Saturday, November 30, 2019

Paige Truitt Essays - Mammaliaformes, , Term Papers

Paige Truitt Eng. 190 Prof. Barron 9 November, 2017 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Missouri Deer Chronic Wasting Disease is a deadly illness in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, known as cervids. CWD is a neurological disease that deteriorates the brain tissue, causing emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions, and death. It belongs to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's) This group of diseases includes scrapie that affects sheep, mad cow disease (BSE) affecting cattle, and transmittable mink encephalopathy in farmed mink. Several rare human diseases are TSEs, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which naturally occurs in one of one million people worldwide per year. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been associated with the large-scale outbreak of BSE in cattle herds in Great Britain (CWD Info) The first case of CWD in Missouri was found on Heartland Ranch, a deer farm in Ethyl, Missouri, February 25, 2010. The farm has since shut down operations, and sold the property to a group from Louisiana, who still sell wildlife hunts that include red stag, whitetail, exotic and domestic turkey spring hunts, under the new name of Winter Quarters Wildlife Ranch (Durkee). The outbreak affected my family farm, and other local farms. The deer herd was severely altered. It is estimated that the disease affects 1 in 10, 10 percent, of free range wild deer and elk (MDC). Due to how contagious Chronic Wasting Disease is, hunters were given new rules to follow. Salt and Mineral blocks were banned in many counties (Morse), including Linn, which is where my family farm is. It was a very common occurrence in the years 2011-2015 to find dead deer in ponds or creeks that had died because of CWD. When an animal is sick, it tries to find water, this includes deer. The disease withers their body into skin and bones.It's not hard to distinguish a dead deer with the disease. This was my own personal experience. In the past few years, we have seen the deer number rise back to previous years, like before the outbreak. While the numbers of infected deer in Linn County are decreasing, other counties like Knox, Adair, and Macon are still heavily affected. In 2016, there were 42 confirmed cases of Cwd in Missouri, including ten cases in Adair county, 23 cases in Macon county, and 7 cases in Knox county (MDC). Many find that the introduction of the disease was preventable. It brings to light many issues with deer farming; bringing animals across state lines, exposing new diseases, and bringing animals where they are not naturally from. It brings up questions on the morality of the establishment. Deer farms usually consist of 8-10 foot tall fences, enclosing monstrous deer that have been shot full of growth hormones, minerals, and vitamins to make the rack grow way larger than wild deer. The antlers get so heavy that it can cause neck and spine issues for the deer who bares them. The purpose of farming deer like this, is to sell the deer to hunters who want to shoot the biggest buck, for a large chunk of cash (Sabblow). The process is harming the deer, for the thrill of the hunter, which I find unethical. The conservation department has set up mandatory CWD testing stations in Missouri, for opening weekend of Missouri Rifle Season. Sampling locations are open from 7:30 a.m. until at least 8 p.m. The deer must be presented by the hunter who harvested the animal. Hunters will be asked to identify the location within the county the deer was harvested. The deer may be field dressed before being taken to a sampling station. Hunters have the option of presenting just the deer head with about six inches of neck attached. For bucks bound to a taxidermist, the cape may be removed prior to being taken to a sampling station as long as about six inches of the neck is left attached (MDC). This hunting season, I was lucky to harvest an antlered buck that fell into the category of deer bound for the taxidermist. When we showed up to the check station, a Missouri Conservation Agent asked if we were taking this deer to

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese Learn how to politely end a conversation in Chinese by knowing the different ways to say goodbye. The most common way to say bye is å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹, written in the traditional form, or å† Ã¨ § , written in simplified form. The pinyin pronunciation is zi jin.   Pronunciation In a previous  lesson,  we learned about  Mandarin Chinese tones.  Remember to always  learn new vocabulary  with its proper tones. Lets practice by saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese. Audio links are marked with ââ€" º. Each of the two characters of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) are pronounced in the fourth (falling) tone. Listen to the sound file and try to repeat the tones exactly as you hear them. ââ€" ºÃ‚   Character Explanation å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is composed of two characters. It is possible to examine the meaning of each individual character, but it is important to remember that å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is used together to form a complete phrase. Chinese characters have individual meanings, but the majority of Mandarin vocabulary is made of compounds of two or more characters. For interests sake, here are the translations of the two characters å†  and è ¦â€¹ / è § . å†  (zi):  again; once more; next in sequence; another è ¦â€¹ / è §  (jin): to see; to meet; to appear (to be something); to interview So a possible translation of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is again to meet. But, again, dont think of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) as two words- it is one phrase that means goodbye. Other Ways To Say Goodbye Here are some other common ways to say goodbye. Listen to the sound files and try to reproduce the tones as closely as possible. ââ€" ºmà ­ng tiÄ n jin: 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ § : see you tomorrowââ€" ºyÄ « huÄ ­r jin: ä ¸â‚¬Ã¦Å"Æ'å…’è ¦â€¹ / ä ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¼Å¡Ã¥â€ž ¿Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)ââ€" ºhuà ­ tà ³u jin: 回é   ­Ã¨ ¦â€¹/回å ¤ ´Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Efficiently Publish Content With Shawn Smith From Trizone

How to Efficiently Publish Content With Shawn Smith From Trizone Have you thought about what makes someone a thought leader? One of the best ways is to publish content consistently. Today we’re talking to Shawn Smith, the co-owner of Trizone. Shawn knows all about how to create high-quality content with limited resources, how to involve subject matter experts in creating your content, and why automating processes can help you get everything done. You’ll want to stay tuned to hear about all of this and more! A bit about Trizone and what Shawn does there as a â€Å"jack of all trades. What it’s like working with a small team and how they work as efficiently as possible. What fluidity means to Shawn and how it helps his team be more effective and productive when it comes to creating great content. How automating some of the process helps Shawn and his team be more efficient and save time. How and why the Trizone team works with subject matters to help them with their content creation and thought-leadership. Also, Shawn talks about how he gets into contact with them and gets them to contribute. Shawn’s best tips for working with subject matter experts and collaborating with a remote team of people. Information about the Trizone workflow process and why it works for them. Advice for a small team who is looking to become an authority in their niche through content creation. Links: Shawn Smith Trizone Slack If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Shawn: â€Å"Once we’ve built a piece of content, we start to go and jiggle it. We use the social media template and then we start building it out. It’s so quick and easy.† â€Å"We spend a lot of time with [experts] talking about their subject matters in depth because they do bring a wealth of information that, clearly, we will never have.† â€Å"Stay on point. Whatever you believe is right, stick with it.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The answers on questions on accountability Essay

The answers on questions on accountability - Essay Example The feeling of accountability amongst the government personnel has been critical in Britain ranging from previous decades in history. Many people have gone to greater extents and in situations where decisions are difficult to make to the extent of resignation from their various responsibilities. Individuals feel that the situations might be unfortunate yet they have to do what is to be done. In normal situations, the conventional understanding of ministerial accountability, in which ministers are answerable to Parliament and departmental administrators emerge before parliamentary committees on behalf of their minister, works well (Smith 2006). Â  This shows that the accountability feature among the officials in a given department or sector is transferrable and should be handled throughout the system as a dependent factor on all attributes. To confirm on this claim, there is a valid rationale in posing that accountability should be evaluated as to originate from all the politicians a s well as the departmental heads associated with the observable practices. According to Smith, accountability is a factor that should involve no discrimination in its evaluation and this forms one part of argument of this paper that is subject to argument basing on critical reasoning from the logics displayed. Real accountability is observed as being precise in identifying the source of mistake observed in the management and departmental administration. In a given department, there are individuals with different abilities and hence performance output in various sections. An individual, research or evaluation process cannot assume that the fault from one area in the department is always a fault from every official (Smith 2006). Moreover even if a fault in a single sector of the administration attributes to detrimental effects on other parts, the analysis by the commission should identify the ultimate source of the fault and deal with it independently. The magnitude of liability can t herefore vary on the actual source of the fault. For instance, in a situation where a mistake from one individual or department leads to errors in several other departments or the whole ministry, the liability cannot be compared with the case where a fault leads to an error in a single and smaller section of the department (Osbaldeston 2005). In case the situation goes out of hand, nevertheless, and when public disagreement results, some start to query this perceptive of ministerial responsibility. The non directional questions associated from divergent sources implies on the prevalent notion on the conception of accountability in the government. Recent arguments, such as the need for the review of the considerations of accountability arose with the support initiative and the Human Resources and Development Canada grants and donations program, have resulted in disappointment over determining who was responsible and thus in the end accountable. Â  This has resulted into some individ uals to question whether there is need to be higher accountability of senior public servants, most notably deputy ministers, before parliamentary committees. Â  Opinions on this matter are classified, and the government has constantly protected the traditional perception of accountability (McGrath 1985). The question pertaining to the reality or mere inspirations of account

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Research paper - Essay Example Therefore, consumers have a wide variety to choose from. The emotions of consumers play a great role in determining their choices and buying behavior. Freeride Media LLC (1998) conducted a research on shopping habits, and findings showed that one-fourth of the respondents bought clothes and accessories on impulse buying. Nonetheless, in order to choose form a variety, consumers develop their preferences in accordance with their perception towards the brand. However, successful brands have the capability of making consumers aware of their presence in the market, thus raising their probability of consumers purchasing the product (Azevedo & Farhangmehr, 2005). This study aims at exploring the effect of brand image on consumer purchasing behavior in clothing, with a special focus on the American consumers. Nonetheless, determining the relationship between brand image and consumer purchasing behavior can help marketers and practitioners in the clothing industry to develop effective strategies of increasing their sales and revenues. The clothing sector has been selected, as here; strong reference group will influence the brand choice. In addition, the target population includes the American consumers, as this forms a large customer base for fashion. Additionally, famous clothing brands such as ZARA and H& M have ventured into the American market, thus the American population has a significant influence on these companies (Dishman, 2013). In any research, the method adopted depends on the nature of the research. In this research, the main aim is to explore the consumer purchasing behavior on clothing. Here the beliefs, attitudes, and opinions of consumers on the brand image are explored. Therefore, a qualitative research will be adopted. Nonetheless, in order to answer the research question in this research, the interviewing method is adopted, whereby qualitative interviews are used. These involve an interaction between

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Catching Fire Essay Example for Free

Catching Fire Essay â€Å"Without hesitation, he reads, on the seventy fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest of them cannot overcome the power the capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors.†page.172, Catching fire. This is when Katniss finds out she has to go back into the arena and the fight the other victors. Some of them will be enemies such as the victors from 1 and 2. Some will be picked off immediately or just walk around like the morphing’s. Others will be allies such as nuts and volts or finnick. Finnick is an important character because he is brave, smart, and loyal. Finnick is brave in the arena, because he fights of the attackers at the cornucopia with Katniss on page 269 and 270. He also swam Peeta to shore which is brave because he was unarmed and vulnerable to attack. â€Å"Finnick has reached peeta know and is towing him back, one arm across his chest while the other propels them through the water with easy strokes.† P.273, Catching Fire. Finnick is also smart. In the arena on the beach he told them how to fish and find oysters on page 365. He also knew how to revive Peeta by giving him CPR on page 280. â€Å"Under Finnick’s guidance we spear fish and gather shellfish, even dive for oysters.†p.365, Catching Fire. Finnick is also loyal. He may not seem loyal but he still loves Ann even after all the people in the capitol hit on him. He also stayed loyal to Katniss in the arena even when she did the opposite of everything he said. â€Å"I see finnick†s green eyes in the moonlight. I can see them as clear as day. Like a cats, with a strange reflective quality. Maybe because they are shiny with tears. No he says I cant carry them both. My arms aren’t working. Its true his arms are jerk uncontrollable at his sides. His hans are empty. Of his three tridents one is left and it’s in peeta’s hands. â€Å"I’m sorry mags . I can’t do it.† Finnick is a brave, smart and loyal teammate. He didn’t kill Katniss, and saved peeta. He told them how to fish. He also let his mentor stay behind to be killed by the poison mist. He is a true asset to their team.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Lost in translation Essay -- essays research papers

Lost In Translation â€Å"Lost In Translation† is one of those movies that seek to be something having something extra something that is more than a regular movie. Moreover, it does so effectively without being pretentious, all through the movie it does not seem like it is trying too hard to be something other than what is there. It is skillfully written, well directed and it boasts of a solid cast not very spectacular but full of good actors. Jointly, this eventually results in an enjoyable and interesting movie. The important thing is that it has a message to it. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play two individuals lost in the new and unfamiliar surroundings, restlessly moving around a Tokyo hotel in the middle of the night, who fall into talk about their marriages, their pleasure and the significance of it all. What occurs between them is very deep they open their hearts to one another letting the other know about the feelings and problems they are having with their marriages. In my view, t hese conversations can in fact only be held with strangers. We all need to talk about metaphysics, but those who are close to us want information and details; outsiders let us function more loosely on a cosmic scale. Murray plays Bob Harris, an American movie star in Japan to make commercials for whiskey. His relationship with is wife is disjointed, they seem to be on a different wavelength, and they are sticking around because it is easier. A good example is when his wife asks over the p...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Genetically modified organism

Good afternoon Ladles and Gentlemen. Today, the topic for our debate is on whether â€Å"the benefits of transgenic species outweigh the ethical considerations. † We, the negative team, believe that this statement is false. The first affirmative speaker has tried to tell you that transgenic plant species are a revolutionary new way to produce crops with dramatically Increasing yields and as a result, this will Increase the farmlands' productivity. However, this Is wrong.In fact, as evidence suggests, the introduction of transgenic crops are doing very little to increase overall crop yields. The second affirmative speaker spoke to you on how transgenic animals provides a shortcut to the development of animals that have many desired traits and its products can be benefits of mankind. Examples Include animals such as transgenic pigs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and cows that produce better milk. In our defense, animals do have their own rights.The creation of transgenic anim als is morally wrong and the long-term effect on them and their consumers are questionable. Finally, the third and final speaker from the affirmative team made a point on how rearranges species will herald a new era of food production, Improving animal food quality and productivity. They may not be natural, but not everything natural Is good for us and not everything unnatural is bad for us. She argued that genetically modified foods have been on the market since 1996, we would know by now if they were an immediate health threat.However, this is wrong, Just because you don't know of a problem, who is there to say that it doesn't exist? Most transgenic products are still yet to be tested for safety and it may be most of these that are ending up In our grocery carts without us even knowing. From this, we can also see that more and more possible health risks associated with transgenic species are starting to show. First let us examine one of our case studies. The transgenic plant MOON 810 corn. This is a genetically modified crop developed by an American agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto.Bacillus Thirstiness, a bacterium which produces the BET toxin poisonous to insects, Is Inserted as a gene Into the DNA of MOON 81 0 corns. This plant has been purposely modified to combat crop loss due to Insects and Is now rowan on a large scale in USA. Despite it having been claimed that the insecticide will cause no harm to human consumers, However there is compelling evidence that shows the rates of chronic diseases have been increasing drastically since transgenic species products were introduced to public in USA.The chart on this slide show increase in Inflammation rate, such as chronic constipation, gastrointestinal reflux, In April 2009, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety of the German government suspended the approval and banned the cultivation of any ore MAMMON maize. It also got banned in other countries around the world including Austria, Greece and France. Since July 12th its cultivation has been banned in Italy, in reaction to a scientific report sent out by the Italian Agricultural Research Council.Another example of a transgenic species is cows being treated with a genetically engineered form of Bovine assimilation, also known as BIG. BIG is a peptide hormone produced by cows that is shown to have kept their metabolic processes regulated, increased their milk yield and beef growth. Yet, while this is all happening, his was also slowly killing the cow. In 1937, the administration of BIG was shown to be increasing the milk yield in lactating cows. Until the sass, there was a very limited use of the compound in agriculture and during this time also, the knowledge of the structure and function of the hormone increased.Later, the gene had been separated, purified and was now being applied to cow through genetic engineering. Since then, it has been immersed in controversy and parts of the concerns were in rega rds to the potential effects this has on the animals' health. A 1991 report by Rural Vermont revealed that BIG cows were suffering from serious health problems, including an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and in mastitis, a painful bacterial infection of the udder that causes inflammation.Milk taken from these cows also now contained higher levels of GIF-I (Insulin Growth Factor-I). Although we, humans, naturally have GIF-I, elevated levels of it have been linked to the diagnosis of colon and breast cancer. Although there has been no direct connection made as yet between the two, some scientists have expressed concern ever the possibility of this relationship. Our first speaker spoke to you about how transgenic developed plants contains genes that have been artificially introduced into the plant's genetic makeup through several biotechnology techniques.It is highly questionable if Monsanto did, in fact, deliver the crops as they had claimed according to Doug Guarani- grandfather's book â€Å"Failure to yield†. After more than 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialism's in the United States, it can be concluded that transgenic species crops have done little o increase overall crop yields. A report by researchers from the University of Wisconsin also suggest to us that transgenic developed plants have still a â€Å"long way from generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs. Our first speaker also spoke that one of the major factors that led to an estimated 125,000 cotton farmers taking their own life was that of transgenic cotton failing to yield. Our second speaker spoke to you about the ethical issues of animal rights and any value they have to humans and a right to be free of human use, cruelty, confinement and use. She also stated that biotechnology could be bad for animals with them possibly suffering from painful side effects.These include animals such as the broiler chicken, which are being bred to grow too fast for thei r legs to support their way, causing them discomfort. Since â€Å"The Origin of Species† by Charles Darwin was published in 1859, we are gradually starting to understand life better and better. His theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best-substantiated theories in the history of science, having been supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Since then, many scientists have contributed to the discovery and understanding of the structure of DNA.The development of powerful laboratory techniques, most of which came in after 1970, have enabled us to study and manipulate genes that have the potential to alter the path of evolution. While we celebrate our achievements on the advancement in scientific understanding and technology, we should ask our selves if we should manipulate the genes of species Just because it can be done. So Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, we believe the ethical considerations outweigh the benefits of transgeni c species especially in a commercial or massive scale to produce food. Genetically modified organism Good afternoon Ladles and Gentlemen. Today, the topic for our debate is on whether â€Å"the benefits of transgenic species outweigh the ethical considerations. † We, the negative team, believe that this statement is false. The first affirmative speaker has tried to tell you that transgenic plant species are a revolutionary new way to produce crops with dramatically Increasing yields and as a result, this will Increase the farmlands' productivity. However, this Is wrong.In fact, as evidence suggests, the introduction of transgenic crops are doing very little to increase overall crop yields. The second affirmative speaker spoke to you on how transgenic animals provides a shortcut to the development of animals that have many desired traits and its products can be benefits of mankind. Examples Include animals such as transgenic pigs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and cows that produce better milk. In our defense, animals do have their own rights.The creation of transgenic anim als is morally wrong and the long-term effect on them and their consumers are questionable. Finally, the third and final speaker from the affirmative team made a point on how rearranges species will herald a new era of food production, Improving animal food quality and productivity. They may not be natural, but not everything natural Is good for us and not everything unnatural is bad for us. She argued that genetically modified foods have been on the market since 1996, we would know by now if they were an immediate health threat.However, this is wrong, Just because you don't know of a problem, who is there to say that it doesn't exist? Most transgenic products are still yet to be tested for safety and it may be most of these that are ending up In our grocery carts without us even knowing. From this, we can also see that more and more possible health risks associated with transgenic species are starting to show. First let us examine one of our case studies. The transgenic plant MOON 810 corn. This is a genetically modified crop developed by an American agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto.Bacillus Thirstiness, a bacterium which produces the BET toxin poisonous to insects, Is Inserted as a gene Into the DNA of MOON 81 0 corns. This plant has been purposely modified to combat crop loss due to Insects and Is now rowan on a large scale in USA. Despite it having been claimed that the insecticide will cause no harm to human consumers, However there is compelling evidence that shows the rates of chronic diseases have been increasing drastically since transgenic species products were introduced to public in USA.The chart on this slide show increase in Inflammation rate, such as chronic constipation, gastrointestinal reflux, In April 2009, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety of the German government suspended the approval and banned the cultivation of any ore MAMMON maize. It also got banned in other countries around the world including Austria, Greece and France. Since July 12th its cultivation has been banned in Italy, in reaction to a scientific report sent out by the Italian Agricultural Research Council.Another example of a transgenic species is cows being treated with a genetically engineered form of Bovine assimilation, also known as BIG. BIG is a peptide hormone produced by cows that is shown to have kept their metabolic processes regulated, increased their milk yield and beef growth. Yet, while this is all happening, his was also slowly killing the cow. In 1937, the administration of BIG was shown to be increasing the milk yield in lactating cows. Until the sass, there was a very limited use of the compound in agriculture and during this time also, the knowledge of the structure and function of the hormone increased.Later, the gene had been separated, purified and was now being applied to cow through genetic engineering. Since then, it has been immersed in controversy and parts of the concerns were in rega rds to the potential effects this has on the animals' health. A 1991 report by Rural Vermont revealed that BIG cows were suffering from serious health problems, including an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and in mastitis, a painful bacterial infection of the udder that causes inflammation.Milk taken from these cows also now contained higher levels of GIF-I (Insulin Growth Factor-I). Although we, humans, naturally have GIF-I, elevated levels of it have been linked to the diagnosis of colon and breast cancer. Although there has been no direct connection made as yet between the two, some scientists have expressed concern ever the possibility of this relationship. Our first speaker spoke to you about how transgenic developed plants contains genes that have been artificially introduced into the plant's genetic makeup through several biotechnology techniques.It is highly questionable if Monsanto did, in fact, deliver the crops as they had claimed according to Doug Guarani- grandfather's book â€Å"Failure to yield†. After more than 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialism's in the United States, it can be concluded that transgenic species crops have done little o increase overall crop yields. A report by researchers from the University of Wisconsin also suggest to us that transgenic developed plants have still a â€Å"long way from generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs. Our first speaker also spoke that one of the major factors that led to an estimated 125,000 cotton farmers taking their own life was that of transgenic cotton failing to yield. Our second speaker spoke to you about the ethical issues of animal rights and any value they have to humans and a right to be free of human use, cruelty, confinement and use. She also stated that biotechnology could be bad for animals with them possibly suffering from painful side effects.These include animals such as the broiler chicken, which are being bred to grow too fast for thei r legs to support their way, causing them discomfort. Since â€Å"The Origin of Species† by Charles Darwin was published in 1859, we are gradually starting to understand life better and better. His theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best-substantiated theories in the history of science, having been supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Since then, many scientists have contributed to the discovery and understanding of the structure of DNA.The development of powerful laboratory techniques, most of which came in after 1970, have enabled us to study and manipulate genes that have the potential to alter the path of evolution. While we celebrate our achievements on the advancement in scientific understanding and technology, we should ask our selves if we should manipulate the genes of species Just because it can be done. So Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, we believe the ethical considerations outweigh the benefits of transgeni c species especially in a commercial or massive scale to produce food.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Proliferation of Interest Groups

ThÐ µ concÐ µrn about spÐ µcial intÐ µrÐ µsts is not a nÐ µw onÐ µ, as thÐ µ framÐ µrs of thÐ µ Constitution wÐ µrÐ µ worriÐ µd about it too. ThÐ µy fÐ µarÐ µd thÐ µ powÐ µr that could bÐ µ wiÐ µldÐ µd by organizÐ µd intÐ µrÐ µsts, yÐ µt thÐ µy undÐ µrstood that thÐ µ right to organizÐ µ was basic to thÐ µ notion of frÐ µÃ µdom. This dilÐ µmma of frÐ µÃ µdom vÐ µrsus powÐ µr was a tough onÐ µ for thÐ µm. ThÐ µy knÐ µw that if thÐ µ govÐ µrnmÐ µnt was given power to restrain organized interests it would be the same as the power to suppress freedom. This essay tries to answer whether proliferation of interest groups in recent decades a sign that the pluralist view of interest group representation is increasingly accurate or not. Interest group scholars began to note the proliferation of â€Å"outsider† groups at about the same time policy scholars began to question the utility of subgovernment theory. By the mid-1980s, it was widely acknowledged that the number of interest groups in the United States especially public interest groups–had exploded during the 1960s and 1970s (Walker, 1983). Pluralists had addressed the question of group mobilization years before the â€Å"advocacy explosion. † For example, in his The Governmental Process, David Truman argued that interest groups arise from two interrelated processes. First, societal change precipitates the emergence of new interests. Second, disturbances–political or economic upheavals disrupt stable patterns of interaction between individuals. In short, Truman argued that individuals with shared interests (reacting to social change and/or disturbances) band together (to stabilize relations among themselves, and between themselves and other societal interests) when these interests are threatened. By the late-1960s, Truman's â€Å"disturbance theory† had fallen into disrepute. Interest group scholars, spurred by Olson and drawing heavily upon Clark and Wilson's study of organizational incentives, began to examine how groups overcome the substantial barriers to mobilization. (Dine) While Olson emphasized material benefits, subsequent studies showed that solidary benefits (those derived from association in group activities) and purposive benefits (rewards associated with ideological or issue-oriented goals) also motivate group membership (Cook). Salisbury's exchange theory (which rests upon Olson's cost-benefit framework) is now the dominant paradigm for explaining group development (Cigler). Yet the basic â€Å"exchange theory† framework has a critical flaw: It underestimates the role of external patrons in group studies of group formation suggest that many groups –especially public interest groups –rely heavily upon patron â€Å"seed money. † For example, Walker found that 89% of (sample) public interest groups received â€Å"seed money† from foundations, large donors, the federal government, or corporations. He also found that many public interest groups rely heavily upon patrons for maintenance income. In general, public interest group proliferation has contributed mightily to the dissolution of subgovernments. There are number of factors that may help to explain both the proliferation of public interest groups and where public interest group activity is most likely. For example, pluralists argue that societal change and disturbances create conditions that foster group mobilization. In contrast, â€Å"exchange theorists† suggest that we examine group incentive structures and entrepreneurial activity to explain interest mobilization. In order to better understand the interest groups representation, one must understand the way the American government runs. There are many different systems of government structure and organization: representative democracy, pluralist democracy, elitist system, hyper pluralist, and anarchy. The United States is organized much like a typical representative democracy, but in operation, with all factors considered, it is in reality much more of a hyper pluralist society. A state in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain an autonomous participation in and development of their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization is pluralistic. When those special interests form large substantial voting blocks, the pluralistic nature of the government becomes more focused on fewer interests, but represented in many areas by larger numbers of individuals. The other question you need to ask is what do mean when you say big or special interest, who and what are you referring to specifically, industries, such as oil or pharmaceutical, ethnic groups such as Hispanic or African-American, social groups such as the elderly or woman, political groups such as Democrats or Republicans or different religious groups. All of these are special interests, they just might not seem like a special interest group if you are part of them. (Ceaser) Probably the largest big interest group to consider is the political parties themselves. Political parties are the foundation of a representative democracy, acting as a â€Å"crucial link between what citizens want and what government does†. The party is supposed to represent the needs of its members and use the party platform to express these opinions. Through public elections, voters elect those people they feel will best represent them. The Democratic Party and the Republican are the two main parties in the US though other smaller parties emerge occasionally to better represent those who do not feel that they are accurately represented by either of the major parties, usually because of special interests that they have such as environmental or other issues. This structure is typical of a representative democracy in which people are represented by parties and vote for leaders that they feel will work towards their best interests. (Miroff) In reality, the party system is not fully representative or fully functional. On one hand, part of the democratic process allows for the emergence of new parties to represent the people. On the other hand, if the existing parties accurately represented the people then other parties would not be needed. People however do not believe completely in the process, which is evidenced by poor voter turnout and voter apathy. The United States has an extremely low average voter turnout of only 55%. The Constitution guarantees one vote to each citizen over the age of 18, male or female, black or white, etc. This is indicative of a representative democracy in which each adult citizen has an equal say in how the government should be run. If voters do not vote, then the level of representation becomes skewed and the system is not fully representational. (Dine) People associate with not the candidate but with groups that represent their thinking and a special interest. A perfect example of this would be the NRA. Voters might not have a lot of opinions but they might have one on gun control. Instead of voting for the person who best reflects his ideas, he votes for the one that the NRA endorses, which in turn makes the NRA and extremely powerful interest group, and can influence congressional votes. In elections, political parties frequently send out mailers to voters that show which candidates running for office, or which of the Senate and House members receive financial support from the NRA. This suddenly reduces the value of every member of Congress to whether or not they have accepted money from the National Rifle Association. This is in turn translated into an assumed meaning on their stand on gun control, while all other issues and stands that they have on those issues are suddenly made unimportant. Their total worth relates to their assumed position on guns. The government in this case is reflecting the will of the big interest even though it's a single issue. A politician who might reflect very little of his communities values, can be elected by that community by receiving the support of a single-issue influence group. (Berman, Murphy) So the question becomes is this single issue the interest of a big group or the common goal of the majority? Who is pressing the issue and which way is the government going. If large oil companies are â€Å"buying† officials with large contributions to campaigns, are they actually influencing the government or merely a handful of officials and do they actually dictate policy or just have a louder voice in the debates that effect their companies. Misinformation seems to be the guideline of all campaigns now so it becomes almost impossible to figure out just what the goal is of the candidate that you are voting for. Because of that, the elected officials sometimes don't have a true feeling on what the voters wanted him to do. The power then slides back to the inner circle, which includes advisors who have their own individual desires, and those who paid for his campaign and therefore have vast influence. (Muller) Special interest groups appear to have a great deal of influence in campaigns and in political activities. Campaigns are extremely expensive: in 1992, the average winner of a House election spent $550,000 on his/her campaign; the average Senator who won a race spent more than $4 million. Dine) Presidential campaigns run into the hundreds of millions. Eight years later those numbers are significantly higher. Major contributors to election campaigns are corporations and interest groups. While some people believe certain industries or interest groups â€Å"buy† candidates through election contributions, it is not that simple. Those candidates heavily funded by the Sierra Club or gro ups that are concerned with environmental protection, will vote in support of environmental conservation – they will vote to reduce logging and not to save the jobs of the individual loggers who did not vote. This is a sort of paradox because the elected leaders are representing those who voted for them and helped them into office, but this group is a large group of special interests rather than the individual citizens who probably did not contribute and did not even vote. When viewed in this way, the US electoral system does not seem to be fully representative of the people and is again reflective of a more hyper pluralist society. A system of government labeled as hyper pluralist, means that there is a rapid proliferation of interest groups, all competing for influence over policy. The interest groups tend to overshadow the interest of individuals. The interest groups are powerful and influential, but there are also interest groups for both sides of most issues. In their battle to win the political coups they each seek, there develops a competition in which the interest groups try to influence politicians to vote for their side. The result is that there are a number of politicians supporting each side of an issue, there are overlapping concerns that related to other interest groups, and the outcome is political gridlock. Usually at this point, for anything to happen, concessions must be made with the end result that if any law is passed, it has little real effect one way or the other. The other possibility is that neither side will make concessions or give up any power in which case there is still nothing accomplished. This is very much the system that we have today. Again, gun control laws are a very good example. Congress goes back and forth arguing the pros and cons of gun control. The NRA is a very powerful interest group that does not want any form of gun control. There are many other interest groups that fight to ban assault weapons, others that want a total ban on guns of all types, some only want handguns banned. The feuding between the different groups is played out through the politicians and very little has been accomplished. Even when a bill is passed, it is oven later overturned. All special interest groups find this ying and yang to the system. There is no large interest that doesn't have a competing self-interest. Abortion has choice. Industry has the Sierra Club and other environmental groups. The NRA has anti-gun groups. Most of all, Republicans have Democrats. There might be the illusion that the government has been taken over by the special interests and that they control everything, but as we have looked into it we see that the basis of the questions revolves around who exactly is the special interests. It seems to me that they are us. (Peters) And thus we come to the contradictory conclusion that pluralist view of interest group representation is not increasingly accurate. While the public's perception might be that special interest groups are robbing them of their rights, and in a narrow sense, when it comes to a particular interest that effects them, they may be justified, what the public doesn't usually understand is that the activity of interest groups is in fact acting out in the interest of them or their fellow citizens. The public further misconceives that special interests influence government, overlooking the fact that special interests are formed, as often as not, as a response to government and not in anticipation of it.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

25 Favorite Family History Quotes

25 Favorite Family History Quotes Are you looking for a quote related to genealogy and family history, for a family history photo or scrapbook, your Facebook or Twitter page, or a family genealogy website? These famous quotes include humorous quotes, inspirational quotes and other quotations related to our interest in the past. Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you. -   Mark TwainIn all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness. -   Alex Haley, RootsIf you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten; Either write things worthy of reading, or do things worthy of writing. -   Benjamin Franklin, May 1738There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children - one is roots, and the other, wings. -   Hodding S. CarterWhen a society or a civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they came from. -   Carle SandburgI dont know who my grandfather was, I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be. -   Abraham LincolnYou live as long as you are remembered. -   Russian proverb Those who forget their past are destined to repeat it. -   Robert A. HeinleinWe are the children of many sires, and every drop of blood in us in its turn ... betrays its ancestor. -   Ralph Waldo EmersonEvery man  is a quotation from all his ancestors.  -   Ralph Waldo EmersonPeople will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors. -   Edmund BurkeEveryone has ancestors and it is only a question of going back far enough to find a good one. -   Howard Kenneth NixonIt is a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors. -   PlutarchAnybody can make history, only a great man can write it. -   He who has no fools, knaves, or beggars in his family was begot by a flash of lightning. -   Old English proverbIf you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance. -   George Bernard ShawThere is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his. -   Helen KellerFamily faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future. -   Gail Lumet Buckley Genealogy Tracing yourself back to people better than you are. -   John Garland PollardI dont have to look up my family tree because I know that Im the sap. -   Fred AllenIf you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. - Michael CrichtonWe inherit from  our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. - Edward SellnerWeve uncovered some embarrassing ancestors in the not-too-distant past. Some horse thieves, and some people killed on Saturday nights. One of my relatives, unfortunately, was even in the newspaper business. -   Jimmy CarterA man who thinks too much about his ancestors is like a potato- the best part of him is underground - Henry S.F. CooperSoutherners are so devoted to genealogy that we see a family tree under every bush. -   Florence King

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers Essay Mass media is media which is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in the case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers and magazines. Internet media can also attain mass media status, and many mass media outlets maintain a web presence to take advantage of the ready availability of Internet in many regions of the world. Some people also refer to the mass media as the â€Å"mainstream media,† referencing the fact that it tends to stick to prominent stories which will be of interest to a general audience, sometimes ignoring controversial breaking news. Many people around the world rely on the mass media for news and entertainment, and globally, mass media is a huge industry. Usually, mass media aims to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By contrast, local media covers a much smaller population and area, focusing on regional news of interest, while specialty media is provided for particular demographic groups. The advantage of running operation in mass media is that one can set up a platform of medium to disseminate favorable message. The advantage of attacking mass media is that one can build up his/her reputation for being less biased and more objective. The advantage of co-operating with mass media is that one can ease the worries of being â€Å"black mouthed† by media organizations. The advantage of buying corporate engaged in mass media is that one can get a big asset for negotiation with political parties and the government. Disadvantages of mass media Well I believe it comes down to the parents or guardians to begin with. Of course younger generations shouldn’t be watching as much TV if at all. Most of the primetime shows and stations are becoming more and more passive on what not to show. Having younger children subjected to nudity, cursing, sexual immorality, drinking and other negative adult oriented material is of course unsuitable, heck even unsuitable for adults at times. If the parents let their children watch inappropriate shows on TV I’m sure studies have shown the likelihood of these children being involved in such problems later on in life. Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers. (2018, Oct 20).

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Blue Nile Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blue Nile Inc - Essay Example However, I would like to point out that it has produced very outstanding financial records as was proved by its balance sheet and cash flow. Besides, it has resorted to offering high quality diamond and jewelry products to its clients. This has been coupled with the provision of more competitive services. This is a good strategy which might enable the company to win the confidence of its clients as they seek to consider it as the company of choice amongst its competitors. The other indication for the company’s competitiveness is based on the fact that it has resorted to offering its shoppers with adequate information and guidance when conducting their purchases. This has made it possible for them to get the right information on what to acquire (Gomez-Mejia et al, 128). It is for this reason that the company has had a powerful competitive strength assessment. According to the assessment, the company has realized a high level of manufacturing, customer service, distribution, product innovation and quality production capabilities. Thus, it generated an overall weighted strength rating of 5.59. This is outstanding. ii. The company should consider counteracting the stiff competition from established firms who have conquered online diamond and jewelry business. This will increase its chances of enjoying a larger share of the online market. i. It should establish physical stores in which the shoppers can get access of its variety of commodities which are supplied to them. This will be a good idea for the company as it will make it possible for the company to be efficient and reliable in its supply. ii. The company should heavily invest on sales promotions. Meaning, it should advertize its services to all its target clients. Thus, they will get information about the existence, uses, benefits and quality of the products it deals in (Gomez-Mejia et al,