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Monday, September 30, 2019

Statistical Package For Social Sciences Education Essay

This chapter shall show the information gathered in the study and interview conducted by the research worker. The quantitative consequences gathered undergone assorted statistical trials through the usage of Statistical Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS ) . The qualitative informations obtained from the interviews were discussed and analysed in relation to the bing literature. Cronbach ‘s Alpha Normally, the Cronbach ‘s Alpha dependability coefficient ranges between 0-1. However, there is no existent bound for the coefficient. The closer Cronbach ‘s alpha coefficient is to 1.0 the greater the internal consistence of the points in the graduated table. Based upon the expression _ = rk / [ 1 + ( k -1 ) R ] where K is the figure of points considered and R is the mean of the inter-item correlativities the size of alpha is determined by both the figure of points in the graduated table and the average inter-item correlativities. George and Mallery ( 2003 ) provide the undermentioned regulations of pollex: â€Å" _ & gt ; .9 – Excellent, _ & gt ; .8 – Good, _ & gt ; .7 – Acceptable, _ & gt ; .6 – Questionable, _ & gt ; .5 – Poor, and_ & lt ; .5 – Unacceptable † . In the instance of the obtained informations, the dependability coefficient is.887 which indicates good dependability coefficient. While increasing the value of alpha is partly dependent upon the figure of points in the graduated table, it should be noted that this has decreasing returns. It should besides be noted that an alpha of.8 is likely a sensible end. It should besides be noted that while a high value for Cronbach ‘s alpha indicates good internal consistence of the points in the graduated table, it does non intend that the graduated table is unidimensional. The dimensionality of the graduated table can be computed utilizing the factor analysis which will be discussed in the following subdivision. Factor Analysis The method followed here was to first analyze the initial responses of the participants with a position to choosing a subset of features that might act upon farther responses. Then, study responses were analysed at the point degree, utilizing figures, tabular arraies, or text entirely, to supply a first feeling. These point degree responses were scrutinised for underlying forms via factor analytic processs ( Note that all processs reported here utilise SPSS ) . A requirement for including an point was that responses were non excessively severely skewed ( i.e. , 90 % or more of responses clustered in individual cell ) and that more by and large, the degree of response to that point was non deficient ( & lt ; 15-20 % ) to destabilize analysis. The factors identified in this manner correspond to the primary subjects or latent variables to which letter writers seem to be reacting in footings of assorted related points. The protocol adopted here for factor analysis was to utilize default scenes ab initio ( Principal Axis Factor – PAF ) and to revolve the matrix of burdens to obtain extraneous ( independent ) factors ( Varimax rotary motion ) . The premier end of factor analysis is to individuality simple ( points loadings & gt ; 0.30 on merely one factor ) that are explainable, presuming that points are factorable ( The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin step of trying adequateness trials whether the partial correlativities among variables are little. Bartlett ‘s trial of sphericalness trials whether the correlativity matrix is an individuality matrix, bespeaking that the factor theoretical account is inappropriate ) . Once clearly defined and explainable factors had been identified ( Factor loadings = & gt ; .10 were illustrated via an included tabular array even though merely point burdens & gt ; 0.30 were considered relevant to factor burdens ) , and responses related to these factors were saved in the signifier of factor tonss. These Bartlett factor tonss are tantamount to sub-scale or scale tonss with agencies of nothing and standard divergences of one ( z-scores ) , and with participants credited with separate tonss in relation to each identified factor. A Principal Axis Factor ( PAF ) with a Varimax ( extraneous ) rotary motion of 22 of the 24 Likert scale inquiries from this study questionnaire was conducted on informations gathered from 20 participants. An scrutiny of the Kaiser-Meyer Olkin step of trying adequateness suggested that the sample was factorable ( KMO=.698 ) . Descriptive Statisticss The descriptive statistics computed the mean, standard divergence, and the discrepancy of in between constituents of the variable presented. Table 1 shows the sum-up of the said calculation. The calculation revealed that it has -3.439 random effects on the variables. Table 1 – Summary of Descriptive Statistics Computation of Variables Nitrogen Mean Std. Deviation Std. Mistake 95 % Confidence Interval for Mean Minimum Maximum Between- Component Discrepancy Lower Boundary Upper Bound 75 3 85.00 5.292 3.055 71.86 98.14 79 89 76 2 88.50 .707 .500 82.15 94.85 88 89 77 1 89.00....89 89 78 1 82.00....82 82 79 1 87.00....87 87 80 1 89.00....89 89 82 1 94.00....94 94 83 1 88.00....88 88 84 1 90.00....90 90 85 4 87.75 .957 .479 86.23 89.27 87 89 86 1 80.00....80 80 87 4 85.75 5.965 2.983 76.26 95.24 77 90 88 1 89.00....89 89 89 4 89.25 2.062 1.031 85.97 92.53 87 92 90 3 81.67 9.074 5.239 59.13 104.21 75 92 92 1 87.00....87 87 Entire 30 86.77 4.614 .842 85.04 88.49 75 94 Model Fixed Effectss 4.953 .904 84.83 88.71 Random Effectss .904a 84.84a 88.69a -3.439 Another high spot of the descriptive statistics is the frequences of the evaluations achieved by the kindergartners. Tables 2 and 3 summarize the frequence.Table 2 – Summary of Preschoolers Rating Frequency before Portfolio AssessmentFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid 75 3 9.7 10.0 10.0 76 2 6.5 6.7 16.7 77 1 3.2 3.3 20.0 78 1 3.2 3.3 23.3 79 1 3.2 3.3 26.7 80 1 3.2 3.3 30.0 82 1 3.2 3.3 33.3 83 1 3.2 3.3 36.7 84 1 3.2 3.3 40.0 85 4 12.9 13.3 53.3 86 1 3.2 3.3 56.7 87 4 12.9 13.3 70.0 88 1 3.2 3.3 73.3 89 4 12.9 13.3 86.7 90 3 9.7 10.0 96.7 92 1 3.2 3.3 100.0 Entire 30 96.8 100.0 Missing System 1 3.2 Entire 31 100.0Table 4 – Summary of Preschoolers Rating Frequency after Portfolio AssessmentFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid 75 1 3.2 3.3 3.3 77 1 3.2 3.3 6.7 78 1 3.2 3.3 10.0 79 1 3.2 3.3 13.3 80 1 3.2 3.3 16.7 82 1 3.2 3.3 20.0 87 7 22.6 23.3 43.3 88 3 9.7 10.0 53.3 89 9 29.0 30.0 83.3 90 2 6.5 6.7 90.0 92 2 6.5 6.7 96.7 94 1 3.2 3.3 100.0 Entire 30 96.8 100.0 Missing System 1 3.2 Entire 31 100.0 One Way Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ) One manner Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ) is done with the dependant variable which is the reading development of the kindergartners with the independent variable which is the portfolio appraisal. The computed F value for the tonss of the kindergartners is.745 which is greater value of significance which is.711. This show a important consequence of the portfolio appraisal in the addition of acquisition of the kindergartners based on a 0.05 degree of significance. Discussion of Questionnaires Question 1 – What are the things that can actuate kids to be interested in reading? Based on the gathered consequences most of the kids are motivated to be interested in reading by agencies of the ocular artworks that accompany the stuffs. Besides, the kids are motivated based on the learning scheme of the instructors during the talks. Another relevant factor in the kids ‘s involvement is the wages system being given if they are making great in their several work. Question 2 – In your observation, about how long does it take for kindergartners to accomplish entire reading development? Based on the consequences gathered, most kindergartners achieve entire reading development in about six months. This is in close coordination of instructors every bit good as the parents in practising their kids. However, there are kindergartners that develop their full reading ability in about a twelvemonth. Assorted factors affect this such as the kid ‘s involvement, sum of coordination and monitoring of parents among others. Question 3 – Based on your experience, what is the feedback that you get from pupils when they are making their portfolios? Based on the consequences gathered, the common feedback that pupils have with respects to their portfolios is that it ‘s really interesting and they find it really utile towards the betterment. However there are pupils that are happening the portfolio really hard and finds it as a challenge. Question 4 – What differences do you detect in the span of clip of reading development activities where portfolios are involved and those that are non? Based on the collected consequences, the major difference observed in the underdeveloped activities of the pupils under the portfolio is that their comprehension has been improved. Besides, their involvement towards reading has been improved. Although there are pupils that does n't look to do a difference towards their reading attitude and wonts. Those pupils that are non under the portfolio did non do any difference with respects to their reading attitude and wonts prior to the survey. Question 5 – Do you believe the responses to these portfolios depend on the group of kids that are being taught? Based on the gathered information from the instructors, the assorted responses of the kids on the portfolios being taught depends upon the age group of the kids. This was observed by the instructors with older pupils that develop their involvements and reading attitudes significantly. On the other manus, younger pupils under the portfolio does n't look to develop every bit much involvement as that of the older 1s. Question 6 – Based on your professional experience, does a portfolio appraisal consequence accurately reflect the degree of reading development of a kid? Based on the consequences gathered from the professional experience of the instructors, the portfolio appraisal can reflect the accurate degree of the kid ‘s reading development. As per Chen and Martin ( 2000 ) portfolio appraisal makes usage of happy standards that are indexs of success. Portfolio appraisal is an efficient tool for finding a pupil ‘s learning degree and degree of betterment. Portfolio appraisal besides encourages student-teacher interaction and therefore encourages interactive larning utilizing diverse instructional methods. Numerous surveies ( Chen & A ; Martin ; Colley & A ; Walker, 2003 ) demonstrated that portfolio appraisal can be helpful in bring oning acquisition, peculiarly in reading ( Afferblach, 2007 ; Hillmer & A ; Holmes, 2007 ) . Question 7 – Describe the extent to which you believe the usage of portfolios in the schoolroom has improved reading direction. The instructors interviewed in the survey believed that the extent of the betterment in the reading direction by agencies of the portfolios are important. Portfolios can supply grounds that pupils have met criterions that a assortment of learning techniques are used in the schoolroom, and that pupils are actively engaged in larning ( Damiani, 2004 ) . Portfolios can assist instructors assist pupils realistically appraise themselves by supplying specific qualitative ends and forms that avoid vagueness, unrealistic positive or negative self-evaluation, either-or thought ( the work is either good or bad ) , or perfectionism ( Damiani ) . Question 8 – Based on your experience, should the usage of these portfolios be implemented in all schools that teach preschool kids? Based on the response of the instructors, they believe that the execution of the usage of portfolios in schools that teach preschool kids is in topographic point. Student portfolios can besides function as theoretical accounts for instructors to develop their ain portfolios to demo their professional development. A instructor ‘s professional portfolio could include a statement of learning doctrine ; videotapes of successful categories, course of study stuffs developed ; class course of study ; sample lesson programs ; professional development ends and aims, professional development seminars, categories, or workshops attended ; articles published ; pupil ratings ; acknowledgment awards or certifications ; professional associations, and principal ‘s and supervisor ‘s ratings ( Attinello, Lare, & A ; Waters, 2006 ) . Question 9 – What betterments can you propose for the betterments of these portfolios? Most of the instructors ‘ suggestions sing the betterment of the portfolios are the customization of the portfolios into assorted reading ability degree. Portfolio-based appraisal is one option to standardise assessment methods and is believed to offer more authority as an appraisal method ( Miholic & A ; Moss, 2001: King, Patterson, & A ; Stolle, 2008 ) . While attacks involved in this method differ, they have in common digests of the work activities of pupils, besides known as the pupil portfolio ( Au, Raphael, & A ; Mooney, 2008 ; Berryman & A ; Russell, 2001 ; Hillmer & A ; Holmes, 2007 ) . This aggregation shows the attempts exerted by pupils and their personal academic development and accomplishment. Included in the aggregation are indicants of the engagement of pupils in choice of contents, standards for choice and judging virtues, and confirmations of the pupil ‘s self-reflection ( Miholic & A ; Moss ; Hillmer & A ; Holmes, 2007 ) . The portfolio is intended to in carnate a digest of the plants or attempts by pupils considered as their ‘best ‘ ; that is, pupils ‘ personal choices of their sample work activities and of import paperss that pertain to accomplishments and advancement ( Lynch & A ; Struewing, 2001 ; Hope, 2005 ) . Question 10 – What other stairss or processs do you urge to back up portfolio appraisal of kindergartners? The most common recommendation based on the instructors ‘ responses is the portfolio should be customized depending on the degree of reading ability of the pupils. In some attacks, instructors normally scan through the portfolio and measure the work with mention to a hiting usher. In some instances, pupils or their schoolmates would besides rate their plants. A acquisition record is so prepared by the instructor, which shows the concluding mark with affiliated confirmations such as a sample essay ( Lynch & A ; Struewing, 2001 ; Hillmer & A ; Holmes, 2007 ; Hope, 2005 ) . Decision Chapter 4 is the presentation of the consequences, analysis and treatment of the informations gathered from the respondents of this survey. The quantitative informations gathered were analysed utilizing the statistical trials Cronbach ‘s Alpha for dependability of the information gathered ; Factor Analysis for the scrutiny of the initial responses of the respondents ; and One Way Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ) for the dependant and independent variables. On the other manus, the qualitative informations were discussed in relation to the bing literature sing the topic of the survey. The computed informations revealed that there ‘s a important consequence of the portfolio appraisal in the addition of acquisition of the kindergartners based on a 0.05 degree of significance.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Philosophical Reflection Essay

In the words of Socrates, the Great Greek philosopher, â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living†. One of the major things that distinguish man from other animals is his ability to ruminate. To be is to be conscious and to be conscious means to be fully aware and thoughtful. In a world where different belief systems are flying around, man needs to test all things and hold on to that which is certain. We should pattern our lives in such a way that we separate truth from illusion and make decisions after careful or critical consideration. Philosophical reflection is the careful examination of life situations. This involves the weighing of several alternatives and using specific standards to evaluate one’s actions. A man reflects philosophically when he is able to build on previous actions, events, or decisions. This essential attribute spells the difference between man and other lower animals whose basis of action is their feeling. Making an assessment of my life, i will say that philosophical reflection has been a part of my life. I learnt the importance of making the right choices early in life. My father used to tell me; â€Å"You are what you do†. I guess this made me develop a cautious attitude towards making decisions and evaluating issues before coming to a conclusion. I have grown up to see things from different points of view. I do not accept a view because of who said it, rather, i put all things into scrutiny in order to hold on to that which is true. Before making a decision, i draw up a probable conclusion on the eventualities and weigh up the effect of my actions. I believe the wisest of men can learn from a fool and in view of this, i do not write-off anybody. I carefully and critically examine a pre-existing belief before incorporating it as my belief system. As i have discovered, many of the things people believe are lies and illusions. I do not attach sentiments to whatever i do because this will lead my judgement astray. Reference:

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A critical evaluation of the use of “stop and search” by the police Essay

A critical evaluation of the use of â€Å"stop and search† by the police Introduction            Police officers have a fundamental function to maintain law and order in the society (Smith, G. 2001: 372). They deal with crimes and arrest offenders. They are supposed to be vigilant all the time and monitoring any potential criminal activity and prevent its occurrence where possible. According toHess, K. M., &Wrobleski, H. M. (2006: 57), they do this by taking part in community patrols and responding to emergency calls. As the complexity of civilization is increasing, so is the level of crimes (Nick, et al., 2000: 7). This makes the role of the police officers even more challenging. In order to realize their objectives, police officers should make sure that they create and maintain a good relationship with the general public. This is because the potential criminals are in the community and information regarding them is also within the community. Again, any successful policing operation must be done within the stipulated regulations by the state. Otherwise, any o peration done outside the guidelines is deemed unlawful (Hagan, F. E. 2008: 89). It is also of greatest importance for the police officers to uphold the principle of transparency, consensus, legitimacy and accountability when carrying out their operations (Nick, et al., 2000: 8). The use of the â€Å"stop and search† by the police is under section one of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) (Ozin, P. & Spivey, P. 2006: 28). This section gives police officers powers to stop any individual or vehicle in the public place and conduct a search on the basis of suspicion. This operation has its successes and its shortcomings. The aim of this paper is to critically put into perspective the place of this policing operation in the society.            The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) has given police officers power to detain offenders, to stop and search people and vehicles in connection with offences whether actual or suspected, to arrest without warrant for minor offences and to control the behavior of persons in public places (Hagan, F. E. 2008.: 28). With regard to the power to stop and search a person or a vehicle, the aim is to search for evidence to support the suspicion leveled against the person. According to Hagan, F. E. (2008: 30), stop and search is done where there is suspicion of possessing stolen goods, firearms, illegal fireworks, articles suspected to be for use in committing a criminal act such as theft, fraud or burglary among others. In carrying out such an operation on an individual, clear and reasonable suspicion should exist to avoid subjecting innocent people to embarrassments and anxiety. This is categorically contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) section on e (Bevan, V., &Lidstone, K. W.1985: 29). Police officers are supposed to be guided by the provisions in the Act (Great Britain. Home Office, 2012: 17). However, this is far from the truth. Critical look at the stop and search operations reveal that though somehow helpful in controlling criminal activities, it has pitfalls that need proper considerations.            Discretion has been recognized as one of the key elements in a good policing operation (Norris,  C., et al., 1992: 113; Nick et al., 2000: 21). However, discretion as far as police stop and search practices are concerned has been questioned. First and foremost, let us look at the issue of the legitimacy in the stop and search policing. There are three fundamental questions that we need to ask ourselves with regard to legitimacy of this policing. First, we need to ask ourselves how do police officers decide who to stop and search? Secondly, which factors prompt the police officers to carry out stops and searches of the public? Finally, which factors form the basis for the reasonable suspicion that underpin the stop and search on a particular individual? Police officers have been accused of conducting stop and search operations discriminatorily (Browling, B. & Philips, C., 2007: 965). In Whales and England, it has been reported that whenever there is an alarm and n eed to carry out a public stop and search operation, a black person is seven times more likely to be searched than a white person. If this is the case then, the police officers make the operation illegitimate in terms of its effectiveness (Miller, J. 2000: 21). The blacks, regardless of whether they are law-abiding and innocent or otherwise, feel vulnerable and alienated. Miller, J. (2000: 21-23) argues that awhite person who is a potential criminal may survive detection simply because the level of reasonable suspicion on him or her is low compared to that attached to the black counterpart. It is imperative to mention that according to the labeling theory of criminology, constant application of stigmatizing label on the blacks may stimulate the deviant behavior in otherwise law-abiding people (Hagan, E., 2008: 116-118).            The power in the Act stipulates that before a stop and search is done, a police officer should have reasonable suspicion on the suspect (Nick et al., 2000: 4-6). Based on the ambiguity of the reasonable suspicion, it is expected that the interpretation of this requirements will vary from one police officer to another. It has been established through research that this is actually true. Suspicion is rooted in the culture of the police and resistant to change from external influences (Norris,  C., et al., 1992: 189). Therefore, following the requirements of the Act as to how to develop suspicion is not easy. Often, police officers develop suspicion against people based on the generalizations. They use a person’s age, appearance, behavior and location as the landmarks (Delsol, R. 2006: 48). This generalization forms the roots for alienating some members of the public. They assume that young men are the prime suspects for any criminal activity. As already ment ioned, it becomes even worse if you are a black and living in poor parts of the region in Whales and England (Nick, et al. 2000: 6). Here, we again ask; does being young increase your chances of committing a crime? No. Being young is not a motivating factor! Do black people become potential criminals simply because they are black? No. This notion has been perpetuated by the racist attitude that generally plagues the world. In the same manner, being poor or living in a poor estate does not make one qualify to be a potential criminal. It is not a motivating factor on its own. Therefore, police officers’ ways of developing the theme of reasonable suspicion require proper understanding. Clarification has to be made in the Act as to whether, and to what extent is stop and search policing is acceptable (Nick, et al., 2000 26). In view of this, reasonable suspicion for stop and search encounters can be obtained from the following: if the person fits the description given of the susp ect, if the person behaves suspiciously, if the person is out at unusual time like at night or if the person is found in a place associated with the crime(Stone, V., & Pettigrew, N. 2000: 142).            Though stipulated in a legal frame, public stops and searches have been carried out in an unlawful manner. Persons have been subjected to embarrassing searches in public (Evans,  J.  M. 1990: 54). Sometimes, false information has been planted on the suspect in order to have him or her charged and prosecuted illegally (Nick et a., 2000: 29). Often, when police officers are on patrol at the scene of crime, efforts are made to incriminate someone. In such circumstances, an innocent person suffers unlawfully in the hands of the police officers who are supposed to safeguard the rights of such a person. As already mentioned, stops and searches operations are carried out disproportionately. This is evidenced by the statics obtained in Whales and England (Browling, B., & Philips, C. 2007: 154). Racism and ethnicity is rife in these operations. According to Browling, B & Philips, C (2007: 154), shocking statistics show that a black is seven times likely to be stopped an d searched than a white. An Asian is twice likely to be stopped and searched that a white counterpart. The bitter truth is that the same trend as persisted despite numerous debates to change it.It has been established through studies by FitzGerald (1999: 42) that calls from the public had contribution in the disproportionality observed in the stop and searches. Bias in the suspect description can also be responsible for disproportionate stops and searches according to Browling, B., & Philips, C. (2007: 157). He argues that most descriptions made in incidences of robbery suit members of the minority communities. However, this is a much disputed view because it borders on ethnicity. This view notwithstanding though, police officers do not use description information given but use race to suspect an offender. This is typical ethnicity in policing. It often damages the relations within and between communities. It is important to note that if the policing is perceived unfair, then its le gitimacy will be greatly undermined and co-operation of the public with the police and willingness to obey the law will be decreased (Terris, B. J. 1997: 93).            Public confidence is indispensable in determining the success and legitimacy of stops and searches. It is built upon the trust that stops and searches are used fairly and effectively. This is the center of the principle of policing by consent. It encourages the public to co-operate with and give assistance to the police. According to Janet, B & Chan, L (1999: 13), if police treated people including offenders with respect in order to reduce fear, then the level of co-operation between them and the community would improve. As already stated, one of the things that make the operation legitimate in the eyes of the public is the police decision on who to stop. Stone and Pettigrew (2000) suggest that police officers should only stop people for genuine and good reasons. In addition, they should not target those that they feel like but target the â€Å"real criminals†. Public stops and searches that are deemed inappropriate because they are based on negative stereot yping constitute harassment.            The manner in which public stops and searches are carried is also of great concern. It is required that a police officer should introduce himself or herself to the suspect and clearly state the reason for stopping the individual (Nick et al., 2000: 29). According to Nick et al (2000 29) when a search is necessary, the person should be frisked in a dignified manner. If necessary, the person can only be asked to remove the outer clothes only such as a coat. If an in-depth search is necessary where the person may be asked to remove all his or her clothes, then the person has to be taken to police custody and search be conducted in privacy. For such kind of a search, a police officer of the same gender as the suspect will be involved.This constitutes respect to the person upon whom the search is done. The results of the search should also be communicated to the person accurately and as soon as possible to alleviate excessive anxiety (Zander, M. 1985: 27). In all this p rocess, a police officer must remain polite even when the situation appears difficult to handle. If this simple requirement is not followed, the public lose confidence in the stop and search policing operation. Distrust usually follows and finally, co-operation is lost between the police officers and the members of the public (Nick et al 2000: 32).            It is important to look at some of the possible sources of suspicion. One of the factors that give indirect information about a suspect is age. As already mentioned above, police officers are greatly prompted to stop young people because they are associated with â€Å"causing trouble† generally (Nick, et al., 2000: 19). Furthermore, it is more likely that youths found on the road very early in the morning, whether walking or driving, will be stopped and searched. In addition, youths found driving out of the city at night got stopped on the suspicion that the driver might be drunk (Nick, et al., 2000: 20). It becomes even worse if the youths are found in groups. This focus on young people with regard to stop and searches has been recognized by Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 187). This generalization is not appropriate because there is nothing that links a young person directly to being a criminal. Unless police officers apply the provisions in the Act that stipul ate that age should not be used as a basis to develop suspicion, the problem is inclined to prevail.            Moreover, how a person is dressed has been a prompting factor to conduct a stop and search by the police officers. Nick, et al (2000: 20) mention that people found in dark clothes at night were deemed to be potential candidates to commit a criminal act. They were thus liable to stop and search operations by the police officers. Does this then mean that people should not wear dark clothes at night? According to the police officers, those who wear dark clothes at night do so in an attempt to conceal their identity. They also argue that such people do so to make it hard to notice them at night. Accordingly, they assume that such people could be out to commit a crime or have already committed one and therefore trying to escape. Others styles of adornment have also been labeled as suspicious. According to Stone and Pettigrew, (2000: 187), white people on skinhead hairstyle and blacks on dreadlocks got stopped and searched frequently. This is because such styles are asso ciated with criminals. However, this is again based on generalization and should not form basis for developing reasonable suspicion on a suspect according to the PACE Act.            The type of the car driven also sometimes gave grounds for suspicion. Police officers report being prompted to stop old cars because they suspected a possibility of it having defects or lacking insurance or road tax (Nick, et al., 2000: 21-22). In addition, high-powered cars were targeted because they were likely to be stolen. In their opinion, police officers classify cars that are less likely to be stolen and those that are most susceptible to theft. Furthermore, high-class cars are suspected to be ferrying illegal items. This is based on the assumption that criminal are tempted to use flashy cars to lower their probability of being nabbed by police. In addition, car thieves steal high-class cars more often than their low-class counterparts. But based on these assumptions, the police officers run a risk of stopping and searching the innocent. This becomes a big problem if one will be subjected to constant stops and searches because of the model of their car. Acco rding to Nick et al. (2000: 22), blacks or Asian people who possessed expensive cars would be stopped a lot more compared to the whites. By extension, some people had been forced to change the model of their cars in an attempt to avoid constant harassments from the police officers. The result of this generalized operationpropagated negative stereotyping on the minority ethnic groups. It meant that these people from minority groups did not hold good jobs and therefore could not afford expensive cars. This generates resentment and bad relationship between the public and the police officers.            Police officers often did congruency assessment on the individual in an attempt to establish and develop reasonable suspicion on the suspect (Webber, L. 2013: 47). They compared the driver of the vehicle and the class of that vehicle. If no congruency existed in their own opinion, the driver would be suspected to be a thief. If this driver is actually the owner of this vehicle, it goes without saying that he or she will feel offended to the extreme. This also could happen if a person was found in a place that does not suit him or her. For instance, police officers report developing suspicion on a person found in a school compound and not dressed like a student (Nick, et al., 2000: 24). This usually happens because police officers have learnt to associate certain places with certain people. They have assumed that there are places that are exclusively for the whites and others for the blacks. This means that if a person of the white ethnic group is found in some area s where blacks are predominant, the first instinct to the police officers is that such a person is doing illegal drug business. Similarly, if a black person is found around premises that are known to belong exclusively to whites, the instinct of the police officers would take such a person as a suspect intending to steal. This assumption is wrong because it promotes ethnicity and alienating to a large degree according to Nick et al (2000: 34).            Police officers also rely on suspicious activities to develop suspicion on an individual (Weitzer,  R., &Tuch,  S.  A. 2004: 59). The argument is that such behavior like checking locks or looking inside cars are suspicious activities. People hanging or loitering around got stopped and questioned frequently on their intentions (Nick, et al., 2000: 25). At a hotspot of crime, these observations can be relied upon as sources of reasonable suspicion. But one may ask; what constitutes a suspicious activity in driving? Perhaps a police officer may observe the manner in which the vehicle is driven aimlessly. Also, speeding the car at the sight of police officers may suggest a criminal intent. This can be a reliable source of suspicion too. Also, taking unusual routes may suggest something sinister such as avoiding a police stop and search operation. In addition, cars that are parked in secluded places generate suspicion. A police officer may be prompted to carry out a search on such a situation.            Moreover, police officers are often prompted to stop a person on the grounds of furtive behavior (Nick, et al., 2000: 39). Furtive behavior is described as avoiding being seen, attempting to hide an object, trying to run away or feeling nervous in the presence of police officers. These elusive forms of behavior can arguably be grounds to develop reasonable suspicion. To some degree, a police officer will be right in interpreting them to suit his or her opinions. For instance, a suspect would try as much as possible to avoid being seen. In the same way, if someone is in possession of an object that is illegal, stolen or intended for committing a crime, then he or she will try to hide it. In addition, a person will try to run away from police officers if he or she knows that they have done something that can lead to their arrest. Again, police officers tend to assume that one would be nervous in their presence if he or she is guilty. This is how police officers may w ant to justify using furtive behavior to develop suspicion on a person.            However, there is a limitation to using furtive behavior as a ground to develop suspicion (Williams, B. N., &Stah, M.2008: 73). This is because furtive behavior may be culturally or socially motivated sometimes. For instance, culture may dictate when and to what extent is making an eye contact appropriate. Feeling uneasy in the presence of police officers can happen even when the person feels that there is nothing to hide. This is associated with the fear of being stopped or searched (Stone and Pettigrew, 2000: 192). A person may opt to run away instead of being subjected to police search even when there is no reasonable ground to fear. By extension, some fear being incriminated falsely by police.            In the study done by Nick, et al., (2000: 24), it was established that police officers usually targeted the person that they already knew. On receiving the suspect description, most police officers attach it to a prolific offender who is the current target of the police surveillance. Furthermore, according to the Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 188), police officers targeted persons who had a criminal record in the past. This is actually against the provisions in the PACE Act that clearly states that a person cannot be suspected because of their past history. Some people have also reported having been stopped and questioned simply because they were found walking with a person known to the police. This is offending to say the least. If a person is suspected to be a criminal just because he or she has been involved in criminal activity in the past without reasonable suspicion is tantamount to police harassment. It also makes a reformed criminal to constantly feel guilty a nd develop tactics to survive in such an environment. Some may become hostile while others may revert to committing crimes (Smith, G., 2009: 253). They will take it that the society does not trust in them anymore and that they are unwanted. As a result, a bigger problem result thanks to the unreasonable police officers.            Time and place also often formed the basis for the police officers to develop suspicion on an individual. Findinga person at a particular place and at a particular time of the day may give police officers a basis to suspect that person (Evans, J. M., 1990: 439). For instance, if a person is found at the site of crime at night, the first impression that the police officer on patrol gets is that the person might have been involved in the committing of the crime. Again, if a person is found in a car in an isolated place at night, then that becomes the basis of developing a reasonable suspicion to stop and search such a person. However, it is not obvious that if someone is found ina certain place and at a particular time he or she is up to some criminal activity. Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 162) give an accountof the sufferings of the blacks and Asians in England who worked in fast food outlets, minicab drivers, shift workers at factories or as postmen. Their work requi red them to walk or drive at night occasionally. On such occasions, they often got stopped and searched to the disappointments of the officers because they never found anything suspicious with them. This is to overrule the notion that being found on the road at unusual time does not necessarily mean you are a suspect.            Police officers also rely on the descriptive information given by a victim or witness about the suspect. This information should be as accurate as possible (Webber, L., 2013: 78). It helps the police officers have a general idea on who to stop and search and who not to. However, this does not always happen because the information given may not be reliable. The caller may not be able to give a correct description of the suspect. In addition, the person receiving the information may record incomplete information that does not help much. In such instances, police officers are left to use their method of generalizing (Nick et al., 2000: 32).            In addition, intelligence information is usually given to the police officers on the ground by the intelligence agency (Gelman, A., et al., 2007: 815). The information is meant to assist them to make rational decisions and know where and when to do intensive stop and search operations. The information given to the police officers should be accurate and clear to assist in the operations. The intelligence information may be on the types of crimes that are predominant in a particular place, the crime hotspots, both seasonal and long-term as well as the information regarding the well-known criminals (Miller, J., 2000: 49). Intelligence information can greatly influence how the police officers carry out their patrols because they tend to direct most of their effort towards hotspots (Nick et al., 2000: 34). But it is not surprising that most police officers tend to use generalization and stereotypes to make stops and searches instead of relying on the given intelligence information.            In conclusion, stop and search policing is an effective policing technique used by police if done in accordance with the provided regulations. Some of the issues that arise in the practice of stop and searching in the policing service need evaluation. The most important of all is the issue of discrimination and disproportionality in these stops and searches. As we have seen, this often leads to poor relationship within the community. People lack trust and confidence in the police services. Some people feel vulnerable when they are subjected to unlawful stops and searches. According to Weitzer, R. and Tuch, S. (2004: 321), police unit should find the most suitable way to conduct stops and searches in a manner that yield many positive results and minimize negative result. References Behan,  T.  R. (1988). Stop and Frisk: A Clarification. American Bar Association Journal, 54(10), 968-969. Bevan, V., &Lidstone, K. W. (1985).A Guide to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. London: Butterworths. Browling, B., & Philips, C. (2007). Disproportionate and discriminatory: reviewing the evidence on police stop and search. The Modern Law Review, 70(6), 936-961. Delsol, R. (2006). Institutional Racism, the Police Stop and Search: A Comparative Study of stop and Search in the UK and USA. New York: University of Warwick. Evans,  J.  M. (1990). Police Power to Stop without Arrest.The Modern Law Review, 33(4), 438-441. Gelman,  A., Fagan,  J., & Kiss,  A. (2007).An Analysis of the New York City Police Department’s â€Å"Stop-and-Frisk† Policy in the Context of Claims of Racial Bias.Journal of the American Statistical Association, 102(479), 813-823. Hagan, F. E. (2008). Introduction to criminology: theories, methods, and criminal behavior (6th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Hess, K. M., &Wrobleski, H. M. (2006) Police Operations: Theory and Practice. (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Janet,  B., & Chan,  L. (1999).Governing Police Practice: Limits of the New Accountability.The British Journal of Sociology, 50(2), 251-270. Miller, J. (2000). Profiling populations available for stops and searches. London: Home office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Nick, B., Paul, Q. & Joel, M. (2000). Police Stops, Decision-making and Practice. Police ResearchSeries.Paper 130. Norris,  C., Fielding,  N., Kemp,  C., & Fielding,  J. (1992). Black and Blue: An Analysis of the Influence of Race on Being Stopped by the Police. The British Journal of Sociology, 43(2), 207-224. Ozin, P., Norton, H., & Spivey, P. (2006). PACE: A Practical Guide to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Smith, G (2001) ‘Why Don’t More People Complain Against the Police?’European Journal of Criminology.6 (3) 249-266 Stone, V., & Pettigrew, N. (2000).The views of the public on stops and searches. London: Home Office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Terris,  B.  J. (1997). The Role of the Police.Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 374(24), 58-69. Tomaskovic,  D., Wright,  C.  P., Czaja,  R., & Miller,  K. (2006).Self-reports of Police Speeding Stops by Race: Results from the North Carolina Reverse Record Check Survey.Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 22(4), 279-297. Webber, L. (2013). Stop and Search: Police Power in Global Context. Abingdon, U.K.: Routledge. Weitzer,  R., &Tuch,  S.  A. (2004).Race and Perceptions of Police Misconduct.Social Problems, 51(3), 305-325. Williams, B. N., &Stah, M. (2008). An Analysis Of police Traffic Stops And Searches in Kentucky: A Mixed Methods Approach Offering Heuristic And Practical Implications. Policy Sciences, 41(3), 221-243. Willis, C. F. (1997). The Use, Effectiveness, and the Impact of Police Search powers. London: Home Office. Zander, M. (1985). The Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984. London: Sweet & Maxwell Police Review Publishing Corporation. Source document

Friday, September 27, 2019

Amanda Knox Court Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Amanda Knox Court Case - Essay Example Following four days and nights of interrogation, Amanda implicated herself and her employer at a bar in disputed circumstances. The police then arrested Amanda, Sollecito, and her employer Mr. Lumumba, although the later was released after Rudy Guede, an Ivorian raised in Perugia, was implicated by forensic evidence (Follain 12). Guede was convicted of the murder and sexual assault of Kercher and sent to prison. Sollecito and Amanda were found guilty during the first stage of the trial process and sentenced to 25 and 26 years in jail respectively. However, the second level of their trial saw them acquitted. The Background of Amanda Marie Knox Amanda Knox was born to Curt Knox and Edda Mellas in Seattle on July 9th, 1987. However, her parents divorced when she was still a baby. She grew up playing soccer in a bourgeois neighborhood where she earned the nickname Foxy Knoxy due to her athletic skills, a nickname that haunted her during the trial (Knox 25). Her relatives later described her as someone who did not have the full ability to pick up diverse social cues. While at school, Amanda took up an interest in the culture of the Italians and visited Italy as a fifteen-year-old together with her family. While on this trip, she decided that she would like to study there. She preferred a city such as Perugia that would allow her to meet real Italians, rather than Rome where she would mix with American expatriates (Knox 26). However, her stepfather discouraged her from moving there because he still considered her too naive. On graduating in 2005 from Seattle Preparatory High School, Amanda joined Washington University for a Linguistics Degree. As a college student, Amanda was named on the Dean’s list and was an ordinary college student with friends recalling that she was a gentle and kind individual. In the continuation of her â€Å"go-getter† attitude, Amanda decided to further her Linguistics Degree by heading for Perugia in Italy, where she was to sp end twelve months at the Foreigners University (27). On getting to Perugia, she met 21-year-old student Meredith Kercher from the UK, who also studied linguistics and roomed with her. Meredith had joined the University of Foreigners where she was to study Creative Writing, German, and Italian (27). According to media reports, while Amanda Knox was to most people a young and confident woman, her family and friends felt that she was a compulsive diarist, especially since she was averse to all types of conflict. These traits, which she showed during her time in high school and Washington University, including yoga practice at inappropriate times and her open and bubbly personality, were to have an effect on the trial. These traits made her more conservative, and reticent room and apartment mates viewed her critically while also causing the Italian police and prosecutor to be suspicious of her. The Murder of Meredith Susanna Cara Kercher Meredith Kercher was a UK citizen born in 1985 in South London’s area of Southwark. On joining the University of Foreigners, Kercher checked into a ground floor apartment with four bedrooms at Via della Pergola. This house was thought of as locals to be in a bad neighborhood, although most liked it for its panoramic view of Perugia. Her apartment mates included Amanda Knox and two other women. Meredith Kercher’

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Democracy in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Democracy in Education - Essay Example This essay stresses that adoption of democratic approach to education provision is the suitable way of correcting the mess created by Ivy League. In a democratic society, students should join any school so long as they have a minimum academic qualification. Considering non-academic and non-financial measures in preventing others from accessing education anywhere is a lack of democracy. Furthermore, the democratization of education would see equality in the strength of degrees irrespective of learning institution, which give everybody a chance to succeed in life. This paper makes a conclusion that democracy promotes equality and fair distribution of resources by those in power. Fundamentally, democratic education systems support four aspects, that is, autonomy, diversity, openness, and interactivity. Broadly, learning is a product of societal interaction through the exchange of experiences and abilities. Currently, American society encourages education consumerism, a factor that facilitate inequitable distribution of resources. The emergence of Ivy League institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and Brown amongst the rest is disadvantaging some sections of society members. In other words, unfair admission in these schools locks out more disserving students just because they do not meet certain criteria, which is non-academic or financial. Overall, stakeholders should redesign education systems and structures to portray democratic orientation. Otherwise, quality of teaching will deteriorate significantly as institutions give soft sport to undeservi ng people due to favors.

Information System Risk Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Information System Risk Management Paper - Essay Example Threats to an organization can be both from internal sources and external. While the motives may vary, the system is vulnerable to several risks. This paper will examine the vulnerabilities, the potential threats and the levels of security that could help mitigate the risks and allow uninterrupted workflow. Risk has been defined as the chance of exposure to the adverse consequences of future events (Egbuji, 1999). The likelihood and consequences have to be understood to provide for the right security measures. For a risk to be understandable, according to the Software Engineering Institute (SEI, 2006) of Carnegie Mellon University, it must be expressed clearly. This also implies that possible losses must be identified. Risks have to be assessed continuously and used for decision-making. In the field of computer technology and the information systems, technology enhancement is an ongoing process, which further necessitates continuous risk assessment. Besides, the losses due to lack of security controls could be in the areas of production, revenue, damaged reputation, and financial performance. Benefits of proper security measures could result in enhanced operational efficiency and competitive advantages (Kim, 2006). An organization must invest in IS security and know where to cut corner s. They should be able to spell the difference between security success and disaster (Gupta and Hammond, 2006). According to SEI, seven principles provide the framework to establish effective risk management. These include having a global perspective, the system should be at par with the larger systems, forward-looking view that is identifying and anticipating uncertainties, open communication – information and communication at all levels should be free flowing, integrated – risk management should be a vital and an integrated part of management, continuous – regular upgradation and constant vigil, shared product vision – having common purpose, shared

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Finance for Business Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Finance for Business Decisions - Essay Example Figure value depicts the trend of share price of the said bank. Westpac Bank share prices from 2008 to 2013 The figure clearly reveals some certain trends in the share process of this bank. From the figure it can be derived that there has been continuous ups and downs in the share value of this bank; which is quite normal and does not bother investors much. In the seventh month of 2008; the share price was below $20 i.e. $ 18.68; but during the year share value reached to the maximum of $ 25.05 but at the year end the price was somewhere around $ 16.63. The average price of share in this year was $ 20.6505. Moving further the year 2008-09 showed again a mixed trend where the highest value of share was around $ 27.23. However share price figure at the end of year is $ 28.95; showing a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend. Year by Year Analysis Year by Year Share price of Westpac Bank A simple picture above shows the year by year trend in the share price of Westpac Bank. An d it can be easily derived from the chart that in the year one the price was slightly above than $20 but in the year 2013 the price ended at around $30. There is a significant increase in the price of around $ 10; but again a thorough analysis is required to evaluate the price increase in the shares. However it is an increasing trend and very encouraging for any investor. ... From the organization available the best option for comparison of Westpac Bank can only be Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Many justifications could be presented for this option; for instance both organizations are financial institutions, both of the banks operate in Australia, both of these banks are listed on the same stock markets and both of these banks are subjected to same macro-economic conditions. Commonwealth Bank of Australia Same like Westpac Bank it is essential here to get a pictorial view of the trends of the share prices of Commonwealth Bank of Australia so that a comprehensive comparison could be carried out for both of the banks. Share Prices Trend of Commonwealth Bank of Australia The picture clearly states that the share price trend of the bank is in an increasing trend. The share prices were lowest in the year 2008 at around $21 but then the bank managed either to increase its share price or at least maintain its share prices. There are minor shrinks in the share process but these seem to be quite insignificant. And hence it is right to say that Commonwealth bank of Australia has brilliantly managed to live upto the expectations of its investors. Yearly Trends Same as we did for Westpac Bank it will be useful here too; to have a year by year analysis of the share prices of this bank. The trend can be shown in the picture below. Year by Year Analysis of Share Price of CBA From the picture above it is quite clear that the performance of Commonwealth Bank is quite good since hardly any decreasing trends could be found in this chart. From the previous year share prices have either increased significantly or at least have been static there is as such no decreasing trend here. Most importantly4 the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Supermercados Disco Joining Up with Royal Ahold Case Study

Supermercados Disco Joining Up with Royal Ahold - Case Study Example It is also a growing market. The countries in consideration in Latin America are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. These countries have fairly stable governments and political environment and it is possible to do business here on long term basis although the economic and geographical conditions vary from country to country. The immediate problem is future strategy. It is the course of action needed to increase profitability and market penetration in Latin America. There are several options before Supermercados Disco. However, the main options are whether the company should choose to go ahead with a joint venture with Royal Ahold or continue independently. Other than this problem, there are choices to do with pestel analysis. There was strong economic growth in the 1990s, making it vital for the political dispensation to frame policies to maintain the growth curve. Economic prosperity made it imperative for political factors to go along with economic parameters and shun despotic influences. Argentina and Brazil became the favored destinations for retailers in the 1990s. Argentina was favored because of its wealth and Brazil because of its purchasing power due to its large middle class population. Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela were roughly equal in terms of disposable income, but they had unequal distribution of wealth excluding up to 40% of these countries' populations from normal consumer activity. The region was projected to growth continually in the ensuing decades producing increase in the size of the working population. Due to foreign investments, there was also the fact that cities would grow disproportionately in size and wealth improving communications and infrastructure. These changes were bound to favor retailers. State-owned enterprises were thrown open for privatization. Most of the steel mills, chemical, petrochemical, shipping and aircraft companies were sold to private parties. Price controls were lifted in 1993. In Chile, tariffs were cut down from 75% in 1975 to just 11% currently. Social factors Improving economic conditions had an effect on social factors. In the six largest countries of Latin America viz. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela, the population was over 80% urban. Brazil faced the biggest social problems due to poverty and lack of education. The country had to resort to credit schemes to allow poorer members of society to buy consumer durables, food and clothing. Brazil has the sixth largest population in the world. Hence, although Brazil has good middle class population, she has her share of poverty problems. Other than the Brazil factor, social factors in other Latin American countries showed improvement financially. People had money to buy what they needed. Technological factors Attraction of foreign investment

Monday, September 23, 2019

Macro-Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Macro-Economics - Essay Example Aggregate demand is the economy-wide demand for goods and services by all economic agents and aggregate supply is the total goods and services produced. The macroeconomic model of aggregate demand and aggregate supply determines the relationship between aggregate price level and aggregate output in the short run as well as the long run through the interaction of all the markets (Mankiw, 2008). The aggregate demand curve, that is the relationship between AD and aggregate price level, is drawn for a given supply of money. It slopes downward since higher the price level, lower is the real money balances, on account of the Quantity Theory of Money, and so lower is the demand for goods and services. The aggregate supply curve is the relationship between total goods and services produced in the economy and the price level. The long run AS supply curve is vertical while, in the Keynesian macroeconomic model, the short run AS curve is horizontal since prices are assumed to be sticky in the short run. In the long run, changes in aggregate demand affect prices but in the short run, changes in aggregate demand affects output only. Keynes proposed that low aggregate demand is responsible for low income and high unemployment that characterize economic downturns. This is in contrast to the classical view that aggregate supply, depending on the supply of labor capital and technology, determines national income. To reconcile these two views, it is considered that in the long run, prices are flexible so that aggregate supply determines the national income while in the short run, prices are sticky so that aggregate demand determines national income (Mankiw, 2008). The IS-LM model of aggregate demand represents the interaction of the goods and money markets. The IS curve is a downward sloping relationship between rate of interest and output that is derived from the equilibrium in the goods market. Here, planned expenditure, given by the total of consumption, investment and government expenditure in the closed economy and in addition, net exports in the open economy, is equal to the actual expenditure, given by the total output. Consumption depends on the disposable income after paying taxes, investment on interest rates, through the loanable funds market, and exogenously given government expenditure and net exports. In the money market, the LM curve denotes the relationship between rate of interest and output such that real money supply is equal to the real money demand. Even though money supply and prices are exogenous in the short run, real money demand depends positively on output (through the quantity theory of money) and rate of interest (through the theory of liquidity preference). The intersection of the IS and LM curve gives the equilibrium rate of interest and output. Thus, the interaction of the money market, the goods market and the loanable funds market determines equilibrium output and rate of interest. This may or may not be equal to the full employment output which is achieved in the long run when prices are flexible (Mankiw, 2008). Role of Government Policies If the economy is producing less than full employment output at equilibrium, the government can increase output by either fiscal policy or monetary policy. Fiscal policies to

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Does Internet Help Spread Democracy Essay Example for Free

Does Internet Help Spread Democracy Essay How invention of the Internet changed the world? How it contributes to the spread of democracy? Does it have any impact on it? These questions are under debate till nowadays. In this paper, I will try to express my viewpoint on this dispute. To begin with, let briefly look at the Egyptian revolution which was held in 2011. It was the first revolution where social media and Internet played the crucial role. † After 30 years of living in a â€Å"fake democratic system† under Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian people had had enough† (Pritamkabe, 2011). After fake election in 2010, people, especially young generation, decided to make a protest in order to create a real democratic system. â€Å"There was no freedom of assembly in Egypt, and protests or political activism was banned† (Pritamkabe, 2011), but social media helped people to band together . Using Twitter and Facebook, people were discussing and organizing protests against the government. Government was not happy about this and later it shut down access to the Internet for 5 days. It made situation even worse and people started to show their disappointment on the streets. A lot of videos were posted on the Youtube and the whole world could be aware about the following circumstances. All in all, the new elections were held and citizens had an opportunity to elect the new president. From this revolution, we can see how much power Internet has nowadays and that this type of media can provide actual and not fake information for other countries. One of the key elements of democracy is the good governance that means that government should focus on public interest and act in behalf of its citizens. Everybody would agree that due to the Internet, it is easier to access information you need. It enables governments, political parties and other political organizations to interface with citizens and present their ideas that lead to an increase in political participation and stimulate democracy. In addition, it allows you as the citizen to meet and exchange the views all the parties concerned. Moreover, Internet and other media help people to be aware what is going on around the world and to be up-to-date about global events. It makes people more educated and helps to make rational decisions. The other element of democracy is a freedom of opinion, speech, press and mass media. Internet is a place, where all these things became possible. Due to the Internet, people can speak their mind, share their own opinions and the most importantly – they would be heard. Now people have an opportunity to come together online and discuss on worldwide problems, provide advices and try to find solutions. Here even long distance does not play a role and it is a huge advantage of the Internet. Government accountability, and have checks and balances in a constitutional system, are crucial elements required for the functioning of a real democracy† (Pritamkabe, 2011). In order to build a good relationship between state government and its citizens, there must be transparency of governmental actions. As the result, it builds trustworthy relationship between people and government that leads to better political participation and fair elections, better observation of election results and reduction of corruption. In fact, Internet and e-governance helps to create it. Certainly, Internet has its negative side. It can be used to promote violence in the world, such as terrorist attacks. For instance, â€Å"terrorist groups like Al Qaeda have been using internet for spreading extremist and anti-American view† (Pritamkabe, 2011). There are still a lot of gang-related videos in such sites as a Youtube, which promote violent actions and incorporates more and more people. Moreover, from the Egypt example, we can see that government have a power to turn off Internet connection with respect to its own interests. It seems to be a violation of democratic system, there freedom of speech, press and mass media have to exist. To conclude, even that Internet have a negative effects on the spread of democracy, generally its positive factors overweight the negative side. I estimate that Internet possibilities, such as we know them today, are not available in non-democratic states. The development of the Internet is a result of joint actions among governments, commercials companies and individuals. It is the result of free movements of ideas and international cooperation on a global scale. In fact, these actions are heavily restricted in non-democratic countries. In authoritarian countries, Internet is used as a tool for the democratic opposition. It is used by the people who are fighting for human rights, free elections and political freedom. Therefore, Internet is a tool for spreading democracy and rooting out authoritarian rule.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Global Warming as a Global Issue of Concern

Global Warming as a Global Issue of Concern CONTROVERSIES OF GLOBAL WARMING TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION GLOBAL WARMING AS A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN CONTROVERSIES OF GLOBAL WARMING ISSUE EXPLANATION OF THE CONTROVERSIES PRESENTED CONCLUSION REFERENCES INTRODUCTION As a global environmental issue of concern, controversies have been presented for and against global warming. Such controversies have stemmed from its causes as well as effects. This is because since the first international awareness of the problem that took place in 1992 during a United Nations (UN) Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, several opinions have continued to grow concerning the genesis of this problem as well as the potential effects posed on the planet. Such international meeting saw an intellectual exchange among the many delegates concerning the best approaches that can be used in dealing with the causes and effects of global warming. However, this problem is still a controversial one among many environmentalists around the world. Therefore, this essay analyzes the various controversies presented by different articles and authors concerning global warming, its main drivers, and seriousness of the issue as well as claimed consequences. GLOBAL WARMING AS A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN As a global environmental concern, global warming has had several impacts especially for both the biodiversity and the climatic conditions of the planet (Elkins and Simmonds, et al., 2010). This is because current trends have shown that it affects flora and fauna as a result of the increase in the amount of the anthropogenic gases that are accumulated in the atmosphere such as neon- surface air. As a result, this leads to the melting of the ice caps, rise in the sea levels and other climatic changes. Hence global warming represents a major threat especially to the fundamental life forms of living things on the earth. Back, Russ, Liu, Inoue, Zhang and Otto-Bliesner (2013) contends that global warming leads to the increase in the rate of water evaporation into the atmosphere. This is of great concern owing to the fact that water is life and without it, no life can be realized. This is further compounded by the fact that the water vapor is in itself is a greenhouse gas that exacerbates the problem leading to warming of the atmosphere. As such, this increase in the water vapor can further be compounded by the excessive use of the fossil fuels and through land use changes. Burning of fossil fuels contributes to the addition of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the sense that such fuels produces anthropogenic gases such as CFCs, methane and nitrous oxide which are responsible for the global warming. In addition, deforestation, explosive population growth, technological advancement, growing urbanization, and industrial expansion are some of the factors that account for the increases in these gas es in the atmosphere. However, it is projected that the rate of the rise will continued if this global issue of concern is not nipped in the bud. Among other major causes, deforestation is argued to be the main causes of the increases in the global warming (Liss, 2012). This is because trees play a major role in the global carbon cycle since they are considered as one of the largest land-based carbon mechanism that helps in the removal of excessive carbon dioxide from the air. Due to this, deforestation has been considered as the second principle cause of atmospheric carbon dioxide contributing for 25 per cent of all the carbon emissions in the atmosphere especially through burning and cutting of trees. For instance, estimates are that over 5500 acres of rainforest are destroyed daily leading to a rise in the global carbon dioxide level which is approximated to be 0.4 per cent each year. The long effects of such changes are inclusive of the melting of the glaciers, increased intensity and frequency as well as the changes in rainfall patterns. According to Liss (2012), imbalances that are created between various life forms on earth makes global warming a controversial issue of global concern. Such imbalances are showing through signs in the form of increased occurrences of cyclones, landslides, tsunami, flood, drought among others. As a result, the increases in the rise of the aforementioned disasters on this planet threaten different life forms. For instance, due to the extreme weather patterns, this can lead to increased effects of malnutrition, airborne as well as water-borne diseases, starvation and extinction of the flora and fauna. CONTROVERSIES OF GLOBAL WARMING ISSUE For the purpose of discussion of the controversies presented in the global warming issue, this essay will analyze four news articles from different media sources. Such controversies will run from the works of the two main authors as presented in the four news articles. As such, the two notable environmentalists who discuss and analyze this issue are J.R. McNeill and Bjorn Lomborg. McNeill’s arguments have been contained in the news article, Something New under the Sun: an Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World whereas Lomborg discusses it in, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World. Other two news articles that will be discussed are the Forecasting the consequences of climate driven shifts in human behavior on cetaceans. and â€Å"States Adapting to Climate Change. Environmental Forum.† The central theme in McNeills article is revolving around the fact that environmental problem like global warming comprises some of the byproducts of the modernization as well as development (Cho, Martens, Kim Rodrigue, 2011). As such, he is of the belief that humans have impacted our planet more deeply in the twentieth century than we did in all previous history combined.† Hence the irony in this debate according to McNeill is the fact that some of the same factors that have helped humankind to develop such as economic prosperity as well as technological advancement, are inherent the real causes of the serious environmental problems such as global warming. Consequently, McNeill makes an argument that global warming with no exception from other environmental problems, cannot be dealt with in an effective manner without necessarily having to involve the technological advancements (Dos Santos, 2012). Moreover, McNeill puts it clearly by stating that if global warming consists a serious environmental problem, then the equation will be revised in the direction of a stronger role for the environment. Paradoxically, if humanity is to escape projected environmental crises, then technology, which helped bring them on, will be asked to lead us out. Therefore, McNeill sees technology to be the only solution in dealing with the problem of global warming that can minimize the negative consequences especially of this environmental dilemma that runs rampant across the globe. On the other hand, the rhetoric of global warming has been presented by Lomborg and his argument lies in the premise that global warming together with the other environmental problems, is a mere exaggeration especially from the media specialists, scientists and politicians (Long, Xie, Zheng Liu, 2014). According to him, global warming is a less serious and severe threat as opposed to the weight that is accorded to it in media and among the scientists. As such, Lomborg believes that inaccuracy of studies and predictions that have been made by complicated computer software consist the causes of the fears among the scientists concerning this issue. This is evident through his statement, â€Å"the limitations of computer modeling, the unrealistic nature of basic assumptions made about future technological change and political value judgments have distorted the scenarios being presented to the public.† In addition, Schuldt, Konrath and Schwarz (2011) argue that Lomborg raises many doubts in regard to greenhouse gas emissions considered as the real cause global warming. His main thesis of argument is that greenhouse gas emissions cannot have any impact on the world temperatures. His argument is that even specialized scientists cannot make accurate predictions of the future climate primarily because the climate system is much complex. On the basis of this argument, Lomborg makes a conclusion that global warming is unlikely to be a devastating issue. As such, this raises an important question regarding to whether the temperature change leads to catastrophic consequences. Although in all the environmentalists in the four articles raise valuable claims about the issue of global warming, independent review of the news articles have indicated that McNeill is quite reasonable in his warning and realistic. The point of departure that makes this to be an issue of controversy is the fact that Lomborg’s argues against global warming being a real environmental problem. EXPLANATION OF THE CONTROVERSIES PRESENTED An analytical review of both the environmentalists’ arguments in all the four news articles in regard to global warming brings out the controversies that are presented for and against global warming debate. According to Sharpe (2012), McNeill makes valid as well as reasonable argument in comparison to Lomborg because McNeil bases his argument on the historical backgrounds making references too many past examples in proof of his assumption especially about the relationship that exists between the global warming and economic activities. For instance, McNeil makes a reference to the New Caledonia’s nickel production that took place in 1920s as well as its negative impact especially on the environment, air and weather. According to him, the production of nickel through mining activities led to the pouring of the smoke as well as dangerous gases that were released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, McNeill also refers Londons notorious fog in 1950s as a result of coal mining that caused death of many thousands of people (Sharpe, 2012). This makes McNeill’s argument to have a proof that global warming is not necessarily a very recent environmental problem but as a result of accumulated economic activities of the past century that have paved the way especially for the complication of this problem. Accordingly, in the controversies of global warming debate, McNeill has raised a very strong as well as valid argument as he reviews the information in the recent past in sending the message that the current global warming should be seen as a severe environmental problem that is deeply rooted in the past actions of humankind. The strength and credibility to McNeil’s warnings on the impacts of global warming environmental problem is refereed to authenticated cases especially from the past. Contrary to McNeil’s strong and supported argument, Lomborg’s assumptions are weak and invalid (Schuldt, Konrath Schwarz, 2011). This is because Lomborg does not make any much insight as regards his argument that global warming is not an environmental problem because of the less severity it has in practical in comparison to the predictions made by the scientists and environmentalists. For instance, Lomborg refutes scientific assumptions about the global warming by mentioning that the greenhouse gases does not comprise the only cause of global warming and that there are other factors such as solar energy that may impact global warming. However, this makes his argument to be an invalid one because it has no logical basis due to the fact that existence of many causes of global warming does not refute the fact that it is not a severe environmental problem with many destructive effects especially on life on the earth. Hence Lomborg does not trust technological advancements through computer modeling that allow scientist to make predictions concerning the environment. According to him, he has a belief that scientific predictions are not accurate to make certain real seriousness as well as severity of such environmental phenomena. In these controversies, Lomborg uses ‘doubt’ technique in developing his arguments in his manipulation of global warming being an environmental problem (Dos Santos, 2012). As such, his arguments have received a lot of responses from many experts as well as environmentalists. For instance, Sharon Begley, an environment expert is of the idea that Lomborg’s argument is based on bad logic especially through Lomborg’s argument that people should not to fear global warming because there is high number of deaths resulting from the ‘cold’ weather as opposed to death as a result of the ‘warm’ weather. Begley is right in his refutation of Lomborg’s argument because this means that regardless of the fact that the death toll from the warm weather is slightly less in comparison with cold weather, and then this still remains a problem that calls for a confrontation in order to minimize deaths from the global warming (Anthony and Maynard, p.1802). As such Begley noted that, â€Å"according to a 2006 study, 850,000 deaths from cold will be averted in a warmer world, not the 1.4 million, as Lomborg says.† This makes it an effective strategy in raising an argument especially against severity of global warming and scientists should make an exploration of all possible means in fighting this global problem. Another response to Lomborg’s discussion is that he deals with the issue of global warming from an economic point of view (Cho, Martens, Kim Rodrigue, 2011). This is because lives of people should be seen as being much worthier in comparison with whatever cost is needed especially to in fighting global is warming. In this regard, the problem of global warming â€Å"is approached as an economist would approach it, asking whether the benefits of intervention would exceed the costs.† This is illustrated from his attempt to convince audience with a cost-benefit argument concerning global warming. For instance, Lomborg cites William Nordhaus, a well-known economist in his defense that â€Å"the cost of implementing Kyoto would exceed the total projected cost of global warming† hence this is not a sound argument in dealing with global warming especially from an economic point of view because it is a matter of life and death issues. Liss (2012) claims that one way of refuting Lomborg’s argument is that if global warming problem had not been serious the way Lomborg assumed, concerns of many countries as well as environmental organizations would not have been raised especially through the meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and in Kyoto in 1997 to assess individual countries’ efforts in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. These meeting involved studies conducted by highly reputable scientists as well as professional experts that led to a conclusion that global warming is a an environmental problem caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The findings of the meetings enumerated the ice melting as well as depletion of sea shores as some of the serious consequences of global warming. Accordingly, McNeill gives a more reasonable account than that given by Lomborg because the former respects and trusts scientific facts and predictions due to his full confidence in the technological tools as well as computer sof tware that are used in predicting ill consequences of the global warming. Therefore, global warming still remains an environmental problem that needs confrontation adequately. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the foregoing controversies of global warming debate illustrates that global warming is a very serious environmental problem with destructive negative consequences like ozone depletion and an increase in temperatures as presented by McNeil’s strong and supported argument. Hence global warming should be fought adequately due to the data, statistics, and scientifically-based predictions that such a threat is real. REFERENCES Elkins, A and Simmonds, et al. (2010). Forecasting the consequences of climate driven shifts in human behavior on cetaceans. Marine Policy 34(5): 943-954. Back, L., Russ, K., Liu, Z., Inoue, K., Zhang, J., Otto-Bliesner, B. (2013). Global Hydrological Cycle Response to Rapid and Slow Global Warming. Journal Of Climate, 26(22), 8781-8786. Liss, B. (2012). States Adapting to Climate Change. Environmental Forum, 29(1), 10. Cho, C., Martens, M., Kim, H., Rodrigue, M. (2011). Astroturfing Global Warming: It Isnt Always Greener on the Other Side of the Fence. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(4), 571-587. Dos Santos, M. O. (2012). Investigating consumer knowledge of global warming based on Rogers knowledge stage of the innovation decision process. International Journal Of Consumer Studies, 36(4), 385-393. Long, S., Xie, S., Zheng, X., Liu, Q. (2014). Fast and Slow Responses to Global Warming: Sea Surface Temperature and Precipitation Patterns. Journal Of Climate, 27(1), 285-299. Schuldt, J. P., Konrath, S. H., Schwarz, N. (2011). â€Å"Global warming† or â€Å"climate change†?. Public Opinion Quarterly, 75(1), 115-124. Sharpe, M. (2012). Will We Stop Global Warming Before It Kills Us? Challenge (05775132), 55(5), 123-124. Urpelainen, J. (2012). Global Warming, Irreversibility, and Uncertainty: A Political Analysis. Global Environmental Politics, 12(4), 68-85.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Indian Electoral System Explained

Indian Electoral System Explained Federalism is a political term which means a group of members bound by a legal agreement guided by a representative leader. India is a federal nation where the legal agreement is synonymous to the Constitution of India and group of members comprise of the 29 states and 7 union territories. It includes a three tier system where the first is the Central Government, second is the State Government and third tier is in the form of panchayats and municipalities. With an exception of Article 370 (with reference to JK), Article 371 (with reference to North Eastern States and Andhra Pradesh) and the Presidents Rule makes the federalism for India, asymmetric. It is one of the important aspects of a government organization to provide a tool for change, in legal terms this tool is called Elections. An election in a nation provides opportunities to its people to select in terms of their better prospects. The supreme legislative body in India is comprised of The President and the two houses namely Lok Sabha (Lower House or House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House or Council of States). In India, elections take place at federal, state and local level. Elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India. At national level the Prime minister (Head of the Government) is elected by the members of the Lok Sabha. All the members of Lok Sabha are directly elected through general elections which are held in every five years under normal circumstances by the people of India also called Universal Suffrage which consists of right to vote to the adult citizen which also includes extending the rights to minors and non-citizens, except for the two members which can be nominated by the president of India. The members of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House are elected by the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the states and the Electoral College for the Union Territories of India. Indian Electoral System The  House of the People (Lok Sabha)  represents citizens of India predicted by the Constitution of India, currently the members of Lok Sabha are 545, out of which 543 are elected for five-year term and two members represent the Anglo-Indian community. The 545 members are elected under the  plurality  electoral system. The  Council of States (Rajya Sabha)  has 245 members, 233 members elected for a six-year term, with one-third retiring every two years. The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house (in states with bicameral) or the sole house (in unicameral states) of the provincial (state) legislature in the different states of India. A Member of Parliament (M.P.) is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members, such as senators.A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or a Member of the Legislature (ML), is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction. The members of Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected, this being achieved by the votes of legislators in the state and union (federal) territories. The twelve nominated members are usually an eclectic mix of eminent artists (including actors), scientists, jurists, sportspersons, businessmen and journalists and common people.[3] The elected members are chosen under the system of  proportional representation  by means of the  Single Transferable Vote. Qualifications for becoming a member: Lok Sabha: According to Indian Constitution for a person to be a member of Lok Sabha he/she should be a citizen of India and must subscribe before the  Election Commission of India  an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule  of  Indian Constitution, the person should have his/her name in the electoral rolls in any part of the country, should be at least twenty five years in age, must possess such other qualifications as may be prescribed in that behalf by or under any law made by  Parliament and should not be proclaimed criminal i.e. they should not be a convict, a confirmed debtor or otherwise disqualified by law. Though it’s not necessary for the person to belong to the same state from which he/she is contesting the election. A person cannot bea member of both Houses of Parliament in which case provision shall be made by Parliament by law for the vacation by a person. A member both of Parliament and of a Legislative Assembly of a State. Rajya Sabha: According to the Article 84 of the Constitution of India, for the membership of Rajya Sabha a person must be a citizen of India, should be thirty or more in terms of age, should subscribe before the Election Commission of India to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule  of  Indian Constitution similar to the Lok Sabha, must possess qualification as prescribed by the law in Indian Constitution, Be elected by the  Legislative Assembly  of States and Union territories by means of  Single transferable vote  through Proportional representation. The twelve members nominated by the president of India are not eligible to vote in the presidential elections. Vidhan Sabha: According to the constitution of India for the membership of Vidhan Sabha the person should not be aged less than 25 years, the person should have a clearance affidavit conforming that there are no criminal procedures or proceedings against him/her, also the person should be mentally and financially stable i.e. should not be bankrupt. The Speaker of Vidhan Sabha acts as a neutral judge and manages all debates and discussions in the house. Usually he is a member of the stronger political party. Lok Sabha Elections: Lok Sabha consists of representatives of people chosen by direct election on the basis of adult suffrage. Consisting of total 552 members out of which 530 are representatives of states remaining 20 members are representative of Union Territories and maximum two members are members of the Anglo Indian Community which are nominated by the president of India. The total elective membership is distributed among the States in such a way that the ratio between the number of seats allotted to each State and the population of the State is, so far as practicable, the same for all States. The total membership of members from each state is selected on the basis of ratio of their population. A total of 131 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (84) and Scheduled Tribes (47) representatives. Each Lok Sabha is elected for the term of five years unless it is dissolved in-between. In case of proclamation of Emergency the operating period of Lok Sabha can be extended up-to one year and maximum of six months if the proclamation has ended.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Search for Enlightenment Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Search for Enlightenment Nature, I think we can deduce, refers not only to animals, plants, and mountains, but rather to the universe as a whole--the entirety of the physical universe ranging from human nature to quantum nature while also including, plants, animals, and mountains as part of this greater whole. It has been the search for knowledge and truths of the wonders and mysteries of "nature," or rather the universe (in other words science) that has, over the past few years been the underlying motivation in my life. Not only do I find the search for knowledge exciting and intellectually stimulating, but I have found that this motivation gives meaning or rather a direction to my life. I don't wish to imply that science and religion give my life, nor events that occur during my life, meaning. I have always found that life is inherently meaningful without aid from science, religion, or purpose. But why does the search for knowledge hold such importance for me in providing motivation and, hence, meaning/direction? Is it nature or nurture? Is it due to my personality type (INTP--Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceptive [Myers Briggs Type Indicator) and my innate drive for competence or is it culture and socialization? Is it possible that my motivation and direction is not based on rational grounds but rather on a biological instinct that tends to create a generalized desire for competency? My drive for competency which, whether it has been unconscious or conscious at times and stimulated by both biology and environment, seems to motivate and direct my search for knowledge. I have realized that what has attracted me to science and the search for knowledge, is not that "science tries to explain what life is in order t... ... in an uncomplicated fashion so as not to scare away the masses. Thus, I hope that when I am older that I will be able to disregard my feelings of anger and frustration and move toward becoming a beacon of light for science in a world of "witchcraft that has taken hold of our culture and society. I have heard the call. I feel that I can best answer this call by searching for and obtaining a background in the social, natural, and physical sciences. I aspire to remove the ignorance of science and self in order to become an advocate for the "enlightenment" of scientific literacy. References Wilson, Edward O. 1998. Consilience, The Unity Of Knowledge. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Dostoyevsky, Fydor. [1877] 1980. The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. New York: Signet Classic part of Penguin Books USA Inc. Orwell, George. 1946. Politics and the English Language. The Search for Enlightenment Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing The Search for Enlightenment Nature, I think we can deduce, refers not only to animals, plants, and mountains, but rather to the universe as a whole--the entirety of the physical universe ranging from human nature to quantum nature while also including, plants, animals, and mountains as part of this greater whole. It has been the search for knowledge and truths of the wonders and mysteries of "nature," or rather the universe (in other words science) that has, over the past few years been the underlying motivation in my life. Not only do I find the search for knowledge exciting and intellectually stimulating, but I have found that this motivation gives meaning or rather a direction to my life. I don't wish to imply that science and religion give my life, nor events that occur during my life, meaning. I have always found that life is inherently meaningful without aid from science, religion, or purpose. But why does the search for knowledge hold such importance for me in providing motivation and, hence, meaning/direction? Is it nature or nurture? Is it due to my personality type (INTP--Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceptive [Myers Briggs Type Indicator) and my innate drive for competence or is it culture and socialization? Is it possible that my motivation and direction is not based on rational grounds but rather on a biological instinct that tends to create a generalized desire for competency? My drive for competency which, whether it has been unconscious or conscious at times and stimulated by both biology and environment, seems to motivate and direct my search for knowledge. I have realized that what has attracted me to science and the search for knowledge, is not that "science tries to explain what life is in order t... ... in an uncomplicated fashion so as not to scare away the masses. Thus, I hope that when I am older that I will be able to disregard my feelings of anger and frustration and move toward becoming a beacon of light for science in a world of "witchcraft that has taken hold of our culture and society. I have heard the call. I feel that I can best answer this call by searching for and obtaining a background in the social, natural, and physical sciences. I aspire to remove the ignorance of science and self in order to become an advocate for the "enlightenment" of scientific literacy. References Wilson, Edward O. 1998. Consilience, The Unity Of Knowledge. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Dostoyevsky, Fydor. [1877] 1980. The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. New York: Signet Classic part of Penguin Books USA Inc. Orwell, George. 1946. Politics and the English Language.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Urban Legend of the Backseat Murderer Essay -- Urban Legends Ghost

The Backseat Murderer A good urban legend is like a good movie. It unfolds perfectly and it appeals to the audience’s hopes, fears, and anxieties. The urban legend I am about to describe was told by a first year female biology major at the University. She is of Indian descent and both her parents work in the biotechnology field. I collected this story on a Sunday night in the dorm. The fact that it was nighttime helped create the proper mood for the story. It was told in a dimly lit dorm room. The story was told with an eerie tone of voice, with emphasis and excitement during certain parts. The final part of the story was told in a mysterious fashion, which helped with the delivery of the ending. I heard this story a while ago from a friend. It starts out with a woman who is driving late at night in the middle of nowhere, trying to get home from a long road trip. She is exhausted and is having trouble staying awake and paying attention to the road. Next, the â€Å"low gas† light on her car comes on and the car needs gas. The woman doesn’t know where the nearest town or gas station is, but she keeps driving. Eventually she comes upon an old rundown gas station. She doesn’t want to stop there since it’s so quiet and she feels unsafe, but the car needs gas so she decides to pull in. An attendant walks out to help fill her car up with gas. He is very shady looking and creeps her out. She did not like the whole situation at all and felt very uncomfortable. As soon as he is done filling her car with gas, she pays him. Next, the attendant tells her he needs to talk to her inside. She refuses, but he keeps on insisting that it is very important. When she r efuses again, he grabs her arm in an attempt to get her to come inside, but the wo... ...er. She is unwilling to obey his requests. This shows society’s view of strangers and how they should not be trusted. However, the fact that she did not trust the stranger led to her ultimate demise. The overt moral of this story is don’t be quick in judging someone that you don’t know, they may be trying to help you. Works Cited Brunvand, Jan Harold. Too Good To Be True. New York: W. W. Norton, 1999. (pp. 97-100). Joyce, Darrel A. â€Å"Modern Folklore: Cybermythology in Western Culture†. The AnthroGlove Journal. http://www.anthroglobe.ca/docs/cybermythology.htm Mikkelsen, Barbara. â€Å"The Killer in the Backseat†. Urban Legends Reference Pages. http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/backseat.htm Smith, Paul. The Book of Nasty Legends. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1983. (pp. 95-96). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://www.wikipedia.org.