Thursday, October 31, 2019

International Relations in Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Relations in Future - Essay Example Yet, it is projected, that the basic construct of the international relations will have the same foundations, as it has today. Concepts of realism, liberalism and constructivism are among the most popular in the world of politics today. Understanding the future of the world in line of the same concepts would seem apposite, henceforth. Viewing the world in 2031, the first thing that may come to mind would be the national interest of the countries. Although the total number of countries may well have changed drastically, yet the basic reason why they keep forming and breaking would be the same - the primary interest of each and every one of them. The power struggle would nonetheless still be there, although in quite a different from. Countries would probably take form as 'cyber-states', wherein the interest of the countries would not be till the geographical/political borders, but actually to every nook and corner of the universe till where their electronic influence is involved. This would involve the extensive use of satellite warfare, and even wars over the territory in space! Not gold, not uranium, but the silicon chip will be the most sought after resource, and instead of weapons of mass destructions, a fatal electronic bug would be able to wipe out the entire defenses of the enemy. The concept of liberalism would also be very much in vogue. ... Though people would still have the right to express themselves, the great fear would be not to implore into the domain of the other person. With everyone having a diverse array of personal options available at hand, the exact paradigm of individual preference would be very difficult to determine, and hence the political leaders of every country would have a very difficult time to control the people according to the interest of the country. Constructivism would also have its say 25 years down the line. Establishing goals, ideals and ambitions in conformity with the rest of thee world would be an impossible task. Every person would be a potential friend and a probable terrorist. Transformation in such a time would be very difficult. Political reform would hence only be a consequence of scientific reform. People would only follow what has been conclusively ordained by the wise, and not the mighty. Religious theologies would still grow further apart, with death and destruction happening basically at the onset of intolerance. The political line of reasoning for the present time may seem old-fashioned or even too ambitious for the future - the exact combination of political theories may never be known. However, the reality is that even in Caesar's time, the primary constructs of politics were derived from realism, liberalism and constructivism. Therefore, there is every probability that in the next 25 years as well, the drastic changes in international relations will not be able to change the very foundations upon which the politics are played. Technology cannot change a politician's mind, only interests can. Hence, the changing time will provide changing

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Pyschlogical Analysis of Zombie Apocalypse Survivors Essay Example for Free

Pyschlogical Analysis of Zombie Apocalypse Survivors Essay The door slams shut as you force your weight against it. Two people whom you have never met before, merely joined during your sprint, grab the largest object in the room and wedge it in front of the door. A second later the fist of the undead outside pound on the door in attempts to get in. â€Å"We have to get out of here! † one of the others screams immediately. But why? It seems that whether it be a decrepit cabin in the woods or a home or a mall; nothing seems to be good enough for the survivors. Step one of a survival plan always seems to start with the word Escape. A casual movie buff may simply see a character’s reaction as an irrational snap decision, however, through a psychological and sociological examination, one can come to better understand of character’s pleas. One cannot assume that the character just wishes to put distance between themselves and their attackers; especially not during a zombie apocalypse. Lets take a look at George A. Romeo’s 2004 Dawn of the Dead for a moment. The mall was well defended, surely had adequate food, and they were completely surrounded. Why attempt an escape to somewhere that was referred to as â€Å"†¦an island that for all we know doesn’t even exist. †? Environmental Psychology The viewer must examine sever different aspect of the scenario that the characters are being put into. The environment itself is a large factor in the equation; also to be considered is the group dynamics and stresses that are arising. Finally, and perhaps more importantly, the risks. All of these factors of the situation in which the characters are placed can alone, or collectively, cause a people in any shelter to decide to leave. Potentially the largest determining element of any long termed survival could be the environmental aspect. Setting aside the obvious insecurities of poor shelters, try to look at the other features someone would like in their dwellings. Imagine several different locations, all equally safe for argument’s sake, an office building, a mall, a school, a prison. Some options aren’t quite as appealing as others. These differences can be seen the best by using environmental psychology to understand what a groups wants within a shelter. Someone can use environmental psychology to study an individual or a group in a social context by looking at the places where people are at and examining the perceptions, attitudes, evaluations and representations, and the accompanying behaviors (Kazdin 421). In almost any movie where the suggestion of getting out is brought up, we can look at some of the characters’ perceptions and attitudes to see that the location has fallen short of being perfect for the survivors. The environment is a relationship between individuals and their life spaces. That means not only should the environment provide us with all that we need to survive but also the spaces in which to appreciate, understand, and act to fulfill higher needs and aspirations (423). This leads to the question then of; if we cannot look at it simply as a space to stay in, then how should we look at it? The answer is that a place is not simple an empty building or space; it is, but also it is an expression of an idea or of a culture. Made to be warm and encourage relaxation, or cold and sterile to promote work and organization (420). An office building is plain, organized, and open. The idea of an office is to have very little distraction away from the work. The coloring is usually white to keep from distracting the eye or drawing attachment by employees. Typically a person enjoys a place with more color and not as structured. A good example of this idea of attachment and welcome is seen in Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead, where they chose to go to a local bar call The Winchester mainly off of the fact that is was a familiar place that they visited frequently. Altman and Chemers (1980) identified three types or levels of territory: Primary territory (e. g. home or private office space), where usually only one or two people are in control of its organization. The area is highly personalized and more easily draws attachment from a person. Secondary territories (e. g. , the classroom or open plan office), These areas are intended for larger groups but control of the area is temporary and personalization is minimal. Public territory (e. g. , the street, parks), where there is no personalization and the area is very open making protection difficult if not impossible (424). Most often primary territories are too constrained to allow for large groups to reside there for long periods. Secondary territories are typically the ones seen being used as in Dawn of the Dead where they use a mall and also in Day of the Dead where they take shelter in a large military base. They exist in a larger area but they also can retreat to a person area where they have customized a private area to their own preferences. A public place, as seen in George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead is one of few cases where such a large area is uses as a refuge. While this landscape did allow for comfortable private area’s for a select, elite few, the majority of the people lived on the streets in discontent and resentment for the others. In this scenario we can clearly see the breakdown of the environmental factors as some survivors mention escaping to Canada (an area believe to be safe from the zombie plague) even though all the citizens at this point were protected. Ideally, territories are controllable spaces that serve to allow for the personalization and regularization of who comes in. This idea, territoriality, then actually provides an actual function in being able to allow people to have a feeling of safety, predictability, order, and stability in their own surroundings (424) In movies where a group of people are kept up in a larger secure area, and they have a private space, we can then look at its own function. Understand what is involved in private space. Personal space is important for not only an individual but also the well being of the community (424). It allows people to escape from each other whenever we need a break from everything. It is our own spot to go and relax for a while as we do some personal work or just even think without having others come by and interrupt us. Not only is this seen as us having a home for ourselves away from others but almost as also having a mental sanctuary. People will use physical or mental barriers in order to keep others from wherever they’re unwanted (424). When only one person or group claims the function of a space, the control is absolute, producing feelings of security. (424) This, is the largest factor in determining whether a group can endure weeks or months at this location; however, as we have seen it is not the only contributing factor. The territory must be able to separated into private spaces for the occupants to maintain their own customization. Further more there must be an area to collect together, to allow fellowship to provide a sense of unity among the members. This is an example of where environmental psychology intertwines with social psychology (422). Sociology What is the advantage of a group as apposed to going it alone? No worries about what other people want, you can travel at your own pace, no arguments to worry about. At first glance going alone seems like the simplest plan for survival. Nevertheless, this is rarely the case in movies. And the answer is not simply because more people increases dialogue and drama. People are social beings today for obvious benefits, but it has been part of a clear survival strategy that mankind has most likely always stuck to (485). There is obvious truth in the phrase â€Å"strength in numbers†. Later on, though, we will see that this physical strength my come at a cost. First, image a person who has just run into several other survivors. The person my be excited to see others, but still skeptical in the back of their mind of the new strangers. If a person believes he or she can complete a task more easily if they are with others as opposed to if they were to go alone, the person will more than likely join or form their own group (Cialdini, 427). At first these people cannot just be considered a group. Given the situation, it can either be spoken amongst them, or simply implied by all running in the same direction. Whatever the means are, these people are making the decision to become a group then by their actions. Groups become more unified though two means, first is the enjoyment of being with the other member in the group (rarely is that so in this situation) and the second option is based off of how committed all the members are to the specific task they are all gathered together to complete (423). The members have come together with the common goal of staying alive and are relying on the others to help increase their odds of staying safe. In spite of this, the ties to one another are still weak. Very little has been established between them, only the understanding that they are all using each other for survival. Now assume that our hypothetical micro society has manages to get to safety in a suitable shelter. Once things begin to calm down then they will begin the normal group activities. If group size increases beyond a dyad or triad, a distinct leader will tent to step forward or be chosen by the members (Borgatta, 1118). Once this leadership role has been established tasks will often be assigned. Everyone is familiar with the basis types of conversation that is used to get to know someone. As we learn about a person’s past we get to know them, building a sense of unity. In small groups or micro societies an individual fuses into the group by having some of their common life and goals added to the group’s (Benokraitis, 130). If this sense of common life is not shared by all then tensions begin to form. This is seen in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later when Jim and Selena do not share the same common goals with the soldiers of making the only woman (still alive) have sex with all the men in order to stay there. As a person can see, this scenario is very difficult to manage. In contrast to typical life; where you can look at a group, see if it suits you, and leave if it does not. If the members are thrown together like this, there is no established group norm, making it very easy for one or more members to become unhappy with something going on. This potential for conflict increases with the number of members that enter the group. The ideal number of people is up to five or six people, this allows for easy communication and adaptation (Borgatta 1118). Stress After you have managed to paint your new bedroom, and you have won the Nobel Peace Prize for getting your group in line, you still have to deal with some other stresses. But first let us begin with a quick understanding of stress. No situation is inherently stressful, but rather an individual must see the situation as involving threat, harm, loss, or challenge. (Levins 640) Obviously in a zombie apocalypse someone can expect there to be a large amount of stress surrounding them. When faced with stress a person undergoes a coping process to try and regain control of the situation. Psychological, emotional, or behavior reactions are provoked by any of three distinguished stressors. Cataclysmic events: such as volcano eruptions, floods, earthquakes (zombies apocalypse) etc. Personal life events: illness, family or work issues Background conditions: traffic issues, access to services, noise or crowding. (Kazdin 429) All three of these types of stressors are clearly prevalent, and in fact, almost overwhelming in a zombie apocalypse. Between the dead attacking everyone, all of your loved ones dying, and all of the background conditions like noise and crowding becoming deafening, it is very simple for a person to not be able to handle everything that is going on. Luckily, in some sense, the body is actually prepared to deal with large amounts of stress at one time. While this system is not perfect, it works better than say a computer that would just shut down if overloaded. If there are too many stressors for one individual they deal with an overloaded system by focusing on the task at hand or the ultimate goal that they are trying to achieve. This focus is actually very demanding of an individual and results in fatigue (Kazdin 424). This process can actually be useful in several scenarios to motivate a person in order to complete a task. Still, like everything, a person can still suffer from prolonged exposure to an overload of stress. A person can deal with a great amount of stress, however if these stressors get to be overwhelming or the person is faced with a prolonged period of an overloaded system they could become delusional and even deny the distracting stimuli. If a person is pushed beyond their coping capacity the results could be worsened fatigue (430). This can be very problematic when someone is in such an issue where they cannot go outside. If they are left unattended and become convinced that the zombies are not an issue, they then put everyone at risk if they decided to leave. While someone flat out denying the zombies outside is an extreme case of stress overload, they are many other potential issues that can arise much more easily. Being exposed to stress for too long or repeatedly can result in less tolerance to frustration, shorter attention span, and become less likely to adapt to a situation (Kazdin 429). These three effects are very detrimental to a community that is locked within walls, forced to interact with each other, and with little means to resolve their stresses. While this may not be a group wide condition, these issues caused by stress are still a burden on the group even if only one person is suffering from them. In a group survival scenario being able to adapt to the conditions is key. The inhabitants need to be able to respond properly to any issue that may come about in a territory such as a fire or failing securities. In a similar fashion, it is just as important that frustration does not overwhelm a single person. Frustration is a mood that can easily be transferred from person to person. This is typically the reasoning behind characters having such short tempers and snapping at each other at the climax of movies. This is the point where all their stress is building up to, the point where a group either manages to fix their issues and resolve things, or they collapse and succumb to their fate. Even with all the possible stresses that face a person, the social aspect still comes into play here. If someone’s alternative is to be alone, even without the zombie apocalypse, they’re less likely to leave a group and more willing to put up with stress or even a feeling of hopelessness (Kazdin 448). By this point the members of the previously mentioned micro society have developed some level of bonds varying by the conditions and varying by each member. The members however will still look to the group for support and assistance during struggles with stress. If a member or several members of the group feel like they cannot be helped or that others will not help them they then fall into one of the lowest mental states. Hopelessness eventually sets in after repeated stress and disappointment on a person (Levinson 358) Alas, if a person reaches this point, they are unlikely to attempt to leave the group and go to another location. By this point the most common way a person will leave the group is through suicide. Risk There is one final piece we need to look at in order to fully understand why a person will decide to leave where they are in search of someplace else. This final part of the equation is probably the biggest factor in determining whether people leave a group or simply stay and endure the conditions. This factor is the risk. If motivation explains why the individual takes the risk, what is it that allows the individual to overcome the fear, anxiety, and rational assessment of danger? A 1997 study by Elissa Slanger and Kjell Rudestain identified â€Å"perceived self-efficacy† (a concept named and defined by Albert Bandura) as that element. Perceived self-efficacy is the belief that one can do what is required, that a challenge is within one’s ability. This self assessment may or may not be accurate, because perception of effectiveness is partially independent from actual skill. A complete understanding of risk taking, then, is comprised of two considerations: motivation (be it sensation seeking or sensation seeking in concert with other factors) and whatever it is that allows the isinhibition necessary for a person to overcome the fear and take action. (Borgatta 602) That motivation mentioned above in our case is not sensation seeking, but rather our survivors seeking one of several things. Perhaps to be in a healthier environment; one in which they can act to fulfill higher needs and aspirations. Maybe it is to get away from the current social dynam ics, look for another group with similar common life goals to their’s. Or, it could simply be that stress is building up on some people. They may feel their only escape from stress may be to escape everything and try to start again. Any of these three alone, or combined, could act as the perfect catalyst in someone’s mind. To infect them with the idea as it fester and drives them to ultimately pick up whatever they can grab and head for the door. This may be a solo trip or including the entire group depending on the conditions. Our original survivor, along with a few of his buddies, will prepare themselves at the door. Gun and supplies in hand, one look back at the former home, former group, and former issues reassumes them of their plan as the door opens before them.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Healthcare Technology and Big Data

Healthcare Technology and Big Data Introduction As technology advances, medical devices are able to record increasing amounts of information. These devices are also becoming much more assessable to consumers than in the past. In Adam Tanner’s article â€Å"Health Entrepreneur Debates Going To Data’s Dark Side,† he discusses the company Safe Heart. Safe Heart is developing medical devices for consumer use. These devices are able to measure values like blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and perfusion index. Being able to collect these massive amounts of data, places these devices in the realm of big data. Although the topic of big data imposes its own issues, the medical nature of the data creates an additional set of important issues. Safe Heart is not the first organization to develop devices that collect â€Å"big† quantities of data. In recent years, many organizations have begun to capture and use large quantities of medical data. Hospitals, credit agencies and researchers have all started to use medical data to the advantage of either the patient or their own corporation. With all the data being captured, there are legal and ethical issues that become apparent. Main Issues The most prominent issue related to big healthcare technology data is a legal one. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), protects health data that is transmitted by a certain groups and organizations [1]. It states that consent must be obtained from the patient to distribute any information to a third party. The organizations included are health plans, health care clearinghouses, and some health care providers [1]. This would mean that non-health organizations transmitting health information would not be subject to HIPAA. The previously mentioned organization Safe Heart, would not be subject to HIPAA because they are not an organization covered by the act. Safe Heart would be able to transmit data in a variety of ways and not be limited by the restrictions of HIPAA. Another act that has the power to govern patient data, but is not optimized for current technologies, is the Privacy Act [1]. The Privacy Act protects data that is distributed by the federal gov ernment. To distribute data, the government must remove personally identifying information from the records [1]. After the information is removed, this allows the government to distribute massive amounts of civilian health data publically. As long as explicitly identifying attributes like name and address have been removed, the Privacy Act does not limit how much, or where the data can be distributed. There are few bounds on what the government can do, making this a pressing legal issue. Big data also imposes several ethical issues on healthcare technology. Even though health agencies may anonymize data in accordance with the Privacy Act, it is still possible to associate the data back to the individual. The Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission released a dataset in the 1990s, and they assured the public that the data had been completely anonymized. A graduate student at the time combined this dataset with voting data and was able to associate medical data back to the correct patient. Shortly after this, it was shown that an American can be identified with only their zip code, birthdate and sex [2]. This imposes a myriad of issues on medical technology companies like Safe Heart. If a released dataset is not properly anonymized, the large amounts of data collected by the devices can be associated back to the patients. This also has powerful ethical implications when considering the results of a study done by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. This organization stud ied a collection of mobile health and fitness applications for both iOS and Android operating systems. The study found that many of the applications transmitted data, without user notification, to third parties. The data transmitted included items like latitude, longitude, and zip code data [3]. Since many of the developers were not medical entities, the data sharing is not limited. The medical data can be used for marketing of products and can be sold to third parties for other uses. This is a large invasion of user privacy and creates one more way to link consumers to their already existing medical data that has been â€Å"anonymized.† Major Stakeholders The winners here are largely marketing and advertising agencies. After buying a, or using a publically available, dataset marketers can use the few remaining pieces of identifying information like location, age and gender to target specific consumers. With improved consumer targeting, marketing and advertising agencies can increase their revenue and further their own product line. The consumers are also winners depending on how their data is handled. If the data is handled correctly, the profits from the distribution of the data would allow companies, like SafeHeart, to subsidize the cost of the medical devices [4]. Subsidized devices would allow medical technological companies to reach a broader demographic, providing increased public benefit. The data gathered by the consumer medical devices can also be used to enhance medical research providing additional benefit to the consumers [5]. Finally, the collection of data can benefit consumers because it enables improved tracking of dis eases among an entire population [6]. If diseases can be detected faster, a large portion of the public would benefit. Although consumers can reap a large number of benefits from big data in healthcare, they are losers as well. There will be many consumers who do not want their data to be affiliated with marketing or advertising agencies. To these consumers, this is viewed as an extreme invasion of privacy. In addition to the undesired sharing, these users may be subject to the re-identification process. Even though the shared medical data contains few identifying attributes, the remaining information can be used to associate the original consumer with the appropriate medical record [2]. This too in an invasion of the consumer’s privacy, contrary to many of their desires. After consumers, some medical technology entities are also losers. For companies like Safe Heart, the profit from released datasets would reduce costs to the consumer. As a medical company, improving the public’s health is one of their primary missions. The potential that consumers may be re-identified, or targeted by marketing, with the data discourages release. The apprehension to release data limits data available to researchers making them losers as well. If data were released, researchers would be able to expedite research and provide solutions to prevalent health problems [5]. Consumers may resent the release of their data, but those trying to benefit them can produce worthwhile returns. Summary Advances in healthcare technology have also given birth to an increase in the amount of big data created by medical devices. Medical big data creates a unique set of legal and ethical issues that companies like Safe Heart must, and are, considering. Legally, acts like HIPAA and the Privacy Act do not sufficiently protect the data of patients. Data can move considerably freely and it is not always transferred in a completely anonymous state. It has been shown that organizations are not handling the data in an ethical manner. The release and negligent handling of the data completely invades the privacy of the patient. For marketers, this aids when trying to increase revenue. Due to many of these issues, companies have started to limit what data they share when medical devices generate it. Without accessible data sets, progress of researchers is slowed and the standard of care for the public falls. Both the benefits and risks must be considered when medical big data is involved. Conclusions Health devices transmitting big data are already involved in our lives. It is a serious legal issue that HIPAA and the Privacy Act do not govern our health data properly. It is critical that our laws catch up with this rapidly developing technology. A reasonable person may argue that health data should be completely restricted and there should be no transmission, or distribution, at all. It is true that data laws need to be revisited and improved, but complete restriction would be an extreme waste of the potential that medical big data stores. After the laws have been optimized for the technology, the data has the ability to improve health care throughout the nation. Big data can be extremely useful for entities like hospitals. Using patient data, hospitals can monitor a patient’s condition and know more quickly when they are due to worsen [7]. Advanced algorithms can also predict and help to prevent conditions like renal failure, infections, and negative reactions to drugs [7 ]. When physicians are combined with big data indicators, more patients can be helped and conditions can be monitored more reliably than in the past. In conclusion, I think that big data in healthcare should be embraced, but not before we strengthen the laws governing it. References [1] Kalyvas, James R. and Overly, Michael R. Big Data: A Business and Legal Guide. Auerbach Publications. 55-58. [2] Anderson, Nate. â€Å"Anonymized† data really isn’t—and here’s why not. 9/8/09. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/09/your-secrets-live-online-in-databases-of-ruin/ [3] Njie, Craig Michael Lie. Technical Analysis of the Data Practices and Privacy Risks of 43 Popular Mobile Health and Fitness Applications. 7/15/2013 http://www.privacyrights.org/mobile-medical-apps-privacy-technologist-research-report.pdf. [4] Tanner, Adam. Health Entrepreneur Debates Going To Datas Dark Side. 9/16/14 http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtanner/2014/09/16/health-entrepreneur-debates-going-to-datas-dark-side/ [5] Standen, Amy. How Big Data Is Changing Medicine. 9/29/14. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/how-big-data-is-changing-medicine/ [6] Schmarzo, Bill. Big Data Technologies and Advancements in Healthcare. 3/25/14. https://infocus.emc.com/william_schmarzo/big-data-technologies-and-advancements-in-healthcare/

Friday, October 25, 2019

Politics and Puerto Rican Identity :: Latin America American

Introduction The issue I have chosen to elaborate on is the influence of politics on identity. Politics plays a role in everyone’s life to some degree. In my own personal experience, I have never been an adamant follower of American politics. It has never been a strong topic of conversation within my family or neighborhood. I voted for the first time my freshmen year in college. My upbringing in a working class neighborhood has bestowed upon me a very simple view on politics : vote for the democrats because it is in the best interest of the poor people; all republicans care about is money and they can never understand nor do they care about the plight of being poor. This is the reality of my experience with politics. I am judging it as neither right nor wrong. As I continue to become more educated my knowledge on politics increases and takes on more depth, but I have never considered politics a major part of my identity. When I think about myself and my experiences, the word democ rat does not come to mind. I have encountered people from many different walks of life, yet I have never witnessed firsthand or participated in a political conversation where the individuals involved have passionately taken a strong stance on behalf of an American political party. I’m sure people like this exist, I just have never encountered them. I believe this is why the following quote from Rosario Ferrà ¨Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s House on the Lagoon caught my attention and interest: "Politics is like religion; you are either for Statehood or for Independence, you can’t go for both. Someone has to be saved, someone must burn in hell , and if you’re for Commonwealth you’re floating in Limbo."(Ferrà ¨ pg 183) Politics can be defined as : "The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals". (http://work.ucsd.edu:5141/cgi-bin/http_webster?isindex=politics&method=exact) To, me this definition is very touching, yet is little more than words on a paper.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

History of Caloocan Essay

The residents of Caloocan must have been proud of its city. Other than a thriving past, the city had somehow dramatic toss with times then. Now, it continues to set ground-breaking achievements for its people and visitors. Caloocan had its famous episode in 1896 when Filipino troops fought against Spanish tyrants and advocates. The world was stirred by it. The city’s name derivation has a story behind. It’s said to have come from the Tagalog term â€Å"lo-ok†, which means â€Å"bay†, as Caloocan is just close to the Manila Bay. Others followed another version that â€Å"lo-ok† referred to â€Å"corner† because the town was concretely located â€Å"at the corner† in early days. Historical accounts tell us that Chinese and Indians were the first settlers of Caloocan. Their features are mostly dull-colored with slim beard, flat nose and black eyes. Most dwellers in the past worked as fishermen especially those residing in Dagat-Dagatan, Navotas and Manila Bay areas. Those huge rural areas like Maysilo Estate were possessed by the Jesuits while Piedad was owned by Don Pedro de Galarraga. Cruz and Naligas Estates were possessed by the friars. The first terrain of Caloocan stretched up to the foothills of Marikina, Tala Rivers, San Francisco del Monte, Sampalok, Sta. Cruz, Tondo and Tanza. The first Catholic Church in Caloocan was erected in 1765 by the Spanish Augustinian scholars who made it to â€Å"lo-ok† in 1762, but in 1814, religious governance was assumed by the Recollects. Caloocan started to grow in 1802 that led to its becoming a municipality in 1815. The door for economic progress opened when the railroad project connecting Manila and Dagupan was fulfilled in 1892. It made business transactions quicker and brought Caloocan closer to the bustling Metro Manila. In 1896, however, the people of Caloocan with the leadership of Andres Bonifacio rebelled against the Spaniards. It resulted in numerous revolutions one after another in all provinces of the Philippines. Eventually, Spain ceded the nation in 1898, but the Americans arrived. It was another test for Caloocan to get through. Periods of reconstruction were experienced. New roads, public schools and railways were erected. Later, Caloocan had to endure three years of Japanese invasion. When Philippine Independence was proclaimed in 1946, Caloocan gained its authentic freedom after all. It’s also important to note that the galleon trade history in Caloocan contributed to its growth. The export and import of products resulted to the coming in of Mexican money. It mutually improved the economies of Manila and Acapulco. Export products generated by Caloocan businessmen were in great demand for this trade. This growth continued as years went by, and now, Caloocan is harvesting the fruits of its labor.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Primark Essay Essays

Primark Essay Essays Primark Essay Essay Primark Essay Essay The fashion Industry Is criticized widely for not maintaining the ethical standards. From the use of animal fur, exploiting child labor, low wages. Promoting superficial image of women and racial discrimination, the fashion industry has caused its fair share of controversy and bad press. The complex thing about ethics is that it has different meaning for different individuals. Some might consider a particular issue extremely offensive and unethical while, for a deferent individual the same issue would not be unethical or offensive. It Is a decision of an Individual to consider and different people have different feeling about Issues. For some wearing cloths made through child labor would not be a big deal but for another individual this would be a wrong act. Therefore this remains a controversial subject of which very few things can be spoken about with certainty. In order to under it in a more proper way, the example of Primary is taken. The company is a well renowned brand and a hit in the United Kingdom ever since It was launched. Primary has been found Involved In the use of child labor. In the current paper, the company Primary Is also being compared tit one of its competitors; the TX Max in terms of ethical codes and conducts. The paper cares to investigate the causes related to the issue in the case and also the response which was obtained from the general public. Table of Contents 1 Introduction Ethics and profits do not always go hand in hand. That is not to suggest that all profit making organizations go against the ethical standards, but certainly there have been many cases where ethics and standards have been compromised to sustain or and that is the moment where the true colors and course of the business are reflected. The fashion industry is criticized widely for not maintaining the ethical standards. From the use of animal fur, exploiting child labor, low wages, promoting superficial image of women and racial discrimination, the fashion industry has caused its fair share of controversy and bad press. Being in the spot light of media with all the glamour and glitz has also kept the glare of the media focused on this particular industry which can cause due and undue scrutiny. In a research, Enemies and Rajah (2011) stated that ethics means values, norms and general habits. The rights and wrongs are Judged through ethics. The dos and dont of the society are defined with the standardization to some level of good and bad. 1. 1 Unethical practices in the Fashion Industry The complex thing about ethics is that it has different meaning for different individuals. Some might consider a particular issue extremely offensive and unethical while, for a different individual the same issue would not be unethical or offensive. Alton and Junkyard (2003) analyzed the fashion industry and the way consumers look towards it. The author stated like any business it is eventually the consumers who make the final decision as they have the option of purchase or rejection of the reduce depending on their own Judgments about companys ethics. It is a decision of an individual to consider and different people have different feeling about issues. For some wearing cloths made through child labor would not be a big deal but for another individual this would be a wrong act. At times there is no legality attached to it. The legal system does not charge an individual who buys from such a fashion outlet, but it would remain an individuals decision. Hence, this remains a controversial subject of which very few things can be spoken about with certainty. 2 The Causes 2. The Case (Primarys use of Child Labor) Usually big brand try different methods to keep operations clean. They try their utmost to stay away from unwanted controversy and protect the image that has been built by extensive use of monetary and non monetary resources. Daily Mail (2008) exposed the case of Primary. The brand had been a tremendous hit in Britain ever since its opening. It had attained a positive and high status among the fashionable people of the country. The brand was considered high on quality but low on mice which made shopping at Primary a literal bargain. However, the reporter exposed the season or the tool through which the brand was able to produce quality at a lower price. The operations or manufacturing which is offshore located in India was practicing extreme child labor. Young children were made to work hard and long through the heat. The age of children started from 11. Their Job was to sew tiny beads and sequins onto the designed t-shirts by candle Light. The Company was alerted by a BBC program Panorama that children were being used as labor. An 1 1 year old boy named Matches was being paid about app for a days long toil. The boy claimed that the payment is based on the number of finished cloths and during ajar orders; raps could be made in a day which amounts to app. When a major order comes about, the problem expands as the sewing beads are tiny in size and to finish the order they have to work all the night. Electricity conditions and supply both On the contrary, another big name in fashion industry is of T. K Max (also known as T. J Max) is a bit in its native country; which is the United States of America. Unlike Primary, the company is well renowned not only for the goods that it tends to produce but also for its No to the unethical conducts and child labor. Critics have en looking for the flaws in the company but surprisingly they had not found any (T. K. Max, 2014). 2. 2 Unsafe Environment and Bad Working Conditions for Illegal, Underpaid and Overworked Employees Dihedral (2009) indicates that the workers who are hired in the Primarys suppliers factory TNT Knitwear at Manchester are working illegally and in poor conditions. TNT Knitwear is one of the major clothing suppliers for the Primary. BBC UK sent an undercover reporter to the TNT knitwear factory where it was discovered that workers were hired without any proper information or paperwork. The workers were quite overworked with working 12 hours in a day for seven days a week. The minimum work wage for the workers back then was E. 73 per hour but the workers at the TNT Knitwear used to be paid almost half that amount. The working conditions for the employees were quite disappointing as well because there was no heating in the factory and the workers had to work with their coats on and in an uncomfortable state. With the toilets being under repair, the males and the females had to share a toilet which was quite unhygienic. The kitchen at the TNT Knitwear was noted to be quite dirty so the workers used to sit on the hipping boxes of Primary to have their lunch. It has been highlighted that certain manufacturers or employers do not provide a satisfactory working environment for their employees in terms of cleanliness, sanitary and health safety. Environment that does not comply with the standards, doubtlessly gives an unpleasant and unhealthy spot to work in. For instance, this can significantly affect the health of employees and increase or spread particular sickness or infection around or among the working group. As a result, it can lead to inability to work because of the infection or sickness. Not to forget it can result in the spreading of disease or germs if the disinfection or sterilization procedures for the products in the factory are not carried out properly. The workers at the TNT Knitwear were illegally living in the UK as most of them had their asylum application under process and few had their visas expired almost a decade ago. Moore (2013) further indicates that the factory of Primary in Bangladesh had crashed din to no obvious mason other than weak construction, killing and injuring some workers. There is a lock of health and safety rules at the Primary stories in Bangladesh as the fire escapes are blocked and there is no ventilation available. Primary needs to work hard on providing its workers with better working conditions and needs to keep a check to see if they are authorized to work in the I-J. Being operating in the same very industry, T. K Max has never used any unlawful and unethical means and modes to manufacture its outputs. Rather, the company has set standards for carrying out operations. The top level management ensures that these set principles must not only be implemented but ought to regularly practice as well. As per the companys profile, T. K Max takes it as an obligation to take care of all the aspects of manufacturing fashion outfits and accessories, rather it is also concerned about the means and modes which its suppliers tend to use (T. K Max, 2014). 2. 3 Why do incidents like Prim ark happen? Stated that consumers today hold power. They could dictate terms with regard to ethics if the organization is not a monopoly. The concept of corporate responsibility has been widely studied and enforced through legislation and regulation. Scrutiny from media is also another vital factor. All these factors can be subsided with the introduction of globalization and modern day awareness of consumers. However, the author stated a different perspective and claimed that certain modern day pressures on corporate in a way divert them towards unethical means. Investor capital has much more mobile, economic activates: has become speculation driven. And rapid changes to technology have brought about a certain short sightedness about businesses. The idea is to be able to sell more and more in a short span of time. Hilton, Choc and Chin (2004) explained that with globalization, businesses have changed their working methods. National boundaries and distances are no longer an issue as such. However, this creates a sort of a void and grey area. For example, Primary which was selling cloths in Britain was getting its supplies from India. The circumstances, situations, society, norms. Saws and regulations, and more importantly laws implementation processes (or in many cases lack of it) creates a huge problem. Child labor and bad working conditions would be considered extremely immoral and incorrect in the eyes of a British audience. Child labor issue to be an example: Especially the norms. Culture. And ideas of the society make child labor, a thing to cut if and those who use children are not viewed with favorable view. On the other ha nd, in India especially in the more under developed areas. Where education is on the lower side, population growth higher. ND economic condition are in dire condition, child labor almost becomes a necessity. One man father more than half a dozen children, with no state support it is almost impossible to run a family like this. Hence, children labor becomes sort of a necessity for that child and his or her siblings to survive. It is a catch 22 like situation where if consumers stop buying from Primary. Eventually that kid is going to suffer and will not be able to bring home the money the family needs so very much of. There is another side of this case which was looked upon by Fletcher (2008). This was the consumers point of view. The question is that whether all the consumers who buy from companies who use child labor dont just care? Are they immune to it or they consider it fine to have such a working system? The answer provided by Fletcher (2008) stated that with the credit crunch some consumers an in a way pushed into buying such brands. The cost of products has gone upwards and the power of buying has gone downwards. Therefore. Brands like Primary continue their sales despite much resentment and negative publicity. The author stated that it is estimated that around 158 million children across the globe aged 5 to 14 have to work in conditions which can he termed hazardous. However, despite much noise and uproar about it, things keep going on and brands are able to shake off scandals and move forward. The author interviewed two middle aged mothers about how they feel about using brands which are using children as labors. One woman was of the opinion that she had no qualms about such practices being wrong. Children labor and bad working conditions are wrong practice but was unable to identify which brands were using them or which ones are not. She claims that some expensive brands also do it. Therefore, she would rather buy from Primary understand. The economic side of things takes over from the ethical values. For a brand which is widely reported to have used unethical practices is being preferred over other brands as its costs are lower and other brands are put in the unethical bracket on basis of hearsay or perception. Another mother who worked as her doctor followed the same beliefs. She stated that she had discussed with her children, forever stated that it is not Just Primary but other brands which are involved too. She blames her children for such her unethical shopping as she claims that when kids nag for new and slick dresses, ethics and morale are easy to forget. Management at T. K. Max believes that keeping customers happy and satisfied is the core ingredient of success. Nowadays, the customers have become more literate than before plus the level of awareness in them has also increased noticeably. This means that the customers cannot be dodged now. Therefore, in order to avoid all the uncertainties and unpleasant circumstances, the company T. K Max has certain guidelines and principle which keep the companys operations morally, ethically and environmentally upright. As per the companys rules, its authorized vendors cannot use any unethical mean like taking advantage of labor from the ones who are underage. If T. J. Max fined any such practice, it will cease all its contracts, bonds and alliances with the vendors (T. K Max, 2014). 2. 4 Allegations made regarding child labor on Primary in 2009 While the management of Primary had cut off supplies from those three particular suppliers, it operations remained outsourced and in the sub- continent. As discussed earlier. He issue was in a way down played made to look like an error of Judgment and selection on part of the corporate and individual foul play by suppliers. Hickman (2009) reported that fresh allegations regarding child labor from its suppliers in Bangladesh. While, the shareholders were delighted by the news of high profits, reports emerged in mainstream media that the company was once again involved its child labor and sexual harassment with respect of its suppliers. The code of conduct was not being followed. The difference from the 14 report was that BBC had named the companies which resulted in ending of contract tit those companies. As discussed earlier that was not a suitable solution and it would only complex the situation even further for children. So, in the latest investigation which was conducted by War on Want, they declined to name the supplier as it only meant that their contracts would be torn apart and workers who already were under great deal of problem would face further issues. The Impact Impact of Responsible Management on Overcoming the Issue According to the scholars and researchers of University of Winchester (2014), a management is said to be responsible when it follows and fulfills all of its corporate social responsibilities with full zeal and zest. Researchers have termed this very CARS (corporate social responsibility) as a tool which management of the company tends to incorporate in its planning. There are several issues which companies come across every now and then. Some of them are critical whereas some are as normal as routine. The issue of child labor is the burning question of all times. From social, economical and legal point of view, the induction and utilization of children for taking work from them more than their capacity and not paying them back Justly is omitting to be extremely focused upon and should be eliminated from the society something really serious, rather they only tend to care about more and more production in the least possible cost. It has also been noticed and observed that organizations make under age children to work completely but does not pay them the set amount of daily wages. In order to exemplify the scenario, the case of Primary can be considered; which was however famous for its product offerings but on the other hand it was also famous for unethical practices; that is child labor (All and Khan, 2012). When the company gets surrounded by critics due to its engagement in unethical practices like child labor, then it becomes the core duty of a responsible management to bring the companys name out of dirt. This is important because if such condition prevails, then the company; Primary primarily can lose the worth of its name not only in any one specific country, but everywhere where it operates. Therefore for serving the purpose, the management ought to consider and dig deep into the CARS activities. As a response to the child labor practices, the perception of people regarding Primary has changed. They, however, made the potential customers o like and appreciate the quality which they produce, yet failed to bond the relationship between them. Its competitors; that are T. J. Max took the advantage of it by sticking more their codes of conduct (T. K Max, 2014). 4 The Response 4. 1 Reaction by the general public about child labor Hopkins (2008) highlighted that, after the news went public, them was an outrage. Hundreds of people protested at the Oxford street gore of Primary. This was a direct response to the reports about child labor coming from Southern India. The protest was organized by War on Want which focused on the treatment of ill children in the manufacturing process. The protestors did not blame Just the Indian suppliers but they focused on the brand which they claimed had put so much pressure on the suppliers to reduce prices. It was inevitable to go through child labor. The report further stated that these scandals keep coming up time and again. They urged the British government to bring in regulations and legislation attempting to eliminate such practice. In response to these Sues, Primary was forced in a way to sack three cloth suppliers from India as they were told that the program staff had substantial evidence of child workers. Response of the aroused issue was seen negative in the case of Primary. However in the case of T. J. Max, customers are found happy and satisfied by the practices and activities of the company. This has led this very fashion firm to the unmatchable heights of success (T. K Max, 2014). However Primary could also be better if it abandons its unacceptable practices in the poor and underdeveloped countries in particular, where it was reported that Primary incorporates a huge amount of child labor in the production of its fashion clothes and other related accessories. 5 Possible Solution that Human Light Organizations ND Consumers Should Push for The way forward taken at that time by Primary can be termed as knee Jolt reaction to what the crowds and the media called for. However, what would have happened to those children and illegal employees who were working with Primary? This is a question the protestors should be asking themselves. Fletcher (2008) presented the answer to this question to child labor issue as well. The closure of the factory doesnt mean that those children would have started going to school. The RPR or app they were getting has been slopped due to have been that the protestors demanded that those children were given education n expense of the brand. This would have been a much better solution as it would have allowed the children to lead a better life in the long run. Stopping child labor abruptly when media exposes such practices will never end or even reduce the problem. It would further complicate the issue and those out of Job children might become subject to abuse or get into criminal activities. Cutting one or for that matter throe supplier off would not prove anything substantial about the companys behavior. Hickman (2009) stated that Primary looked towards creating more mechanism to control child labor. They created a website by the name of Ethical Primary. This was some steps towards becoming or trying to appear as an ethically correct organization.

Monday, October 21, 2019

A History of Telephone Companies essays

A History of Telephone Companies essays On July 9, 1877, a functional telephone was produced and the Bell Telephone Company became a reality. One year later, Western Union Telegraph Company entered the communications business. Bell then filed a lawsuit for patent infringement against Western Union and won the case in 1879. When the Bell patent expired in 1893 and 1894, there was a formation of more than 6,000 independent telephone companies. In 1900, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT By 1967, there were exactly 200 million telephones in operation around the world, half of which were in the United States alone. With the Carterfone (caused by the desire of Carter Electronics of Dallas to interconnect private mobile radio systems with the nationwide exchange and message toll telephone network) decision in 1968, the FCC finally permitted non-Bell equipment to be attached to the telephone network. This marked the beginning of the end of telephone networks and services provided by a single dominant supplier. Other companies besides AT ...