Extensive Notes: Role of Operations Management

Business Studies Notes Role of operation management: Strategic role of operations management- Operations refer to the business processes that involve transformation or, more generally, ‘production’. Applies both to the manufacturing and services sector. Turning raw materials and resources into outputs of finished goods or products. Qantas operations are strategically important because most organizational activity comprises the day to day activities within the operation function. * Cost leadership- Cost leadership involves aiming to have the lowest costs or to be the most price-competitive in the market.Qantas; Economies of scale, these are minimizations of cost because of the size of the business. Standardization, the more variations Qantas’ services like the types and frequency of the routes the higher production cost per unit. Technology, the adoption and application of advances in technology directly impact on production costs, reduction in labour costs. Waste, minimizing waste will deliver the lowest production costs, excess production, underutilization of labour or equipment, faulty or defective production and excess inventory. Goods/service differentiation- this approach does not mean competing on cost but by adding features to differentiate its products or service from its competitors. Qantas, Australia’s largest airline offering the most comprehensive domestic and international coverage. City flyer express service means that there are flights every 30 minutes in peak periods between the major capital cities in Australia. Also 76 international destinations. Qantas budget airline Jet star.Goods and services in different industries- manufacturing- standardized or customized products, perishable or non-perishable products, intermediate goods service- standardized (fast food) or customized (doctors, legal services etc. ) or even self-service. Interdependence with other key business functions- human resources, finance and marketing –exist because of and to support the operations function. However, operations cannot succeed with out their contribution to and direct participation in the transformation of inputs into the final outputs.Qantas recruitment- for everyone from pilots to baggage handlers and cleaners. Training and development- newer planes need to retrain pilots, maintenance crews and cabin staff to effectively integrate the new craft. Retained staff- invested heavily in training pilots and maintenance staff to the high level required in this industry, so they want to retain them. Influences Globalization; refers to the removal of barriers of trade between nations, creating new market opportunities.Characterized by integration between national economies, transfer of capital, labour, financial resources and technology. Qantas- launching new airlines in Asia, cost minimization to be more internationally competitive Technology: innovation of devices. Communication, keeping up with competitors, supp ly chain management, quality expectations. Qantas- newer planes, newer operational processes, more training required Quality expectations- how well designed, made and functional goods are, and the overall degree of competence with which service are organized and delivered.Qantas- new generation check in, new Q bad tags, newer planes, specially designed menus Cost-based completion; recognizes that prices cannot keep increasing and reducing cost is a way to maximize profits when revenues are fixed. Qantas- outsourcing, reform to HR practices employing more labour saving techniques, online bookings Government policies; political decisions affect the businesses rules and regulations, which in turn, directly affect the management of various key business functions.Qantas- more resources devoted to compliance Legal regulation; the regulations that shape business practices and procedures must be followed at the risk of penalty, hence the term compliance. Environmental sustainability; enviro nmental sustainability means that business operations should shaped around practices that consume resources today without compromising access to those resources for future generations. Qantas- purchasing new, environmentally sensitive aircraft, recycling, fuel conservationCorporate social responsibility; (CSR) is an important influence on business and its integrates financial social and environmental goals. Qantas- health surveillance program, energy and water conservation, recycling. * The difference between legal compliance and ethical responsibility; legal compliance refers to business abiding by the word of the law, where as ethical responsibility encompasses a much broader integration of social community and environmental concerns * Environmental sustainability and social responsibly:. Businesses are being asked to take increasing responsibility for the protection of the environment.The Earth is a fragile system, and needs high levels of support and informed intervention so tha t it may sustain itself. Qantas cultural diversity, reconciliation action plan is a program, which focuses on employing indigenous Australia’s. Also new aircraft now being delivered use less fuel per passenger. Social responsibility is good business — customers eventually find out which businesses are acting responsibly and which are not. Customers can react and stop buying a business’s product if they learn that the business is exploiting employees, accepting bribes or polluting the environment.Operations processes Inputs; labour, Energy, raw materials, machinery and technology (capital equipment) * Transformed resources: materials, information and customers. Are those inputs that are changed or converted in the operations process. The operations processes transform them. Transformed resources are also considered the resources that give the operations process its purpose or goal * Materials: Are the basic elements used in the production process and consist of t wo types: raw materials and intermediate goods. Raw: normally substances in their natural state such as mineral ore, timber oil and water. Qantas is the expensive fuel they use. * Intermediate good: which are goods manufactured and used in further manufacturing or processing. Qantas: examples are the food and ingredients for their catering services, stationary and computers * Information: is the knowledge gained from research, investigation and instruction, which result in an increase in understanding. The value of information lies mainly in its ability to influence behavior or decision-making.Qantas: in individual bookings (information) made by the customers are analyzed and transformed into decision as to which aircraft to use, which services are to offer. * Customers: Customers are generally thought of as being relevant to outputs, not inputs. Customers become transformed resources when their choices shape inputs. Qantas: customers are transformed by having their location changed from their starting point to the new destination. * Transforming resources (human resource, facilities): which are those inputs that carry out the transformation process.They enable the change and value adding to occur * Human resources: These are the people who assemble the inputs, operate and maintain the machinery and equipment used in the processes, fulfill the sales function, distribute the output and deal with the customers. Qantas this means everyone from cleaners and baggage handlers to the pilots and sales managers. * Facilities (capital): refer to the plant (factory or office) and machinery used in the operations processes.Major decisions include the design layout of the facilities, the number of facilities to be used, their location and their capacity. Qantas this includes the terminal buildings and their contents, maintenance facilities, spare parts holdings, aircraft, and even computers and motor vehicles. * Transformation processes: The main concept of operations proc esses is transformation, which is the conversion of inputs (resources) into outputs (goods or services). * The influence of volume, variation in demand and visibility (customer contact) * Volume: Volume refers to how much of a product is made.Volume flexibility refers to how quickly the transformation process can adjust to increases or decreases in demand. Standardized products. * Variety: The influence of variety on transformation processes is: the greater the variety made, the more the operations process needs to allow for variation. * Variation in demand: a variation in demand can impact significantly on transformation resources. An increase in demand will require increased inputs from suppliers, increased human resources, increased energy use and increased use of machinery and technology.Predicting demand. Qantas, experiences a predictable major increase in demand for school holidays and special events. * Visibility: Customer contact may be direct or indirect. Direct contact tak es the form of customer feedback given through surveys, interviews, warranty claims, letters, Indirect feedback comes through a review of sales data that gives an indication of customer preferences and market share data, through an observation of peoples’ decision-making processes and through consumer reviews.Because businesses seek to maximize sales, customer contact is essential and ultimately shapes the transformation processes. Qantas is high visibility because there is customer contact throughout the whole process. * Sequencing and scheduling: Sequencing and scheduling are two very important aspects that assist with structuring and ordering the transformation processes. Sequencing refers to the order in which activities in the operations process occur. Scheduling refers to the length of time activities take within the operations process.Qantas: flight schedule that a customer sees shows departure and arrival times. It also includes making sure that each flight has crews. (pilots, cabin, catering) * Grantt Charts: The Gantt chart outlines the activities that need to be performed, the order in which they should be performed and how long each activity is expected to take * Critical path analysis: The Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a scheduling method or technique that shows what tasks need to be done, how long they take and what order is necessary to complete those tasks. Technology, task design and process layout: Qantas: a major business expense for Qantas is the terminal, hanger and maintenance space is which the operations process takes place. Optimum process layout at Qantas is where machines and equipment are grouped together by function. This enables Qantas to utilise space and labour efficiently and eliminate bottlenecks. * Technology: technology is the application of science or knowledge that enables people to do new things or perform established tasks in new and better ways.Qantas: has facilitated increase productivity, very often by direct ly replacing human capital. Examples include online check in, online booking, and electronic bag tags. * Task design: Task design involves classifying job activities in ways that make it easy for an employee to successfully perform and complete the task. Qantas: the break down of the full transformation process into the individual tasks to be preformed. * Process layout: The process layout is the arrangement of machines such that the machines and equipment are grouped together by the function (or process) they perform. Monitoring, controlling and improvement: Monitoring and control lead to improvements when there is a focus on quality and standards. Qantas involve detecting and discrepancy between planned and actual activity, taking corrective action and intervening to impose new plans if necessary. * Monitoring: Monitoring is the process of measuring actual performance against planned performance. Monitoring involves the measuring of all aspects of operations, from supply chain man agement and the use of inputs, through to transformation processes and outputs. Controlling: Control occurs when KPIs are assessed against predetermined targets and corrective action is taken if required. This means controlling compares what was intended to happen with what has actually occurred. * Improvement: Improvement refers to systematic reduction of inefficiencies and wastage, poor work processes and the elimination of any bottlenecks. A bottleneck is an aspect of the transformation process that slows down the overall processing speed or creates an impediment leading to a backlog of incompletely processed products. Outputs: Essentially outputs are the result of a business’s efforts — the final good or service that is delivered or provided to the consumer * Customer service: f a customer expresses dissatisfaction with a product on account of it being defective, not meeting quality expectations, finds wait times/lead times too long or returns the product or makes a warranty claim, then the operations processes need review. Qantas: meets the needs of customers. Also has adopted the ‘net promoter score’ as a key measuring of customer service.Qantas closed loop feedback program enables direct feedback from its 1100 frequent flyers. * Warranties: Warranty claims are made against goods that have defects arising from an issue in transformation. Although a small proportion of warranty claims are false, the number of claims made against a business on a particular product line or product range will give an indication of problems in the processing. Operations strategies: * Performances objectives: Performance objectives are goals that relate to particular aspects of the transformation processes.These objectives or targets will be set so that the business becomes more efficient, productive and profitable. * Quality: consumer expectations, which are used to inform the production standards applied by the business often determines Quality. Qu ality of design, conformance, service. Qantas: means consistently producing its services to customer expectations, doing things right. Includes, clean and tidy aircraft, staff are courteous, helpful and friendly and their website is user friendly. * Speed: Speed refers to the time it takes for the production and the operations processes to respond to changes in market demand.Speed requires that changes in input levels and processing times can be made in response to demand. Qantas: customer asking for their service and getting it. Things to increase speed of service are booking flights on line, on-line check in, check in kiosks and Q bag tags. * Dependability: dependability, as a performance objective, refers to how consistent and reliable a business’s products are. Dependability, in respect of goods, refers to how long the products are useful before they fail. Dependability refers to consistency of service standards and reliability.Qantas: time departures and arrivals, Qantas has outperformed its rivals in these statistics its dependability has been seriously eroded in recent years because of mechanical failures, and industrial disputes. * Flexibility: flexibility refers to how quickly operations processes can adjust to changes in the market. Time and flexibility are related; the quicker the processing time the greater the likelihood that processes can be adjusted quickly. Qantas: ability to respond to changes in market demand, either by changing the products offered, changing the mix of products, changing the volume of product or by changing the delivery times.Jet Star is Qantas’ response to the competition of low cost airlines. * Customization: Customization refers to creation of individualized products to meet the specific needs of the customers. Services are generally customized, although aspects of services can be standardized as seen in the fast-food sector. Customization means giving Qantas customers more options by varying the product in minor ways. It varies its products by offering jet start and a more no frills alternative and offering different classes of seating. Cost: Cost as a performance objective refers to the minimization of expenses such that operations processes are conducted as cheaply as possible. Qantas has interest in keeping their cost as low as is compatible with the levels of quality, speed, dependability and flexibility that their customers require. * Supple chain management: Supply chain management (SCM) involves integrating and managing the flow of supplies throughout the inputs, transformation processes (throughput and value adding) and outputs to best meet the needs of customers.Supply chain management refers to controlling the flow of supplies though Qantas’ whole operations process from sourcing the raw materials like fuel to final delivery to and service of the service. Increased transaction speed and increased customer satisfaction. Inventory is a major expense in the operations pr ocess. Raw materials such as fuel must be sourced and purchased, they must be stored and be available, they must be moved and they must be transformed. * Global sourcing: modern operations involve increasing levels of global sourcing –obtaining suppliers with out being constrained to local sources.There are some risks involved because of changing exchange rates and coming under laws and customs, which apply in other countries. Qantas has employed some pilots in New Zealand and some cabin staff in Asia at lower wages that paid in Australian and has some engine maintenance carried out in Malaysia on a cost benefit basis. * E-commerce: This is simply buying and selling on the internet. This technology has had a major impact on SCM. It has replaced time consuming and costly manual processes of the past.It provides for real time information on Quantity, Quality, availability, source and price of all goods and services to be instantly accessible from a range of suppliers local and international. * Logistics: this is the task of ensuring tat Qantas has al the Physical inputs in the quantities needed in the right place at the right time (e. g. pilots, cabin crew, baggage handling, maintenance and catering) for the operations process (fights) to take place undisrupted and hence at optimum efficiency. * Outsourcing: Outsourcing involves the use of external providers to perform business activities.The theory behind outsourcing is that when an external provider that specializes in a particular business function performs a service, it will do so at a lower cost and with a greater effectiveness than the same task done within the business hierarchy. * Advantages of outsourcing for Qantas: * Saving capital outlay-factory space and machinery are provided by another business at their expense * Saving in labour-staff management and expenses are born by the other business * Increased dependability- more than one external supplier can be accessed, thus ensuring security of supply. Saving in cost- the other business can provide the input at a lower price than it can be done in-house. * Access to higher level skills- the other business contains skills that do not exist in-house * Increased flexibility- variations in demand are managed by other business * Saving in management- having set up contracts, management can concentrate only on the tasks it does perform in-house. * Disadvantages of outsourcing for Qantas: * Dependency-the operations process is now dependent on another party for supply of inputs; failures in that external supply chain can cause major internal disruption and expense. Loss of control and security- there can be loss in control of standards and vulnerability to proprietary and patent data and information accessible by the supplier * Quality- control is no longer exercised over the inputs used by the outsourced supplier * False economy- outsourced inputs can become more expensive over time so constant review of the decision is warrante d * Cost- the one-off expense of redundancies to staff no longer required is an offset to the savings from outsourcing. Technology: Technology in the operations function may be classified according to whether it applies to and improves inputs, transformations processes and outputs; or whether it makes the managerial and administrative functions smoother. * Leading edge: Leading edge technology is the technology that is the most advanced or innovative at any point in time. Operations managers can distinguish their operations processes by utilizing the best available technologies. This can help businesses to create products more quickly and to higher standards, with less waste, and also help a business to operate more effectively. Established technology: Established technology is the technology that has been developed and widely used, and is simply accepted without question. Such technologies include the use of computers and various software packages in managing business operations an d functions. Established technologies are functionally sound and help to establish basic standards for productivity and speed. Qantas was one of a number of airlines who placed advance orders for the new airbus A380, but they opted to make sure they were NOT the airline to receive the very First one. Inventory management: inventory refers to the raw materials, work in progress (unfinished goods still undergoing the transformation process) and finished goods held by the business at a point in time. The extent of these holdings is an important operational strategic decision, because they represent significant capital outlay (cost), which is yet to yield revenue. To hold excess quantities adds additional cost on production, but to hold too little can result in disruption to production and loss of sales because customer demand cannot be met.This is more of an issue for manufacturing businesses than for Qantas because they do not ‘store’ product to meet customer demand like a manufacturing one does. Inventory management is the system that manages the ordering, storage and recovery of the material inputs used in production. * Quality management: Quality management refers to those processes that a business undertakes to ensure consistency, reliability, safety and fitness of purpose of product. In operations, quality management includes quality controls at each stage of processing.Qantas has marketed as a high quality, perfect safety record, full service airline and commanded premium fares; at the other end of the spectrum is jet star which has traded quality for price and markets as a no frill low cost airline. * Quality control: programmed inspections are carried out at key stages of Qantas’ service (on a continuing basis) to ensure the process is meeting specified standards. If not, then management intervenes and corrective action is taken to bring the process back within standards.It attempts to solve the root cause of Quality problems at Qanta s * Quality assurance: the minimum level of satisfactory quality at all stages of the process is continually monitored at Qantas by actual measurement and comparison against pre-determined standards. It attempts to broaden the organizational responsibility for quality at Qantas. * Quality improvement: Maintaining competitive advantage is not only a matter of maintaining quality of output; the aim must be to improve quality over time by reducing error, and finding better ways of performing the tasks leading to lower cost or higher quality at the same cost.All staff are invited to participate with suggestions and ideas. It also involves Qantas’ customers and suppliers. It attempts to make quality both central and strategic within Qantas. * Overcoming resistance the change. : All businesses are subject to change from the external environment. Legislative and regulatory changes, changes in economic conditions, social changes over time and technological breakthroughs all impact on the business and shape its operations.Moreover, change can also come from within the business through the initiative of staff or the application of technology and a focus on innovation. * Financial costs: One major cause of a resistance to change from managers and business owners is that of financial costs. The main financial costs associated with change include the:, cost of purchasing new equipment, cost of redundancies, costs of retraining employees, costs associated with structural reorganisation of the business, including changes to plant and equipment layouts. Purchasing new equipment: Qantas plan to spend $US 22 billion in new technology and equipment between 2011 and 2018. * Redundancy costs: to implement staff reductions incurs mandatory redundancy payments to the workers retrenched. The alternative to redundancies is to rely on attrition and recruit casual and part time workers. * Retraining costs: significant change incurs retraining expenditure. The adoption of the new reservation system, introduction of new business class, annual security training and engineering and maintenance for are aircraft. Plant layout cost: acquiring new aircraft requires re-organization of maintenance operations to seek increased capacity and efficiency. Jetstar is replacing Boeing 717s with airbus A380s so a new heavy maintenance base becomes necessary because the existing one cannot accommodate the larger planes. The A380 also requires refurbishment of the Qantas Jet base. * Inertia: the unenthusiastic response of some managers, some staff and even some of the owners is an impediment to change and will be evident and will have to be overcome.

Main Theories That Explain the Politic Process of Accounting Standard Setting and Regulatory Process Essay

Choose one of the 3 main theories that explain the politic process of accounting standard setting and regulatory process in Australia. Explain critically the main elements of this theory and illustrate with examples. How does this theory operates in the real world. Public interest theory holds that regulation is supplied in response to the demand of the public as a result of inefficient or inequitable market practices. Initially it is assumed to benefit society as a whole rather than particular vested interests. The regulatory body is considered to represent the interest of the society in which it operates rather than the private interests of the regulators and that the government is a neutral arbiter. Economic markets are imperfect, this is due to the lack of competition, barriers to entry, information gaps between buyers and sellers, as well as public good. This leads to a need for intervention to protect the general public and consumers. Regulations takes interest of the public through legislative actions; by passing laws and make sure everyone complies. Public interest theories of regulation is aware that its purpose of achieving certain publicly desired results would not be obtained, if left to the market. At the same time, regulation is provided in response to the demand from the public for what is happening in the inefficient and inequitable markets. As a result, regulation is pursued for public, as opposed to private, interest related objectives. This was the dominant view of regulation and still retains many adherents. It is generally felt that determining what is the public interest is a normative question and advocates of positive theorizing. It would, therefore object this approach on the basis that it is not possible to determine objective aims for regulation; there is no basis for objectively identifying the public interest. There are other charges that was issued regarding public interest approach. These include attention being directed to the regulators, questions is raise, such as if the regulators are sufficiently competent and if it is possible for them to continuously act in a disinterested manner? Critics suggest that there may be questions regarding the reward (whether if it is sufficient), career and training structures for these regulators. On top of these, it is often argued that the public interest approach, have not been unaware of the need to view regulation in a broader framework over the years; there is no improvement made relating to the approach. Some, while recognising the  political implications in the process of regulation have argued that political considerations be excluded and that accounting remain only concerned with measuring the â€Å"facts†. In light of the above discussion, if taken at face value, it would seem unduly naive. However, over the years it have been the point of much accounting debate; that is, the false belief that accounting is value neutral and only concerned with reporting the economic facts. For most of the period, the accounting profession sought to maintain a regime of self regulation. The professional bodies have attempted to develop generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and after which, followed by a conceptual framework that would serve as the basis of an accounting theory. The search for GAAP and a theoretical framework have been a struggle due to different viewpoints on the necessity and form of regulation; resulting in considerable tensions. The involvement of accounting and professional accountants in spectacular business collapses and major cases of business fraud has ensured the need for accounting regulation. Thus, there has been a public interest concern that resulted in the need of regulation; pressure from various segments of society has demanded regulation.

Introduction to Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Introduction to Microeconomics - Essay Example Although, the shift in demand can raise the quantity of food at any given prices, due to the present level of food supply, food prices would have to rise to let this ever-increasing food demand ‘make-up’ with the given supply-level. This making-up of food demand with supply describes upward (leftward) movement along the shifted (new ­) demand curve, raising the equilibrium food prices. Thus, equilibrium food quantity and prices are expected to rise, however, due to the upward movement along new demand curve, the increase in price would keep this increased equilibrium quantity lesser than the shift in demand. But what’s worsening the scenario is leftward shift in food supply which main determinants are unfavorable, volatile weather consequences including droughts, freezes, and floods in the main food producing and exporting countries: China, Russia, Australia, and Mexico. These unpleasant weather conditions have badly affected the crops and other productive resou rces, alarming the food production capacity in these countries. Other harmful environmental changes i.e. global warming can further shift the food supply leftward.

Comparison of todays sport with the characteristics of sport in past Essay

Comparison of todays sport with the characteristics of sport in past times suggests why sport is such a major cultural force both then and now - Essay Example The time period of 1890 till 1920 is marked as progressive era in the history of USA. This was the period when industrialization flourished in the country. However because of industrialization the workload of factories as well as industries also increased which affected the social life of workers of USA. They did not find much time for their extra curricular activities. Owners of industries put their pressures on employees to increase their productivity at any cost (Quandt iii). There were many sports which were played during progressive era. However boxing was one of the most popular games played during that period. There were many people who were interested in this sport. USA’s Black Afro-Americans in particular were very fond of boxing. Jack Johnson the first Black American who achieved heavy weight title also belonged from progressive era of American History. Politics of reach also came into play when White Americans observed that Black people were going to rule on boxing in future. Since Blacks were not recognized as first class citizens in progressive era that is the reason why majority of the conflicts in the sports also arrive because white people often hesitate to play against the people of color. Progressive era is also among one such period where Black American came in positive news in American Press. In USA boxing was mostly played by working class of that time which was sponsored by upper class of the society (Hartmann-Tews and Pfister i ii). Besides boxing baseball was also one of the games which were introduced in progressive era. The introduction of baseball was facilitated by Young Women Christian Association. Football was also among one of the popular sports of that time. It was considered as a college sport, however during this era, football also made its way to schools as well. Soccer, hockey, baseball and boxing all have had their best players in that era. Women also had a major contribution in the development of sports. There

Does Board Gender Diversity Have a Financial Impact Evidence Using Article

Does Board Gender Diversity Have a Financial Impact Evidence Using Stock Portfolio Performance - Article Example Market operators like securities exchanges, regularly give best corporate governance practice guidelines. Market operators and law breakers started addressing women under-representation in the corporate world’s upper echelons. For example, in UK and Australia, the operators suggest that companies listed explain and disclose their self-assessed performance and chosen diversity policy (AICD, 2012). The growing regulation targets on board gender diversity and the development of the entire corporate board diversity. In portfolio approach, gender diversity provides an extensive economic development over firm-level analysis. Forming portfolio requires the averaging out of firm-specific characteristics, getting rid of heterogeneity issues and reduction of neglected variable problems. The research of corporate governance is affected by endogeneity, such as reverse causality, omitted variables and heterogeneity among samples (Adams & Ferreira, 2009). Therefore, portfolios accurately reflect the impact of new regulation on the entire market. In addition, portfolio statistics shows that the board diversity adoption has led to a significant transition. Between 2004 and 2010, sampled companies’ percentages with diverse boards increased to 36% and 42%. After self-regulation (2011), a total of 52% of the sampled companies reported that they have diverse boards. For example, the Institute of Company managers in Australia stated to have recruited women in a relatively large number to boards since 2010 (AICD, 2012). Hence, self-regulation contributed hugely to diversity growth in firms. Firms’ portfolio aggregate returns can examine diversity. It is carried out through comparing the diversity-boards with non-diversity boards and boards that have varying degrees of diversity. The diversity boards have more than one woman representing the directors while the non-diversity boards have none. According to research, the boards with woman representation have more

Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development - Essay Example In 2002, the World Health Organization encouraged the international communities to conduct studies on disasters and their impact on the genders, male and female. A pattern about the vulnerability was observed but needed evidence, further studies, and analysis in terms of â€Å"exposure to risk, risk perception, preparedness, response, physical impact, psychological impact, recovery and reconstruction†(WHO [a] 2002, p.1). As early as that time, WHO had reported that 2 billion people had been affected by a combination of natural and man-made calamities from 1990 to 1999,wherein nearly 30% died. And there seemed to be a trend of increasing disasters. . [Source: Zakour, M.J. and Gillespie,D.F. (2013). Community Disaster Vulnerability. p.12 ] II.Random Sample of Disasters Worldwide This research compiled a random set of disasters arranged in chronological order to verify such a report of increasing trend reported by the World Health Organization. ... Catalina Floods & Mudslides 128 1/2/2010 Haiti Earthquate 316,000 died. 2010 Russia Heat Wave 56,000 2010 Japan Heat Wave 1,718 2011 Brazil Rio de Janeiro Floods & Mudslides 1,000 It should be noted that according to the World Health Organization statistics for 2010 (Kaiser, H. 2012, p.1), the vulnerable sector of society affected by malaria epidemic is the pregnant women and children. Of the 216,000,000 cases in 2010 alone, 665,000 died of which most were children. Because the children were attended to by the female gender, they too were very vulnerable to the epidemic. As a result of such findings, one of the policies of WHO effective 2012 is the â€Å"intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy. . .† (WHO [b] 2012, p.2). Hurricanes and storms worldwide also killed thousands from 1990 to 2011. In just this classification of a natural disaster, it can be seen how the female gender would actually be at a disadvantage by virtue of the fact that she is a weaker sex . Their trauma is aggravated by their being emotional to people and things they value and have lost. It would be but natural for women to feel the great damage when their homes are blown away or destroyed by the powerful twisters which could have carried every person who does not hide. Statistics are shown as follows: [Source: Weather Underground Inc. Hurricane Archive. Viewed February 16, 2013 @ http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/hurrarchive.asp] It was discovered that natural disasters had lowered the life expectancy among women more than it does to men. In terms of total impact on the total population, women are more damaged in terms of living shorter lives compared to men whenever a disaster takes place.

Negative views on a collges reputation Research Paper - 1

Negative views on a collges reputation - Research Paper Example The image that parents like of a college is that of well groomed, happy students who are academically focused and facing challenges that are no more difficult than the next exam. However, the exploration of self during the time period of college can lead to some risk behaviors that puts students in situations that threaten their safety. Most of the time, these situations are navigated and the parents have the illusion of a safe and secure child that is away at college. However, drinking statistics suggest that there is a better than 50% chance that their child is participating in heavy drinking once a week. The more terrifying survey result shows that college students don’t learn from the bad experiences they have while under the influence of alcohol and routinely underestimate that amount of alcohol they can drink before consequences are likely to occur (Knox and Schacht 475). When these behaviors lead to a situation that is beyond waking up with regret, an incident can occur that puts the university and the students at the center of the public stage, its reputation on the line and the safety of the students under its care in question. This happened to Duke University when members of the Lacrosse team held a party on March 13, 2006 which involved drinking and resulted in the decision to call an escort service to provide two Caucasian strippers. One African American arrived and one partial Asian woman arrived at the party, which caused some difficulties as they were not as ordered and in the end, the African American woman ended up accusing three of the members of the team, including the two captains of the team, with rape (Taylor and Johnson). The occasion of hiring strippers for athletic team parties was not uncommon on the campus and Taylor and Johnson report that as many as twenty parties that year had already occurred in which strippers had been

Shifting Geographies of Production and Consumption Essay

Shifting Geographies of Production and Consumption - Essay Example The late seventies, the eighties and the nineties all were dominated by the Japanese manufacturers. Even in the 21st century this dominance is not only visible but disturbingly complex with geographical concentration shifting in directions that defy economic sense and reinforce the multinationals’ perception of competition. The automobile industry has some peculiar characteristics when it comes to the question of concentration. There is a common tendency for every industry to be agglomerated geographically. However the automobile industry has a typical tendency for such geographical agglomeration. For instance within the frontiers of a country, a regional concentration would mean many manufacturers of an industry concentrating their output in a particularly advantageous geographical region such as Detroit in America. The same region would act as a focal point for international companies, thus completing an international cycle of geographic attraction. The automobile industry has some peculiarities in shifting the geographic epicenter of activity away from the initial centers of development to newer more demand-centric market–oriented regions in the globe. During the last three decades manufacturing centers have been shifted from low-cost, skilled-labour, market-centric regions to still low-cost, skilled-labour, market-centric regions elsewhere, e.g. China and India in Asia, East European countries in Europe and Latin America. Markets beckon not only the industry but also individual manufacturers. Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Motor Company, Nissan Motor Company and Honda Motor Company, all of Japan first entered the European Union (EU) to make use of tariff-free entry into the then flourishing market for automobiles. Next they entered the North American enclave. Finally they are making entry into the Latin American and East European markets. The Japanese management and labour practices are rather

Is capital punishemtn a deterrent Essay Example for Free

Is capital punishemtn a deterrent Essay Running Head: Abstract Indeed statistics will show that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime; effective comparisons show that there is no significant correlation between lowered crime rates and the deterrent effect in states which implement the death penalty even with the incorporation of socio-economic elements as evidenced in comparing Virginia against West Virginia. In fact, the opposite is true that the crime rate tends to be lower in states without the death penalty. The majority support capital punishment although the prevailing attitude which is shared by the government as well, is to implement it more cautiously with regards to certain issues and sectors as legal, ethical and moral challenges have been raised against it and the criminal justice system as a whole. Is capital punishment an effective deterrent as compared between states for and against with similar socio-economic backgrounds? Hypothesis: Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime; this hypothesis will be proven through current studies on the issue as well as criminal justice statistics which will show that there is no significant correlation between lowered crime rates and the deterrent effect in states which implement the death penalty. In fact, the opposite is true that the crime rate tends to be lower in states without the death penalty. I. Brief history of death penalty in United States and Supreme Court decisions The death penalty traces its roots in ancient history, making its first appearance in the Codes of Hammurabi in ancient Babylon where 25 kinds of crime warranted the ultimate punishment of death. From the ancient Hittites to the Draconian Code of Athens, the punishment was more severe as all crimes merited the death penalty. During the time of Jesus Christ, the Roman law of the Law Tablets prevailed and routinely invoked such methods as crucifixion, impalement and even being burned to death as penalties (DPIC, 2008). America traces its use of the death penalty to the British settlers with the first known recorded execution in the colonies carried out for a man accused of being a spy for Spain. The death penalty reached a point where it was even meted out to certainly less serious offenses although each colony was left to its own discretion as to how to implement it. Eventually, the Age of Enlightenment created a movement which felt that the death penalty was totally wrong on a whole lot of levels. The abolitionist movement which arose from this period strongly voiced its opinion that there was no way to justify the taking of a person’s life regardless of what he may have done against society. But even as there were formal attempts towards the reformation of the penalty in terms of actually changing the specific death penalty mandates of some states, it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that more successful strides in this regard was made; the first calls were for the imposition of the death penalty on truly serious crimes; later, states in this context began to review the crimes which they felt really warranted the death penalty; changing the manner of executions from being very public to more private confines within newly built correctional penitentiaries (DPIC, 2008). Eventually, an American state finally mustered its constituency to abolish the death penalty with Michigan taking this distinct honor in 1846 followed later by several more states. But even as some states still held onto capital punishment, general reforms on the issue began to shape not only the concept of death penalty, but of the entire criminal justice system as well. There followed greater distinction and sensitivity as to what crimes necessitated the death penalty. The establishment of statutes for one made the justice system more objective and fair; instead of an automatic imposition of the death penalty on capital crimes regardless of the facts surrounding the case, discretionary statutes allowed for an examination of the facts before sentencing was made. But it was only in the latter part of the 20th century that much of the spirited discussion on the death penalty took a more significant turn when the United States Supreme Court took a major role in threshing out some of the thornier points of contention in the debate. Some of its major decisions include; 1. Ruling out the unconstitutionality of the death penalty specifically under the Eighth Amendment; in 1958 in the case of Trop v. Dulles (356 U. S. 86), it was argued that the death penalty at this point in time (1958) was indeed cruel and unusual punishment and as such, that it can no longer be considered as something in keeping with America’s â€Å"standards of decency† and should therefore be abolished (DPIC, 2008). 2. That the death penalty can be imposed only when a jury recommends it was rendered unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in two cases where the prosecutor and the jury had important roles to play in the meting out of the death penalty in capital crimes; in U. S. v. Jackson (390 U. S. 570), the Court upheld that the practice was unconstitutional because it encouraged defendants to waive their right to a jury trial to ensure they would not receive a death sentence (DPIC, 2008). In Witherspoon v. Illinois (391 U. S. 510) the Supreme Court held that a person’s mere hesitancy or reservation towards the death penalty is not enough reason to have him or her disqualified from being part of the jury in a death penalty case; disqualification could only be possible if it can be proven that more substantial display of attitudes can actually affect the outcome of the case. Later similar cases such as in Crampton v. Ohio and McGautha v. California tackled the issue of whether the jury as both the power to not only impose the death penalty as they see fit, but that they could also determine in a single deliberation, the verdict as well as the resulting sentence; in this regard, the Supreme Court in favor of the jury having the ultimate discretion (DPIC, 2008). But in the landmark case Furman v. Georgia (408 U. S. 238)), the Supreme Court again was compelled to decide on these same issues, the result of which was the voiding of 40 death penalty statutes (DPIC, 2008). This had a double edged outcome; even as the death penalty had been deemed unjust (and reinforcing statutes voided in this regard), it still allowed states who still wanted the death penalty to keep it reinstated by simply re-writing their death-penalty statutes. In later years, the debate has shifted equally on both sides. As the United States has opted to keep the death penalty in a global circle of adherents which keep on shrinking, it has however imposed limitations with regards to controversial areas. Special areas of concern with regards to the imposition of death penalty include issues in cases of mental illness and retardation; the factor of race with a disproportionate number of blacks on death row; the constitutionality of executing juvenile offenders. Another important issue is wrongful convictions. As addressed in the case Herrera v. Collins (506 U. S. 390 (1993)) the Supreme Court has mulled over the possibility that people on death row who profess their innocence could actually be innocent (DPIC, 2008). An important outcome of the case was that new evidence for possible innocence could be weighed and a new trial possibly considered. Numerous inmates on death row have been released because of this and their innocence subsequently affirmed through new scientific evidence and technology. II. Stating the problem Does capital punishment deter crime? The pivotal question would seem to be, does capital punishment really deter crime? If public opinion were to be taken as a simplistic barometer to answering this question, it would show that capital punishment as deterrence is perceptual, not factual. The Gallup Poll news service has recorded surveys beginning from 1936 up to the present day which show that public perception is reactionary- people tend to favor it more when confronted with violent and sensational crimes and then falling to record lows when there aren’t any (cited in Gallup Poll, 2004). The fact that the United States is showing declining numbers in death sentences being meted out, from 300 in 1998 down to roughly half of that (143) in 2003 (DPIC, 2008) doesn’t reveal anything except the fact that there are numerous challenges against the criminal justice system which makes for the handing out of death sentences far more difficult than it used to be. Pro-abolitionists are pointing out however that the single most convincing evidence against the death penalty may be the fact that crime statistics and trends show that of the dozen states that have chosen not to enact the death penalty have not had higher homicide rates than states that still impose the death penalty (Bonner, 2000). Highly revealing is the fact that the 10 of the 12 states without capital punishment have homicide rates far below the national average while contrastingly, more than half the states who still impose death have rates above the national average (Bonner, 2000). A state-by-state analysis found that during the last 20 years, the homicide rate in states with the death penalty has been 48 percent to 101 percent higher than in states without the death penalty (Bonner, 2000). Other interesting factual points include the fact that â€Å"homicide rates have risen and fallen along roughly symmetrical paths in the states with and without the death penalty† which means simply that the death penalty as a deterrent doesn’t really work (Bonner, 2000). Critics who are pro-death penalty point out however that there may be other factors which contribute to lower or higher crime rates which are not solely the effect of having or not having the death penalty. They point out other factors contributory to homicide rates such as the state’s demographics, unemployment and police or state defense and security profile. But the analysis found that the demographic profile of states with the death penalty is not far different from that of states without it. The poverty rate in states with the death penalty, as a whole, was 13. 4 percent in 1990, compared with 11. 4 percent in states without the death penalty (Bonner, 2000). III. Virginias death penalty vs. West Virginias life imprisonment A significant point of comparison to make would be between Virginia which still upholds the death penalty as against West Virginia which chooses to mete out life imprisonment. In Virginia, there have been so far 94 executions as of 2005 since the 1976 reinstatement of the death penalty; to be â€Å"eligible† for the death penalty in this state, one must have committed a capital crime under specific circumstances which can include among other things; robbery or attempted robbery; rape or attempted rape or sodomy, or attempted sodomy, the killing of a law enforcement officer; a multiple homicide; murder for hire; murder while incarcerated, etc (VADP, 2005). Virginia Crime Demographic Vs. West Virginia Crime Demographic In the year 2000 Virginia had an estimated population of 7,078,515 which ranked the state 12th in population; this is compared with West Virginia which had an estimated population of 1,808,344 putting it at a ranking of 37th over-all. In that same year, Virginia’s total crime index was 3,028. 1 reported incidents per 100,000 people, ranking it 41st overall. In comparison, West Virginia had a total Crime Index of 2,602. 8 reported incidents per 100,000 people ranking it at 47th highest over-all (DC, 2007). In terms of violent crime, Virginia had a reported incident rate of 281. 7 per 100,000 people ranking it 37th overall; in comparison, West Virginia had a reported incident rate of 316. 5 per 100,000 people ranking it 34th highest occurrence for Violent Crime among the states (DC, 2007). For crimes against Property, the state had a reported incident rate of 2,746. 4 per 100,000 people, which ranked as the state 41st highest. In comparison, West Virginia reported incident rate of 2,286. 3 per 100,000 people, which ranked it 47th highest (DC, 2007) Also in the year 2000 Virginia had 5. 7 Murders per 100,000 people, ranking the state as having the 20th highest rate for Murder; its 22. 8 reported Forced Rapes per 100,000 people, ranked it 45th highest; for Robbery, per 100,000 people, its rate at 88. 9 ranked the state as having the 28th highest for Robbery. In comparison West Virginia’s figures are the following; at 2. 5 Murders per 100,000 people, it ranks 38th highest rate for Murder; for 18. 3 reported Forced Rapes per 100,000 people, its ranking stands at 49th highest; for Robbery, per 100,000 people, its rate at 41. 4 ranks it as having the 41st highest for Robbery (DC, 2007) For about 164. 3 Aggravated Assaults for every 100,000 people, Virginia ranks at the 40th highest position for this crime among the states; every 100,000 people had about 429. 9 Burglaries, which ranks it at the 46th highest standing among the states. In comparison, West Virginia had 254. 2 Aggravated Assaults for every 100,000 people, which indexed the state as having the 24th highest position for this crime among the states; for every 100,000 people there were 546. 9 Burglaries, which ranks it as having the 36th highest standing among the states (DC, 2007). In larceny, Virginia had theft reported 2,064. 8 times per hundred thousand people which ranks it as the 38th highest among the states; broken down Vehicle Theft occurred 251. 6 times per 100,000 people, which makes it good for 38th highest for vehicle theft overall. For West Virginia, Larceny Theft were reported 1,556. 1 times per hundred thousand people which ranks it 50th highest among the states; broken down, Vehicle Theft occurred 183. 3 times per 100,000 people, which ranks the state as having the 43rd highest for vehicle theft overall (DC, 2007). In terms of economy and socio-economic indicators, it is significant to note that the expectation of poverty indicators as suggestive of influencing higher crime rates does not hold true in this comparative analysis of crime demographics between Virginia and West Virginia. Economically, Virginia dwarfs West Virginia in economic size and strength; According to the 2004 U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Virginia’s gross state product was $326. 6 billion. The per capita personal income was $35,477 in 2004. In 2006 and 2007, Forbes Magazine voted Virginia as having the [ best climate for business] in the United States citing economic growth, business costs/incentives and quality of life (Wikipedia, 2007) In comparison, West Virginia’s has been described as â€Å"very fragile and that according to the U. S. Census Bureau is the third lowest in per capita income ahead of only Arkansas and Mississippi and ranking last in median household income† (Wikipedia, 2007). While it is simplistic to assume that other factors don’t come into play such as the dynamics of crime with changing median incomes, it is hard to ignore the consistency by which the state of West Virginia has bested Virginia in the incidence of various crimes, both capital or lesse in nature across the same population samples. This gives some credence to the argument that even as it cannot be entirely proven that the death penalty does not outrightly deter crime, its use doesn’t give any clear or dramatic evidence that it as as effective as other means of deterents. The fact as proven by the comparison between two states with entirely different socio-economic profiles and crime demographics tends to affirm that those states who don’t use it, do have lower crime rates as a whole. IV. Ethical and moral issues race factor/exonerations/ juvenile/mental health issues The ethical and moral discussions over capital punishment have strong universal resonance; almost since its inception, the the United Nations General Assembly for its part has adopted a Universal Declaration of Human Rights which inevitably promoted a right of life. It was one of the first institutions to recognize and point out attention to the implications of applying the death penalty to juveniles, pregnant women, and the elderly. The international community followed in its footsteps with progressive endeavors in drafting treaties which included the issue of capital punishment and the right to life; it has to be noted though that these treaties to some extent allowed death as punishment, but only in certain extreme circumstances. Despite this exception, many nations throughout Western Europe stopped using capital punishment, even if they did not, technically, abolish it. As a result, this de facto abolition became the norm in Western Europe by the 1980s. (cited in Schabas, 1997). While still holding on to its belief in capital punishment, the United States however has moved towards limitations which it has effectively applied to the ethical and moral questions of the death penalty being applied to juveniles, women, blacks and even the mentally challenged. Some limitations though such as the one evidenced from the 1977 Coker v. Georgia case still stirs up debate as to how the court can stretch the boundaries of limitations. In this case, the U. S. Supreme Court established that the death penalty was an unconstitutional punishment for the rape of an adult woman simply because the victim wasn’t killed. In Ford v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court ruled that extreme care should be taken in capital punishment cases where it can be established that the defendant might be certified to be either mentally ill or mentally retarded; as a result, the Supreme Court in this case, banned the execution of insane persons pending establishment of mental incompetence. Notable was Penry v. Lynaugh in 1989 where the Court upheld that executing persons with mental retardation was not a violation of the Eighth Amendment; but it later reversed itself when in Atkins v. Virginia in 2002, the Court pointed out that national and collective consensus against the meting out of the death penalty on the mentally challenged did indeed qualify it as being cruel and unusual punishment under the Eight Amendment (DPIC, 2008). Race has become a controversial issue due to the fact that as Amnesty International reports: Even though blacks and whites are murder victims in nearly equal numbers of crimes, 80% of people executed since the death penalty was reinstated have been executed for murders involving white victims. More than 20% of black defendants who have been executed were convicted by all-white juries (Cited in Amnesty Report). In Virginia, a study by Civil Liberties Union has branded the state’s administration of capital punishment as â€Å"unequal, unfair and irreversible† and citing that â€Å"race is a controlling factor in the way the death penalty is administered in Virginia† (cited in ACLU, 2003). It is in this context that the Supreme Court in Batson v. Kentucky (1986) provides for scrutiny against a prosecutor who might be biased through striking out jury members of a similar case in a disproportionate manner. In the 1987 case of McCleskey v. Kemp (481 U. S. 279), statistical analysis was used as evidence to point out racial discrimination in Georgia state’s administration of the death penalty. The Supreme Court however ruled it out saying; â€Å"that racial disparities would not be recognized as a constitutional violation of equal protection of the law unless intentional racial discrimination against the defendant could be shown (DPIC, 2008). With regards to the application of the death penalty on juveniles, three significant cases allowed the Supreme Court to rule that the execution of offenders aged fifteen and younger at the time of their crimes was unconstitutional. However, juvenile offenders under the age of 16 who have committed capital offenses can be executed if the state that has jurisdiction over their case does not have a minimum age in its death penalty statute; furthermore, the Supreme Court also held that under the Eighth Amendment, there was no effective prohibition for the imposition of capital punishment for offenders aged 16 or 17. V. Conclusion: Death penalty not a deterrent according to statistics, however majority support capital punishment. Indeed statistics will show that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime; effective comparisons show that there is no significant correlation between lowered crime rates and the deterrent effect in states which implement the death penalty even with the incorporation of socio-economic elements as evidenced in comparing Virginia against West Virginia. In fact, the opposite is true that the crime rate tends to be lower in states without the death penalty. The majority support capital punishment although the prevailing attitude which is shared by the government as well, is to implement it more cautiously with regards to certain issues and sectors as legal, ethical and moral challenges have been raised against it and the criminal justice system as a whole. References ACLU (2003) New ACLU Report Finds Virginia Death Penalty System Riddled with Flaws, Recommends Sweeping Changes.Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/ Amnesty Report (2003) United States of America: Death by discrimination the continuing role of race in capital cases. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/ Bonner, R. (2000) States Without Death Penalty Have Lower Homicide Rates. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. sfgate. com/ DPIC (2008) Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/. Disaster Center (2007) Virginia Law Enforcement Agency Uniform Crime Reports 1980 to 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. disastercenter. com/crime/vacrime. htm Disaster Center (2007) West Virginia Law Enforcement Agency Uniform Crime Reports 1980 to 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. disastercenter. com/crime/wvcrime. htm Gallup Poll Service (2004) Public Support Figures for Capital Punishment. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/. Schabas (1997) The Abolition of the Death Penalty in International Law, Cambridge University Press. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/ VADP(2005) Virginia Death Penalty Information. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://www. vadp. org/info. htm Virginia Economy (2008) Wikipedia. org. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Virginia West Virginia Economy (2008) Wikipedia. org. Retrieved January 10, 2008 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/West_virginia.

Ap European History Essay Example for Free

Ap European History Essay After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to discuss the meanings of the term renaissance. You should be able to explain the economic context for the Renaissance, the new status of the artist in Renaissance Italy, and the meanings of the terms humanism, secularism, and individualism as applied by scholars to the Renaissance. Also, you should be able to explain how the Italian Renaissance affected politics, the economy, and society. Finally, be able to elaborate on the evolution of medieval kingdoms into early modern nation-states, and the spread of Renaissance humanism northward. Chapter Outline I. The Evolution of the Italian Renaissance A. Economic Growth as the Basis of the Renaissance 1. Venice, Genoa, and Milan grew rich on commerce between 1050 and 1300. 2. Florence, where the Renaissance originated, was an important banking center by the fourteenth century. B. Communes and Republics 1. In northern Italy the larger cities won independence from local nobles and became self-governing communes of free men in the twelfth century. 2. Local nobles moved into the cities and married into wealthy merchant families. This new class set up property requirements for citizenship. . The excluded, the popolo, rebelled and in some cities set up republics. 5. By 1300 the republics had collapsed, and despots or oligarchies governed most Italian cities. C. The Balance of Power among the Italian City-States 1. City patriotism and constant competition for power among cities prevented political centralization on the Italian peninsula. 2. As cities strove to maintain the balance of power among themselves, they invented the apparatus of modern diplomacy. 3. In 1494 the city of Milan invited intervention by the French King Charles VIII. 4. Italy became a battleground as France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Emperor vied for dominance. 5. In 1527 the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sacked Rome. II. Intellectual Hallmarks of the Renaissance A. Individualism 1. Renaissance writers stressed individual personality, greatness, and achievement, in contrast to the medieval ideal of Christian humility. B. Humanism 1. The revival of antiquity took the form of interest in archaeology, recovery of ancient manuscripts, and study of the Latin classics. 2. The study of the classics became known as the â€Å"new learning,† or humanism. 3. Humanist scholars studied antiquity not so much to find God as to know human nature and understand a different historical context. 4. Humanists derided what they viewed as the debased Latin of the medieval churchmen. C. Secular Spirit 1. The secular way of thinking focuses on the world as experienced rather than on the spiritual and/or eternal. 2. Renaissance thinkers came to see life as an opportunity rather than a painful pilgrimage toward God. 3. Lorenzo Valla argued that sense pleasures were the highest good. 4. Giovanni Boccaccio wrote about an acquisitive, sensual, worldly society. Renaissance popes expended much money on new buildings, a new cathedral (St. Peter’s), and on patronizing artists and men of letters. III. Art and the Artist A. Art and Power 1. In the early Renaissance, corporate groups such as guilds sponsored religious art. 2. By the late fifteenth century individual princes, merchants, and bankers sponsored art to glorify themselves and their families. Their urban palaces were full of expensive furnishings as well as art. 3. Classical themes, individual portraits, and realistic style characterized Renaissance art. 4. Renaissance artists invented perspective and portrayed the human body in a more natural and scientific manner than previous artists did. B. The Status of the Artist 1. Medieval masons were viewed as mechanical workers/artisans. Renaissance artists were seen as intellectual workers. 2. The princes and merchants who patronized artists paid them well. 3. Artists themselves gloried in their achievements. During the Renaissance, the concept of artist as genius was born. 4. Renaissance culture was only the culture of a very wealthy mercantile elite; it did not affect the lives of the urban middle classes or the poor. IV. Social Change A. Education and Political Thought 1. Humanist writers were preoccupied with education for morality and virtue. 2. Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier (1528) presented an image of the ideal man as master of dance, music, the arts, warfare, mathematics, and so on. 3. Daughters of the elite received an education similar to sons and a few went on to become renowned painters or scholars. 4. In The Prince (1513), Niccolo Machiavelli argued that politics could not follow simple rules of virtue and morality—that it ought in fact to be studied as a science. B. The Printed Word 1. Around 1455 in the German city of Mainz, Johan Gutenberg and two other men invented the movable type printing press. 2. Methods of paper production had reached Europe in the twelfth century from China through the Near East. 3. Printing made government and Church propaganda much more practical, created an invisible â€Å"public† of readers, and stimulated literacy among laypeople. C. Clocks 1. City people involved in commerce had a need to measure time. 2. By the early fourteenth century mechanical clocks were widespread in Europe. . Mechanical clocks and precise measurement of time contributed to the development of a conception of the universe in measurable, quantitative terms. D. Women and Work 1. Early modern culture identified women with marriage and the domestic virtues. 2. Women were involved with all economic activity connected with the care and nurturing of the family, as well as working outside the home. 3. Women during the Renaissance worked in a variety of businesses—for example, sailmaking—and even in a few isolated cases managed large enterprises. Wealthy women were usually excluded from the public arena and instead managed their households. E. Culture and Sexuality 1. Women’s status in the realm of love, romance, and sex declined during the Renaissance. 2. Writers such as Castiglione created the â€Å"double standard†? women were to be faithful in marriage, while men need not be. 3. Penalties for rape in Renaissance Italy were very light. 4. In spite of statutes against â€Å"sodomy,† generally referring to male homosexuality, Florentine records from the fifteenth century show a lot of homosexual activity going on, usually relations between an adult male and a boy. F. Slavery and Ethnicity 1. In medieval and Renaissance Europe many Slavic, Tartar, Circassian, Greek, and Hungarian slaves were imported. 2. Beginning in the fifteenth century the Portuguese brought many black African slaves into Europe. 3. Within Africa the economic motives of rulers and merchants trumped any cultural/ethnic/racial hostility toward Europeans. They sold fellow Africans into slavery apparently without qualms. 4. Africans did not identify themselves as â€Å"black,† but as members of more than 600 different tribal and ethnic groups. 5. Black slaves were an object of curiosity at European courts. 6. The Renaissance concept of people from sub-Saharan Africa was shaped by Christian symbology of light and darkness? blacks represented the Devil. Race did not emerge as a concept until the late seventeenth century. V. The Renaissance in the North A. Northern Humanists 1. In the late fifteenth century students from northern Europe studied in Italy and brought the Renaissance home. 2. Thomas More (1478–1535) of England argued that reform of social institutions could reduce or eliminate corruption and war. 3. The Dutchman Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was an expert in the Bible and Greek language who believed that all Christians should read the Bible. 4. Francois Rabelais (1490–1553) ridiculed established institutions such as the clergy with gross humor in Gargantua. 5. Flemish artists came to rival the Italian Renaissance painters. VI. Politics and the State in the Renaissance (ca 1450–1521) A. Centralization of Power 1. Some scholars have viewed Renaissance kingship as a new form, citing the dependence of the monarch on urban wealth and the ideology of the â€Å"strong king. In France Charles VII (r. 1422–1461) created the first permanent royal army, set up new taxes on salt and land, and allowed increased influence in his bureaucracy from middle-class men. He also asserted his right to appoint bishops in the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges. 3. Charles’s son Louis XI (r. 1461–1483) fostered industry from artisans, taxed it, and used the funds to build up his army. He brought much new territory under direct Crown rule. 4. In England Edward IV ended the War of the Roses between rival baronial houses. 5. Henry VII ruled largely without Parliament, using as his advisers men with lower-level gentry origins. 6. Henry’s Court of the Star Chamber tried cases involving aristocrats and did so with methods contradicting common law, such as torture. 7. Although Spain remained a confederation of kingdoms until 1700, the wedding of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon did lead to some centralization. Ferdinand and Isabella stopped violence among the nobles, recruited â€Å"middle-class† advisers onto their royal council, and secured the right to appoint bishops in Spain and in the Spanish empire in America. . Popular anti-Semitism increased in fourteenth-century Spain. In 1478 Ferdinand and Isabella invited the Inquisition into Spain to search out and punish Jewish converts to Christianity who secretly continued Jewish religious practices. 9. To persecute converts, Inquisitors and others formulated a racial theory? that conversos were suspect not because of their beliefs, but because of who they were racially. 10. In 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain.

Impacts of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Impacts of the Americans with Disabilities Act Adapted Fitness Activities Congress weighed the interests of the businesses that would need to update their facilities versus the interests of the people that would be helped and decided that helping Americans with Disabilities would be the fairest thing to do. As verbally expressed by the founding fathers of America â€Å"All men are created equal.† Black, white, brown, short, tall, perspicacious, and incoherent, all are engendered equipollently. Therefore every person deserves fair judgement. Unfortunately, it is a profound fact that not everyone is born mundane and capable of task typical for a mundane person, who is liberate from incapacitation. In my opinion, the quote â€Å"All men are created equal† accommodates to promote an amicable environment that avails inspirit parity among people and avails to apperceive the kindred attributes rather than the differences that dissevers men. Even so, with this hope, the incapacitated community still struggles for parity. The Americans with disabiliti es act further goes to destroy those barriers between the community. If everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedom that is set forth in the Declaration, disabled people should not be robbed of their rights. However, they are still devalued from conducting common tasks which puts them at the bottom of the priority list as an employee and even so as a friend. If everyone is entitled to all the rights and liberation that is set forth in the Declaration, incapacitated people should not be purloined of their rights. However, they are still devalued from conducting mundane tasks which puts them at the bottom of the priority list as an employee and even so as a friend. President George Bush signed the ADA into law that serves and protects people with disabilities. This law prohibits discrimination against the disabled by employers and required commercial establishments, public accommodation, and mass transportation be made accessible to disabled persons. hence the law was signed, new doors opened for the deaf and hard of hearing culture for a better opportunity in gaining equal rights. President Bush appointed four titles to protect deaf and hard of hearing people. In â€Å"The ADA and Deaf Culture† by Tucker, B. Title I, prohibits both public and private employers from refusing to hire or promote an individual because of his or her impairment and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants or employees who are deaf or hard of hearing (Tucker 28). If a deaf or hard of hearing employee can pass the essential part of the job qualification, he or she is protected by the ADA to be hired. Also, the ADA prohibits employers to discriminate disabled people in means of recruitment, job applications procedures, pay rates, and promotions. The second title, Title II, â€Å"Requires all state and local government agencies to make all of their services accessible to individuals with disability† (NAD 22). This ensures people with disability to be able to participate in services, programs, and activitie s who can meet the essential eligibility requirements. Such places that must make these accommodations are schools, libraries, police and fire department, public hospitals, jails and prisons, motor vehicle departments, parks and recreation programs, food stamp offices, and welfare and social service agencies. Because these places serves to the public they cannot neglect people with disabilities. Title III gives equal access to public accommodations which removes communication and physical barriers to people with disabilities from private businesses, professionals, and nonprofit organizations. These private entities may not discriminate â€Å"in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, lease, or operates a place of public accommodation† (NAD 28). Such places operated by a private entity of public accommodations are hotels or places of lodging, restauran t or establishment serving food or drink, theater, place of public gathering like convention center, zoo, nursery, bowling alley and more. Title IV requires â€Å"telephone companies to provide both local and long distance telecommunications relay services across the nation† (NAD 34). By providing an accessible telephone system, deaf and hard of people are able communicate much easier and would minimize traveling to relay a message. It also â€Å"requires all television public services announcements that are produced of funded by the federal government to include closed captioning† (NAD 34). With closed captioning, primary source of news and culture information, as well as emergency broadcast warnings will be accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing people. By appointing these four titles, deaf and hard of hearing are insured of their civil rights and acceptance in society. If American pursues to reach equality for all, people of color, language, and ability should b e able to find peace within the differences between themselves. Although the ADA protects people with disability, it is quite difficult to zero in a situation when people of disability are discriminated against during the time of the situation. In some cases the damage was done before justice is served. In one of the cases, a spouse of a pregnant women was denied of an interpreter because he was not the patient. However, he still deserved the right to be informed of the situation of his baby, therefore the judge rule in their favor and were compensated for their trouble. On July 1997 in an article by the New York Times â€Å"Judge Finds Bias at Hospital In Dealings With Deaf Man,† Mount Sinai Medical Center illegally discriminated against the Bravins by not providing an interpreter. Mr. Bravin, a Lexington School teacher for the deaf in Manhattan was unable to learn the Lamaze method to assist his wife give birth. Sinai Medical Center disapproved Mr. Bravin request for an interpreter because it’s Mrs. Bravins who was the patient not Mr. Bravin who was deaf. Nevertheless, Lamaze method is a team effort which Mr. Bravin needed to learn to assist his wife give birth. The judge ruled that the hospital violated state and federal laws requiring accommodations for the disabled (Stewart 1). This example violated the title II of the ADA which was to provide interpreters at hospital settings. Although it was not Mrs. Bravin who needed an interpreter while giving birth and could not interpret for her husband, it was Mr. Bravin who needed it to find the situation of their baby during the birth and the week that the baby was in the neonatal intensive care unit. Mr. and Mrs. Bravin, a family concerned about their baby, should have the right to be informed especially if the baby is in an intensive care unit. Because the hospital did not provide an interpreter the judge ruled in favor of the Bravins and was scheduled the decision on the amount of damages. Even though Mrs. Bravins was hearing, the hospital should have put in c onsideration to provide an interpreter for Mr. Bravin because Mrs. Bravins could not interpret for her husband for she was giving birth. Poor Mr Bravin was left in the dark to figure how he could had help his wife and find out what was happening to his baby. The hospital did not consider Mr. Bravin in the equation, therefore the hospital discriminated against him and are scheduled for the amount of damages. In another situation, a community of deaf and hard of hearing are neglected of their rights. In an article from The New York Times on July 29, 1997, titled â€Å"Judge Rules Fire Box Denies Access To The Deaf,† a federal judge ruled, â€Å"to shrink the city’s fire alarm box system† (Holloway 1) was in violation of the civil rights of deaf and hard of hearing residents of New York. When Judge Sweets ordered the city to refit the boxes that was removed or disconnected as a part of an experiment in 1995, the city reconnected the box system with only a single li ne to the police department, instead of two-button system, one to fire and other to police department. Their defense, fire department contended that single-boxes would drastically reduce false alarms. However according to Holloway, â€Å"Judge Sweet said the one-button boxes were â€Å"unusable† by a hearing impaired person, a violation of the American With Disabilities Act, which guarantees equal access to public services† (Holloway 2). Clearly, by replacing the box systems it reduces emergency calls, but it also prevents deaf and hard of hearing from making emergency calls, thus discriminating them of their right to telecommunications, especially for emergencies. Therefore, Judge sweets denied the city’s request to abolish the fire-box system entirely. Also, as stated by the ADA, state and local government must make accommodations for the disabled. One example where the disabled are severely mistreated is at prisons. In an article from Los Angeles Times, title d â€Å"a Win for Disabled Prisoners; Ruling: Federal appeals court says the state violated their rights during parole hearings,† by Krikorian, G. on November 29, 2001, the state officials was ordered to make it easier for thousands of disabled prisoners and ex-felons to attend in parole hearings by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court Appeals. Krikorian wrote, â€Å"Violations included prisoners who use wheelchairs being left to crawl up stairs to attend their parole hearings† (Krikorian 1) and â€Å"Deaf inmates also were sometimes deprived of interpreters during hearings or had their hands shackled and thus were unable to sign Wilken found† (Kirkorian 2). Evidently, this describes the nature of cruelty that happens in prisons. Although the prison is a place where people need to be disciplined or exiled, there still must be some balance. Aa Kirkorian described, the people who are on parole, who may be scheduled to leave, are still being deprived of their rights. Therefo re, because of the harsh environment disabled people have to face in prisons, the U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ordered â€Å"that the board survey all its hearing rooms to ensure that they are accessible to the disabled, provide interpreters for deaf prisoners, supply assistants for inmates with mental retardation and learning disabilities and establish a grievance process† (Kirkorian 2). With this, state officials would be more lenient than before. These discrimination against the deaf and hard of hearing people would slowly depart as society realizes that these people are incapable to hear and/or understand words because of their disability. Therefore it would be inconsiderate to treat such people without accommodations. Because deaf and hard of hearing have problems communicating and socializing, it is only fair to accommodate for their loss. There are numerous things that these people can do, but hear. If they are assisted for their loss, most would generously reconcile with in society, boosting their self-esteem and making positive deeds. In an article from the Los angeles Times titled â€Å"UPS Ban on Deaf Drivers is Rejected† by Girion, L. on October 11, 2006, a federal appeals court ruled that the United Parcel Services Inc. (UPS) has illegally discriminated against deaf employees by excluding them from driving delivery vans. The San Francisco-Based U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the UPS has violated the ADA, employers must justify polices or job requirements that elude a group of people who are disabled. The UPS countered that the case was about safety not disability or discrimination. The Professor of Sanford University of Law, Mark Kelman, stated that the use of deaf dri vers by other companies made UPS’ exclusion a difficult policy to justify under the ADA. Therefore, it was perceived that the UPS was not permitting very much individual analysis; they were rejecting the hearing impaired. Joe Beachboard who is representing employers defended that if a UPS driver has a serious accident, the company would be sued; hearing impaired poses a safety problem because of their inability to hear other vehicles. However, U.S. Circuit Judge Marsh Berzon noted that drivers are offered warning signals when backing up a van, therefore she wrote, UPS â€Å"failed to show that those accidents would not also been avoided by a deaf driver who has compensated for his her loss of hearing by, for example, adapting modified driving techniques or using compensatory devices such as backing cameras or additional mirrors† (Girion 2). In addition, being a safe driver does not merely rely on hearing that is why deaf people are able to acquire a license to drive pa ssenger cars. Consequently, after a couple more hearings, federal ruled to require drivers of vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds or more to meet certain vision and hearing standards. The qualifications lets the companies determine drivers for lighter vehicles. The accommodation serves to allow deaf and hard of hearing employee to drive vehicles and keep their job. In another situation where accommodation are made for the deaf and hard of hearing is in the article â€Å"Dispute in Westchester on Deaf Child Accepted† from the New York Times by Greenhouse, Linda on November 3, 1981. Supreme Court agreed to provide a sign language interpreter for deaf third grader. The appeals was based on the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Apparently, Amy Rowley a deaf student who was adept at lip reading and received help from her hearing aid was performing above average from her class without special help. However, the court ruled â€Å"she was entitled to be able to under stand everything said in the classroom, a goal that could be achieved only through sign language†(Greenhouse 2). Even though Amy Rowley in the top half of her class the court recognized that she is still being denied of her rights. Therefore, the court ruled in her favor to accommodate her for education. With the accommodation she will be given an opportunity to achieve her full potential. Not all individuals with disabilities are protected by the ADA. To be protected, individuals with disabilities must show that they are otherwise qualified for the job they want. They have to prove that they can perform the essential functions of that job with or without reasonable modifications, and they must have a disability that significantly limits them and show that they have suffered discrimination because of the disability. However the Americans with Disabilities Act is one in many steps for the towards the creation of an ideal society

Symbolism Of Death :: essays research papers

In â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, she speaks much about tradition in a small town in which many have been lost over the years. The black box, which Shirley speaks about in the beginning of the story, is of great importance. The black box represents the entrapment of tradition and the change over time. It is the trapping of tradition because now that it is worn and ragged they still do not want to change it because it is tradition. Along with the box changing many people’s views on The Lottery, it also lets the town’s people stand strong by themselves. Shirley Jackson in â€Å"The Lottery† uses symbolism and irony to foreshadow death. Although the towns’ people are gathering for a lottery drawing there is an air of nervousness about the event. From start to finish there is an overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen due to the authors deep use of foreshadowing. The setting and irony of the story starts when the day is described as a bright sunny day and all the towns’ people are looking forward for the Lottery on the big day, but not knowing the big day ends in death. Mrs. Hutchinson, as is seen later, is the only one who rebels against male domination, although only unconsciously. "She tapped Mrs. Delacroix on the arm as a farewell and began to make her way through the crowd" (318). The word "farewell" is used as foreshadowing to the climax of the story (318). Normally when a person enters a crowd of people they are greeted, but not Mrs. Hutchinson for she is obviously â€Å"leaving.† Although they are gathering for a lottery drawing there is an air of nervousness about the event. Shirley Jackson uses an abundance of foreshadowing, which indicates, to a degree, what is about to happen to the winner of the lottery drawing. There is at least one indicator within each individual paragraph, which lets the reader know that the lottery is disturbing, and that the people of the town are not looking forward to its commencement. The Lottery takes place on a clear, sunny, June day. It does not take long for the skies to turn gray as she introduces the readers to the black box. The black box is the central symbol of the short story. It suggests both death and necessity of change due to a combination of the passage of time and population expansion.

Euphoria: Glengarry Glen Ross :: essays research papers fc

Euphoria   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glengarry Glen Ross is a movie based on the award winning play by David Mamet dealing with the corrupt world of real estate salesmen in hot pursuit of closing their next big deal in hopes of obtaining the American Dream. The desire for the next big lead or prospect as it is called in the real estate world causes the salesman to act out in a foolish and oftentimes violent manner. The behavior the salesmen demonstrate when a lead is unavailable can be compared to a crack head experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Both will deviate from what is socially acceptable behavior and become violent with actions or words, harm others or their property and cause them and others stress related illnesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Salesmen are put under tremendous amounts of stress by their bosses on a daily basis. The 3M meetings or â€Å"morning motivational meetings,† are designed to keep the salespeople alert, on their toes and ready to control the mind of any hot leads they might obtain that day. An example of this in the movie is when Dave Moss states, ‘â€Å"I’ve got 48 hours to make a lot of money,’† (Glengarry Glen Ross). You can almost feel the tension oozing from the desperate man’s voice as he speaks these words. This type of ultimatum will in effect cause the person to become anxious and panicked as they attempt to meet the deadline their boss has placed on them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychological mind control is a way the bosses motivate their salespeople and this mind control has a trickle down effect. The salespeople then use the mind control technique they learn from their bosses on their clients as well. In the movie, Shelley Levine aka â€Å"The Machine,† illustrates the technique on a prospect: ‘â€Å"You gotta’ believe in yourself†¦If you see the opportunity then take it†¦ this is the now and this is that dream†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Glengarry Glen Ross). Shelley Levine then proceeds to tell his client â€Å"‘Now I want you to sign†¦I sat for five minutes then I sat for twenty two minutes watching the clock on the wall†¦ I locked in on them and they finally signed’† (Glengarry Glen Ross). This hypnotic effect of mind control is hard to master; however, once the defense barriers are broken one can close many deals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After many disappointing cold calls, meetings and drop bys one of the salesmen, Dave Moss, has an idea that he feels is sure to be the solution to all their troubles with the bad leads.

Concealed Carry Right Should be limited Essay

Because of the establishment of concealed carry legislation by all states over the years, it has been increasingly possible for almost every American citizen to carry concealed weapons in public places. As unfortunate and horrifying gun violence tragedies like the Newtown School Shooting and Sandy Hook school shooting repeatedly occur, whether citizens should have the right to carry a conceal handgun in public has created a massive uproar. People have different views about this issue. Just as the Second Amendment states that every human being has the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, many gun-rights advocates believe that reasonable citizens have the right to carry any kind of concealed weapons for self-defense purposes. On the other hand, people who argue against the right of concealed carrying claim that the Second Amendment does not state that law-abiding citizens are allowed to carry concealed guns in public and they may consider concealed handguns as an inefficient for m for defense purpose as it creates more chances for potential crimes and injuries. As you can see, both sides have made very strong argument. Even though citizens without criminal records have the constitution right to keep and bear firearms, citizens’ rights to carry concealed handguns should come with limitations outside the home. In general, allowing individuals to carry concealed weapons does not benefit both of them, citizens and the public since it is not effective for self-defense and creates more chances for gun violence. To begin with, the United States has always been a nation of individuality. In the past, all Americans advocated armed self-defense to fight for liberation and to protect their lives from violence. In the era of emancipation, writers such as WEB Du Bois also supported that guns are necessary tools to defend African Americans’ lives. Hence it is not surprising that gun ownership is legalized in the United States. Needless to say, guns have become a part of American culture. However, when hearing news of mass shootings recently, most people from outside the United States think they must have happened in the United States. And it is because the majority of the deadliest mass killings in the world took place in the United States in the past few years.  Accordingly, a comparison study on twenty-six developed countries that held by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center at the Harvard School of Public Health showed that the United States has the highest level of gun ownership per capita and also has the highest rate of gun homicides. (Bagnall) Guns increase the gun violence in the society and further infringe on the base philosophy security of the United States. Lao-Tzu’s philosophies create persuasive argument on gun issues. As he suggested in Tao-te Ching â€Å"weapons are the tools of violence; all decent men detest them. Weapons are the tools of fear; a decent man will avoid them except in the direst necessity and, if compelled, will use th em only with the utmost restraint† In his opinion, law-abiding citizens should have no need for weapons. If people were unable to carry concealed guns, there would be probably less need for protection by concealed weapons. The goal for the society is to reduce violence as much as possible. As a matter of fact, allowing unstable people to carry concealed guns in public makes it easier for them to use guns to commit as many gun-related crimes in public as possible. Janet Bagnall, a columnist who writes for the Times and Colonist Newspaper has made a strong argument that â€Å"where guns were more available, there were more homicides.† Carrying concealed gun is not a way to protect people, but to put other people at risk of an injury or even death as it increase chances that people shoot each other when they are intoxicated, nervous, or irritable. Precedent Obama was quoted in an Apr. 2, 2008 article saying, â€Å"I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations.† (ProCon) A per son from other countries such as England or Costa Rica or Japan is less likely shoot and kill someone when he has the impulse to do so since lethal weapons are not easily accessible in those countries. However, it might be easier for that person to misuse his guns and be involved in criminal activity if the person happen to be an American citizen and own a murderous weapon, as America is a country flooded with guns. The high gun owner rate makes guns more accessible for criminals. In addition, people with concealed weapons even kill many more people in cheaper, quicker, and easier ways than if they did not have handguns. For instance, the shooting spree on the campus of Virginia Tech that killed thirty-two people was less likely to happened or killed less people if the  gunman couldn’t carry a handgun. It is true that â€Å"guns did not kill people, people kill people.† Since handgun is primarily designed to kill people and not for sport or other purposes, it is not a toy that should be carried in a person’s purse. It is true that the high ownership of guns is out there in the United States, and no one can guarantee that it can be completely reduced by bannin g concealed carry. However it would stop insane and violent people from using guns easily in public places and then gradually reduce gun violence. What is more, concealed weapons are not effective for self-defense in bars, theaters and other public places. Many people with concealed guns are more likely to be attacked than a victim who has no gun, as they are not properly trained on conflict resolution and thus unable to fight back to the attacker or to solve the conflicts. For instance, just imagine what would happen if guns were taken away from citizens and used to overpower them or other people in public places? According to the data sets that were provided by the Violence Policy Center, only 0.8 percent of victims of both attempted and completed violent crimes involved using guns as self-defense behavior between years 2007 and 2011. The most reliable data show that guns were used only 338,700 times in self-defense, and this includes off-duty police. Truly handguns deter criminals from committing crimes such as burglary in people’s homes. Given that there are more than 300 millions guns in the United States, it is impossible to suggest that guns are an effective form for self-defense in public. Allowing citizens to carry a concealed handgun does not lessen the chance of being attacked. Instead, it increases the chances of unintended public shootings. Aristotle made a strong argument in the Nicomachean Ethics, a wise man will never put himself into needless danger. Carrying guns will never be intelligent action as it potentially put one’s lives into danger. If citizens are permitted to carry concealed guns in public areas, criminals are also more likely to be armed. The reason is that there is always a chance that victims would be armed. Moreover, killing with guns is not necessary even it is for self-defense. Applying Aristotle’s virtue ethics, living is necessary to be happy. Caring about others is human nature as people are social animals. But killing with guns will absolutely unnecessary for personal happiness as it may lead to horrible thing happen on other people. Gun violence is not the only way to fight against violence. There are still many other ways that citizens can defend themselves in  public. Most important, the Second Amendment limits the concealed carry right. Every constitutional right comes with reasonable restrictions when it begins to threaten the nation and other citizens. In other words, although individuals’ freedom of religious belief is advocated by the constitution, they are still not allowed to practice human sacrifice, as it is a violation of human rights. In the same manner, individuals can get themselves into troubles of libel and slander, defamation even though they have freedom of speech. Hence gun rights are not an exception either. It is true that the Second Amendment guarantees that individuals with clean records are allowed keeping arms for defending themselves and their property lawfully at homes. The law clearly states that reasonable citizens have the right to bear arms and keep the government secure. But it does not mean that they can carry guns everywhere. According to Adam Cohen who is a former member of the New York Times editorial board, the Supreme Court in Heller declared â€Å"America has a long tradition of bans on concealed weapons – and of courts upholding them.† Therefore, the Second Amendment does not extend to the right to carry a concealed weapon in public. Law-biding citizens can keep their guns at home and that is enough. Guns do not make sense for solving problems and are not going to not make today’s society better. To sum up, carrying concealed weapons in public threatesn the constitutional order. Recent mass shootings have become one portion of the long-term trend of gun violence in the United States. As mentioned above, the dangers of concealed weapons in public places are something that should no longer be ignored. Without doubt, there are only two reasons for carrying guns in public. One is to prevent individuals from danger and another is to commit a crime. If everyone are not allow to carry concealed handguns in public places, then why is there a need for individuals to carry guns? Though it is unlikely that the debate between gun ownership and concealed carry rights will ever end; one thing is certain, legalizing concealed carry may obviously cause more lethal crimes to occur. The American political system needs to find a balance between security and freedom. Banning concealed carry is something the federal government of America should take into considerations. Work Cited ProCon.org. (2014, October 28). Concealed Guns ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://concealedguns.procon.org/ Bagnall, J. (23, December 12). Column: Gun laws make a difference in mass killings. Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/column-gun-laws-make-a-difference-in-mass-killings-1.32450 Lao-Tzu. Tao Te Ching. Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://taoism.net/ttc/complete.htm Guns are Rarely Used to Kill Criminals or Stop Crimes New VPC Analysis Reveals. (2013, April 15). Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.vpc.org/press/1304self.htm Ross, W.D. Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.2.ii.html Cohen, A. (2013, March 4). The Next Gun Control Battle: A Right To Carry Firearms in Public? Retrieved November 18, 2014, from http://ideas.time.com/2013/03/04/the- next-gun-control-battle-a-right-to-carry-firearms-in-public/