Two Spins on the US “War on Terror” Essay Example for Free

Two Spins on the US â€Å"War on Terror† Essay The September 11 tragedy has engendered the US â€Å"war on terrorism† that was launched to restore peace and world order. This, of course, echoes the side of the Bush administration. Other groups have argued that the war on terror failed to remedy terrorism since it has proven to be an act of terror itself. Instead of bringing peace, numerous individuals have analyzed the war on terror as an attempt of the US to re-establish itself as Empire. The long competing discourses for and against the US attack of Iraq have often left the common citizen confused and apathetic regarding the issue. This paper argues in the concluding part that it is not enough to be trapped in the various â€Å"spins† relating to the war on terror. More than ever, the times necessitate for individuals to speak up and make a political stand. Introduction After the September 11 tragedy, the US has taken on a role to defend its nation – even the world – from what it perceives as â€Å"terrorists. † This maneuver is grounded on various political and economic policies that have been championed and criticized by different peoples all over. The eventual result of this global campaign to â€Å"curb the spread of terrorism† is the US invasion of Iraq. Four years after the US, United Kingdom and the coalition made their move to crush the â€Å"enemy,† numerous groups and individuals contend that the situation has only gone worse. The US State department, on the other hand, lauds the measures being taken up to now, arguing that peace can only be achieved through a sustained and protracted â€Å"war on terrorism. † Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on which side one is from), the US war on terror is still very much at work today, making it a pressing issue gripping our nation and the world. This paper re-constructs the two â€Å"spins† surrounding the issue of the US war on terror by assuming the side of the US government and the opposition. The question of the hour would thus be: Did the US war on terror prove beneficial or detrimental? By â€Å"spin,† I am borrowing Bill Maher’s elementary definition of the term: â€Å"a lie communicated through the veneer of vague truth† (Press, 2002, xi). According to Bill Press, spin has a vital role in the way political campaigns are arranged today (Press, 2002, xiii). Taken from a ball sport which is cricket, the meaning of spin has then on evolved to connote highly manipulative and deceptive techniques that are selective in vision and interpretation of facts, values and statements. One of the most popular strategies used for spin is non-denial denial. It is much related to the way of talking in which the statements are constructed to assume unproven truths. Ambiguity and skirting, rejecting validity of hypothetical values, and appealing to internal policies – these constitute the strategy and method of spinning. Those who are skilled in spinning have developed a keen sense of timing that allows them to manipulate the people especially during tragic times like the September 11 tragedy. For instance, when British political advisor and press officer Jo Moore sent an email to her department stating that â€Å"It’s now a very good day to get out everything we want to bury,† the statement was manipulated to mean that Moore was insulting those who died and got buried during the September 11 tragedy (Watt, 2001). The trouble, apparently caused by spin, forced Jo Moore to resign. An individual skilled at spinning truths are called â€Å"spin doctors. † Today, the term spin doctor interestingly connotes nearly all politicians and bureaucrats. People from the government have often been vilified for their supposed attempts to conceal the truth from the people. From comedy shows to news editorial, government officials have now become popular figures to be poked at. Spin’s definition as false discourses implies that it is propagated in order to make the people believe a particular political agenda. However, this operative definition doesn’t suggest that the two competing sides regarding the US war on terror are both false. On the contrary, moments of truth are revealed by the very act of critically examining whatever is being handed to us whether by those protecting the status quo or those who oppose it. Therefore, at the offset, the this paper’s disclaimer is that it is impossible to assume the two sides of the issue as if an individual is ideology-free and bias-free. For the purposes of this exercise, however, this paper will attempt to present the arguments by positioning the author in the shoes of each side’s defenders. This paper will first do a spin of the pro- War side followed by a negative spin launched by the anti-war side. In the concluding part, the author will make his own stand and forward his own recommendations. War as path to world peace Ever since the US has been attacked by terrorists, it has become a necessity to protect the country from possible future attacks. The collapse of Word Trade Center, the mark of economic prosperity in the world, left a deep wound that gave President Bush no other choice but to fight back. According to President Bush, the death of thousands of Americans, generated by Islamic fundamentalists, must be avenged (â€Å"Bush defends†, 2005). The US war on terror is thus the answer for the restoration of peace. One of the measures undertaken by the resilient US government was the passage of Patriot Act. Now, any suspected terrorist may be searched and arrested without warrant (USA Patriot Act, 2001). The opposition would say that this law tramps down the right of the people. Apparently, the opposition does not see the bigger picture. It is better to sacrifice a bit of our liberties in order for our country to be protecting itself. Those opposing the efforts made by the Bush administration prove guilty of not wanting the US to recover from the devastating September 11 attacks. Thus, it is important, more than ever, that the measures the Bush administration has initiated be reasserted for the sake of national unity and progress. Securing US borders One painful lesson Americans have learned from the September 11 attacks is that the country’s borders should now be strongly secured from terrorists and other possible threats. The boundaries are regularly crossed by 330 million non-American citizens. It does not come as a surprise then that terrorists were able to gain easy access to the US (US Patriot Act, 2001). Not only terrorists but also criminals, illegal immigrants, drug addicts, and smugglers enter the US and threaten US security. The changing and quickly developing atmosphere of terror allows new chances for another attack. The US Patriot Act (2001) therefore asserts that border control must be strengthened. President George Bush points out two main principles of border control: 1) Americas state boundaries must contribute to the lawful trade and travel in the most efficient way 2) Border control must provide reliable protection against all possible threatening factors like terrorism, drug traffic, epidemics, arms traffic and others (Guild, 2003). In the 2003 Budget, $11 billion was allotted for boundaries security and $380 million for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The plan is to build a modern entry-exit visa system that would surely secure the US from terrorists and other threats. This additional financing allows the border agencies to bring into effect reliable measures that would protect the US from foreign menaces, while at the same time letting legitimate goods and travelers cross the boundaries easily (Guild, 2003). An amount of $619 million was also given to the inspection budget of the Customs Service. This additional financing allows the Customs Service to fulfill its role to thwart dangerous goods like weapons of mass destruction. Particularly, the extra funding allows the Customs Service to hire about 800 new inspectors and make use of the most advanced technologies that will protect the US from harmful foreign goods (Guild, 2003). The 2003 Budget also increased by $1. 2 billion the financing of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The amount of money which totals to $5. 3 billion includes appropriate funding for constructing the entry-exit visa system. (Patel, 2003) The increase of funding is bound to help the INS have more patrol agents and inspectors in the northern boundary and to install integrated information systems providing efficient and precise data-sharing among the security agents. The entry-exit tracking system will help improve the flow of legitimate human influx while preventing dangerous or illegal individuals from getting across the state boundaries (Patel, 2003). The increased budget for border security therefore showcases the sincere efforts of President Bush to protect the American people. Although the budget is a bit expensive, it cannot be denied that the reward of security and safety remains inestimable.

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors 1.1. Overview This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction Industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and programme implications. The procurement process in construction begins with the client tendering the project to the main contractors. This dissertation will not focus on this element of the procurement process and will in turn focus purely on the procurement of the specialist subcontractor trades. A specialist subcontractor is defined as a contractor appointed to carry out activities in the development of a built asset that involve specialist construction knowledge and skills, (Specialist Sub-contractor, 2016) The reason for this topic is due to the working environment in which the author current works, the author is a project manager in the glazing facade industry working on major projects in the UK construction industry. The issues surrounding late procurement has been disused both on sites and in the academic environment for many years and links have been made between the number of claims for delay and variations, and the pre-construction process (Mosey, 2009). Benefits of early procurement can include the ability to value engineer solutions, correct design co-ordination, review more sustainable solutions and many more. 1.2. Hypothesis The research will demonstrate that late procurement can harm more than the programme on a project, it will show that late procurement can affect the design and quality of the project. The evidence will also show the negative effects that late procurement can have on the BREAM status of a building/ project and sustainability. 1.3. Null Hypothesis Late procurement has no effect on the project in any way. 1.4. Aims To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements To evaluate what are the benefits to late and early procurement in terms of the key project requirements; Time Quality Cost. BREAM/Sustainability An additional aim to the dissertation, if sufficient time and resources are available. What can be done to improve the procurement processes 1.5. Objectives Read up on the various different procurement methods and strategies and understand which are relevant to the UK construction industry. Interview 4 to 5 individuals from different sectors of the UK construction industry. Speak to various levels of the construction industry project delivery team to understand the effects they believe early and late procurement can have on the industry. Questionnaires will be sent out to the following parties. Main Contractor Project Directors * Main Contractor Senior Procurement managers Main Contractor Senior Quantity Surveyors Main Contractor Project Managers / Package Managers * Main Contractor Site Managers Main Contractor Design Managers Architects * Specialist Sub-Contract Directors* Specialist Sub-Contract Project Managers* * Indicates the various project members which interviews will be completed with. 2.1. Introduction The initial literature review will explore the various documents which have been reviewed against each aim. This will highlight where there is a vast amount of literature available and where alternative options have had to be used, as set out in the objectives previously. A literature review (also called literature research study or literature survey) groups relevant ideas and evidence from secondary sources into a logical flow, addressing significance and understanding. (Laycock, Howarth, Watson, 2016) 2.2. The various stages of the procurement process Before the procurement process can be understood the term procurement needs to be understood. Dr Denise Bower stated that procurement is the term used to describe the overarching process of the identification, selection and acquisition of civil engineering services and materials, their transport, the execution or implementation; and subsequent project performance. (Bower, 2003). As in any project, there are various elements which need to be procured, in construction these different elements tend to be larger and require sub-contractors to be procured on various different contracts to manage the design, supply and installation of the various elements. The acquisition of the various trade will be linked to the programme, the type of procurement and contract which is being used. One of the first thing which must be created is the Project Execution Plan (PEP), the PEP sets out how the project which has been defined in the strategic brief will be procured (Morledge Smith, 2013). The PEP is directly linked to the procurement approach which can be dictated by the constraints of the project or by the client. As mentioned, the procurement process is directly linked to the programme, for both on and off site. The programme as a whole is linked to the construction process which is stipulated by British Standards BS 6079-1:2010, which is titled, Project management. Principles and guidelines for the management of projects. There are various different stages to the construction process and this is clearly depicted in Figure 1. Figure 1typical stages of a Construction Project (Harris McCaffer, 2013) The British Standard for procurement policies, strategies and procedures are under BS 8532:2011. This document provides the backbone for the procurement division in the UK construction industry. The document states that it gives recommendations and guidance on the development within a public or private sector organization of policies, strategies and procedures for the procurement of construction in the built environment. (British Standards Institution, 2011). Figure 2 portrays a decision structure for which forms of procurement should be used, the structure highlights the main frequently used forms of procurement in the construction sector. Figure 2 Identifying the Procurement process (British Standards Institution, 2011) 2.3. What classes as late procurement Late procurement in its simplest terms can be explained as when the procurement process chosen does not leave enough time to complete the programme to meet all three demands of the performance triangle as shown in Figure 3. Majority of specialist subcontractors packages are design and build. This means that if there is a delay in the procurement process it is the offsite period which is effected as the end date on a construction project rarely moves, unless the delay is due to the client. Figure 3 The Performance triangle Cost, Performance/Quality, time A Design and Build contract is a single source approach in the sense that, generally, the eventual contractor takes on single-point responsibility to develop the entire design and deliver the works according to the clients requirement (Bower, 2003). A reduced design period makes design coordination between the different trades, especially in the specialist works, where the original intent by the clients architect may not adhere to CDM and building regulation. Late procurement in complex projects could be classed as a lot earlier than in the more standard buildings. A complex project can be classed as a project where it is not a standard structure or a repeated building such a chain hotel etc. Banwells report from 1964 stated that specialist consultants, some of whom may infact also be specialist contractor, should be brought in at the earliest stage as full members of a design team (Banwell, 1964). Obviously the precise period when procurement can be classed as early and when it can be classed as late is debateable and will come down to a commercial decision from the main contractor. 2.4. The positive effects early procurement can have on a project The discussion over the benefits of early procurement / contractor involvement has been discussed for over 50 years, Banwell report 1964. In 1998 the Egan report was publish and this was the turning point for the construction industry as he recommended a radical rethink, it was this report which lead to the creation of the Construction Industry Council (CIC). The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is the representative forum for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations in the construction industry. (Construction Industry Council 2017, 2017) David Mosey looked into this subject in a great deal, he stated that, a procurement model which omits contactor and specialist design contributions can increase risk and can result in poor communications between team members, unnecessary delays to progress of the project and the creation of incorrect information that leads to claims and disputes. (Mosey, 2009). This outlook is in line with many other academics, the JCT CE guide also states that, It is important that contractors and any key specialists are engaged early, ideally at a stage when the proposed design is not complete so that it is possible for the contractor and key specialists to consider ways in which the design can be made easier to build and maintain (JCT CE Guide, 2006). Design consultants are also in favour of this approach, the CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) interviewed John Hayward, director of Mott MacDonald in 1998. He was quoted as stating Our preferred approach, particularly on more complex projects, is to select the contractor who will construct the project at concept stage. The primary objective is optimise buildability and thus improve delivery against time and cost criteria, (CIRIA, 1998). By engaging contractors and specialist contractors at an early stage allows the creation of improved details which follow the build sequence as well as reduce build costs on site for re visits etc. The early involvement approach reduces the focus on the client. The design and built contract relies on the client expressing a clear performance brief at the outset and leaving the main contactor to determine its own means to complete the project in line with the required cost, time an quality parameters. (Mosey, 2009). The client would normally employ their own design team, architects etc, to generate this clear brief, by engaging a core team of specialist contractors this brief can be specifics and accurtate regarding specifications and details. This will reduce and remove some of the off-site time once a contractor is appointed as the brief should be transparent to both to contractor and the subcontractors tendering for the various packages. 3.1. Introduction This chapter will discuss and evaluate the proposed methods which will be undertaken in the research of the dissertation. The different research methods have been carefully chosen by the author based on the title and topic environment. 3.2. Research Paradigms A paradigm, in business, is a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something (Cambridge Dictionary, 2017). Even though paradigms have increased through the raise in social media, there are still mainly two, Positivism and Anti-positivism. The third paradigm which will be considered in this research is critical theory. (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Positivism, in philosophy, adheres to the view that only factual knowledge gained through observation, including measurement, is trustworthy. (Dudovskiy, Positivism Research Philosophy, 2017) This is a very scientific approach and relies on fact and data rather than thoughts and opinions. Anti-Positivism can also be referred to as interpretive sociology or interpretivist. This is when the researcher interprets the elements of the study and uses their own thoughts, opinions and believes in order to arrive at a conclusion. This method of study usually focus on meaning and may employ multiple methods in order to reflect different aspects of the issue. (Dudovskiy, Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy, 2017) Critical theory suggests action research methods to explore the current field knowledge. This is generally used to solve problems immediately. This form of research will form from the back of the interviews when interviewing site level members of the project team. Table 4 The three research paradigms and the various methods (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Research paradigms Research approach Research methods Examples Positivism Quantitative Surveys: Questionnaires longitudinal, cross-sectional, correlational; experimental, Survey of procurement managers into the percentage of late procured packages per major project. Anti-positivism Qualitative Biographical; Phenomenological; Ethnographical; case study Reviewing the literature which is already been written. Completing interviews with different sectors an interpreting their responses. Critical theory Critical and action-oriented Ideology critique; action research In field questionnaires and interviews 3.3. Data Collection Various different types of data will be collected from the different research methods that have been proposed above. These different methods where chosen in order to gain an increased understanding of the industry as a whole, not just from an academic or site level. The different methods will also allow a large amount of different data to be collected, analysed and reviewed. Positivism research will lead to primary data through the surveys and questionnaires. 3.4. Methods 3.4.1. Objective 1 In order to explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry the author will complete an extensive literature review. This review will examine the data from research which has been complete by other academics, this will secondary data. Secondary data will be reviewed as this will provide an alternative opinion on the current and past industry. A wide range of opinions will be critical when reviewing the primary data which will be collected from interviews and questionnaires The emphasis of this objective is also to evaluate how much change has happened in the procurement practise to see if the role of a specialist subcontract has been considered when developing the process. In order to understand this the interview with the Main Contractor Procurement leaders will help explain from a practical level whether the theory mentioned in the literature review is completed in the field. The only issue with this method of research is that the academic literature may be one sided or based on past practice and not reflective of the current UK construction industry. 3.4.2. Objective 2 Determining what classes as late procurement and understanding the main and most common reasons for late procurements will be achieved through primary data, the data will be collected by different members of the UK construction industry completing interviews. In order to achieve a rounded and diverse set of responses the author will also aim to interview difference companies in the same sector. The interview questions will be created following an extensive literature review and a review of the questionnaires. The interview questions will contain the same core questions for each sector in order to achieve a broad understanding of the different opinions of late procurement. There will be different role specific questions which will be directed towards the environment that each interviewee works in. 3.4.3. Objective 3 Exploring the perception of late/early procurement and what effects it has on the construction industry will be the hardest objective to complete. The author will create various surveys aimed at different disciplines to understand the different effects and issues caused by the delay in procurement. The questionnaires for the procurement team will try to gain an understanding into the procurement procedure they follow and whether it is by personal choice, company procedure or effected by time critical requirements. The questionnaires will be sent to colleagues in the authors working environment which will then be passed on to their colleagues, this is referred to as snowball sampling. This method has many benefits including; Reaching members of the construction industry in high positions which would have been previously unachievable. Saving time, as other people are sending the questionnaire around the various other individuals No large scale pre planning required, the author will just have to speak to the various key members about the request. However, there are also some disadvantages to this technique; Lack of control over who takes part in the survey Sampling bias as the initial subjects will pass the questionnaire onto their close colleague who may be in similar positions or have the similar options. (Explorable, 2017) 3.5. Research model The model displayed below highlights the various stages which will be completed during the research stage of the project. The first 3 stages have already been completed, along with the definition of the aims. The next stage is to complete the objectives and then review and analyse the data collected. Figure 4 A flow chart depicting the dissertation process 3.6. Gantt chart displaying target project dates Table 6, Gantt chart displaying the target dissertation timeline In summary the author has shown that there has been previous research into the proposed topic, however this research has been into the various procurement strategies and the benefits of early contractor involvement. There has not been much research into the effects of late procurement or the reasons for late procurement. This is where data from the interviews and questionnaires will be harnessed. The methodology clearly portrays that the results from the questionnaire and literature review will be used to create the interview questions. This method will allow any gaps in information to be capture in the interviews, it will also allow some of the more challenging questions to be clearly answered by the interviewee. The main challenge that the author will face is participation with members of the industry for the questionnaires and interviews. The benefit of working in the industry and on major construction site is that the author will have personal links to various members on the industry, this should aid in the response rate. References Banwell. (1964). Banwell Report The Placing and Management of Contacts for building and Civil Engineering Work. London: HMSO. Bower, D. D. (2003). Management of Procurement. London: Thomas Yelford Publishing. British Standards Institution. (2011). BS 8534:2011 Construction procurement policies, strategies and procedures. BSI Standards Publications. Cambridge Dictionary. (2017, March 01). Paradigm. Retrieved from Cambridge Dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/paradigm CIRIA. (1998). Selecting Contractors by Value. London: Construction Industry Research and Information Association. Construction Industry Council 2017. (2017, March 7). Retrieved from Construction Industry Council: http://cic.org.uk/ Dr. Nirod K. Dash, I. (June 2005). Module: Selection of the Research Paradigm and Methodology. Manchester Meropolitan University. Dudovskiy, J. (2017, Feb 28). Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/interpretivism/ Dudovskiy, J. (2017, March 01). Positivism Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/positivism/ Explorable. (2017, March 05). Snowball Sampling. Retrieved from Explorable: https://explorable.com/snowball-sampling Harris, F., McCaffer, R. (2013). Modern Construction Management. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. JCT CE Guide. (2006). JCT Constructing Excellence Contract Guide. London: Sweet Maxwell. Laycock, E., Howarth, T., Watson, P. (2016). The Journey to Dissertation Success. Oxon: Routledge. Morledge, R., Smith, A. (2013). Building Procurment. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Mosey, D. (2009). Early Contractor Involvement in Building Procurement- Contracts, Partnering and Project Managment. Wiley Blackwell. Specialist Sub-contractor. (2016, Jan 21). Retrieved from Designing Building Wiki: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Specialist_contractor Please find attached at the end of the report the following documents 6.1 Research Ethics Checklist for Students (Page 19 to 25) 6.2 Participant Information Document (Page 26 to 27) 6.3 Participant Consent Form (Page 28 to 29) RESEARCH ETHICS  CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS (SHUREC7) This form is designed to help students and their supervisors to complete an ethical scrutiny of proposed research. The SHU ResearchEthicsPolicy should be consulted before completing the form. Answering the questions below will help you decide whether your proposed research requires ethical review by a Designated Research Ethics Working Group. The final responsibility for ensuring that ethical research practices are followed rests with the supervisor for student research. Note that students and staff are responsible for making suitable arrangements for keeping data secure and, if relevant, for keeping the identity of participants anonymous. They are also responsible for following SHU guidelines about data encryption and research data management. The form also enables the University and Faculty to keep a record confirming that research conducted has been subjected to ethical scrutiny. For student projects, the form may be completed by the student and the supervisor and/or module leader (as applicable). In all cases, it should be counter-signed by the supervisor and/or module leader, and kept as a record showing that ethical scrutiny has occurred. Students should retain a copy for inclusion in their research projects, and staff should keep a copy in the student file. Please note if it may be necessary to conduct a health and safety risk assessment for the proposed research. Further information can be obtained from the Faculty Safety Co-ordinator. General  Details Name of student Katherine Louise Walter Course or qualification (student) MSc Construction Project Managements Title of proposed research The effects of late procurement for specialist subcontractors in the Uk Construction Industry Proposed start date January 2017 Proposed end date October 2017 Brief outline of research to include, rationale aims (250-500 words). This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and program implications. The main aims of the dissertation are; 1.To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry 2.To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements 3.To evaluate what are the major effects on late procurement and do they aid or hamper the three key feature of a successful project a) Time b) Quality c) Cost. d) BREAM/Sustainability 4.What can be done to improve the procurement processes Where data is collected from individuals, outline the nature of data, details of anonymisation, storage and disposal procedures if required (250-500 words). Data will be collected from individuals in the construction sector via interviews and questionnaires. The nature of the data will be both opinions and facts. The opinions will be taken from various sectors of the construction industry in order to gain a wide range of data. The questionnaires will also be sent to various different employees for different companies. This approach will try to avoid results being effected by one companies practice. The data received from the questionnaires will then be used to generate questions for interviews. These interviews will try to focus down into some of the trends displayed in the questionnaires. The interview will also ask questions about the company procedures as well as the individuals thoughts and opinions on how the system could be improved. 1.  Health  Related Research Involving  the  NHS  or  Social Care/Community  Care  or  the  Criminal Justice  Service  or  with research  participants  unable  to  provide  informed  consent Questi

appearance vs reality Essay -- essays research papers

Appearance vs. Reality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Things are not always as they appear. You may think someone is a certain way because of how they dress and carry themselves this is called stereotyping. Many people stereotype without even noticing that they are doing it. Everyone has his or her right to first impressions, but stereotyping is wrong. There are many examples of this topic in literature as well as in our society today. The main population accused of stereotyping is teenagers; they are seen as rude and judgmental. For example, in high school the people are divided into groups by how they dress and whom they hang out with. There are the skaters, freaks, preps, snobs, cheerleaders, jocks and nerds. No one person set up these different groups, they came along as the years went by. It is not fair to automatically say someone is a prep or freak by just looking at them; the people in different groups have many of the same characteristics and the same friends. So, how can they be stereotyped if all the groups mingle anyways? Although the teenagers are usually accused of stereotyping, it occurs no matter what age you are. For example, if an adult sees another one dressed in cheaper clothes, they might assume they are poor. Or if someone sees another with real expensive clothes, they assume they are rich. This is a false accusation, because one cannot tell if another is rich or poor by how they dress or what kind of house they live in. Some people like to save money ...

The Importance of Family Tradition in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper :: Movie Film Essays

The Importance of Family Tradition in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper William Faulkner’s life was defined by his inability to conduct himself as a true Southern gentleman. He never achieved affluence, strength, chivalry or honor. Therefore, the myth of Southern masculinity eluded him. Faulkner shied away from violence, he never proved himself in battle. He was not a hard worker, nor was he an excellent family man. Seemingly worst of all, he did not follow in the footsteps of his father and the â€Å"Old Colonel.† The code of Southern gentility highly praises family tradition. As a born and bred Southerner I can attest to this fact. Every man in my family for ten generations has been a plumber. It is the utmost honor for a man to follow his father’s example. Faulkner, unfortunately, was incapable of really living like his father. Therefore, I believe Faulkner’s collective failures are rooted in the fact that he could not live up to the standards set by the men in his family. Faulkner’s father and great grandfather could be described as the embodiment of Southern masculinity. The video â€Å"A Life on Paper† made it clear that the Faulkner men were â€Å"manly men.† The â€Å"Old Colonel† was remembered as a valiant war hero and a wonderful storyteller. William’s father continued perfectly in his footsteps. He had an intense work ethic and he served in the military. He provided for his family and he never turned down a good fight. Together they set the mold for the perfect Southern man, a role that William could never hope to fulfill. William did, however, possess the unquenchable pride of a Southern man. He recognized the importance of proving himself to his father. So he spent his time emulating the man he admired. He tried to construct a normal family life but he was self- centered and irresponsible. His lack of steady income prevented him from being a provider like his father. Perhaps worst of all, Faulkner missed an important rite of passage by being denied war experience. The writer never actively participated in battle, so he constructed an elaborate web of lies and vivid stories. This event highlights Faulkner’s own intense determination to reach the Southern ideal. Since he couldn’t really be a war hero, he fabricated himself into one. This struggle proved extremely difficult for Faulkner. Upon reading Faulkner’s The Unvanquished, I drew a parallel between Drusilla’s commentary on life and Faulkner’s own pursuit of masculinity (100).

The No Child Left Behind Act: Impact on the Assessment of Special Educa

The No Child Left Behind Act: Impact on the Assessment of Special Education Students Three years after the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) moved into our schools there is a great deal of controversy that questions whether the act implemented by President George W. Bush is helping or hurting an already suffering school system. There are many dimensions of the NCLB act that have been questioned over the past three years; the fair assessment of students with disabilities is one of them. As the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (NCFOT) reported, the public relations aspect of this act is strong. However, all other areas of the new law are falling short of meeting their goals. In an annual report card developed by the NCFOT in 2005 accountability was rated with a ?D? and high-quality assessments with an ?F?. They further explain that Bush?s act encourages the use of commercial testing where they should be using classroom based assessments. Also, the accountability is somewhat misleading and can cause schools that are moving forward to turn into test-prep schools (NCFOT, 2005). While this report card focuses on how the NCLB act affects all subgroups in education, it is important to look at one group in particular; the special education students. President Bush?s NCLB act is forcing special education students to perform on statewide assessments that are above their intelligence level and are often requiring them to pass the assessments in order to receive a high school diploma. This often causes teachers, such as Lindley Corcoran, a special education teacher at Sheppard Pratt private school for students with severe disabilities, to teach to the test rather than teach practical functional skills which she believes will be ... ...ting Office. Fair Test. (2005). The National Center for Fair & Open Testing. Retrieved from http://www.fairtest.org Goldhaber, D. (2002). What might go wrong with the accountability measures of the ?No Child Left Behind Act The Urban Institute. Improving accountability for limited English proficient and special education students under the No Child Left Behind Act. (2003). Washington Area School Study Council. No educator left behind: Testing special education students. (2003). Retrieved March 18, 2005, from http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/NELB/NELB025.shtml Olson, L. (2004). Data show schools making progress on federal goals. Education Week, 24, 24-28. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org Tomes, H. Ph.D. (2004). In public interest: Are we really leaving no child behind? American Psychologist, 35, 31-35. Retrieved from www.apa.org

Cost Accounting Terminologies Essay

Cost accounting, as a tool of management, provides management with detailed records of the costs relating to products, operations or functions. Cost accounting refers to the process of determining and accumulating the cost of some particular product or activity. It also covers classification, analysis and interpretation of costs. The cost so determined and accumulated may be the estimated future costs for planning purposes, or actual (historical) costs for evaluating performance. The Institute of Cost and Management Accountant (ICMA), London, defined cost accounting as â€Å"the process of accounting for cost from the point at which expenditure incurred or committed to the establishment of its ultimate relationship with cost centers and cost units. In its widest usage it embraces the preparation of statistical data, the application of cost control methods and the ascertainment of profitability of activities carried out or planned.† Costing Cost accounting and costing have distinctly different meanings. The Institute of Cost and Management Accountant (ICMA), London, defined costing as the ascertainment of costs. Costing includes the â€Å"techniques† and â€Å"processes† of ascertaining costs. The technique refers to the principles or rules which are applied for ascertaining costs of products manufactured and services rendered. There are mainly two methods of costing job costing and process costing. The process includes the day to day routine of determining costs within the methods of costing adopted by the business enterprise. Within such a process, there could be historical costing, marginal costing, absorption costing and standard costing etc. Objectives of Cost Accounting There is a direct relationship among information needs of management and cost accounting objectives and techniques and tools used for analyses in cost accounting. Cost accounting has the following three important objectives: 1. To determine the product cost.  2. To facilitate planning and control of regular business activities. 3. To supply information for short and long-run decision. Product Costing The objective of determining the cost of products is the prime importance of cost accounting. The total product costs and cost per unit of product are important in making inventory valuation, deciding price of the product and managerial decision making. Planning and Control Another important objective of cost accounting is the creation of useful cost data and information for the purposes of planning and control by management. The different alternative plans are evaluated in terms of respective costs and associated benefits. The management control over business operations aims to establish balance between actual and budgeted performance. A properly designed cost accounting system includes the following steps in the control process: 1. Comparing actual performance with budgets and standard 2. Analyzing the variances between budget and standards and actual by causes, and management responsibility so that corrective actions may take place. 3. Providing managers with data and reports about their individual performances and performances of subordinates. Information for decision Another important objective of cost accounting system is to provide data and special analyses for short and long-run decisions of a non-recurring nature. Appropriate cost information must be accumulated to make a wide variety of short and long run decision. According to Henke and Spoede, the following are the cost information developed in cost accounting: 1. As a basis for valuing manufactured inventories and cost of goods sold in externally presented financial reports. 2. In controlling operations through the evaluation of operating results and the placement of responsibilities for the uses of organizational resources on the shoulders of specifically identifiable persons within the organization. 3. In planning operations through the establishment of cost and budgetary goals. 4. In making day- to- day operating decisions. The cost information is used for two purposes in most organizations: 1) the cost accounting systems provide information to evaluate the performance of an organizational unit or his manager, and 2) also provide the means for estimating the unit cost of products or services that the organization can manufacture or provide to others. a) Performance measurement: This measurement can be done by comparing current costs with those who were expected – or standard costs budgeted cost – to the degree of knowing which of them have been controlled. Deviations of expected with the current – variances – can be identified, evaluated and discussed by managers. b) Cost of goods and services: In manufacturing companies, the costs of goods must be measured to determine the cost of items transferred from work in process inventory to finished products. To meet the demands for information, a cost system should measure all the costs of manufacturing process and allocate a portion of those costs to each unit of output. The cost to obtain, maintain and manage the manufacturing plant or building should be added to the cost of material and productive work that requires each unit. The first are called indirect costs and the two last are called direct costs. c) Profit analysis. Information in costs is essential to analyze the profits obtained from a product or product line. The information on the cost of a product enables managers to assess the contribution margin – the difference between the price and variable costs – and the gross margin – the difference between the price and the total cost of the product. d) Product mix. For the companies that offer more than one product or service the cost information is key to handle the mix of products or services offered to customers. With information on cost-profit, a manager can lead the effort in sales and advertising for products that generate greater value. The products that do not create any profit can be removed, have a price reassignation, or tied up with products that have greater utility. e) Price assignation. Regardless of where prices are determined by the forces of market demand, product differentiation and advertising offer to many managers some sort of idea to assign prices to products or services. The costs of products and trends commonly offer signals to managers that prices should be changed. An example could be the change in the cost of a material or critical component which can give a signal to reassess the price of a product or service. f) Cost of service. Many products require the seller to provide additional services to customers. In such cases, the information about the cost of service is so important for managers as the cost of production. The same for companies that offer services only, unless the cost of service is measured, there is no way to know whether providing the service is profitable or not, or whether changes in prices or advertising are needed. Looked from another angle, the uses that the administration of a company can give to the costs can be grouped into 4 categories, specified below Method of costing As state earlier, the term costing refers to the techniques and processes of determining cost of a product manufactured or a service rendered. Different methods are applied in business enterprises to ascertain cost depending upon the nature of the product, production method and specific business conditions. For example, in a textile or steel company, raw material passes through different stages and production is done continuously. In some other industries, production is done at different customers specific orders and each job is different from the other job.

Ozone Depletion and Global Warming Essay

There is no doubt that global warming is fast becoming a serious issue at this time. However, not all people are aware of the negative effects that global warming and ozone depletion can bring. They are also not aware of the fact that their day-to-day actions can contribute largely to the phenomenon. While ozone depletion and global warming is hard to deal with, there are numerous ways where people can contribute to the environment so that the situation will not become much worse than what is seen today. If people would like to help improve the environment, they should start within themselves by changing some of the ways they run the household. Recycling and reusing is a very practical thing to do especially nowadays when everything is high in terms of their cost. Recycling can decrease the amount of garbage that will be sent out to landfills. People should also choose to buy products made out of recycled materials. It is also important to conserve energy by turning appliances off when they are not in use, or by using Energy Star qualified products, or by modifying the house and using green power or installing solar panels. Spreading the word and participating in activities and programs that support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can also significantly help. Changing household ways can be easier compared to that of the workplace setting because there are less people to instruct and there are fewer appliances to check. Still, when working, people should always utilize office equipment such that they are only used when needed. Things that are not usually used should be powered off but things that are mostly used should not be turned off every time because constantly switching them on and off can use up more energy. Employees and companies should also make it a point to recycle and reuse their materials, especially paper. Papers should only be used for important communication or reports. Other less important things should be communicated through the Internet by email or instant messages.