted trial by newspaper. What are restrictive orders, called â€Å"gag orders† by the media? The court’s force of the media to withhold certain information from being published for varying circumstances that may hinder a current court case or could cause damage to someone’s (possibly the government’s) reputation What steps can trial judges take to protect the rights of the accused? Through â€Å"right to reply laws†, closing court rooms to the media, and implementing gag orders on certain subjects. Do reporters enjoy a â€Å"privileged† relationship with their sources? The supreme court says no, but there are shield laws that allows reporters to withhold certain information. What is the meaning of the phrase â€Å"burning the source?† Giving up the identity of a journalist’s source so that person can be questioned in court. Can reporters be held in contempt of court and jailed for refusal to turn over notes, tapes, or to offer testimony when so ordered (Branzburg v. Hayes)? Yes What, in theory, is the problem with â€Å"shield laws?† Some believe that it is a mistake to let the government grant immunity, this implies that the state can also withdrawal it. Can judges close their courtrooms to the press and public during preliminary proceedings (Gannett v. DePasquale)? Yes. Can judges close down a trial itself, excluding media and public (Richmond Newspapers v. Virginia)? No, the right to attend criminal trials is implicit in the grantee of the first amendment. Do television cameras in the courtroom prevent the defendant from receiving a fair trial? Sometimes, in the pre-trial stage, the jury is permeated with information about the case that will not allow a fair trial. What did the Supreme Court rule in Estes v. Texas and Chandler v. Florida? The overturning of the swindling conviction of petitioner Billy Sol Estes, holding that his 14th Amendment due process rights were violated by the publicity associated with the pretrial hearing. For Chandler v. Florida Canon cameras and electronic media are permitted in the judicial proceedings subject to the control of the presiding judge. When are TV cameras permitted in the courtroom today? Always, but it can be taken away by the presiding judge’s accord. What is the situation with respect to Federal courts? Cameras are not allowed in federal courts. Do political candidates have the â€Å"right to reply† to editorial attacks by the media? Yes. What happened to the Florida law giving them such a right when it was challenged in Miami Herald v. Tornillo? It was immediately stricken down because a newspaper involves a â€Å"crucial process† of editorial judgment that may not be regulated by the state. What is meant by â€Å"symbolic free expression?† Expressing ideas by silent, non-verbal communication. What did the Supreme Court rule in the draft-card burning case (OBrien v. U.S.)? It was criminally illegal. Tinker v. Des Moines? Wearing black arm-bands in protest of Vietnam could not be outlawed because this form of expression is silent and caused little disruption. Do Americans have the right to burn the flag? Currently, Yes. What did the Supreme Court rule in Texas v. Johnson? It is legal free speech to desecrate a flag. U.S. v. Eichman? Flag desecration is a form of constitutional free speech. What was the fate of the Flag Protection Amendment? It fell 1 vote short with 66 for and 34 against. Only 3 republicans opposed it. How did Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton vote on the measure? They both opposed the amendment. What are â€Å"fighting words?† Inflammatory speech inviting violence, which are not protected by the 1st and 14th amendments. Calling a policeman a fascist is an example. What is â€Å"hate speech?† Speech that arouses anger, alarm, and resentment toward others on the basis of race, gender, creed, color, and religion. What did the Court decide in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul (1992) and Virginia v. Black (2003)? Supreme court ruled that the city statute against cross burning is unconstitutional, it interferes with free speech rights. For Virginia v. Black, the court ruled that making a law against cross burning is not unconstitutional, but cross burning cannot be considered prima facie evidence of intent to discriminate. What did the Supreme Court rule in Snyder v. Phelps in 2011? Speech on the sidewalk about a public issue cannot be liable for a tort of emotional distress, even if the speech is outrageous. Court ruled 8-1 about it. Should free speech include the right to carry signs reading â€Å"God Hates Fags,† â€Å"Thank God for Dead Soldiers,† â€Å"Thank God for 9-11?† No. Have some universities, such as the University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin, gone too far in banning offensive speech (ethnic and racial slurs), according to the Federal courts? Yes, they are in violation of the first amendment. What is libel? Libel is false printed or broadcast statements that intend to damage someone’s reputation. Slander? False statements made by someone looking to damage someone else’s reputation. What are the main elements which must be established to have â€Å"actionable libel?† defamation, identification, publication, and fault. What are the main defenses used by media in libel cases? That freedom of the press is paramount in a democratic society. What was the significance of New York Times v. Sullivan? It set a standard that one cannot sue a newspaper for libel unless one can address that he/she was the defamed party. What is â€Å"actual malice?† libelous remarks with knowledge that the remarks were false, or that there was lack of disregard on whether or not the remark was true. What is â€Å"hot news† (AP.v.Walker)? news that is current and controversial, but not always journalistically accurate. What is the â€Å"prudent publisher rule† (Butts v. Curtis Publishing Co.)? Publishers must follow the professional standards of journalism. This included verification of facts, particularly when the deadline is less than monumental. What part of the Bill of Rights guarantees American citizens â€Å"Freedom of Assembly?† First amendment.m Freedom of Association? First amendment. Can cities require permits for parades, sound trucks and demonstrations? Yes Under what circumstances? To ensure peace and tranquility. Why did the ACLU argue on behalf of the Nazis in the Skokie, Illinois, case? They believed the Nazi’s potential to incite violence among the Jewish community did not warrant oppression of the right to assemble. Why was the Roberts Court’s 2010 decision striking down part of the McCain-Feingold (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission) so controversial? It allowed corporations to fund ads and movies for and against presidential candidates. How did President Obama react to the decision? He was very mad. He said foreign businesses are going to be funding these commercials now. What impact has this decision had on American elections? It has allowed much more money to be spent on elections. Rich corporations could potentially control an election. What was the impact of the courts striking down the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Act? It left a lot of people angry. Stating that it was meant to level the playing field, not restrict Free Speech. Those who opposed the law said in a democracy, campaigning is not supposed to be a game.

Drill Press :: essays research papers

Drilling holes is something most of us have done, whether as part of a hobby, or for our jobs. One of the basic tools for the homeowner, the handyman, or a contractor is an electric drill. While hand-held power drills are some of the most used tools in the box, they are not necessarily the most accurate. When you need an exact hole drilled at a precise angle, or maybe a hundred of these holes, then the tool you want is a Drill Press. The drill press is a larger version of a hand drill with additional features. The main difference is the amount of structure, with a hand drill, it is difficult to be sure that the holes you are drilling are exactly perpendicular to the piece, but this is not a problem with the drill press. Drill presses are stationary shop tools that are designed to drill precise holes. The operating principle is the same as for a hand-held power drill, a motor turning a drill bit, but the emphasis here is on accuracy as opposed to utility. The drill press is not a very large machine, but it has quite a bit of flexibility built into it. Using the table, you can work on a part that is two or three feet long. But the table can be moved out of the way if you have parts longer than that. You will notice that the table has T-slots on it. On most drill presses there are similar T-slots on the base, so you can move the table out of the way and you have what is a second table, but placed much lower and giving you a lot more room. A useful feature your drill press might have is a XY table. Normally when you are working on a part, you need to be sure the piece is placed on the table in an exact location before you clamp it down. This is often difficult and takes several tried before you get it right. With an XY table, since the entire table is adjustable, you can clamp down the piece anywhere and then move the table into position. It is called an XY table because there are two wheels, on which moves it forward and backwards, and another that moves it left and right. A drill press is a fairly robust machine but it does have its limitations. Drill Press :: essays research papers Drilling holes is something most of us have done, whether as part of a hobby, or for our jobs. One of the basic tools for the homeowner, the handyman, or a contractor is an electric drill. While hand-held power drills are some of the most used tools in the box, they are not necessarily the most accurate. When you need an exact hole drilled at a precise angle, or maybe a hundred of these holes, then the tool you want is a Drill Press. The drill press is a larger version of a hand drill with additional features. The main difference is the amount of structure, with a hand drill, it is difficult to be sure that the holes you are drilling are exactly perpendicular to the piece, but this is not a problem with the drill press. Drill presses are stationary shop tools that are designed to drill precise holes. The operating principle is the same as for a hand-held power drill, a motor turning a drill bit, but the emphasis here is on accuracy as opposed to utility. The drill press is not a very large machine, but it has quite a bit of flexibility built into it. Using the table, you can work on a part that is two or three feet long. But the table can be moved out of the way if you have parts longer than that. You will notice that the table has T-slots on it. On most drill presses there are similar T-slots on the base, so you can move the table out of the way and you have what is a second table, but placed much lower and giving you a lot more room. A useful feature your drill press might have is a XY table. Normally when you are working on a part, you need to be sure the piece is placed on the table in an exact location before you clamp it down. This is often difficult and takes several tried before you get it right. With an XY table, since the entire table is adjustable, you can clamp down the piece anywhere and then move the table into position. It is called an XY table because there are two wheels, on which moves it forward and backwards, and another that moves it left and right. A drill press is a fairly robust machine but it does have its limitations.

Women of the Medieval Period

Women during Medieval Times: Imagine living your life as a women during the Medieval times. No personal or legal freedom, you can not do anything with out having permission from a male in your family. In this paper I am going to talk about what life was like for the women who lived through the medieval period compared to women living today in the 20th century. Living life during the medieval period was much different than the life we live today for many reasons, but especially being a women. Women during the medieval period were below men, they were ruled by the males in their families, or once married by their husbands. They were to obey and serve the male family members. Girls that did not respect and do what the men said, were beaten, and not obeying the men was considered a religious crime. But women with a lot of land were considered equal to men and had the same rights a men. If the wives husband dies, the wife would be responsible for taking care of the large estate. At this time it was believed that the purpose for women was the be servants for the males, do as they say, take care of the house, and have to children and take care of them. Marriage at this time was much different than what we think of marriage today. During this time, you did not mary because you were in love with someone. The reasoning for marriage during medieval period was just the opposite. Most of the time you did not get to choose who you were going to be marrying, it was arranged by the families, depending on wealth. The law said that the males had full rights over his wife, once you were married, your husband owned you. The wife was the husbands property. Duties of wives during this time were to take care of the house and have children. A married women would usually have anywhere from four to eight children, and normally one will die. Women on average would live to about fourty years of age. Marie de France, a noble French women, was the first female writer from France. She wrote the story, Laustic which is a story of two knights and their wives and the love scandal they have going on between their homes. In this story, the wife of one of the knights is in love with a knight that lives in the house next to her and her husbands. This knight is also in love with her. Every night the women gets out of bed with her husband and goes to her bedroom window which looks at the knights house, and they look at each other and talk. The women's husband begins to notice her out of bed and at the window ever night. He asked her the reasoning for this and she says that she is listening to a bird, because it brings her much joy. Her husband gets angry at this and tell his servants to kill the bird. They do so and bring it to him, where he kills it with his bare hands. He then throws the dead bird at his wife. She is very upset that he would do such a thing, but the woman can not do anything about this. She can not disobey her husband, or let him know that she is in love with another man. She has no choice but to stay with him and do as he says. In todays world, sadly if you are married and are not happy, or are in love with someone else you get a divorce, and its over, you move on. During the medieval time never would you ever hear of a women not happy with her husband so she left him. Today women have every right that men do. You can say and do pretty much anything you want. Women today can get the same education that men can, but during medieval times, most women did not get any education.

Psychological Mindsets in the Black Cat, My Last Duchess

The reality of life is that at some point it will all come to an end. End, one referencing it to when one is pronounced dead. Since death is unavoidable, we must take into account death because it is the finalization of our lives spent on this earth as well as an account of the way we left this world. There are numerous ways that one can leave this world, some die peacefully while others may die by force.The following will reveal the psychological mindsets concerning death as depicted in Poe’s â€Å"The Black Cat†, Browning’s â€Å"My Last Duchess†, and Dickinson’s â€Å"Because I could not Stop for Death†, and the ramifications of perverseness, pride, and eternity In â€Å"The Black Cat,† Poe uses perverseness to explain the narrator’s pursuit to murder Pluto, the black cat, and eventually his wife. The narrator had once loved animals, but alcoholism contributed to his change of temperament and irritableness, which led to the a buse of his pets and his wife.His reasoning for gouging Pluto’s eyes out, and then murdering the animal was because it loved him as he rejected it. The narrator had a sense of self-loathing and self-hatred that made him want to continue doing wrong to Pluto, which we identify to be: This spirit of perverseness, I say, came to my final overthrow. It was this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself-to offer violence to its own nature- to do wrong for the wrong’ssake only- that urged me to continue finally to consummate the injury I had inflicted upon the unoffending brute (Poe 138).After the death of Pluto, another cat who resembles Pluto, but with an added splotch of white fur becomes the narrators’ new pet, which fills the void of the narrator’s loss of Pluto. The new cat begins to disgust the narrator: â€Å"By slow degrees these feelings of disgust and annoyance rose into the bitterness of hatred†¦I came to look upon it with unutterable loa thing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as from the breath of a pestilence†(Poe 140). The narrator doesn’t inflict harm on the cat for a while because it reminds him of Pluto and his evil deed.Although, the narrator feels shame and guilt he is not remorseful of his actions due to his perverse spirit because really: â€Å"Evil thoughts became my sole inmates-the darkest and most evil thoughts. The moodiness of my usual temper increased to hatred of all things and all of mankind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Poe 141). The narrator’s soul, which is full of madness and hatred, led him one day while his wife came with him to run some errands into the cellar, to attack the cat in rage. The cat had somehow made the narrator trip as he followed them into the cellar and this ignited fury from the narrator’s soul.His wife stopped his attempt to hit the cat with an axe and because of his wife’s actions, his madness shifted: â€Å"Goaded by the interference in to a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain† (Poe 141). Poe uses the principle of perverseness in many of his other works as well as â€Å"The Black Cat† to portray: â€Å"To an ambiguous balancing of forces of attraction and repulsion (the seductive pull towards self destruction)† (Ketterer 28).This is the reason why the narrator’s perverse spirit caused him to murder with not much of a thought of remorse, but that he had committed a deadly sin, in which he found comfort in because what he was doing was leading him to his own self-destruction. Also, the narrator can be depicted as a victim to his mind, which led him to murder because when one reads Poe’s stories there tends to be an account where: â€Å"the imaging, then verbal expression create the fiend that overtakes the narrator’s reason†¦. ccording to the story’s analysis of the souls faculties, the human imagination crea tes a tangible, readily perceptible being† (Bieganowski 176-177). The narrator can be considered a victim, because the reader can sympathize that he is helpless and sick to the perverse spirit that becomes his nature. The narrator constantly in his mind goes through the continuous tugging between right and wrong and good and evil, till he finally wants it all to stop and in his mind, everything is distorted to do evil, in order to cease the tugging.In â€Å"My Last Duchess,† Browning uses the motive of pride to provide the Duke of Ferra’s reasoning for why he has his wife killed. In the beginning of the poem, the Duke of Ferra is addressing an ambassador, when he brings up a painting on the wall of his last Duchess. As his last Duchess is depicted, the Duke describes her as finding pleasure in the little things and not of the things he gave her. Furthermore she did not value his name nor admire him.By the start of the poem, the Duke of Ferra has shown his own ins ecurities about his last Duchess because he couldn’t control her and therefore the picture of her on the wall is now his dominance over her. As the duke talks of his Duchess, her actions in someway displeased him as she did a number of things wrong: â€Å"A heart-how shall I say? -too soon made glad, too easily impressed†¦somehow-I know not how-as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name†(Browning 513). The Duke of Ferra is possessive, as well as arrogant and proud in nature.Due to his character and mania the Duke took everything his Duchess did as an offence because he wasn’t in control and so his pride led him to believe: Even had you skill in speech-which I have not-to make yourwill quite clear to such an one, and say you disgust me; hereyou miss, or there you exceed the mark-and if she let herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse-even then would be some stooping; and I choose never to stoop (Brow ning 513).The Duke of Ferra justifies killing his wife before even mentioning that he has had her killed because in the Duke’s mind he see’s the Duchess’ smiles as incriminating. He thinks this because she didn’t just smile for him, but others as well, which is one of the jealousies that consumes him. The Duke’s jealous and possessive nature arouses his mania to be in complete control of a being, in this case his last Duchess. With all the Duke’s frustrations and concerns about his last Duchess off his chest and because of his own sense of pride for her to be what he wanted her to be: â€Å" I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together.There she stands as if alive† (Browning 513). The Duke refers to his last Duchess as standing there as if she was alive as a means to show his vain character. When the narrator looks at his last Duchess, he doesn’t just see in the painting the picture of her, but the painting is just another valued object, in which he is proud to possess. As pride is depicted for why the narrator went so far as to have his last Duchess murdered, the narrator’s actions can be self-evaluated to constitute the emotion of pride that overcame his judgment.With emotions there is more than the substantial basis to how one feels: â€Å"They are adaptive patterns of behavior arising from a person’s appraised relation to ongoing events†¦ beginning with appraisals of notable changes in an individual’s goals, motives, or concerns (Tangey and Fischer 65-66). From this explanation of emotions, the narrator adapted his sense of pride from his careful watch of his wife as more and more things that she did offended him. The narrator took into consideration every action his wife did from her smiles to her otal unawareness of the narrator’s notable name. Also from the explanation of emotions one can understand why the narrator didn’t simply just have his wife murd ered swiftly when he was displeased with her the first time. The narrator came to a gradual decision to have his wife murdered because of his emotions of pride and the sense of mania that grew from the displeasure of the ongoing events of his last Duchess, which lead him to believe what he couldn’t control, was a problem.Therefore, the narrator murders his wife due to the emotion of pride, which is defined: On the basis of a growing literature, we suggest that pride is generated by appraisals that one is responsible for a socially valued outcome or for being a socially valued person. Pride comprises action tendencies to present one’s worthy self or action to others such as a broad smile, beaming face, erect posture, celebratory gestures or comments, and comments that call attention to the self’s accomplishment. Internal reac-tions include increased heart rate and skin conductance as well as an erratic respiration.The subjective experience of pride involves an ex perience of one’s body or self as taller, stronger or bigger (Tangey and Fischer 66). In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death,† Dickinson uses death to depict a seducing trip to eternity. From the first lines of the poem they predict the courteous and smooth passage from death to a place of eternity: â€Å" Because I could not stop for Death- He kindly stopped for me- the Carriage held but just ourselveles- And Immortality â€Å"(Dickinson 541). The Carriage driver is then depicted as being civil and courteous to the narrator.As the carriage driver is taking her closer and closer to death, the narrator passes childhood like memories till eventually they stop at her grave: â€Å"We passed the school, where Children strove at recess-in the Ring†¦we passed the Setting Sun- or rather-He passed Us†( Dickinson 541). Then the narrator describes what she is wearing, which is a gossamer, a tippet, and a tulle that shows she is under dressed because she begins to quiver and expresses the sudden chilliness. Then the carriage driver stops. One can imagine it’s a stop at the grave for we can conclude that the scenario is now darker and colder.The narrator uses the description of the house to depict the grave. The whole stop is the actual death of the narrator. The last stanza talks about the horse’s head that is pointed to eternity. This last part is in recognition that the narrator is guessing she’s headed towards eternity. We can infer that this whole experience for the narrator was a natural occurrence. We can also infer that since the carriage driver was courteous and civil, and created the whole attraction to death, that the narrator is going towards eternity.Furthermore since death for the narrator was a positive experience we can conclude that she will reach eternity. The occurrence of death in this story is linked to eternity. When one thinks of eternity it is a positive thought to what happens after our death. T herefore the whole experience of the carriage driver taking the narrator to her death had to symbolize the positive place that she would go next. This poem uses the seductive and attractive nature of the carriage driver to lure the narrator to her death, to the point where she doesn’t realize that she is dying because it came so naturally.The carriage driver is the male persona in this poem, because he creates a gentleman like approach to the narrator. To Dickinson death was an important part of many of her works. Emily Dickinson had an obsession for what happens after this life. This is one of the main inspirations for why most of Dickinson poems and stories revolve around death. This poem specifically â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death,† uses her ideology: â€Å" For Dickinson, thought does not stop just because death cannot or does not appear.Thus the thought-poem proceeds to â€Å"figure death out† in at least two ways, both of which rely on narrative ly precise imagery: one facing death†¦two the poet enacts through imagery the leap into the unknown of death† (Deppman 3). In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† Dickinson also uses: This category of personification carries two implications: first, that death becomes positive, becomes a thing or person and not an ab- sence or cessation, and second, that there is a relation of self to another beyond death (Death, the gentleman).All of the above maybe interpreted as strategies for a â€Å"creative† death-into-life approach (Nesteruk 28-29). Death was used in the stories of â€Å"The Black Cat,† â€Å"My Last Duchess,† and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death†. The psychological mindset of death depicted in each story or poem explained why the narrator or the protagonist acted the way they did. In â€Å"The Black Cat,† Poe created a narrator whose perverse spirit led him to not only murder his cat, but his wife as well, in this mind debilitating circumstance where the narrator is leading a life towards self-destruction.In â€Å"My Last Duchess,† the Duke’s pride drove him to murder his last Duchess and possess her as a painting that he is proud to own. In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death,† Dickinson uses a carriage drive to seduce the narrator towards her death, then eventually eternity. Works Cited Page * DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print. * Ketterer, David. Edgar Allan Poe Life,Work, and Criticism. Canada: York Press, 1989. Print. * Tangey, June P. , and Fischer, Kurt W. Self-Conscious Emotions:The Psychology of Shame, Guilt. Embarrassment, and Pride. New York: 1995.Print. * Bieganowski, Ronald. â€Å"The Self-Consuming Narrator In Poe's â€Å"Ligeia† And â€Å"Usher. † American Literature 60. 2 (1988): 175. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. * Nesteruk, Peter. â€Å"The Many Deaths of Emily Dickinson. † Emily Dickinson Journal 6. 1 (1997): 25-43. Project Muse. Spring 1997. Web. 28 Nov 2012. * Deppman, Jed. â€Å" Dickinson, Death, and the Sublime† Emily Dickinson Journal 9. 1 (2000):1-20. Print. * Schubert, Johan. â€Å" Between eternity and transience: On the significance of time in psycholoanalysis† 26 May. 2001. Web. 28 November. 2012 14 Research Paper English 1100C-7 Professor De Marco November 19, 2012

The Science of Muddling Through Essays

The Science of Muddling Through Essays The Science of Muddling Through Paper The Science of Muddling Through Paper Enz (2010) argue that in order to sustain a competitive advantage, companies should implement innovative ideas rather than limit their actions to what is already known. Successful strategies can emerge in changing times from employees at lower levels of the organization. A strategy is emergent in absence of intentions (Segal-Horn 2004). It is a more intuitive process. Letting strategies emerge means that strategies must evolve incrementally over time, allowing flexibility in the organization, ensuring they are not forced in to specific pre-set action (De Wit and Meyer 2005). The Science of Muddling Through written by Lindblom (1959) initiated this train of thought, suggesting that government policies are not written in a controlled or orderly manner. Further implying policymakers attempt to cope with issues out with their ability. Mintzberg describes strategy as a pattern in a stream of actions and decisions (Mintzberg and Waters 1998, p. 1). He uses the word pattern to explain the fact that strategies do not always follow a chosen plan but may emerge, as a result of the strategists intuition and insight. Furthermore individuals throughout the organization are involved in the emergence of strategy indicating that within the strategic process there are multiple contributors. A lot of emergent theorists argue that strategy does not come from the top. Mintzberg found that the strategy is formed informally, when employees interact with each other (at the coffee machine for example) about the needs of clients. Over time, patterns of behavior can be created in various parts of the organization and will be formalized later (Sloan 2006). Employees, whatever their rank in a business can contribute to strategy process. For example, a group of saleswomen who decide to sell one product in particular can change the firms market position (Segal-Horn 2004). Spender and Strong (2010) also argue that most great ideas for the corporate growth come from the persons who serve the customers and daily fight for the companys success: the employees. Companies that have managed in making innovation part of their strategy did so by using the knowledge and ideas of their employees, whatever the ranks. They did that through what Spender and Strong (2010) call innovation communities. Innovation communities grow from an idea, a desire (for a new product, market and so on) from top management and then a forum of employees work together to implement the project. Many writers, as Spender and Strong (2000) or Thompson and Strickland (2004), believe that it is essential to involve as many people as possible of different ranks and positions, in order to aid adherence for future projects. For example, Eisai Co, the Japanese pharmaceutical company, has organized many innovation communities to consider a new structure of medicine for Alzheimers disease (jelly-like substance, easier to swallow) and devise social programs for the families of Alzheimers victims. All employees participated in this project and spent time with patients because the company believes that it can inspire employees and be at the origin of creative ideas. But the most important and difficult thing is to establish a dialogue where everyone says freely what he thinks, without concerns about hierarchy or fear of being judged. That is why certain measures are taken; for example, ensure that group leaders do not have direct control over wage and promotions of the participants (Spender and Strong 2000). In short, collaborative efforts are very helpful to the implementation of emergent strategy. Peng (2009) also argues that emergent strategy is based on a flow of small decisions from the bottom up. Enz (2010) and Mintzberg et al (1998) believe that top managers need to consider and learn from past mistakes to implement a strategy. This way, the company can avoid making the same mistakes than in the past. Stettinius et al (2005) argue that a strategy, in every organization, should evolve over time in responses to events and learning from experiences. It is a crafting process where lessons are learned from the past which influence the new decisions. Mintzberg (1987) used the metaphor of the potter working the clay to illustrate the process of strategy. In his metaphor, managers are craftsmen and strategy is their clay. The crafting image allows a better understanding of how effective strategies are developed. The potter (and so, the manager) feels things rather than analyze them. Indeed, according to Mintzberg, the potter works the clay to discover new opportunities and has an intimate knowledge of her work. The work of the mind and hands cannot be separated: there is a vital link between think and act (which is different from the design school). Creative strategies evolve through a process of learning (Mintzberg 1987). The danger with that emergent approach is that the objectives lack clarity, they are not well defined. Thus, it is more difficult to evaluate and measure performance (Campbell et al 2002; Mintzberg et al 1998). A strategy can be thought of in two different ways (Enz 2010, Grant 2010, Peng 2009, Lynch 2009): As a long term set of goals designed as an organizational plan which are adhered to or a more adaptable strategy where decisions are made over time in or in conjunction with changing circumstances. However, these two views are not mutually exclusive. The Umbrella Strategy, defined by Mintzberg and Waters (1985), is not only deliberate and emergent but also deliberately emergent because the central leadership creates conditions that allow strategies to emerge. Indeed, leaders have only partial control over the members of the organization. General directives for behavior are defined, but the actors in the organization can operate within these limits: strategies can emerge within these boundaries. Thus, the outlines are deliberate (for example to diversify) but the details can emerge afterward (how, when and so on). The following example, described by Enz (2010) shows how strategic analysis can guide a firm and how emergent strategy leads to creative solutions and new ideas. Starwood Hotels Resorts (Westin brand) began its strategic process by leading a marketing study (600 business executives who travel often were interviewed). The results mainly showed that over 60% believe the most important service a hotel can provide is a good nights sleep. 84 percent said that a luxurious bed would make the room more attractive. Westin then tested the beds from 35 hotel chains and they finally developed its own prototype: the Heavenly Bed (five designed pillows, mattresses and goose down comforter ). The beds, once designed and tested, were introduced with a well-planned marketing strategy. An American daily newspaper published an article on this subject and the same day, 20 Heavenly Bed were lined up on Wall Street. The general manager of Starwood Hotels Resorts invited passersby to try them by proclaiming: Work like the devil, sleep like an angel. During the first week of launching, 32 people called Starwood to ask where they could buy the bed. Westin realized that there was an opportunity. They then put catalogs and order cards in each room, and created a website. 5 years after the launching of Heavenly Bed, 20 000 pillows and 3500 beds ($ 2,965 each) were sold. When Starwood launched this concept the strategy was first deliberate, but the ability to provide retail sales was unexpected. This opportunity led to an emergent strategy and a successful retail strategy. As the example demonstrates, injecting strategic thinking into the strategic planning process is very effective. Strategies are often a mix of deliberate and emergent strategies (Grant 2010, Enz 2010, Peng 2009, Lynch 2009). As Mintzberg and Waters (1985) argue, the purely emergent strategy is as rare as the purely deliberate one. The merely emergent strategy implies that the strategy is made without any control (which can be really risky for a firm) while no learning would take place in a merely deliberate strategy. In every company, these two simultaneous processes are always operating (Stettinius et al 2005, Campbell et al 2002, Grant 2010, Mintzberg and Waters 1985). Basically, strategic management is all that is required to position an organization in order to guarantee its long-term survival. The creative process is an intuitive approach that can lead to a new idea, product, and so one. The strategic management and the creative process, contrary to what we might think, are similar. Indeed, they are consisting of the same four major phases: analysis, creation of objectives, a moment of pure creativity where ideas arise, and control. Finally, strategic management is a creative process (where creativity and analytical thinking are complementary) through which strategy can emerge in response to an evolving situation and, at the same time, can be calculated. In the strategy process, systematic analysis is crucial (within deliberate or emergent strategy). Indeed, for stakeholders, it would not be acceptable to say that the strategy simply emerges. On the other hand, theories and analysis tools cannot be substituted to experience and creativity, which are essential to implement a successful strategy (Grant 2010). However, one strategy could be favored over the other one depending on the market, but both approaches are necessary if an organization wants to succeed: We shall get nowhere without emergent learning alongside deliberate planning (Mintzberg 1996, cited in Enz 2010 p. 158). Reference list Bilton, C. and Cummings, S. 2010. Creative Strategy: Reconnecting Business and Innovation. 3th ed. Sussex: John Wiley Sons. Campbell, D. , Stonehouse, G. and Houston, B. 2002. Business Strategy: An introduction. 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. 2005. Strategy Synthesis: Resolving strategy paradoxes to create competitive advantage. 2nd ed. London: Thomson. Dess, G. , Lumpkin, G. T. and Taylor, M. L. 2005. Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Elena Ceausescu, Wife of Romanian Dictator

Elena Ceausescu, Wife of Romanian Dictator Known for: role of influence and power in her husbands dictatorship in Romania Occupation: politician, scientistDates: January 7, 1919 - December 25, 1989Also known as: Elena Petruscu; nickname Lenuta Elena Ceausescu Biography Elena Ceausescu came from a small village where her father was a farmer who also sold goods out of the home. Elena was failing in school and left after the fourth grade; according to some sources, she was expelled for cheating. She worked in a lab then in a textile factory. She became active in the Union Communist Youth and then in the Romanian Communist Party. Marriage Elena met Nicolai Ceausescu in 1939 and married him in 1946. He was a staff member with the army at the time. She worked as a secretary in a government office as her husband rose to power. Nicolai Ceausescu became first secretary of the party in March 1965 and president of the State Council (head of state) in 1967. Elena Ceausescu began to be held up as a model for women in Romania. She was officially given the title The Best Mother Romania Could Have.  From 1970 to 1989, her image was carefully created, and a cult of personality was encouraged around both Elena and Nicolai Ceausescu. Given Recognition Elena Ceausescu was given many honors for work in polymer chemistry, claiming education from the College of Industrial Chemistry and the Polytechnic Institute, Bucharest. She was made chairman of Romanias main chemistry research lab. Her name was put on academic papers actually written by Romanian scientists. She was chairman of the National Council of Science and Technology. In 1990, Elena Ceausescu was named deputy premier.  The power wielded by the Ceausescus led  the  University of Bucharest to grant her a Ph.D. in chemistry Elena Ceausescu's Policies Elena Ceausescu is usually assumed to be responsible for two policies which in the 1970s and 1980s, coupled with some of her husbands policies, were disastrous. Romania under the Ceausescu regime outlawed both abortion  and birth control, with Elena Ceausescus urging. Women under the age of 40 were required to have at least four children, later five Nikolai Ceausescus policies, including that of exporting much of the agricultural and industrial output of the country, caused extreme poverty and hardship for most citizens. Families could not support so many children. Women sought illegal abortions or gave children up to state-run orphanages. Eventually, parents were paid to give children to the orphanages; Nikolai Ceausescu planned to create a Romanian Workers Army from these orphans. However, the orphanages had few nurses and had food shortages, causing emotional and physical problems for the children. The Ceausescus endorsed a medical answer to the weakness of many children: blood transfusions. The poor conditions in orphanages meant that these transfusions were often done with shared needles, resulting, predictably and sadly, in AIDS being widespread among the orphans. Elena Ceausescu was head of the state health commission which concluded that AIDS could not exist in Romania. Collapse of the Regime Anti-government demonstrations in 1989 led to a sudden collapse of the Ceausescu regime, and Nikolai and Elena were tried on December 25 by a military tribunal and executed later that day by a firing squad.

Management Role Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Role - Assignment Example How mny trining progrms tell them how to pply this fund of knowledge This problem is common to ledership selection s well s to ledership trining, nd I shll discuss tht in the pper tht follows. Mngers selection is the decision process by which pplicnts re ssigned to one of two possible outcomes (e.g., "hire" vs. "do not hire"). The decision could be with regrd to hiring for prticulr job or prticulr clss of jobs. Mngers clssifiction refers to decision process tht requires ech individul to be either not hired or hired nd then ssigned to one of two or more job lterntives. Tht is, if individuls re hired, there re lterntive job ssignments for which they could be considered. If there exist some set of ssignment decision rules tht will yield more benefit to the orgniztion thn rndom ssignment, then there exists potentil clssifiction gin. Consequently, the benefits from improving selection nd clssifiction procedures cn ccrue from two mjor sources. Better selection would bring in people whose predicted benefit would be higher, no mtter wht the job ssignment (i.e., verged cross ll the different jobs they could tke). Better clssifiction would, for ll those people hired, chieve better "fit" of individuls with different chrcteristics to jobs with different requirements. The more ny orgniztion cn lern bout the benefits nd costs of lterntive methods for selecting nd clssifying the individuls who pply, the more effective its personnel mngement systems cn be. Idelly, personnel mngement would benefit most from complete simultion of the entire system tht would permit full rnge of "wht if" questions focused on the effects of chnges in () lbor supply, (b) recruiting procedures, (c) selection nd clssifiction mesures, (d) decision-mking lgorithms, (e) pplicnt preferences, (f) vrious orgniztionl constrints, nd (g) orgniztionl gols (e.g.. mximizing ggregte performnce, chieving certin distribution of individul performnce in ech job, minimizing ttrition, minimizing discipline problems, or mximizing morle). Further, it would be desirble to hve good estimte of the specific costs involved when ech prmeter is chnged. However, describing, or "modeling" effective selection nd clssifiction in lrge orgniztion is complex business. When considering ll the vritions in ll the relevnt components, there my be dozens, or even hundreds, of lterntive models. lso, there is lwys t lest one constrint on mngers decision-mking specific to the orgniztion, which complictes the decision model even further. The overll complexity of ny rel-world personnel mngement sitution is such tht it probbly cnnot be fully modeled by currently vilble nlytic methods (Cmpbell, 1990). It my not be possible even to describe ll the potentil prmeters tht influence the outcomes of rel-world selection procedure. However, for purposes of setting the context for this series of projects, we strt by simply listing some of the mjor prmeters of selection nd clssifiction decision-mking tht we do know bout, nd the principl implictions of ech. The Gol(s) of Selection By definition, selection nd clssifiction decision procedures re implemented to chieve prticulr objective, or set of objectives. Identifying the objective(s) for the selection system is the most criticl ingredient in the design of the

The Stock Plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Stock Plans - Essay Example The major difference between the two accounting methods is that the intrinsic value based method overstates the income of the company. This method does not reveal the fair value of the stock, whereas the fair value based method, which is also recommended by FASB is based upon the estimated fair value of the company’s stock. Amount Of Compensation Under a stock options plan, 100 shares were offered to each employee that was purchased or exercised at $45 per share i.e., the grant price. The stock options would cost them $4500 ($45x100). However, the current market price of the stock is $60, which makes $6000 ($60x100) if sold in the market. The shares would obviously be sold on the current market value and hence each employee would get the difference ($6000-$4500) between the grant price and the current market value. The total amount of compensation that each employee would get is $1500 making the total compensation of $3000 paid by the company to two employees. Recording Of Sto ck Options In XYZ’s books The US GAAP requires the companies to expense out the employee stock options on the fair or intrinsic value, as well as disclose it in the company’s financial statements, which is supposed to decrease the company’s earnings significantly. Therefore, an expense will be recorded in the books of XYZ Corporation against the amount of employee stock options as per the accounting practice of FASB and the corresponding expense will be disclosed in the company’s financial statements.