Lokpal Bill

KONERU LAKSHMAIAH UNIVERSITY SEMINAR PRESENTION TOPIC: LOKPAL BILL SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY: Dr. V. SARADA B. SEKHAR BABU M. C. A [2ND YEAR] Lokpal Bill is not a new word for Indian people. It is frequently used against corruption. Anna Hazare creates a new history for the demand of Jan Lokpal Bill in the year of 2011. There is a discussion about a struggling history of Jan Lokpal Bill and important of Lokpal Bill in India in the context of corruption. What is Jan Lokpal Bill? Jan Lokpal Bill is a proposed anti-corruption law drowns up by prominent civil society activists to deter corruption effectively. Word of Jan Lokpal Bill derives from Lokpal which means ombudsman (Legal Representative) in India. Lokpal word has been derived from the Sanskrit words â€Å"loka† (people) and â€Å"pala† (protector/caretaker). So Lokpal is meant as the ‘protector of people’. Jan Lokpal Bill is referred as citizens' ombudsman bill also in India. Ombudsman would create the law called the Lokpal Bill. It would be an independent body similar to the Election Commission of India. The Lokpal will have a three-member body with a chairperson. The chairperson will be a chief justice or Supreme Court judge. Other two members will be high courts judges or chief justices. Importance of Jan Lokpal Bill: It is being expected that Lokpal bill will reduce corruption in India. The Jan Lokpal bill provides powers to of filing complaints of corruption against the prime minister, other ministers and members of parliament with the ombudsman. The Lokpal Bill gives us a right, except for a public servant, to file a complaint and the Lokpal has to complete the inquiry within six months. History of Lokpal Bill: There is a struggle for Lokpal Bill of last 42 years. First time, the bill was presented during the fourth Lok Sabha in 1968. It was passed there in 1969. Lokpal Bill was revived in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008. In 2010, Lokpal Bill, awaits an okay from a select committee. According to former chief justice of Delhi high court and rights activist Rajinder Sachar, Lokpal Bill is â€Å"shamefully toothless and meant to give a false reassurance to the people that the government is serious in its fight against corruption†. But former chief justice of India M N Venkatachelliah said that the PM must be out of its purview. Statement of M N Venkatachelliah was supported by Rahul Gandhi also. Role of Anna Hazare in Jan Lokpal Bill: Who is Anna Hazare? Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare or Anna Hazare, is a social activist and a social worker. He used to work as a driver in the Indian Army and has been greatly influenced by Swami Vivekanada, Ghandiji and Acharya Vinobha Bhave. He is especially recognized for his contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. After voluntary retirement from the army, Hazare came to Ralegan Siddhi  village in 1975. Initially, he led a movement to eradicate alcoholism from the village. Next, he motivated the residents of the village intoshramdan (voluntary labour) to build canals, small-scale check-dams and percolation tanks in the nearby hills for watershed development; efforts that solved the problem of scarcity of water in the village that also made irrigation possible. He helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone region in the state of Maharashtra since 1975. He also motivated the residents of the village to build a secondary school in the village through voluntary labour. Lokpal Bill movement In 2011, Anna Hazare led a movement for passing a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament. As a part of this movement, N. Santosh Hegde, a former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court along with the members of the India Against Corruption movement drafted an alternate bill, named as the Jan Lokpal Bill (People’s Ombudsman Bill) with more stringent provisions and wider power to the  Lokpal  (Ombudsman). Hazare has started a fast up to death from 5 April 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, to press for the demand to form a joint committee of the representatives of the Government and the civil society to draft a new bill with more stronger penal actions and more independenceto the  Lokpal  and  Lokayuktas (Ombudsmen in the states), after his demand was rejected by the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. The movement attracted attention very quickly through various media. It has been reported that thousands of people joined to support Hazare’s effort. Almost 150 people are reported to join Hazare in his fast. He said that he   Ã‚  would not allow any politician to sit with him in this movement. Many social activists including Medha Patkar,Arvind Kejriwal and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi have lent their support to Hazare’s hunger strike and anti-corruption campaign. This movement has also been joined by many people providing their support in Internet social media such as twitter and facebook. In addition to spiritual leaders Swami Ramdev,Swami Agnivesh and former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev,   many bollywood celebrities like Shekhar Kapur, Siddharth Narayan, Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar, Pritish Nandy, Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Raj,Aamir Khan, Chetan Bhagat showed their public support through twitter. As an outcome of this movement, on 6 April, 2011 Sharad Pawar resigned from the  group of ministers  formed for reviewing the draft Lokpal bill 2010. Anna Hazare started his â€Å"Fast until Death† at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, stating â€Å"I will fast until Jan Lokpal Bill is passed† The movement gathered quite a significant amount of support from India’s youth visible through the local support and on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Differences between Government’s Lokpal and Jan Lokpal Bill: Lokpal Bill: ->Government will not have any power: ->To initiate action suo motu in any case ->To receive complaints of corruption from public ->To register an FIR ->Police powers >To investigate any case against PM in foreign affairs, security and defence ->To jurisdiction over bureaucrats and government officers Jan Lokpal Bill 2011: ->The Jan Lokpal Bill will have power: ->To initiate investigations suo motu in any case ->To complaints from the public ->To initiate prosecution after completion of investigations ->Police powers ->To register FIR, proceed with criminal investigations and launch prosecution ->To jurisdiction over politicians, officials and even judges ->To merge the entire vigilance machinery into Lokpal Recent Updates about Jan Lokpal Bill: Once again, Anna Hazare has announced to fast unto death at Jantar Mantar from August 16 if the government doesn’t pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. It will be the second battle of independence for him. He suggests his followers to opt the path of non-violence. About Jan Lokpal Bill: The Jan Lokpal Bill 2011 is a draft anti-corruption bill. The bill is drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and present Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind Kejriwal (RTI activist). The draft Bill predicts a system where a corrupt person would go to jail within two years if he found guilty. It seeks power to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. Features of Jan Lokpal Bill: 1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up 2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations. 3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years. 4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction. 5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant. . So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month’s time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years. 7. But won’t the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won’t be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process. 8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months. 9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician. 10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption. To summarise, we can say, it will give more power to RTI act, corruption will be tackled and dealt with quickly, whistle blowers will (most likely) also get some protection for raising their voice against corruption. What is the need of Lokpal Bill in our society? Do you think Lokpal Bill is really needed in our society to make an ideal state? Government has already CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI to stop corruption. What would be moral line of Lokpal Bill? Why a person will not be corrupt where money is everything? How an anti-corrupt society or state will fulfill the basic needs of people? Can a capitalist state be anti-corrupt which motive is nothing but profit? How a profit oriented society can serve basic need of people? How the difference between rich and poor will be filled? Government has already exposed the power of ‘STATE’ demolishing strike of Ram Dev Baba at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. We have seen the monopoly of Indian government in union budget 2011 also. In this context, people should think about the future of Lokpal Bill. Jan Lokpal Bill will improve existing anti-corruption systems. Existing System| System Proposed by civil society| No politician or senior officer ever goes to jail despite huge evidence  because Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) and CBI directly come under the government. Before starting investigation or initiating prosecution in any case, they have to take permission from the same bosses, against whom the case has to be investigated. | Lokpal at centre and Lokayukta at state level will be independent bodies. ACB and CBI will be merged into these bodies. They will have power to initiate investigations and prosecution against any officer or politician without needing anyone’s permission. Investigation should be completed within 1 year and trial to get over in next 1 year. Within two years, the corrupt should go to jail. No corrupt officer is dismissed from the jobbecause Central Vigilance Commission, which is supposed to dismiss corrupt officers, is only an advisory body. Whenever it advises government to dismiss any senior corrupt officer, its advice is never implemented. | Lokpal and Lokayukta will have  complete powers to order dismissal of a corrupt officer. CVC and all departmental vigilance will be merged into Lokpal and state vigilance will be merged into Lokayukta. | No action is taken against corrupt judgesbecause permission is required from the Chief Justice of India to even register an FIR against corrupt judges. Lokpal & Lokayukta shall have  powers to investigate and prosecute any judge  without needing anyone’s permission. | Nowhere to go  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ People expose corruption but no action is taken on their complaints. | Lokpal & Lokayukta will have to  enquire into and hear every complaint. | There is so much corruption within CBI and vigilance departments. Their functioning is so secret that it encourages corruption within these agencies. | All investigations in Lokpal & Lokayukta shall be transparent. After completion of investigation, all case records shall be open to public. Complaint against any staff of Lokpal & Lokayukta shall be enquired and punishment announced within two months. | Weak and corrupt people are appointed as heads  of anti-corruption agencies. | Politicians will have absolutely no say in selections  of Chairperson and members of Lokpal & Lokayukta. Selections will take place through a transparent and public participatory process. | Citizens face harassment  in government offices. Sometimes they are forced to pay bribes. One can only complaint to senior officers. No action is taken on complaints because senior officers also get their cut. Lokpal & Lokayukta will get  public grievances resolved in time bound manner, impose a penalty of Rs 250 per day of delay to be deducted from the salary of guilty officer and award that amount as compensation to the aggrieved citizen. | Nothing in law to recover ill gotten wealth. A corrupt person can come out of jail and enjoy that money. | Loss  caused to the government due to corruptionwil l be recovered  from all accused. | Small punishment for corruption-  Punishment for corruption is minimum 6 months and maximum 7 years. | Enhanced punishment –  The punishment would be minimum 5 years and maximum of life imprisonment. |

Disposal of Toxic Waste

A waste is considered toxic or hazardous if it threatens the health of the people and the destruction of the environment. The waste may be in any form and may be considered toxic even upon its storage. A more distinct characteristic of a toxic waste is given by U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These are ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity and toxicity. Ignitability is characterized by the ability of the waste to create or catch fire. Not only is the waste needed to be able to start fire, but even to just catch it and spread it that it is considered to possess this characteristic.On the other hand, it fells under corrosive if it has the capacity to cause rusting to metal substances. Usually, these wastes are categorized to acids or bases. A substance with pH level with less than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 12. 5 is corrosive. Substances under this category are acids or bases that have the ability to harm the environment due to its high acidic and basic pro perties. Reactivity is described as instability under â€Å"normal† conditions. This means that without any special treatment or mixture with other substance, the waste has the tendency to explode or emit hazardous cyanide or sulfide gas.The last characteristic is proven when there is fatal consequence of its ingestion or absorption. A fatal consequence may be a severe illness, discomfort or even death. Depending on this consequence, the waste can be further classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic according to the EnviroFacts. If it caused the development of cancerous cells in the body of the victim, it is considered carcinogenic. On the other hand, if its ingestion results to damage in chromosome of the victim, it is considered mutagenic.Lastly, if the victim is an expectant mother and the contact with the toxic waste affected the baby even before its birth, then the waste is teratogenic. The procedure that is being used in identifying and determining the toxic ity of the substance (or what is known to as EPA) is Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). If the toxicity of the waste affects the plants or animals, it is bioaccumulative, that is, the plants or animals which are active parts of the food chain can infect other organisms.The characteristics above need not be fully applicable to the whole material for it to be considered a toxic waste. A small presence of toxic substance in a waste is enough for the latter to be toxic. Even if it is mixture or residue, it is still considered toxic waste. Hazardous wastes are usually by-products of different industries and commercial entities. Biological processes can also create a toxic waste. Even households can be held liable for the continuous increase of toxic wastes in the world. Hospitals also have its contribution, as well as the military. As such, the U. S.Environmental Protection Agency or EPA provides a categorization of toxic wastes based from the source. Differences in sourc e gives different kinds of wastes, and hence, treatments and means of disposal. According to the EPA website, hazardous wastes may belong to the F-list, K-list or P-list and U-list. The wastes belonging to the F-list are the most common among industries especially those engaging to manufacturing. Since there are numerous of this in a state, this list is also called the non-specific source wastes. These include solvents and other substances used for cleaning or degreasing purposes.If the industry that served as source for the waste is easily identifiable such as oil company or petroleum refining company, the wastes they produce belong to the K-list or the source-specific wastes. Lastly, discarded commercial chemical products belong to the P-list and U-list. Medicines and pesticides belong to this group. Toxic substances have the capacity to contaminate air, land and water. In effect, all organisms that interact or have contact with these can also be victims of the hazardous effects t hese substances bring.As such, government agencies and different organizations designed ways for these materials to be treated and disposed. According to the EnviroFacts site, there is really no completely safe way to treat these kinds of wastes. Land disposal, incineration and chemical or biological treatment were just the safe ways to solve the problem. Land disposal means dumping the waste in a selected area called landfills. These must be far from settlers, animals or humans alike and must be permanently sealed. Seals can either be plastic or clay. A concrete wall can also be built to enclose the garbage.However, these wastes can still penetrate the ground and eventually mix with the ground water. Some substances that oxidize can also affect the air causing illness or hazard to any organism. EnviroFacts also suggest incineration. This is burning the waste in either low or high temperature. In this process, the wastes are confined and are burned. This is highly preferred for hosp ital wastes. However, large caution must be taken in using this method. Several substances may produce highly toxic gases when burnt. For instance, lead or arsenic is released in the air when old painted surfaces are burned.Chlorinated hydrocarbons on the other hand produce hydrochloric acid and dioxins. Even solid by-products of this process that are left in the incinerators must be treated as hazardous as well. Lastly, certain chemicals or bacteria are added to the waste to lessen its toxins. Bacteria are believed to â€Å"eat† the toxins in the material, making it lesser hazardous. Water is used in the United States to treat hazardous wastes. Sulfuric acid wastes, if not recycled, can be treated with ammonia wastes from the same plant, forming ammonium sulfate, a fertilizer (Encarta Encyclopedia, 2007).Another treatment for the wastes is solidification. In this process, the waste is melted and then mixed with binder for it to huge solid mass. This process is widely used fo r radioactive wastes. Specific types of wastes require specific treatment. Lack of knowledge regarding this often leads to more trouble and danger. Caroline Black and Chris Stavroudis presented several ways for treatments and disposal of certain wastes and gave precautionary measures in dealing with them. In their article Hazardous Waste Disposal, they started with the solvents.These are highly corrosive materials that may include paints, oils or polymer residues. These must be kept in glass jars and not in metal containers to avoid rusting. If what is left to dispose is only a small amount, it can be allowed to evaporate. However, it must not be disposed on sinks and water pipes. This rule does not exempt water-soluble substances. When these accumulate in water pipe, it may cause fire or explosion. Since detergents are widely used in household, it is important to know that this is the only toxic substance allowed to be disposed of in the drain.Unlike solvents, there is no tendency to accumulate flammable vapors that pose threat of explosion in the detergents. However, the triethanolamine is exempted from this. This particular substance must be treated as a solvent (Black C. and C. Stavroudis). For alkali and acids, the first thing that has to be done before treating or disposing it is the presence of a heavy metal like mercury, copper, zinc or cadmium. If any of this is a component of the waste, it must be put in a container and be removed with the help of the authorities. It must not be disposed in the sewer system.Otherwise, the acid and alkali can be neutralized with the use of vinegar and baking soda, respectively. Then, they can be disposed in the drain with the aid of plenty of water. Ether, being a highly flammable substance must be treated with utmost care. It must be kept in a metal jar, not a glass one, to reduce the formation of peroxide. Upon using ether, there must be no fire that is near. Even a lit cigarette can ignite fire. If the ether was ke pt beyond three months, it must be surrendered to bomb squads because it has higher tendency of exploding (Black C.  and C. Stavroudis).While several chemicals can be used to neutralize and treat some toxic substances, there are some which can aggravate the problem than minimize it. For one, acids and alkalis must be kept separated, as well as solvents and known flammable substances(Black C. and C. Stavroudis). Because toxic waste disposal has been a long-running problem, countries have long tried different measures to address this problem. However, the process of treating and disposing the wastes are too costly and not to mention health-threatening.Even if there are ways to treat it in landfills or special sites, it is difficult to find a place where dumpsites could be established. And so, rich nations opt to bring them to the Third World nations in exchange for several billions of dollars or so. These Third World Nations, driven by their need for funds for their own development oftentimes accept these offers, discounting the threat it pose. This act increases the problem. The shipment of toxic wastes is usually by means of cargoes or ships. The tendency of spilling the wastes in its way to its destination is high.Also, the recipient nations do not usually have enough facilities and technologies to treat the wastes properly. This result to a larger threat for the people and the environment of the receiving nation. Also, landfills and dumpsites are usually inhabited by slums and squatters, ignoring the huge possibility of acquiring illness. Although several nations already realized the adverse effects of accepting wastes from other nations, still, there are some which continues to be the garbage bag of the richer nations. However, it is very essential to say that this act do not solve the problem.It just moves it. It is like passing the burden to the other. Through time, much legislation has been passed to address the issue of proper waste, especially toxic wastes, management. However, the main concern is their treatment and disposal. But the catch is there is no completely safe way to do this. One way or another, the waste would still affect the land, the water, and the air. And so, to really address this problem which started with the existence of these waste materials, the control must be put on the production and manufacturing of this highly toxic substances.The industries must find alternatives to their existing materials to find them less toxic. Further studies may also be concluded to improve the sewer system. Recycling and reusing had also been the longest running advice to minimize the waste. The problem on waste disposal must be addressed right down to its roots. It is not just the duty of the government officials, or the environmentalists, but rather, it is the duty of everyone. It might not be realized, but everyday is an opportunity to change the situation.

Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities in a Global Environment

The need for expansion remains one of the most crucial objectives for any business organization. In addition to dominating the domestic make, certain organization desire to explore wider markets which cause them to work on projects which involve venturing into the foreign markets (Amoako, 2003).   Internationalization of operations is always accompanied by a number of challenges which could be attributed to the dynamic nature of the foreign market areas. According to Cairns and Sliwa 2008), the dynamic nature leads to occasional changes in the consumer preferences, prices of products, variations in customer and supplier bargaining power as well as changes in both the company and host country policies. In order to have a good grip of the foreign markets, it is therefore vital for business organizations to put in place the right strategies. These strategies are always aimed at enhancing the competitive levels of the company within the global environment. Additionally, when companies put in place the right approaches to operation, they are likely to enhance sustainability and hence be able to stay relevant in such environments despite the noted challenges. This essay highlights and discusses some of the challenges faced by business organizations and managers while operating in a global environment. The discussion shall also entail some of the opportunities that may be established within the global fonts which the business organization could take advantage of in order to achieve international success. The study derives illustrations from Qantas Airways which one of the leading multinational corporations not only in Australia but in the world. Through the review of literature as the main qualitative approach to data collection, the discussion shall therefore focus on some of the challenges faced by the mentioned company in its bid to gain international stability in the ever changing global environment. In a bid to ensure the stability of its market base, an organization needs to conduct a thorough feasibility test and hence establish some of the possible obstacles to global development (Cantwell and Narula, 2004). At the same time, it is a fact worth noting that the challenges to international development may not have a holistic solution in the near future due to the fact that they take various trends as days go by. However, a good understanding and projection of these challenges could play a crucial role in helping managers come up with the most effective counter measures. To begin with, one of the most common challenges to operating in a global environment is the aspect of changes in the political atmosphere as one move from country to another. While some countries enjoy a relatively stable political environment, there are those areas characterized by political turmoil which in turn cause instability in a number of aspects (Calof, 2009). For instance, the political atmosphere within a given country largely influences the nature of governance. The government structure and the leadership approaches in turn influence the kind of policies put in place to control a number of aspects within the country which also includes control of international investors, business practices as well as product prices just to mention but few. The policies implemented by a government, for instance the ones meant to govern business operations, play a pivotal role in defining the business environment both for the local as well as the foreign investors. Consequently, stringent government polices tend to minimize the scope of operations for the foreign investors which proves to be one of the challenges to associated with operating in a global environment.   According to Caves (2006), the policies may require the organization to employ only a given number of foreign employees. This implies, before venturing into the global market, the organization has to identify and initiate the locals employees into the businesses’ mission and vision, an aspect which is not only time consuming but also involves the use of a lot of resources. It can therefore be deduced that a bad political atmosphere leads to an unstable leadership structure characterized by unfavorable business policies which act as obstacles to smooth operations in a global environment (Cox, 2007). However, in markets where the policies are conducive, the foreign investors are accorded an opportunity to expand their operations since these regulations are supportive enough for business growth. V ariations in political trends from one country to another explain why Qantas Airways continues to struggle in a bid to establish its base in certain countries across Europe, Asia and in Africa. Secondly, there is the aspect of infrastructure. In most developed countries, the level of infrastructural development is at a relatively advanced stage.   This implies that there is easy movement of people and resources from one place to another due to the good network of roads and other forms of transport (Dicken, 1998). Operating in such environments is quite a manageable task for the international organizations. For instance, the good transport systems in most countries Europe, America and Asia explain why Qantas has been able to enhance sustainability in these areas. Additionally, the good communication systems have remained pivotal in enhancing communication between the organization’s management and its clients in addition to the communication aspects involving aerial operations, traffic control and flight control just to mention but few (Dunning, 2003). The good infrastructural developments in these countries have offered a perfect opportunity for Qantas Airways to es tablish its operations in these global environments. However, the level of development of roads and communication systems remains a challenge in most developing countries especially in Africa and some parts of Europe. The poor transport management systems hinder the free movement of customers and employees to and from the airport. For instance, poor road systems lead to the occurrence of jams which may occasionally result in inconveniences especially when the clients are unable to catch their flight on time (Flyvbjerg, 2001). Consequently, the airways have lost some of its clients to alternative modes of transport as a result of such challenges. Thirdly, the aspect of customer bargaining power in addition to the common changes in consumer preferences may acts as another challenge to operating in a global environment.   As stated by Freeman (2010), the unexpected changes in the consumer needs make the global environment quite unpredictable and may easily result in the company losing its customers to a rival supplier. The customer’s bargaining power involves the standards forwarded by the clients with respect to their ability to pay for the services. When the clients bargaining power exceeds the minimal requirements stated by the organization, the final return on investments is likely to be low. Consequently, there would be a need to strike a balance between the client’s bargains and the prices stated by the company. This ensures that both parties gain at the end of the day. The absence of this balance is the root cause of losses incurred by a company. At the same time, the consumer needs keep changing as one m oves from one environment to another. These needs may be attributed to changes in weather, economic status and complexity of flights just to mention but few. When the clients present needs that are beyond the organization’s strength to achieve, there is the likely occurrence of low consumer satisfaction which in turn reduces loyalty. Low customer loyalty is a major challenge to the stability of a foreign organization’s market base. On the other hand,   good business-consumer relations enable a close knit between an organization and its customers. This makes it easy to establish the client feedbacks as well as their changing needs.   Qantas Airways may harness this opportunity to maintain a competitive edge by predicting the changes in consumer preferences and hence adjusting its products and services to fit these needs. The fourth challenge is the presence of competitors in the global market. Qantas Airways, despite being one of the largest industries in the world faces challenges from other effective service providers including Airbus and Singapore Airlines just to mention but few. Additionally, there is also the challenge of the emergence of smaller airlines which offer similar services but at relatively lower prices with the aim of capturing as many clients as possible (Friedman, 2006). The presence of other service providers in the global environment goes a long way in increasing its capacity and instead decreasing the profitability. For instance, when a market comprise several organizations offering the same products and services, customers are likely to weigh and hence pick the most affordable alternatives (Harrison, 2011). This becomes a challenge to international organizations especially in cases where the level of customer loyalty is low. The organizations therefore divide the market and a company gets its clients depending on the level of competitiveness and the effectiveness of the strategies implemented. In order to attain and retain global dominance, it would be crucial for the organization to put in place the most effective strategies. The strategy here ought to involve a careful analysis of the impending challenges and taking advantage of the possible opportunities in bid to cut a competitive edge in the dynamic global market.   One of the core approaches ought to be the conduction of a thorough feasibility test. This approach enables the organization to have in depth understanding of the nature of the foreign market, the variations in the clients’ cultural and social attributes as well as the changes in economic levels (Hartt and Durepos, 2012).   A good understanding of each of these aspects would therefore enable the organization to come up with the right counter measures aimed at curbing the challenges and increasing sustainability. There is an inevitable need for flexibility in the approaches of operation within a global market. For instance, there customer preferences keep changing from time to time based on a number of factors. It would therefore be vital for Qantas Airways to occasionally alter its products and services in order to fit the changing client needs. This could be achieved by altering the product prices, making the planes more spacious and adjusting the fight departures. By studying the trends in the consumer behavior, it is possible to identify their specific needs. The company can then focus on satisfying these needs which leads to customer loyalty and hence market stability despite the high level of competition (Harvey, 2007). Furthermore, the international organization needs to monitor the political trends, the nature of governance and hence the nature of the government policies. Before introducing new products, like new flight schedules, new planes and higher capacity carriers, it would be v ital for the organization to know the effects that the current policies would have on such new projects. Good policies allow for innovation and development while stringent ones hinder effective development. Consequently, Qantas Airways can focus its operations in global environments which are characterized by supportive government polices of international organizations (Johnson and Turner, 2010). The study above reveals a number of challenges which could be associated with managing a business in a global environment. These include changing customer preferences, government policies, level of infrastructure as well as the presence of competitors. As a result, business organizations intending to remain relevant in the dynamic corporate market ought to stay aggressive with its strategies and approach to management. Implementing the right business practices would enhance organizational sustainability in the global environment. Amoako, G. 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A Brief History of Neoliberalism, London: Oxford University Press. Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2010) International Business, 2 nd Edn., London: Routledge.

Hurricane Floyd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hurricane Floyd - Essay Example The Hurricane Floyd activated the third biggest evacuation in the United States record where 2.6 million seaside residents were moved from their homes as the hurricane approached (Haddow, Bullock, & Coppola, 2011). Hurricane Rita, among the Atlantic Hurricanes, came to be the fourth–most extreme to ever be registered. It was the most extreme tropical cyclone, in the Gulf of Mexico, ever seen. The coast of West Africa was its origin and moved westward though the Straits of Florida. Hurricane Floyd preparedness and response compared to Hurricane Rita Both Hurricane Floyd and Hurricane Rita were so devastating causing a lot of damage to property and death. The hurricane Floyd caused rainfall over North Carolina. This is a place that had just recently been hit by Hurricane Dennis. This rain led to massive flooding in the area and the rivers were registered to have exceeded the 500-year flood levels. Hurricane Floyd caused the death of 57 people and the damage recorded was estimate d at $4.5 billion which is an equivalent cost of $6.31 billion in 2013 (Haddow, Bullock, & Coppola, 2011). Hurricane Rita overwhelmed low-lying areas near the shore in Louisiana causing effects of Hurricane Katrina that had just happened a month ago to worsen. Lake Charles was hit by massive flooding. In Texas, the massive damage was due to the hurricane winds. The hurricane led to nine counties in Texas to be declared as disaster areas. There were interrupted electric services in the states of Louisiana and Texas for weeks after the hurricane. The damage caused by hurricane Rita along its path was calculated and given to be about $12 billion dollars which is $15.2 billion dollars in 2013. In the four states of United States directly affected by Rita, there was a fatality of 120 people (Haddow, Bullock, & Coppola, 2011). When Hurricane Floyd was predicted, the United States started to enact some measures in preparation of the Hurricane. In the official forecasts of the storm though, there was no prediction of the hurricanes movement northwards and that it would weaken before landfall. There was high hurricane alert on the East coast from Florida to Massachusetts although it turned out that only a part of this region experienced the hurricane winds. In planning for a possibly disastrous landfall, there was evacuation of one million and above residents of Florida. Two hundred and seventy two of those evacuated were from Miami-Dade County. There was a declaration of emergency by the president of United States, Clinton, in both Georgia and Florida in expectation of the Hurricane. There was more evacuation when the storm started heading north. Not all areas evacuated were hit by the storm, but this showed a lot of preparedness in the United States during Floyd (Haddow, Bullock, & Coppola, 2011). Several things were done way better in preparing for Hurricane Floyd than in hurricane Rita. The first problem arose because the prediction of the hurricane Rita was not do ne early enough like that of hurricane Floyd. This was to prove to be a huge error because it provided for a very short time for a large number of people to be evacuated. Hurricane Rita is known to have sparked the largest evacuation in the history of the United States estimated at 2.5 – 3.7 million people. Hence the time that was needed to evacuate this large number of p

The Music Industry and Copyright Issue in The Digital Phase Essay

The Music Industry and Copyright Issue in The Digital Phase - Essay Example Warner Music Group captures 27% of market share, which makes it the 2nd largest in the world. Sony Music Entertainment captures 14% of the world market share after it formed Sony/BMG following a merger with Bertelsmann, which was later dissolved in 2008 with Sony now operating as Sony Corporation’s subsidiary. EMI, which is based in the UK, has a 5% market share and is the smallest of the major record labels. While these four record labels dominate the music industry, there are independent companies that require mention. These companies include Koch, EDC, Zomba, Edel Music, and Bad Boy Entertainment (Morton & Koufteros, 2008: p502). Nature of Problem Over the last decade, the recorded music industry has been shrinking. Although it has been shrinking, consumption of music is higher than it was ten years ago, especially led by technological advances and new models of business. Every major record label has reported losses on a consistent basis over the last decade and, unless the re is a radical action, the trend is unlikely to stop (Altschuller & Benbunan-Fich, 2009: p52). Sales of physical CDs have declined to half of what they approximately were in 2000 with sales of digital music on the internet unable to cover for this particular decline. Revenue fell by 6.2% in 2010 as digital music sales expanded physical CD sales fell, and music piracy on the internet was made worse by consumer sentiment and poor economic conditions. Since the late 90s and early 2000s, technology has had a major effect on most industries. Illegal file sharing and the advent of MP3 technologies has had a negative effect on their revenues and is now regarded the beginning of the music industry’s decline (Altschuller & Benbunan-Fich,... This "The Music Industry and Copyright Issue in The Digital Phase" essay outlines how the Internet has changed music business. New services that were earlier unavailable to the consumer because of technological limitations have now become viable revenue streams, although they are not viable. The new products and services created for the music consumer include mobile services, streaming services, subscription services, and digital downloads (Mertens, 2010: p665). Digital downloads have accounted for approximately 50% since 2010, of total music sales, which is representative of more than 60% of the total business on the digital platform. Currently, iTunes is the major player in this market, which accounts for approximately 70% of worldwide sales of digital distribution. At a price of $0.99 compared to $13 for physical sales, this has had a negative impact on revenues. Subscription services give the music consumer the option of getting as much music as they want during purchase. The mus ic consumer will pay the service provider a fee in exchange for the ability to listen, as well as download the number of tracks they wish. However, this model is disadvantageous to the consumer since; even though, they pay a fee for this music they do not have ownership of the music once the subscription expires (Mertens, 2010: p665). Major players in this sector include Rhapsody and Napster. Streaming services, while offering the consumer the ability to listen to the music they want drastically reduces the revenues of the music companies.

Co-operation insurance company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Co-operation insurance company - Assignment Example It has been seen that insurance agents are most productive when they fall in the age group of 24-45 and tend to be fast movers in between insurance companies. Women employees are also hard to retain. In terms of overall performance, factors like age, level of education and gender have maximum correlation in contributing to success of a company (Beck & Webb, 2003, p.86). Since many providers in the insurance industry, like this company, have agents online, it will be difficult for them to realize sales goals and survive in the industry where active face to face interactions and agent dynamism are the main propellers of business. Although we do see a shift in practices over the past two years, where insurance services are being provided online, the industry still relies largely on face to face interactions. The insurance industry has specific laws and regulations to adhere to in every country that it operates. The main onus is on whether there is a need to purchase certification for the company such that it competes easily with corporate insurance providers. In this context, since the overall turnover of co-operation insurance companies is negligibly different from those of commercial insurance companies, the need for the certification is not dire. The fact that experienced insurance agents are behind the company makes sure that the company is able to face up to legal challenges in the future (Beck & Webb, 2003, p.72). Also, since the government recognizes co-operation companies with special allowances and rebates, the company can hope to enjoy initial profits. This indicates a bright future for the insurance industry. The insurance industry is on a reverse gear internationally as the Recession has taken away hope from customers and buyers. This change in the global insurance scenario is a direct indicator of how well currency and businesses are thriving in respective countries. Since there has been a downrush in forex and

ADS 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ADS 5 - Essay Example The visual effects included in the advert undeniably play a huge role in attracting the target audience. This is in light of the fact that it engages the audience, thereby making them experience what the reality can provide (Dan, 2015). The color schemes similarly help convey the level of sophistication that comes with the Audi brand. Interpersonal factors such as family for example, are likely to influence the perception held by the consumers. As those with larger families will have preference for vehicles with substantial space, while those without families may opt for smaller cars. Ads for adidas (www.adidas.com) capture the attitude and lifestyle of its target market: athletic young people around the world who define themselves by their athletic achievements. This series of ads, placed at intervals throughout the Boston Marathon, was intended to simultaneously motivate runners as they hit certain points in their progress as well as reinforce key values shared by all athletes, which adidas hopes to embody. In as much as the Adidas advert majorly targets active athletes, it similarly targets those who actively take part in other sporting activities such as basketball, rugby and football among others. The key behavior of those targeted by the advert is their preference for comfortable and high quality clothing and other sporting apparels. At the same time, the audience targeted is achievers under the VALS platform The visual effects incorporated within the advert have made the target audience not only feel appreciated, but valued by Adidas. At the same time, the target audience has been able to hold adidas products in high regard, as the visuals have made them feel part of the operations and dynamics at Adidas Corporation. The environment within which the audience operates is likely to influence their perception of the products (Venkateson, 2014). The audiences who operate under extremely cold environments are likely to opt for products that help them

Performance Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Performance Management - Essay Example The employees who are in lower levels than the management are disregarded. The management failed to comply with giving proper employee compensation and proper performance evaluation systems. The effort of achieving low operating expenses is often found the main reason why management is giving low compensation rate. The management's pay rate is set based on two other law firms: Melbourne-based and Sydney-based law firms. This type of political system is not good since it tries to limit the pay rate at some level, which in our study is of equal rate. This type of management is biased since it eliminates the employees' right in situations where pay rate is inversely proportional with its job functions. On the management's part it will only sound effective if the agreements between firms are followed. But the case was not, the management failed to climb up to the rate level imposed by the other two firms which led them behind in the competing market. The power to dictate market activitie s is unethical in nature. The fact that these market levels are set by business owners giving less consideration to the employees' part showed management's overuse of authority. 2-Within the case study organization, how should performance management be integrated with other management activities One of the main issues confronting management is employee management. Employees are often disregarded by some organization despite the fact that they are playing a very crucial role in the organization in achieving its goals. Employees are considered as one of the primary resources of any organization. Successful Human Resource Management is giving value to developing and motivating employees to cooperate towards achieving productive outputs. To motivate employees is to give them due respect, give them proper compensation, and maintain employment equality by avoiding discrimination in terms of rank and gender. In our case study, there are problems that the management needs to address: Equal employment opportunity, compensation, recruitment and retention. All of these are the main functions of HR department, and are all affected by systems of performance management. Performance management should be integrated with other management activities since though these activities differ from e ach other in lots of ways, but the bottom line is still the same. These are all directed towards high productivity rate, cutting down operational expenses, and maintaining competitive advantage. As stated, the firm is dominated mostly by males. In the issue of equal employment opportunity, it is biased to give female employees lowly levels in the organization. In the issue of recruitment, selection, and retention of employees, the management should consider the value of hiring employees that fits the qualifications needed for any vacant positions. The picture of a male dominated organization should be wiped out. Every individual should be given equal employment opportunity regardless of gender, age or disabilities as long as he/she is found effective and qualified for any position being applied. Employee selection system should be clear on the viewpoint of any organization to encourage new applicants, and existing employees could clearly see that the organization treats all employee s equally and considers them valuable. The compensation system of the firm is not effective. The procedure of how the compensation system work should be clear at the viewpoint of the employees. Performance appraisal is playing a very important role in determining the proper compensatio

Kindly see the attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Kindly see the attachment - Essay Example Once Philip Sparke started performing, I found myself nodding along to his music, and my feeling at that instance were that the music was fabulous. His performance brought that dà ©jà   vu effect I always experience while listening to his music, except that, during this instance, the magnitude was heightened. Once, Philip Sparke was through with his performance, I was left longing for more and more. The next artist to perform was John Stevens, and before he started his performance; I was optimistic his performance would be breath taking, and he did not disappoint me when he got in stage. John Stevens is an artist, who performs classical music, and autumn falls under this category. The key music instruments, which he used during his performance, included a piano and tuba, which brought about a harmonious mood to the entire audience. John Stevens’ performance brought make memories of when I was a young kid, and my father would teach me how to play the piano. His performance brought sweet memories, which left me nostalgic. Half way through his performance, I felt uneasy and even wanted to leave the concert, but there was a force urging me to stay, which I eventually did. After, the performance of both John Stevens and Philip Sparke, I had a taste of classical music first hand, and I loved it. At this particular moment, I was enjoying every single moment, and my love for classical music intensified. I noted the talents in both Stevens and Sparke, and appreciated the hard work, as well as practices they put in order to come up with such a performance. My feelings, at that moment, were that practice makes perfect, and if these two artists had perfected their performance and made it in life, I can make it. The next artist on stage was Christian Gouinguene, who performed allegro, andante con moto, and presto. In my opinion, this was the climax of the concert, and as he continued with his performance, I was light hearted because

Assignment For Media Histories Class on Photography from 1850-1900

For Media Histories Class on Photography from 1850-1900 - Assignment Example The skewed horizon, violation of the thirds rule, and several other composition errors point out that the image is taken for documentary needs only. 2. This image may be regarded as a perfect instance of a production photo as a genre. Since the train platform is totally desert, it is hard to say that the actress has just arrived by train (considering the freshness of her face, as well), while, in fact, the photo session was arranged in honor of Kim Novak’s return from the Cannes festival. Everything seems strange and unnatural on the photo, and this can be explained by the statement that celebrities were not avoiding photographers fifty years ago, and Kim Novak poses with pleasure. Nevertheless, it is a common image for the 50s, as photographers often covered the stars’ arrivals, departures, and other routine actions. However, considering the photographer’s point of view, it should be emphasized that he wished to depict the openheartedness of the actress, since s he was tired after the trip, nevertheless, agreed to participate in the photo session. 3. Most probably, the photographer’s key aim was to depict the static nature of the situation on the American - Mexican border. First, the low shooting point does not add dynamism to the image, second, calm, and smooth light transitions jointly with the absence of color and light contrasts emphasize the regular life in the Calexico, and absence of the problems that are common for the present days. However, the legal migration of the Mexican peasants and workers to the USA was the general practice for that years, and in accordance with the information given on the web archives, the participants of the Bracero Program crossed the border in Calexico mainly. However, hundreds of illegal immigrants also preferred Calexico, and the publishing, where the image appeared, was meant to emphasize the problem of the illegal immigration. However, the regular character of the image could be used as the i ntroductory moment, for opening the article in the Los Angeles Times. 4. Ernest Debs seems to be a conservative by nature, moreover, he is occupying a high governmental position (city councilman), and therefore, it is clear that he is not promoting, or recommending horror comics for school libraries. The conservative society must have been worried about the literature preferences of the adolescents, and, Ernest Debs, as a city councilman, is intended to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens, which involves protecting the children against undesirable content. Considering the research of the details, it should be emphasized that

Atheistic Existentialism - Life Domains Essay Example for Free

Atheistic Existentialism Life Domains Essay Directions: Complete the â€Å"Atheistic Existentialism† column in the table below by filling in the cells from information provided in the textbook. Atheistic Existentialism / REALITY The only reality for an AE is the one they create for themselves†¦everything is matter – everything is connected as some form of matter or energy and in a cause and effect relationship Atheistic Existentialism / KNOWLEDGE The only knowledge comes from our own senses. Atheistic Existentialism / HUMAN NATURE To an AE – humans are allowed free-will, personalities and consciences – but don’t have any reason to do anything with it Atheistic Existentialism / HUMAN PROBLEMS Their problem is that they can’t deal with the fact that they have human personalities and tendencies – but don’t know why, or what to do with it Atheistic Existentialism / SOLUTIONS TO HUMAN PROBLEMS Humans alone have the only solution to their problem and the more they evolve the better they’ll be at fixing them, so live as if your inner desires do have some meaning and try to make an impact on the world. Atheistic Existentialism / HUMAN VALUE Truly there is no ultimate value of a human life, but Humans can have value because they create their own reality by making their own choices – good or bad. Atheistic Existentialism / HUMAN PURPOSE Our only purpose – according to an AE is that of making yourself into who or what you wish to be, otherwise there is no purpose. Atheistic Existentialism / ETHICS Ethics – Schmethics†¦As long as you make a conscience choice to do something – good or bad – you are determining what your ethics are. not living by the laws of man, or any other guide. Atheistic Existentialism / SUFFERING Nothing good comes of it – there is no purpose for it – so don’t do it. Atheistic Existentialism / MEANING OF LIFE. There is no real meaning – each individual is able to determine what life means to them by their choices to be or not to be, do or not do, etc. Atheistic Existentialism / HUMAN DESIRE Kill it! Don’t be led by your inner needs, wants, voices, it is absurd to follow these â€Å"accidental causes† of evolution because you don’t need anything more than the basics to survive. Personal Reflection Directions: Briefly summarize your personal reflection on the information that you have entered into Tables 1 and 2 in this assignment. It is interesting to see the â€Å"evolution† of these 3 worldviews. From the Naturalist who views everything as natural in it’s existence – you exist based on your senses and experiences alone to the Secular Humanist with their realization that humans are wonderful – great creatures with personalities and determinations, but it doesn’t matter†¦to the Atheistic Existentialist (AE) – who finally realizes that the innermost feelings and desires we have as humans do exist, but would be better off â€Å"killed† or cut out than to be nurtured and followed. To me It is just man’s way of not wanting to give credit where credit is do! So many people feel they have to â€Å"give up† so much to follow God. The only way Satan can â€Å"win† is to have more souls in his army than God. He finds our weaknesses and zeroes in on them to keep us from realizing the truth. Man’s ego and sense of self is historically his ruination. It’s easy to see how in these days, these 3 views – all making humans the only thing that matter and by crossing out God, satan is able to lead many astray.

Teaching Education Students Disabilities

Teaching Education Students Disabilities Education Students Disabilities 2.1 The role played by teacher’s attitudes towards education of students with disabilities in the development of inclusive education. It is a well known fact that attitude of teachers affect the atmosphere of learning and influence whether students with limited abilities receive equal educational chances. This can be shown by looking at situations in different parts of the world. In Ghana for instance, the idea of education that is inclusive is aligned with the policy of increasing access, participation and retention of all students of school going age in education. Challenges exist in areas of access, quality education and retention especially for students with disabilities. This is attributed to lack of professional activities of development for teachers, limited resources and ineffective monitoring system provided to schools. Negative attitude and prejudice is the most critical of all barriers to free universal education especially for disabled students. Interestingly, some teachers still name the curses from gods as the cause of disabilities. (Agbenyega 2005) Beliefs about ethnicity, disability, concerns, ethnicity and attitude of teachers influence practice of all inclusive education, educational materials’ quality and instructions received by students. Many regular education teachers feel unprepared and scared to work with disabled learners and display anger, frustration and negative attitude towards education. They also believe it lowers academic standards. (Education Act, 1996) Teachers’ beliefs about inclusion suggest that they do not like teaching disabled students especially those who have sensory impairments as in regular classes. They prefer them being educated in special schools. Their defense is that with usual students too much time is not wasted in support and guidance. They are yet come to terms with the belief that mute and deaf students can receive education in regular schools. Teachers also believe that including disabled results in incompletion of syllabuses as they limit the amount of work that can be done in a term. They further believe that including disabled in regular classes affects the performance of their fellow students without disabilities. On this they claim that there must be consideration on placement of students with disabilities into regular schools as their placement disturbs academic performance and emotions and of other students who are not disabled. (Smith and Luckasson 1995) Teachers overwhelmingly believe that inclusive education is impossible unless their needs for specialist resources are addressed. Overall belief is that without sufficient support and resources, inclusive education is not possible and is doomed. The beliefs, negative attitude and concerns expressed by teachers may be explained due to lack of professional preparedness, available resources, sufficient orientation and specialist assistance. Initial professional knowledge and further training, human and material resources enhance teachers’ attitudes positively and affect their willingness make inclusion work (UNESCO 1994) 2.2 Teachers’ attitudes towards education of students with disabilities. A historical review. Estimates of global populations indicate that more children with disabilities live in developing third world countries than in industrialized countries. It has been suggested that integration in developing countries can be facilitated much more easily and successfully than in North America and Western European countries because there disabled students are already in the mainstream unlike in countries with a dual system of regular and special education. Recognizing that schools in developing countries have untrained teachers, large class sizes, transportation problems, lack of resources and facilities, the policy makers should consider the regular classroom as the mainstream model in facilitating inclusive education in poor countries.(UNESCO 1997, 1999) Educational researchers have historically taken varied positions which are varied regarding integration or inclusion. Those who support the programmatic model point to the academic and social gains of the students with disability as well as acceptance of diversity among fellow students and community members as benefits of inclusion. Opponents note concerns about lack of training, personnel and administrative support and the uncertainty of academic and social gains through adopting such models (Gartner, 1995; Whitaker, 2004). Research that has been carried out in most regions of the world on teachers mirrors the political agenda of these countries in focusing attention on the exclusion of children from educational opportunities (UNESCO 1994). Some countries have enacted legislation pertaining to integration of disabled students while some are just beginning the process of implementing these programs and policies. In overall, research seems to support the notion of a general culture of teaching in that teachers’ attitudes towards students with disabilities are consistent and similar irrespective of the different national cultures in which teaching takes place. A cross cultural study conducted on teachers’ attitudes in Haiti and the USA revealed that teachers had similar attitudes towards inclusion. (Thematic Group 9, 1996). Special Education in the United States has a long history that reflects many changes in attitudes towards disabled people. Special education was a established in the United States in the 1800’s with students who had demonstrated disabilities such as deafness, blindness, crippling conditions as well as idiotic and feeble-mindedness being taught in institutions. Many diverse groups have attributed this change to including parents, psychologists, educators, physicians, clergy, researchers and the disabled. (Smith and Luckkason, 1995) 2.2.1. Shaping the development curve: mainstreaming-integration and inclusion The right of students with disabilities to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment is solidly rooted in the provisions of the United States constitution. Particularly, the guarantee of equal protection under the law granted to all citizens P.L.94-142 clearly required states to ensure that children with disabilities be educated with children who were not disabled and that other educational placements be considered only when the nature of the disability was such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services could not be achieved satisfactorily. (.http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1994/inclusion.htm) Disabled students are being included at every level of the education system as a result of efforts by all of those concerned about them, parents, advocates, teachers and administrators. The effect of inclusive education is being increasingly being evaluated by including children with disabilities in assessments of school performance. (Barlett and McLeod 1998) Much has been learned about the strategies that make inclusion work from the experience of others. School staff that focus on changes in the school as a whole-curricular, instructional strategies, instructional strategies and use of resources have been successful when given time for training, collaborative planning and opportunities to celebrate their achievements. (.http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1994/inclusion.htm) Disabled students require extra supports facilitated through personal assistance, class assistive technologies and related services in order to receive an appropriate education. Planning for studies should include the scheduling of supports at appropriate times in order for supports to be able to complement activities in classroom. Students who need assistance later in life benefit greatly from learning management support services early in life. (Marches 1998) The fact that students with disabilities are included in some schools is all the more remarkable given the vast numbers of barriers that exist from the federal government going down. In addition to the barriers faced by most students with disabilities minority students with disabilities face even greater barriers to inclusion. Of all the barriers to inclusion, the single greatest factor seems to be the system of financing special education. (.http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1994/inclusion.htm) The basic concept of inclusion and integration states that principles of equity, discrimination, social justice and human rights make it compulsory that students with special needs and disabilities should enjoy the same privileges as all other students in a regular school environment and to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum (Knight 1999). It is believed that integration in the mainstream enables students with disabilities to benefit from the stimulation of mixing with relatively more able students and having the opportunity to observe higher models of social and academic behavior (Elkins 1998). The move towards integration began tentatively in a few countries as long ago as the late 1960s and early 1970s, but the trend became much more vigorous on an international scale in the 1980s and throughout the 1990s. A major factor influencing the rapid worldwide movement towards inclusion was the promulgation of the Salamanca statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. This statement recommends among others, that all students with special needs should have full access to regular schools and be taught in schools using predominantly adaptable and child centered pedagogy. (UNESCO, 1994) For integration and inclusion to be successful, one clear condition is that teaching methods and curricula will need to change in order to accommodate the diversity of students to be included in the average classroom. The reforms proposed by most education commissions certainly suggest that all students would benefit from more student centered approaches in teaching and much greater flexibility in curriculum planning. This will certainly make it more feasible for students with special needs to receive an education geared to their abilities. (Ainscow, 1997) 2.2.2. Attitudes of regular school teachers’ vis-Ã  -vis of special school teachers. Inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular classroom has been met with a lot of resistance from regular education teachers who would be responsible for educating special needs students. This is because they lack in-service training to increase their skills. In-service presentations are most effective in improving attitudes. Regular classroom teachers are usually stereotypic and negative. (Befring, 1997) Regular school teachers believe that students with disabilities require special needs which cannot be provided in inclusive based regular classroom. They also believe that their professional knowledge and skills are inadequate to effectively teach students with disabilities in regular schools. (Sharma, 1999) Special school teachers usually have a positive attitude towards students with disabilities. This is because they are usually trained before service on how to handle students with disabilities. Their positive attitude about including and teaching students with disabilities in general education classroom is related to the levels of special education training and experience in working with students with disabilities. (Forlin and Hattie, 1996) 2.3 Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education of students with disabilities at different school levels. 2.3.1. Pre school teachers’ attitudes and primary teachers’ attitude. Pre School teachers’ have negative attitudes towards children with disabilities. A lot of children who are emotionally disturbed possess deficient long-standing patterns of disruptive and deficient behavior. These children are particularly upsetting to teachers because they challenge the teachers’ role and threaten the order and composure of the classroom. Some of these children exhibit the feelings needed to get what they want that is manipulate others. These children are often able to identify weaknesses in the teacher and exploit them. (Carey, 1997) Majority of primary school teachers both female and male have negative attitudes towards the inclusion of students with abilities in regular classes. Children taught by teachers who show highly positive attitudes have significantly higher levels of classroom satisfaction and marginally lower levels of classroom friction than children taught by teachers with less positive attitudes. Primary school teachers are usually worried about the well being of students with special needs in the general education. It is usually hard for them to ensure that special children do not lose out in both academics and related skills as compared to other children in the class. (Carey, 1997) 2.3.2 Education administrators Demographic factors, training and experience does not have a statistically significant effect on administration attitudes towards inclusion. Administration programs that are good prepare administrators with stronger, more positive attitudes toward including students with disabilities. School counselors can take the lead in assessing school climate in relation to students with disabilities initiating interventions or advocating for change when appropriate. (Wilczenski, 1992) Some school administrators might possess slightly negative attitudes toward students with disabilities. The attitudes of school counselors are similar to if not more positive than those of other school personnel. Principals who have completed more training both (pre-service and in service) related to inclusion and special education have positive attitudes towards students with disabilities. It is claimed that the understanding of administrators on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is very limited and they have not taken any measure to ensure compliance to it. Negative attitudes have been indicated to be of the more significant barriers to successful integration of students with disabilities. (Wilczenski, 1992) 2.3.3. Secondary schools teachers’ attitudes These teachers have more positive attitudes compared to primary school teachers. Teachers’ expectations and beliefs are easier to change than their behaviors and emotions. High school teachers also have positive attitudes towards the use of the software because the software has the potential to improve student learning, increase student engagement, provide important study skills and improve student motivation through the novelty of using computers is social studies instruction. High school teachers cooperate more with each other when it comes to provision of assistance regarding disabled students. (Schumacher et al, 1997) Some people argue that in primary school inclusion develops well only for serious problems to emerge at the secondary level. These problems could be from the increase in subject specialization which makes it hard for inclusion to sail smoothly. This problem is made worse by the fact that the gap between special students and the rest increase with age. Secondary schools usually use the streaming model where students are grouped depending on their level of grasping knowledge. It is also difficult to make curriculum adaptations for heterogeneous students because secondary education is characterized by an excessively academic curriculum for a homogenous group of students. (Smith, D. Luckasson, R. 1995). 2.4 Influential factors of teachers attitudes 2.4.1 Student related factors One of the most important factors affecting teachers’ attitudes towards integration or inclusion is the type and severity of disabilities. Research revealed that irrespective of teaching experience, severity of disability shows an inverse relationship with positive attitudes such that as the perception of severity increase, teachers positive attitude decrease. (Forlin, et al 1996). A study done in fourteen nations discovered that teachers favor disabilities of certain types to be included in the regular school setting. Teachers are more disposed to accept students with mild disabilities than students with more severe disabilities particularly students with social maladjustments and emotional disturbance, due to a lack of training and support and large class sizes. (Leyser and Tapperndirf, 2001). 2.4.2 Teacher-related factors With regards to gender, reports showed that male teachers’ attitudes towards integration are more negative than female teachers. Other studies that examined teachers experience noted that teachers’ acceptance of integration is related to previous experience with children with disabilities. (Giangreco, 1997) Overall teaches’ contact and interactions with people with disabilities promote positive attitudes towards integration. Teachers’ with a higher education level are also more negative towards integration. The opposite is true in some cases. Teachers’ attitudes also appear to vary based on integration in-service training. The study reported positive teacher attitudes after in service training, while other studies found that staff development failed to improve teachers’ attitudes. (Stoler 1992) 2.4.3 Education environment-related factors a) Administrative and policy factors Factors related to administrative support have been linked to teachers’ commitment to integration. Teachers’ consider the presence of organizational support and resources as critical in forming positive attitudes towards integration. An additional component of positive attitude is related to class size. General educators report that reducing class size to 20 students would facilitate their integration effort (Pollard and Rojewski, 1993) b) Support factors Top-down educational initiatives can be rendered ineffective if the program is interrupted at the principle level or the teacher level. The attitude of special educators is determined by general educators. Furthermore most principals are critical of policy changes and their support of inclusion is viewed by teachers as being motivated by cost savings opportunities. (Whitaker 2004) If a country or state has policy friendly to students with disabilities then teachers are likely to have a positive attitude towards inclusive education. For example, the Zimbabwe education Act 1996, the Disabled Person Act 1996 and various Ministry of Education circulars (Education, Secretary’s Policy Circular No P36, 1990) require that all students, regardless of race, religion, gender, creed and disability, have access to basic or primary education. (Education Act, 1996). c) Other related factors Factors external to the school that affect the working conditions of teachers such as financial rewards, status in society and professional expectations have also been found to influence the teachers’ motivation and dedication. The grade level taught is such an external factor found that high school teachers displayed more positive attitudes towards integration than elementary school. Their results also showed there were more positive attitudes towards integration in high school teachers than in primary school. (Leyser et al 1994) Financial rewards; given that teachers spend up to fifty percent of their time providing instruction to individual students, it is imperative that they receive adequate and appropriate financial and professional development to ensure they are able to work effectively with students with special needs. Reference Agbenyega, J. S., Deppeler, J., Harvey, D. (2005).Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education in Africa Scale (ATIAS): An Instrument to measure teachers attitudes towards inclusive education for students with disabilities. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 5, pp. 1-15. http://www.coe.wayne.edu/wholeschooling/Journal_of_Whole_Schooling/articles/3-1%20Agbenyega.doc. Ainscow, M. (1997). Towards inclusive schooling. British Journal of Special Education, 24, 3-6. Bartlett, L., McLeod, S. (1998). Inclusion and the regular class teacher under the IDEA. Wests Education Law Reporter, 128(1), 1-14. Befring, E. (1997). The enrichment perspective: A special educational approach to and inclusive school. Remedial and Special Education, 18, 182-187. Boudah, D.J., Schumacher, J.B., Deshler, D.D. (1997). Collaborative instruction: Is it an effective option for inclusion in secondary classrooms? Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 20, 293-316. Carey, L. (1997). Inclusive training for pre-service teachers-from theory to best classroom practice. B.C. Journal of Special Education, 21, 52-58. Corbett, J. (2001). Teaching approaches, which support inclusive education: a connective pedagogy. British Journal of Special Education, 28(2), 55-59. Education Act. (1996). Harare, Zimbabwe: Government Printers. Education. Secretarys Policy Circular Number 36. (1990). Harare, Zimbabwe: Author. Elkins, J. (1998). The school context. In A. Ashman J. Elkins (Eds.), Educating children with special needs (3rd ed., pp. 67 – 101). Sydney: Prentice Hall. Forlin, C., Douglas, G., Hattie, J. (1996). Inclusive practices: Are the teachers accepting? International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 43(2), 19-33. Giangreco, M.F. (1997). Key lessons learned about inclusive education: Summary of the 1996 Schonell Memorial Lecture. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 44, 193-206. Kling, B. (1997). Empowering teachers to use successful strategies. Teaching Exceptional Children, 30(2), 20-24. Knight, B. A. (1999). Towards inclusion of students with special educational needs in the regular classroom. Support for Learning, 14 (1), 3 – 7. Leyser, Y., Tappendorf, K. (2001). Are attitudes and practices regarding mainstreaming changing? A case of teachers in two rural school districts. Education, 121(4), 751-761. Leyser, Y. Kapperman, G, and Keller, R. (1994). Teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming: A cross-cultural study in six nations. European Journal of Special Needs Education. 9, 1-15. Lindsay, G. (2003). Inclusive education: a critical perspective. British Journal of Special Education, 30, 3-12. Lipsky, D. K., Gartner, A. (1996). Inclusion, school restructuring, and the remaking of the American society. Harvard Review, 66, 762-796. Marchesi, A. (1998). International perspectives on special education reform. European Journal of Special Needs Education. 13, 116-122. National Council on Disability. 1994. Inclusionary Education for Students with Disabilities: Keeping the Promise. Washington D.C. 20004-1107.http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1994/inclusion.htm OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) (1999). Inclusive education at work: students with disabilities in mainstream schools. Paris: OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. Pollard, R., Rojewski, J. (1993). An examination of problems associated with grading students with special needs. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 20(2), 154-162. Sharma, U. (1999) Integrated education in India: A historical perspective. Paper published in India- Australia Training and Capacity Building Project: Integrated Education for Children with Special Needs- A Training Manual, The University of Melbourne. Smith, D.D. Luckasson, R. (1995). Special education: Teaching in an age of challenge. Needham, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Stoler, R. D. (1992). Perceptions of regular education teachers toward inclusion of all handicapped students in their classrooms. The Clearing House, 66(1), 60-62. Thematic Group 9. (1996). Fostering cooperation between mainstreaming and special Education. Funen, Denmark: Modersmalets Trykkeri. UNESCO (1994). World conference on special needs education: Access and quality. (Final Report). Salamanca: Author UNESCO (1996). Inclusive schooling and community support programs. Paris: Author UNESCO (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. Paris: UNESCO. Wilczenski, F. L. (1992). Measuring attitude towards inclusive education. Psychology in the Schools, 29, 306-310. Whitaker, P. (2004). Fostering shared play and communication between mainstream peers and children with autism: approaches, outcomes and experiences. British Journal of Special Education, 31(4), 215-223.

Gingko Biloba and Hypericum Peforatum Uses

Gingko Biloba and Hypericum Peforatum Uses 1.0 Gingko biloba Ginkgo biloba is an herb extracted from the leaves of the tree. It has been traditionally used for improvement of blood flow (vasodilation), protection of cells from oxidative damage (antioxidation) and enhancement of memory and concentration. The herb is known to induce CYP450 enzymes such as CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP2B, changing the metabolism of several drugs.2 Hence, concomitant intake of some drugs with Ginkgo may give rise to herb-drug interactions which can cause serious adverse effect. 1.1 Antiepileptic drugs A recent pharmacogenetic study with 18 volunteers revealed significant inductive effect of CYP2C19 by Ginkgo. Omeprazole which has CYP2C9 activity was used as a substrate. The results demonstrated that Ginkgo decreased the AUC of omeprazole by a significant amount. Besides, the plasma concentrations of omeprazole and its metabolite were reduced by almost 30% when compared to controls. From the results obtained, it might be deduced that Ginkgo reduces serum concentrations of antiepileptic drugs which are substrates of CYP2C19 like phenytoin, phenobarbital and diazepam.3 Ginkgo might also induce CYP2B activity. According to study by Kubota et al 2004, Ginkgo was shown to reduce the hypnotic potency of phenobarbital (50 mg/kg) in rats. The maximum plasma concentration and AUC of phenobarbital were reduced by 40% and 20%, respectively. These might be due to induction of CYP2B activity by Ginkgo since phenobarbital is a substrate for CYP2B in rats, leading to the possible herb-drug interaction.3 Study also shows that Ginkgo contains a potent neurotoxin, which is a vitamin B6 derivative. It is also known as Ginkgotoxin or 4-O-methopridoxine.2, 3 The neurotoxin is said to be responsible for the seizure activity. It is a competitive antagonist of pyridoxil phosphate which is a coenzyme of the glutamate decarboxylase. Inhibition of this coenzyme inhibits the GABA synthesis. This interaction might hence diminish the effect of antiepileptic drugs. 1.2 Anticoagulants medication One of the concerns associated with Ginkgo is the increase risk of bleeding. Several cases have been reported when taking Ginkgo and anticoagulant drugs like aspirin and warfarin simultaneously. The proposed mechanism of bleeding caused by Ginkgo is via the action of ginkgolide B. According to Smith et al. 1996, Ginkgolide B is a component of Ginkgo which acts as a platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist. It is reported to displace PAF from its receptor- binding site, thus inhibiting PAF and results in reduced platelet aggregation and eventually bleeding. Nevertheless, some clinical studies have shown that Ginkgo does not decrease PAF-mediated platelet aggregation as well as prothrombin times.4 Warfarin is metabolised by CYP2C9 enzymes. An in vitro study by Gaudineau et al. 2004 stated that Ginkgo inhibits CYP450 enzymes, mainly CYP2C9. Hence, it is possible that this inhibition might lead to increase in warfarin levels and subsequently greater anticoagulant action. However, there are some contradicting studies which reported that Ginkgo induces rather than inhibits hepatic CYP, including (S)-warfarin hydroxylase. It is also reported that bilobalide found in terpene trilactone fraction of Ginkgo is responsible for the induction. This will thus reduce the efficacy of anticoagulants rather than enhancing the anticoagulant action.4 It remains unclear whether Ginkgolide B increase bleeding and whether Ginkgo potentiates or decreases the anticoagulant effect of warfarin in vivo. Nevertheless, it is recommended that for patients on warfarin or other anticoagulants therapy to not take ginkgo-containing products due to a possible risk of serious bleeding. 2.0 Hypericum Peforatum (St. John’s Wort) St. Johns Wort preparations may interact with medicines either by increasing the rate of their metabolism or increasing levels of neurotransmitters. 2.1 Drugs metabolized by CYP-450 St. John’s Wort interferes with metabolism of drugs by inducing some CYP450 enzymes in the liver and gut. For instance, the main enzyme affected is CYP3A4, as well as 1A2 and 2C9. This results in decrease in blood levels and efficacy of some drug metabolised by CYP450 enzyme. The principle behind the induction might be due to presence of hyperforin, which is a component of St. John’s Wort. A study by Moore et al. has shown that hyperforin activates a CYP3A4 regulator transcription. This activation thus induces CYP3A4 expression in human liver cells, thus increase the metabolic rate of drugs and subsequently decrease in therapeutic level. It can be deduced that St. John’s Wort inhibits CYP3A4 acutely and induces this enzyme upon repeated administration based on a systematic review.5 An example of this herb-drug interaction is St. John’s Wort and antiretroviral drugs such as protease inhibitors (PI) and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI). St. John’s Wort has been shown to decrease plasma concentrations of the drugs by CYP3A4 induction. The effects may also be due to induction of P-glycoprotein. For instance, there was a significant reduction in concentrations of indinavir when taken concurrently with St. John’s Wort in an open-label study.5 This will lead to loss of viral control or development of virus resistance. 2.2 Antidepressants medication St. Johns Wort also increases the neurotransmitter levels in the brain particularly serotonin through additive effect on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as fluoxetine and paroxetine. These interactions may lead to mental state changes, sweating, increased blood pressure and motor effects due to increase in serotonin level. Studies have demonstrated that St Johns Wort inhibits the synaptosomal uptake of certain neurotransmitters. It inhibits the uptake of 5-HT, noradrenaline, dopamine, glutamate and GABA. This action is not related to specific binding of the St. John’s Wort to the different transporter molecules, but associated with mechanisms related to Na+ conductive pathways.6 It is found that chronic administration of St. John’s Wort downregulates ÃŽ ²1-adrenoceptors and upregulates postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. Nevertheless, the study shows St. John Wort’s upregulates 5-HT2 receptors unlike other antidepressants.6 References xxxx Kupiec T, Raj V. Fatal Seizures Due to Potential Herb-Drug Interactions with Ginkgo Biloba. Journal of Analytical Toxicology 2005 Oct; 29:755-58 Landmark CJ, Patsalos PN. Interactions between antiepileptic drugs and herbal medicines. Bol. Latinoam. Caribe Plant. Med. Aromaticas 2008; 7(2):109-18 Takia Y, Yokotania K, Yamadab S, Shinozukac K, Kubotad Y, Watanabed Y, Umegakia K. Ginkgo biloba extract attenuates warfarin-mediated anticoagulation through induction of hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes by bilobalide in mice. Phytomedicine 2012 Jan 15; 19(2):177-82 Hammerness P, Basch E, Ulbricht C, Barrette EP, Foppa I, Basch S, Bent S, Boon H, Ernst E. St. John’s Wort: A Systematic Review of Adverse Effects and Drug Interactions for the Consultation Psychiatrist. Psychosomatics 2003 July- Aug; 44(4):271-82 Carloa GD, Borrellia F, Izzoa AA, Ernst E. Is St Johns wort a ‘Prozac-like’ herbal antidepressant? Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 2001Nov 1; 22(11):559

Deriving Awe :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Deriving Awe Having become deeply compelled by the ability of evolutionary theory to tell a story that consumes or subsumes all others, I have followed the story of change back beyond the origin of life, beyond the formation of the solar system, back to a point where the first something came into existence. Though it may not do so for everyone, the story even allows me one more step along this rewinding trajectory, a step toward rejecting the need for any intention or plan by upholding the power of random change to produce order. I have found it very useful to tell a story in which the absolute truth is randomness. This is not to ignore the phenomenally intricate, ordered and interdependent systems that organize matter in our universe, but rather to understand creation in terms of an infinite dimension of possibility through which navigation occurs fueled by random change. My story, then, becomes one in which the Beginning is really just the beginning of one path through the infinite dimensions o f possibility, or what Daniel Dennett calls design space (Dennett 1995). Order or design does not rely on the Word or intention but is produced as changes accumulate and become directed by one another, restricting and refining a particular branching journey among the possibilities. Thus, reaching backwards along the story of evolution I grasp randomness and a Wordless beginning. Reaching forward into new designs and increasing complexity I suddenly encounter human agency and imagination and I am catapulted into the possibility of transcending design space. "If a brain were truly capable of non-algorithmic activity, and if we have such brains, and if our brains are themselves the products of an algorithmic process...an algorithmic process (natural selection in its various levels and incarnations) creates a non-algorithmic subprocess of subroutine, turning the whole process (evolution up to and including...brains) into a non-algorithmic process after all. This would be a cascade of cranes creating, eventually, a real skyhook" (Dennett 1995)! This argument suggests that natural selection of random change (AKA cranes) has created a skyhook- something that exists independently of and has the power to manipulate evolutionary processes. It defends the refusal to believe that human agency, free will, meaning, responsibility, etc. are all reducible and ultimately adaptive illusions. Yet, however desirous we are of such a defense, the very ability to know and interpret that we seek to uphold as a human transcendence of evolution must also cause us to recognize the flaws in this attempt to secure a degree of evolutionary removal.

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby Essay -- Gatsby F

Comparison between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby After watching the biography of F.Scott Fitzgerald, I noticed there are a lot of similarities between F.Scott Fitzgerald and the protagonist of the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† – Jay Gatsby. First of all, their romantic idealism are very much the same, they both love the person that love so deeply. In the novel, before Gatsby and Daisy were first separated, Gatsby was already deep in love with Daisy, we can see this from a quote in the novel, â€Å"well, there I was, ‘way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I don’t care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do?† (Chapter 8). However, Gatsby was poor and Daisy didn’t want to marry a poor boy, so Daisy married a rich man named Tom afterwards. This didn’t stop Gatsby’s love towards Daisy. He waited for almost five years and during that time, he got rich by bootlegging. So he came back and ready to win Daisy’s love again. This showed how much Gatsby loves Daisy and willing...

Essay --

1. Fred Korematsu and Gordon Hirabayashi were two men who refused to report to the evacuation center when all Japanese people were being forced to relocate. Relocation began in April 1942 and these two men challenged President Roosevelt’s executive order 9066, that stated, â€Å"All persons of Japanese ancestry, both alien and non-alien, will be evacuated (Takaki 344).† Korematsu and Hirabayashi were both arrested, convicted, and sent to prison (Takaki 345). Their cases later went to the Supreme Court but the government policy said them getting convicted and sent to prison was a military necessity (Takaki 345). Both were sent to Guantanamo Bay where Mr.Kore challenged the detainment of the prisoners (Takaki 345). Since the Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese, Americans felt the need to relocate them and have guards watch over them. The outcome of Korematsu and Hirabayashi’s case was brought back to the court in 1983 and their conviction was taken of their rec ord (Lecture 11-11-13). The legacy that carries on because of these two men was that when Bill Clinton became President, he awarded Korematsu a metal of freedom (Lecture 11/11/13). 2. The Executive Order 9066 was created by President Roosevelt in 1942 after the Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese (Takaki 345). Executive Order 9066 consisted of relocating the Japanese to internment or relocation camps. The families were only allowed to take what they could carry with their own two hands. Women, men, and their children were registered and given a number while they were surrounded by American soldiers with rifles (Takaki 345). After the families received their numbers they were put into trains and while on the train nobody knew where they were being sent. As they reached the... ...kaki 364). The Bracero Program was an opportunity for Mexicans to make money and this program was placed in 21 states (Takaki 364). An example of discrimination that the Mexican American faced was the death of Felix Z. Longoria Jr. in 1945 (Lecture 11/13/13). Longoria Jr. was killed by the Japanese and his remains were not returned to the United States until 1949. The discrimination aspect was that white people did not want Longoria Jr. to be buried in the same cemetery as them. The accomplishment aspect of his story was that he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Metal, and Combat Infantryman with military (Lecture 11/12/13). World War II ended in 1945 and in between those seven years, Mexican Americans were treated unfairly in the military but they still felt the need to help out and fight for their country in which they wanted to call theirs.