Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Is Iago the real hero in Shakespeares Othello Essay Example

Is Iago the real hero in Shakespeares Othello Essay Example Is Iago the real hero in Shakespeares Othello Paper Is Iago the real hero in Shakespeares Othello Paper Contrary to the mainstream belief of Othello being the tragic hero, I think Iago is the real hero in Shakespeares Othello the moor of Venice. A traditional hero defined as a a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. This definition however does not apply to Iago, who is a far more complex hero. He is more similar to the Byronic hero which is a sub type of anti hero. A Byronic hero is: A character of larger-than-life flaws, he generally has very few (if any) redeeming qualities beyond panache and seldom performs any of the heroic actions that are usually required of an Anti Hero. In some cases, the hero part of the name seems to be there only because he tends to be a primary protagonist and thus is a Designated Hero. 1 The word panache used here means a dashing manner; style; swagger . This certainly applies to Iago whose attitude and charisma is a big part of his character. Iago is not the type of hero described in the ancient philosopher Aristotle works. He is more like a hero the audience can relate to, and the focus of the story. After all Iago has 1097 lines whereas Othello only has 274. A lack of lines and a focus as a main character is not the only thing that Othello lacks. In a historical context, an Elizabethan era audience would be more sympathetic and supportive of Iago than Othello. This doesnt mean that the audience was racist. It is simply the fact that Iago is a character the audience could relate to whereas Othello represents the unknown. The combination of his race and his high rank alienates the audience and they would be more likely to support Iagos efforts. Othello therefore would be unable to achieve one of the main goals of a tragedy: invokingfear, pity, sympathy and empathy2 if the audience where with Iago. Another criterion of being a tragic hero is high birth or high status. Othello may hold a high rank in the army, but whether this high status carries any weight in Venetian society is another matter. It could be argued that Othello is merely a military asset of the Venetian government. He is competent at being a soldier but his race is what sets him apart from other generals and noblemen. No matter how civilized and well spoken he is he is still seen as a barbarian. This is demonstrated in the opening scene where we only hear of Othello in negative and derogatory terms before his first appearance and before his name is even mentioned As I mentioned earlier the whole purpose of a tragedy, according to Aristotle, is to provoke great empathy and sympathy from the viewer and give a sense of loss and gain in self-worth, analysis and being. 2 This is mainly shown through the downfall of the main character from a high position leading to the eventual death. But if you take away the audiences support (feelings of sympathy and empathy etc) and the downfall from a high position in society, then Othello will just be a barely civilized barbarian, who murders his wife in a savage bout jealousy at the slightest rumours. And it would match the stereotypes about black people being hot-headed and rash. Another thing that sets Iago apart fro Othello is his use of language. Although Othello is very eloquent and poetic in his use of language at the start of the play, it shows a pattern of steady deterioration. Othellos language becomes more barbaric. O, blood, blood, blood! (III. iii. 452) In contrast, Iagos use of language is his main tool of manipulation. In Act I scene I he uses vulgar bestial imagery to provoke a reaction from Brabantio: Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe (I. i. 8-89) Moments later, he yells to Brabantio: youll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; youll have your nephews neigh to you; youll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans (I. i. 111-114) Basically he says if Brabantio doesn do something, his whole family will be nothing but horses. This animal imagery that Iago uses is one of the major devices he uses to control his victims, as it helps him call out their rasher, more impulsive and more violent sides. The example above was meant to rush Brabantio into action, to create a sense of urgency, as he uses a repetition of the word now When Othello demands some proof of Desdemonas adultery, Iago tells him that he will never be able to catch Desdemona and Cassio in bed together, while at the same time describing their coupling It is impossible you should see this, / Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, / As salt as wolves in pride], and fools as gross / As ignorance made drunk (III. iii. 402-405) In act 4 scene 1,Iago works Othello into such a state of jealousy that Othello falls into an epileptic fit. When he wakes up, Iago asks, How is it, general? Have you not hurt your head? (IV. i. 59). Othello answers, Dost thou mock me? (IV. i. 60), because he thinks that Iago might mean that cuckolds horns have hurt his head. A cuckold was a man whose wife was having a sexual affair with another man; folklore said that cuckolds grew horns on their heads. This silly myth portrays such men as dumb animals deserving of scornful laughter. Iago denies that he was mocking Othello, and urges him to bear your fortune like a man! (IV. i. 61). Iagos point is that Desdemonas unfaithfulness is just a matter of fortune, bad luck, and that its nothing to swoon over. Othello replies that A horned mans a monster and a beast (IV. i. 2), which probably describes how he is feelingstrange, non-human. Iago replies that Othello has plenty of company because every city is full of cuckolds. Othello then asks if Iago has heard Cassio confess that he had sex with Desdemona. Rather than give a direct answer to Othellos question, Iago keeps talking about the difference between a beast and a man. He says, Good sir, be a man; / Think every bearded fellow thats but yoked / May draw with you (IV. i. 65-67). Think, like be, is a command; Iago is again telling Othello that there are many other men who are cuckolds, and that he should take it like a man. At the same time, his metaphor suggests that Othello is a beast after all. Oxen are yoked so that they can pull (draw) a plow, and Iago uses the oxens yoke as a metaphor for marriage. In short, any married is likely to be a beastly cuckold. At the end of the same scene, after Othello thinks he has overheard Desdemona confess her love for Cassio, Othello exits with the exclamation, Goats and monkeys! (IV. i. 263), which is an echo of Iagos earlier statement to Othello . Thus we see how Iagos beastly imagery has taken root in Othellos mind.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Avignon Papacy - When the Popes Resided in France

Avignon Papacy - When the Popes Resided in France The term Avignon Papacy refers to the Catholic papacy during the period 1309-1377, when the popes lived in and operated out of Avignon, France, instead of their traditional home in Rome. The Avignon Papacy was also known as: The Babylon Captivity (a reference to the forced detention of Jews in Babylonia c. 598 B.C.E.) Origins of the Avignon Papacy: Philip IV of France was instrumental in securing the election of Clement V, a Frenchman, to the papacy in 1305. This was an unpopular outcome in Rome, where factionalism made Clements life as pope stressful. To escape the oppressive atmosphere, in 1309 Clement chose to move the papal capital to Avignon, which was the property of papal vassals at that time. The French Nature of the Avignon Papacy: The majority of the men that Clement V appointed as cardinals were French; and since the cardinals elected the pope, this meant that future popes were likely to be French, as well. All seven of the Avignonese popes and 111 of the 134 cardinals created during the Avignon papacy were French. Although the Avignonese popes were able to maintain a measure of independence, the French kings did exert some influence from time to time, and the appearance of French influence on the papacy, whether real or not, was undeniable. The Avignonese Popes: 1305-1314: Clement V1316-1334: John XXII1334-1342: Benedict XII1342-1352: Clement VI1352-1362: Innocent VI1362-1370: Urban V1370-1378: Gregory XI Achievements of the Avignon Papacy: The popes were not idle during their time in France. Some of them made sincere efforts to improve the situation of the Catholic Church and to achieve peace in Christendom. Among their achievements: The administrative offices and other agencies of the papacy were extensively, and effectively, reorganized and centralized.Missionary enterprises were expanded; ultimately, they would reach as far as China.University education was promoted.The College of Cardinals began to strengthen their role in the government of church affairs.Attempts were made to settle secular conflicts. The Avignon Papacys Poor Reputation: The Avignon popes were not as much under the control of the French kings as it has been charged (or as the kings would have liked). However, some popes did bow to royal pressure, as Clement V did to a degree in the matter of the Templars. Although Avignon belonged to the papacy (it was purchased from papal vassals in 1348), there was nevertheless the perception that it belonged to France, and that the popes were, therefore, beholden to the French Crown for their livelihoods. In addition, the Papal States in Italy now had to answer to French authorities. Italian interests in the papacy had in past centuries resulted in just as much corruption as in Avignon, if not more so, but this did not stop Italians from attacking the Avignon popes with fervor. One particularly vociferous critic was Petrarch, who had spent most of his childhood in Avignon and, after taking minor orders, was to spend more time there in clerical service. In a famous letter to a friend, he described Avignon as the Babylon of the West, a sentiment that took hold in the imagination of future scholars. The End of the Avignon Papacy: Both Catherine of Siena and St. Bridget of Sweden are credited with persuading Pope Gregory XI to return the See to Rome. This he did on Jan. 17, 1377. But Gregorys stay in Rome was plagued with hostilities, and he seriously considered returning to Avignon. Before he could make any move, however, he died in March 1378. The Avignon Papacy had officially ended. Repercussions of the Avignon Papacy: When Gregory XI moved the See back to Rome, he did so over the objections of the Cardinals in France. The man elected to succeed him, Urban VI, was so hostile to the cardinals that 13 of them met to choose another pope, who, far from replacing Urban, could only stand in opposition to him. Thus began the Western Schism (a.k.a. the Great Schism), in which two popes and two papal curiae existed simultaneously for another four decades. The bad reputation of the Avignon administration, whether deserved or not, would damage the prestige of the papacy. Many Christians were already facing crises of faith thanks to the problems encountered during and after the Black Death. The gulf between the Catholic Church and lay Christians seeking spiritual guidance would only widen.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Demilitarization of Police during War Period Essay

Demilitarization of Police during War Period - Essay Example Having followed keenly the events that occurred in Ferguson after the brutal shooting of the innocent Michael Brown, it dawned on me that the concept of the militarization of the police should be rethought. Therefore, I fully concur with Senator Paul Rand for advocating for the demilitarization in his article dubbed ‘We Must Demilitarize the Police.’ I would like to begin by strongly condemning the tendency of heavily armed police officers across the country. It is a high time the American nation become a peaceful and orderly place to live in. As Senator Rand exclaims, it is not justified to arm the police officers with crude weapons like M14, Kevlar Vests, shotguns, Helmets, M16a, pistols, armored trucks, camouflage, rifle assemblies, automatic rifles, rifle conversion kits, magazine cartridges, mine-resistant vehicles, tear gas and military shirts (Kraska, 2000). To anyone who knows the peace process, these are not weapons to be used for the protection of the citizens. By availing them to the police force, it means that the government is having ill intentions that it is hiding. Therefore, I support the senator for fiercely condemning such acts and advocating for the demilitarization process. The action of the police officers in Ferguson demonstrated how harmful and destructive the militarized police force can be. Even if people were demonstrating to protest the death of Brown, it was not fair for them to be mishandled by the militarized police officers who were obviously not interested in protecting, but terrorizing them. By carrying such crude weapons and cordoning off the remote areas of Ferguson, it is arguable that the police were not considering these people should be offered any protection. Instead, it seems that they had declared them as people to be occupied. Thus, their plea for surrender and retreat could not yield many fruits. So, as the senator puts it, the attack on harmless citizens who were merely expressing their  fury over the death of one of their own was a sign of bad police force.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Human Resource Management and workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resource Management and workforce - Essay Example The other roles played by the department was to recruit manpower (ensure sufficient numbers of people are available for production,) Training the staff to improve productivity and, ensuring the safety and health of the employees. Still the preliminary focus was to ensure the implementation of Scientific Management techniques and the major work that used to get done routinely was - time-motion studies, fatigue studies, job analysis, developing job specifications, designing compensation program and occasional welfare programs. Typical welfare programs addressed the "other" needs of the employees like wash rooms, vacation, lunchrooms, housing, hygiene etc. 3. The initial stage of personnel management was the creation of Welfare Officers, predominantly women, as a reaction towards the hazardous conditions prevalent in the production floors at that time (it is pertinent to re-collect the economies used to revolve around manufacturing and mining in those days,) which was a heavily paternalistic role of the employers towards the women employees. 4. With the unionization of the work-place, formation of unions at work, greatly contributed to the development of "Labour Managers" at work place aimed at managing the industrial relationships. As the wars changed the industrial relations scenario and strikes were declared illegal, the importance of Industrial Relationships grew by leaps and bounds. 4. As the realization of the importance of Human Relations Approach increased and the fact that human productivity is also influenced by various factors like organization setting, motivation, work place conditions, and finally the need to align business goals with the employees needs. Instead of looking at business goals and employee needs being in direct conflict with each other but being mutual and compatible is the foundation on which the modern HRM is based on. The major factors that influenced the movement from the Personnel Relations to HRM is the movement from collectivism to individualism, as also the radical legislative changes that were undertaken in those times primary one being the banning of sympathetic work striking. Essentially both the principles are fundamentally aimed at improving the employee productivity and thereby boosting the top-lines (then - which meant direct impact on bottom lines) and better value delivery to the stake holders (now.) The difference is that

Sunday, November 17, 2019

British Airways Essay Example for Free

British Airways Essay Going into more deep and applying this theory to such company as British Airways I can say that Product strategy is the main strategy of Marketing Mix (4 P’S). Without Product strategy there is no Place, Price and Promotion. Speaking about BA it is transporting industry its product is not physical and cannot be touched. British Airways product strategy includes flight  services, quality of flights, various destinations across Europe and  the world, executive class, business class, speed, security, support  facilities and years of experience. Nowadays, the main aircrafts which BA uses to transport people are Airbus A318-100, Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321-200, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 737–400, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777–200, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787–8, Boeing 787–9. Most of the airplanes which are 77% use either Rolls-Royce or IAE alliance engines. Another 23% is divided between General Electric  and the  CFM International  consortium. To the year 2012 BA operates over 400 aircraft, carries over 62  million passengers annually, and serves more than 200 destinations. British Airways is not only Airline Company it also has its own  engineering branch  to exploit its aircraft fleet, this includes line maintenance at over 70 airports around the world. One more vital option of 4 p’s is Place. The main â€Å"place† were customers can consume services of British Airways is situated in Waterside, close to its main airport at London Heathrow Airport. However BA is international company and you can also find it in main airports all over the world. Also there are two important service centers in Glasgow  and  Cardiff Airports. Turning to the third option which is Price the organization should set the price relative with the value delivered and perceived by the  customer. British Airways has set its services in the way that customers can chose how much they want to pay for this service. Comparing with other Airline Companies BA poses four types of services economy class, premium economy class, business class, premium business class. The difference is in quality of â€Å"product which are you consuming† and the price. So price of the tickets are varied from ? 00 to ? 400. Main success of the company depends on its promotion. People in the promotional team of British Airways know their. First slogan The Worlds Favourite Airline was established in 1989 with the song of The Flower Duet by  Leo Delibes. After this there were a lot of changes like Upgrade to British Airways, The Worlds Favourite Airline, The Worlds Best Airline, Well Take More Care Of You, and Fly the Flag. One of the latest tricks was â€Å"Christmas gift voucher† which is promotional prices. This works during the Christmas holidays and offers lowest prices for their customers. For example flying to 14 travel zones from ? 59 return on UK and Europe destinations and  from ? 269 return on the rest of the world In the end I would like to say that British Airlines is one of the biggest companies in this area and one of the best companies. For a long time it provides its clients with high level services and security which is the most important things in this business. Meanwhile, price is responsible to the quality. Service is easily available and well promoted.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Theories Explaining Juvenile Crime Essay -- Youth Criminal

Theories Explaining Juvenile Crime Many theories, at both the macro and micro level, have been proposed to explain juvenile crime. Some prominent theories include Social Disorganization theory, Differential Social Organization theory, Social Control theory, and Differential Association theory. When determining which theories are more valid, the question must be explored whether people deviate because of what they learn or from how they are controlled? Mercer L. Sullivan’s book, â€Å"Getting Paid† Youth Crime and Work in the Inner City clearly suggests that the learning theories both at the macro level, Differential social organization, and micro level, Differential association theory, are the more accurate of the two types of theory. Two major sociological theories explain youth crime at the macro level. The first is Social Disorganization theory, created in 1969 by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay. The theory resulted from a study of juvenile delinquency in Chicago using information from 1900 to 1940, which attempts to answer the question of how aspects of the structure of a community contribute to social control. The study found that a community that is unable to achieve common values has a high rate of delinquency. Shaw and McKay looked at the physical appearance of the neighborhoods, the average income of the population, the ethnicity of the neighborhood, the percent of renters versus owners, and how fast the population of the area changed. These factors all contribute to neighborhood delinquency. The text provides some evidence to support this theory in Table 14, †Index rankings of reported crimes in police incorporating the neighborhoods.† This chart shows Projectville ranked highest in every category except motor v... ...lton Park. For example, youths in Projectville were paid to burn down a building, while in Hamilton Park the juveniles were arrested for the same crime. In Projectville, even the police will buy stolen goods. The study discussed in the text clearly shows that crime in Hamilton Park is much lower than in either Projectville or La Barriada. The reasons for this are clearly explained by Sutherland’s two learning theories, his differential social organization theory and his differential association theory. The other theories, Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization and Hirschi’s social control theory, do have some merits, but do not apply as clearly to the neighborhoods in the study. Clearly, Sutherland’s theories of learned behavior and favorable and unfavorable definitions offer clear explanations for the crime in Projectville, La Barriada and Hamilton Park.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

A Minor’s Right to Confidentiality Essay

In August of 1996 congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) patients began to see an improvement in the access and consistency of the health insurance coverage. It was not until April 14, 2003 that the privacy portion was passed protection personal health information. Many states have individual laws that were already in place to protect the health information of patients. HIPAA was not intended to eliminate the state law but to cover that which was not addressed by state laws. The state law will prevail providing it is more stringent than the HIPAA policy. In general, the passing of the HIPAA gave patients additional information and greater access to personal medical information while protecting that same information from inappropriate disclosure. Some of the protected information that has raised controversial concerns is regarding a minor’s right to privacy and parental access. Minor’s Rights versus Parental Rights HIPAA rules regulate the authorized individuals that legally can obtain a person’s private health information. HIPAA recognizes parents and guardians as â€Å"personal representatives,† which permits authorization and access as appropriate with the regulations. The guidelines provide that person that has legal authority over another adult or emancipated minor shall be considered the personal representative and afforded such authority as relevant to the law. The second part addresses unemancipated minors and parents or guardians, shall be regarded as personal representation and give the appropriate authority for decisions regarding a patients PHI (Mary Beth Kirven & Daniel J. Hall, 2003). There are exceptions as with any rules and those exceptions are as follows: 1. The minor consents to such health care service; no other consent to such health care service is required by law, regardless of whether the consent of another person has also been obtained; and the minor has not requested that such person be treated as the personal representative. 2. The minor may lawfully obtain such health care service without the consent of a parent, guardian or other person acting in loco parentis, and the minor, a court, or another person authorized by law consents to such health care service. 3. A parent, guardian, or other person acting in loco parentis assents to an agreement of confidentiality between a covered health care provider and the minor with respect to such health care service (Mary Beth Kirven & Daniel J. Hall, 2003). These exceptions provide for a minor, the ability to keep only specific health information as confidential from any individual which the minor chooses. In the state of Michigan, this information is protected only if for treatment of pregnancy, HIV or venereal disease and substance abuse (FindLaw, 2011). Benefits could be made by adding contraception to the protected information in the HIPAA policy as well in an effort to protect minors that reside in states that have no laws or public policy that address such issues. Teens have a right to conceal medical information only regarding pregnancy or infection of a sexually transmitted disease or actively addicted to drugs, which will then allow the privilege of privacy. This teaches teenagers that poor decision making will be rewarded with the opportunity to make more decisions. Promiscuous Adolescent Behavior Since the early 1970’s adolescent sexual activity has been in the public eye, the actual rate of activity had not changed, it only become more obvious. The average age of marriage was increasing along with the estimated life expectancy. The population was simply waiting longer to get married but not waiting to have sex. The media have placed these topics to the front of this nation with the various stories that seem to glamorize both sex and teen pregnancy. The United States is a nation that has sex everywhere, most entertainment media and many marketing tools use sexuality to attract the consumer and sell the products. Society needs education and accessibility to counter balance the exposure that is forced upon them from marketers in an effort to keep the sexual content to a minimum and to have the ability to see beyond the sexual nature of the actual products’ uses and its benefits’. Speculation is that the awareness created through these controversial television series (Teen Mom, 16 and pregnant) has contributed to the decrease in teen pregnancy. According to Women’s Health and Health Care Reform, â€Å"The United States continues to have the highest teen pregnancy rate of developed countries (Chavkin, Rosenbaum, Jones & Rosenfield, 2010).† The alternative is that adolescents may feel more comfortable with the ability to obtain appropriate supplies and education, both of which have become more accessible because of state and federal laws. Legal Entanglements Unfortunately, a recent attempt was made by Indiana Republican Representative Mike Pence, offering an amendment to eliminate the Title X program. This â€Å"Pence Bill† is an attempt to prevent programs such as Planned Parenthood from obtaining federal funds for any reason (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011). The primary focus of this amendment was the use of pro-life tax-payers money to fund and promote abortion. A debate over this is still ongoing now at the national level, yet here locally there are still health clinics providing the necessary services to many adolescents, including prenatal care when needed (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011). The controversy over the abortion service is the main factor in the attempt to remove the funding. â€Å"According to Planned Parenthood, abortions that are performed in its clinics make up less than 3 percent of its services. There were 332,278 abortion procedures performed in 2009. There were also 830,000 breast exams, a nd nearly 4 million were tested and/or treated for sexually transmitted diseases (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011).† Public Policy Public policy is the only protections that adolescents have to depend on. It will allow protection from both diseases and unwanted pregnancy, and this is limited to only specific minors in the State of Michigan. HIPAA does not pre-empt this policy as it is more stringent in some states than the HIPAA law, this is one limitation to the policy. An excerpt in the Guttmacher Institute report on public policy indicates, â€Å"Although the public remains ambivalent, professional organizations familiar with the scientific evidence uniformly support the provision of reproductive health care to minors on a confidential basis. Public policy developments at the state and federal level, however, suggest that teenagers’ access to confidential services will remain under attack in the months and years to come (2005).† Conclusion History has proven that children will continue to have sex and contract disease and become pregnant; therefore laws protecting the privacy of reproductive health can actually diminish the barriers and increase access to protection for many patients. Planned Parenthood has played an intricate role in providing access to education and protection for millions of adolescents. Removing the funding for programs such as this also reduces access to education, treatment and supplies, resulting in increased diseases and increases in unwanted pregnancies that subsequently lead to a higher poverty rate. Ideally abstinence is the preferred method to prevent unwanted pregnancy and disease, however, reality shows that this is generally not the practiced method. Protection for adolescents is needed in all societies to promote responsibility and growth for every individual. It is a mature and responsible decision to pursue the protection and education that is needed even when access is limited. Laws are passed to protect mankind, not adults or parents or any one population; laws are created to protect any person that needs protecting, including minors. References Chavkin, W., Rosenbaum, S., Jones, J., & Rosenfield, A. (2010). Women’s health and health care reform [The key role of comprehensive reproductive health care]. Retrieved from http://www.mailmanschool.org/facultypubs/womenshealthcarereform.pdf FindLaw. (2011). Michigan medical records law. Retrieved from http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/michigan/, http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/michigan/ Guttmacher Institute. (2005, November). Teenagers’ access to confidential reproductive health services [The Guttmacher report on public policy]. Retrieved from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/08/4/gr080406.html Mary Beth Kirven, E., & Daniel J. Hall. (2003, June). Health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 [Applicability to the courts: an initial assessment]. Retrieved from http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/CS_PriPubHIPPA96Pub.pdf Miller, J., LaVaute, G., & Heritage Media. (2011, March). Washtenaw county: Young and pregnant [Part 1: Prevention]. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/03/01/life/doc4d6d5ec57105e610360187.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Management Information Systems At Access Fulfillment Ltd

Introduction In an organizational setting, the main application of information is in making sound decisions and finding the best remedies to a problem. These practices are closely related, and form foundations of all successful companies (Oz, 2008: p.8). In order to achieve this, most organizations have embraced different information systems. By definition, an information system is a collection of related company resources, which aid in retrieval, processing and distribution of information that supports the decision making process. (Heijden, H., Heijden, M. and Govardus, 2009: p.3). It obtains data as input and uses it to process and output useful information for decision making. In this paper, we explore on the application of Management Information Systems by Access Fulfilment Limited, a distribution company for a wide range of products, based in Kent, U.K. Management Information Systems at Access Fulfilment Limited According to Sadagopan (2004: p.1), management information systems (MIS) are computer based systems which provide access to data, which is speedy and flexible. There are several management areas where the management information systems have been used to make strategic decisions at Access Fulfilment Ltd. Management Information Systems for Decisions on New Warehouse Locations In an effort to expand the company, new offices and branches are often opened in different locations. To identify the most ideal locations, management information systems often aid in this analysis. Before a final decision is made, internal company information, as well as environmental information is generated by a management information system. This information includes both the shot and long term aspects that should be considered before setting up the new branch. These include the market and changeability, which is a prediction of the possible market response at the tine the branch is set up and the government policy, among others. For the warehouse branches that have been opened in the recent past, which are at Suffolk and Bristol, this system has provided the management team with the necessary information they need to execute the correct strategic decisions. As stated by Sadagopan (2004: p.14), strategic management information systems require mechanisms necessary for the assimilation of environmental information. This is necessary for influencing strategic decisions systematically. Management Information Systems for Decisions on Alternate Financing In every business, the decision for alternate financing is one of several strategic decisions that need sufficient information before being arrived at (Depamphlis, 2010: p.209). At Access Fulfilment Limited, a summary of status information about the internal financial status of the company is made. This summary is then referred to when such decisions are being made. This summary includes details on payrolls, the company budget, overruns, and variance analyses. In addition to this, external information, which is critical to the long-term status of the company, is also considered. The knowledge of these components of the business environment has enabled the managers of the company to make strategic decisions on this issue. This strategic decision, which applies the management information system, has turned out to benefit the company. For more than ten years that Access Fulfilment Limited has been in business, it has experienced substantial growth. One of the contributions towards this is alternate financing decisions. Management Information Systems for Decisions on Maintaining Competitiveness Competition is one of the major challenges faced by every business organizations (Waters, 2010: p.6). For Access Fulfilment Limited, the main sources of competition are other distribution companies that were in business even before it was founded. Having an advantage of a broader customer base as compared to Access Fulfilment Limited, these companies were difficult to compete with. Thus, decisions that had to be made by management to overcome this were very significant for the company. Management information systems aided in making decisions. Through the application of this information system, vital information about these competitors was obtained. This information comprised of the competitors’ present and future strategies for their distribution businesses. This information was quite helpful to the company. Since the managers were aware of what their competitors had planned, strategic decisions about advertisement and all other marketing functions of the company were arrived at. This enhanced Access Fulfilment Limited’s competitiveness in the market. It has also helped the company survive and grow for the period that it has been in the market, as is hopeful for further growth. For this reason, the application of the management information system has been beneficial to Access Fulfilment Limited. Management Information Systems for Decisions on Employee welfare Policies Any decision that concerns an organization’s welfare policy is among the strategic decisions that are taken by personnel management. In order to execute this decision successfully, internal information about the staff members is vital (Sadagopan, 2004: p.15). At Access Fulfilment, the information that influences such decisions includes staff size, quality of staff, their salary enumerations, motivations, and many more. However, what really governs this decision in the organization is the future vision and plans that the managers have. It is also governed by the probable labour market conditions in the business environment. By the application of management information systems, both the internal and external information needed by Access Fulfilment is obtained. This system has been quite resourceful in terms of setting the salaries for employees and motivating them. This strategy has enabled the company to retain most of their pioneer employees. Had the company failed to apply this system, probably the external job market could have been promising for the employees without the knowledge of the management team. Thus, failure or delay in adjusting the welfare of the employees to match or surpass the external market could prompt some of them to leave. The Relationship between Management Information Systems and Other Information Systems At Access Fulfilment Limited, several information systems are applied. Apart from the management information system (MIS), there is the executive support system (ESS), decision support system (DSS) and the knowledge management system (KMS), among others. One common thing about these information systems is that they all contribute towards the making of sound decisions that will see the company grow. What differentiates these systems is the level of management in which they are used and when they are used. The executive support system, for instance, is used by top level executives in decision making (Stair & Reynolds, 2011: p.446). Thus, for this company in as much as management information systems are used on various management levels, executive support systems are exclusive to the top management. Decision support systems, on the other hand is a support system for the management, with more capabilities than the management information systems (Janakiraman & Sarukesi, 2004: p.26) Conclusion Access fulfilment has been experiencing reasonable growth ever since 2000, when it started business. Although this cannot be entirely attributed to management information systems, it has been shown that these systems have had their contribution to its success. As aforementioned, this support system has been of great aid to the company in terms of strategic decision making. The aim of management information systems is to offer the right information from company reports (Sarukesi, 2004: p.26). Among the several strategic decisions that this system has helped make, this paper has addressed decisions for new locations, employee welfare policies, alternate financing and maintaining competitiveness in the business. On evaluating of this system at Access Fulfilment Limited, it can be concluded that it has been of a positive impact to the company. REFERENCE Depamphlis, D. 2010. Mergers and Acquisitions Basics: All You Need to Know. Oxford: Academic Press. Heijden, H., Heijden, M. and Govardus, J. 2009. Designing Management Information Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Janakiraman, V. S. and Sarukesi, K. 2004. Decision Support Systems. Delhi: PHI Publishers. Oz, E. 2008. Management Information Systems. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. Sadagopan, S. 2004. Management Information Systems. Delhi: PHI Learning. Stair, R. and Reynolds, G. 2011. Principles of Information Systems. Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. Waters, T.J. 2010. Hyperformance: Using Competitive Intelligence for Better Strategy and Execution. California: John Wiley & Sons.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Colonel in the U.S Army

Colonel in the U.S Army Introduction Leadership is a very essential element at all levels more especially in organizations or groups. Leadership entails directing other elements, through influence, to get things done. Leadership style on the other hand entails the manner and approach taken by leaders in providing direction, implementing plans as well as motivating people.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Colonel in the U.S Army specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are various leadership styles that are adopted by different leaders, each with its benefits and drawbacks depending on the situations in which they are applied. This piece of paper looks at the leadership of a male colonel in the U.S Army. Much emphasis will be given to his leadership style and how his leadership influences the troops underneath him. Some of the criteria that will be used in evaluation of his leadership are power, leadership, motivation, and leadership styles. Th e colonel in the U.S Army leadership Triplet and Ferrell (2001), assert that a colonel in the United States army is an esteemed individual in the army and the society at large. A colonel is usually a higher-ranking field grade military officer. It is a position that is ranked below that of a brigadier general and above that of a lieutenant colonel. There are various American colonels each having passed through different paths and achieved different things in their work. For the sake of this assignment, I will evaluate the leadership of one colonel in the United States Army. However, the name will be withheld for privacy and security purposes. He is male by gender born in 1929 and died in 1994 at the age of 65years. In a nut shell, research shows the colonel was a good leader with all the attributes that ought to be in a leader. Although I did not experience the leadership of the colonel for a very long time, I can testify that I liked what he did as a leader especially in regard to treatment of his followers or the troops underneath him. His leadership style attracted many and most people especially the young ones imitated him with the hope that they would be like him. Social responsibility was one of the factors that he emphasized and thus he was considered as a man who valued not only his work but also those he ruled.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Power Leadership power is an extremely crucial element in an individual. It allows a leader to influence the people he or she manages so that they can do what is required in an appropriate manner. It is through power that leaders are able to execute their work in any given situation. A good leader should use his or her power effectively for the benefit of all the people involved and the group or organization they lead. This is so because power could be both productive and destructive depending on how it is used. Different leaders achieve different levels of success or failure depending on many factors one of them being how they utilize their power in carrying out their work. With respect to the colonel in the U.S Army, he had adequate power in his various capacities in the military career. As a colonel he was in charge of various military units or troops plus other tasks in military related institutions. For instance, at one time, he served as Platoon director, Charlie Company where he was charged with various tasks and responsibilities to make the company succeed. He also worked as a commander in a support company, worked in the Army Special Forces and many other military organizations as an advisor. The influence of a particular leader is dependent upon a wide range of factors for instance one’s personality and the attitude of those being managed (Notrthouse, 2009). In his service in different career levels, the colonel in question exercised his power in the best way possi ble to bring about positive impacts wherever he worked. For this reason, the colonel was considered to be a good leader who utilized his professional power in a manner that was aimed at enhancing the army and the society it served. There are various leadership powers for instance reward power, referent power, coercive power, legitimate power, and expert power. The colonel combined referent power and legitimate power in his duties as he coordinated the troops in his path.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Colonel in the U.S Army specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It therefore follows that he made people work and behave appropriately with the believe that they would be rewarded. He also made his followers believe that he had desirable qualities worth emulating. The colonel in the U.S Army used his leadership power for the attainment of best results in his career and more so, in an effort to see into it that the troops and the army at large excelled in its activities. He worked hard to ensure that the army’s goals and objectives were met. A good example in which the colonel in the U.S Army used his leadership power positively is when he presented, to the army, a report that stipulated the benefits that the army would achieve in using a SAS direct action type unit. To emphasize on the issue, he outlined the army’s vulnerability as a result of absence of such a unit. Although the report was not considered serious at first, the colonel in the U.S Army persisted until it was effected. This is an extremely useful attribute in any leader and should therefore be encouraged to ensure that positive moves are effected while the negative attributes are eliminated for overall success of a group or institution. Leadership Style Leadership could be carried out in different styles, for instance, social, task or balanced leadership approach. Task oriented leadership entails leading people based on assi gning tasks appropriately while social style of leadership involves use of social aspects like motivation to make things happen. Balanced leadership style on the other hand entails using a variety of aspects from different styles in an effort to balance leadership and hence achieve success. In carrying out his duties especially in coordinating the different troops he was charged with, the colonel tended to use a balanced leadership approach. He utilized all necessary leadership strategies to ensure that the troops he led were successful and carried out their practices as a call of duty rather than out of force. Other common leadership styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, charismatic, servant, transactional, transformational as well as participative/democratic leadership.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In leading the troops, the colonel aimed at involving the members of the troops in everything he did, including decision making. For this reason, the colonel was an all round leader who despite being autocratic, he incorporated some democratic approach in his work. Despite the fact that he always made the final decision, the colonel involved the troop members in all the tasks in which they were involved either directly or indirectly (Glanz, 2002). Due to his leadership approach, the colonel in the U.S Army was able to achieve success in a variety of task. This is because success in a particular leader is attributed to how well he or she is able to influence the followers. The use of autocratic and participative leadership style allows for effective achievement of the desired results in any given activity. It helps in making the followers feel well represented and appreciated and hence the need to cooperate in an effort to achieve the best results for the betterment of their individu al well being as well as that of their group or organization as a whole. Leadership Motivation According to Baldoni (2005), Motivation is a very significant aspect and it helps keep people on the move to achieve more in whatever they engage in. In an effort to motivate and influence people to achieve goals and objectives, there are various strategies and interventions that could be adopted to allow for effectiveness. They include; Provision of a favorable working environment which will facilitate success and assurance of job security. This helps people to feel appreciated and valued and hence the urge to work even harder to achieve the best results. Looking for ways of satisfying people’s social needs is also a motivation effort that is usually considered to be extremely effective. This is because one’s life does not necessarily revolve around work. Enhancing job satisfaction is also a positive move that keeps people on the move and make them to have the willingness to work harder since they also benefit from their work. Provision of incentives and rewards for good work done is another encouraging factor that keeps people motivated. Compensation is also a key aspect that is appropriate in keeping people motivated and should be provided irrespective of the costs involved. This is because motivation goes beyond allowing individual success to organizational progress In his career, the colonel in the U.S Army seemed very concerned with motivation of the troops. He believed that as human beings, the people need to be motivated in order to carry out the difficult and sometimes life threatening military tasks. For this reason, the colonel emphasized on the above named motivational strategies in an effort to enhance the performance of the troops he led. From the success he achieved, it is evident that leadership motivation is incredibly crucial in allowing for success. This is because human beings are affected by a variety of factors which ought to be ma intained at a certain level to allow for success. From the above evaluation of the colonel in the U.S Army, I believe that the leader tried to utilize effective leadership techniques in his work to a great extent. This is because he tried to engage all the parties involved in his work as much as possible to allow for overall success. Although the leader has achieved a lot, if I were given a chance to change his attributes, I would advocate for broad mindedness in leading people. The leader ought to seek out diversity in all he does and utilize all the potential among the troop members. The colonel in the U.S Army has greatly influenced me particularly in regard to leadership development. From his leadership, I have been able to realize that successful leadership calls for a lot of dedication. It has helped me in adopting positive leadership approaches and doing away with any aspect that would affect my leadership negatively in one way or the other. The colonel has for a long period of time been my role model especially in regard to leadership. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that leadership is crucial and the leadership styles also differ and hence the need to exercise a particular leadership style for specific situations. It is also worth noting that although some leadership styles seem to be highly effective than others, there is no style that could be said to be right in all situations and hence the necessity to make the right decision. A leader should also motivate his/her people at all times to ensure that they cooperate and work accordingly. Power is also a crucial element in leadership as it determines how different leaders’ influence upon their followers. As for the colonel, he has proved to be an effective leader in all the work he was involved with in his life time. He tried to lead people in the right way and to build good relationship with them to allow for efficiency. The combination of referent power and legitimate power, for example, made him successful in his career. His leadership style and motivation was also desirable among many people. The colonel in the U.S Army was successful in his career and the success can be attributed to his leadership qualities and the manner in which he was able to influence his followers. Reference List Baldoni, J. (2005). Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional Glanz, J. (2002). Finding Your Leadership Style: A Guide for Educators. New York: ASCD Notrthouse, G.P. (2009). Leadership: Theory and Practice, 5th ed. London: SAGE Triplet, S.W. and Ferrell, H.R. (2001). A Colonel in the Armored Divisions: A Memoir, 1941-1945. UK: University of Missouri Press

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

See a Timeline of Gun Control in the United States

See a Timeline of Gun Control in the United States The gun control debate in the United States goes back to the nations founding, when the framers of the Constitution first wrote the Second Amendment, allowing private citizens to keep and bear arms. Gun control became a much bigger topic shortly after the November 22, 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Kennedys death increased public awareness of the relative lack of control over the sale and possession of firearms in America. Until 1968, handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ammunition were commonly sold over the counter and through mail-order catalogs and magazines to just about any adult anywhere in the nation. However, Americas history of federal and state laws regulating private ownership of firearms goes back much farther. 1791 The Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment, gains final ratification. The Second Amendment reads: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. 1837 Georgia passes a law banning handguns. The law is ruled unconstitutional by the  U.S. Supreme Court  and is thrown out. 1865 In a reaction to emancipation, several southern states adopt black codes which, among other things, forbid black persons from possessing firearms. 1871 The National Rifle Association (NRA) is organized around its primary goal of improving American civilians marksmanship in preparation for war. 1927 The  U.S. Congress  passes a law banning the mailing of concealable weapons. 1934 The  National Firearms Act of 1934, regulating the manufacture, sale and possession of fully automatic firearms like sub-machine guns is approved by Congress. 1938 The  Federal Firearms Act of 1938  places the first limitations on selling ordinary firearms. Persons selling guns are required to obtain a  Federal Firearms License, at an annual cost of $1, and to maintain records of the name and address of persons to whom firearms are sold. Gun sales to persons convicted of violent felonies were prohibited. 1968 The  Gun Control Act of 1968  is enacted for the purpose of â€Å"keeping firearms out of the hands of those not legally entitled to possess them because of age, criminal background, or incompetence.† The act regulates imported guns, expands the gun-dealer licensing and record-keeping requirements, and places specific limitations on the sale of handguns. The list of persons banned from buying guns is expanded to include persons convicted of any non-business related felony, persons found to be mentally incompetent, and users of illegal drugs. 1972 The federal  Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms  (ATF) is created, listing as part of its mission the control of illegal use and sale of firearms and the enforcement of Federal firearms laws. The ATF issues firearms licenses and conducts firearms licensee qualification and compliance inspections. 1977 The District of Columbia enacts an anti-handgun law which also requires registration of all rifles and shotguns within the District of Columbia. 1986 The  Armed Career Criminal Act  increases penalties for possession of firearms by persons not qualified to own them under the Gun Control Act of 1986. The Firearms Owners Protection Act (Public Law 99-308) relaxes some restrictions on gun and ammunition sales and establishes mandatory penalties for use of firearms during the commission of a crime. The Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act (Public Law 99-408) bans possession of cop killer bullets capable of penetrating bulletproof clothing. 1988 President Ronald Reagan signs the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, making it illegal to manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive any firearm that is not as detectable by walk-through metal detectors. The law prohibited guns not containing enough metal to trigger security screening machines found in airports, courthouses and other secure areas accessible to the public. 1989 California bans the possession of semiautomatic assault weapons following the massacre of five children on a Stockton, Calif., school playground. 1990 The Crime Control Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-647) bans the manufacturing and importing semiautomatic assault weapons in the United States. Gun-free school zones are established, carrying specific penalties for violations. 1994 The  Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act  imposes a five-day waiting period on the purchase of a handgun and requires that local law enforcement agencies conduct background checks on purchasers of handguns. The  Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994  prohibits the sale, manufacture, importation, or possession of several specific types of assault-type weapons for a 10-year period. However, the law expires on September 13, 2004, after Congress fails to reauthorize it. 1997 The U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of  Printz v. United States, declares the background check requirement of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act unconstitutional. The Florida Supreme Court upholds a jurys $11.5 million verdict against Kmart for selling a gun to an intoxicated man who used the gun to shoot his estranged girlfriend. Major American gun manufacturers voluntarily agree to include child safety trigger devices on all new handguns. June 1998 A Justice Department report indicates the blocking of some 69,000 handgun sales during 1997 when the Brady Bill pre-sale background checks were required. July 1998 An amendment requiring a trigger lock mechanism to be included with every handgun sold in the United States is defeated in the Senate. But the Senate approves an amendment requiring gun dealers to have trigger locks available for sale and creating federal grants for gun safety and education programs. October 1998 New Orleans becomes the first U.S. city to file suit against gunmakers, firearms trade associations, and gun dealers. The citys suit seeks recovery of costs attributed to gun-related violence. Nov. 12, 1998 Chicago files a $433 million suit against local gun dealers and makers alleging that oversupplying local markets provided guns to criminals. Nov. 17, 1998 A negligence suit against gunmaker Beretta brought by the family of a 14-year-old boy killed by another boy with a Beretta handgun is dismissed by a California jury. Nov. 30, 1998 Permanent provisions of the Brady Act go into effect. Gun dealers are now required to initiate a pre-sale criminal background check of all gun buyers through the newly created  National Instant Criminal Background Check  (NICS) computer system. Dec. 1, 1998 The NRA files suit in federal court attempting to block the FBIs collection of information on firearm buyers. Dec. 5, 1998 President  Bill Clinton  announces that the instant background check system had prevented 400,000 illegal gun purchases. The claim was called misleading by the NRA. January 1999 Civil suits against gunmakers seeking to recover costs of gun-related violence were filed in Bridgeport, Conn., and Miami-Dade County, Fla. April 20, 1999 At Columbine High School near Denver, students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shoot and kill 12 other students and a teacher, and wound 24 others before killing themselves. The attack renews debate on the need for more restrictive gun control laws. May 20, 1999 By a 51-50 vote, with the tie-breaker vote cast by  Vice President  Al Gore, the  U.S. Senate  passes a bill requiring trigger locks on all newly manufactured handguns and extending waiting period and background check requirements to sales of firearms at gun shows. Aug. 24, 1999 The Los Angeles County, Calif., Board of Supervisors votes 3-2 to ban the Great Western Gun Show, billed as the Worlds Largest Gun Show from the Pomona fairgrounds where it had been held for the last 30 years. Sept. 13, 2004 After lengthy and heated debate, Congress allows the 10-year-old Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 banning the sale of 19 types of military-style assault weapons to expire. December 2004 Congress fails to continue funding for President  George W. Bush’s  2001 gun control program,  Project Safe Neighborhoods. Massachusetts becomes the first state to implement an electronic instant gun buyer background check system with fingerprint scanning for gun licenses and gun purchases. January 2005 California bans the manufacture, sale, distribution or import of the powerful .50-caliber BMG, or Browning machine gun rifle. October 2005 President Bush signs the  Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act  limiting the ability of victims of crimes in which guns were used to sue firearms manufacturers and dealers. The law includes an amendment requiring all new guns to come with trigger locks. January 2008 In a move supported by both opponents and advocates of gun control laws, President Bush signs the  National Instant Criminal Background Check Improvement Act  requiring gun-buyer background checks to screen for legally declared mentally ill individuals, who are ineligible to buy firearms. June 26, 2008 In its landmark decision in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment affirmed the rights of individuals to own firearms. The ruling also overturns a 32-year-old ban on the sale or possession of handguns in the District of Columbia. February 2010 A federal law signed by President  Barack Obama  took effect allowing licensed gun owners to bring firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges as long as they are allowed by state law. Dec. 9, 2013 The Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, requiring that all guns must contain enough metal to be detectable by security screening machines was extended through 2035. July 29, 2015 In an effort to close the so-called â€Å"gun show loophole† allowing gun sales conducted without Brady Act background checks, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) introduces the  Fix Gun Checks Act of 2015  (H.R. 3411), to require background checks for all gun sales, including sales made over the internet and at gun shows. June 12, 2016 President Obama again calls on Congress to enact or renew a law prohibiting the sale and possession of assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines after a man identified as Omar Mateen kills 49 people in an Orlando, Fla., gay nightclub on June 12, using an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. In a call to 911 he made during the attack, Mateen told police he had pledged his allegiance to the radical Islamic terrorist group ISIS. September 2017 A bill titled â€Å"Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,† or SHARE Act (H.R. 2406) advances to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. While the main purpose of the bill is to expand access to public land for, hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting, a provision added by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) called The Hearing Protection Act would reduce the current federal restrictions on purchasing firearm silencers, or suppressors. Currently, the restrictions on silencer purchases are similar to those for machine guns, including extensive background checks, waiting periods, and transfer taxes. Duncan’s provision would eliminate those restrictions. Backers of Duncan’s provision argue that it would help recreational hunters and shooters protect themselves from hearing loss. Opponents say it would make it harder for police and civilians to locate the source of gunfire, potentially resulting in more casualties. Witnesses to the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017, reported that the gunfire coming from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Resort sounded like â€Å"popping† that was at first mistaken as fireworks. Many argue that the inability to hear the gunshots made the shooting even more deadly. Oct. 1, 2017 Barely over a year after the Orlando shooting, a man identified as Stephen Craig Paddock opens fire on an outdoor music festival in Las Vegas. Shooting from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel, Paddock kills at least 59 people and wounds more than 500 others.   Among the at least 23 firearms found in Paddock’s room were legally-purchased, semi-automatic AR-15 rifles which had been fitted with commercially-available accessories known as â€Å"bump stocks,† which allow semi-automatic rifles to be fired as if in fully-automatic mode of up to nine rounds per second. Under a law enacted in 2010, bump stocks are treated as legal, after-market accessories. In the aftermath of the incident, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for laws specifically banning bump stocks, while others have also called for a renewal of the assault weapons ban. Oct. 4, 2017 Less than a week after the Las Vegas shooting, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduces the â€Å"Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act† that would ban the sale and possession of bump stocks and other devices that allow a semiautomatic weapon to fire like a fully-automatic weapon. The bill states: â€Å"It shall be unlawful for any person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a trigger crank, a bump-fire device or any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment or accessory that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.† Oct. 5, 2017 Sen. Feinstein introduces the  Background Check Completion Act. Feinstein  says the bill would close a loophole in the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. Feinstein said: â€Å"Current law allows gun sales to proceed after 72 hours- even if background checks aren’t approved. This is a dangerous loophole that could allow criminals and those with mental illness to complete their purchase of firearms even though it would be unlawful for them to possess them.† The Background Check Completion Act would require that a background check be fully completed before any gun buyer who purchases a gun from a federally-licensed firearms dealer (FFL) can take possession of the gun. Feb. 21, 2018 Just days after the February 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, President Donald Trump orders the Justice Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to review bump fire stocks- devices that allow a semi-automatic rifle to be fired similar to a fully-automatic weapon. Trump had previously indicated that he might support a new  federal regulation  banning the sale of such devices.   White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters: â€Å"The President, when it comes to that, is committed to ensuring that those devices are- again, Im not going to get ahead of the announcement, but I can tell you that the president doesnt support use of those accessories.† On February 20, Sanders stated that the president would support â€Å"steps† to raise the current minimum age for buying military-style weapons, such as the AR-15- the weapon used in the Parkland shooting- from 18 to 21. â€Å"I think thats certainly something thats on the table for us to discuss and that we expect to come up over the next couple of weeks,† Sanders said.   July 31 2018 U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle issued a temporary restraining blocking the release of blueprints that could be used to produce untraceable and undetectable 3D-printable plastic guns. Assembled from ABS plastic parts, 3D guns are firearms that can be made with a computer-controlled 3D printer. The judge acted partly in response to a lawsuit filed against the federal government by several states to block the release of blueprints for 3D-printed plastic guns. Judge Lasnik’s order banned the Austin, Texas-based gun rights group Defense Distributed from allowing the public to download the blueprints from its website. â€Å"There is a possibility of irreparable harm because of the way these guns can be made,† Lasnik wrote. Before the restraining order, plans for assembling a variety of guns, including an AR-15-style rifle and a Beretta M9 handgun could be downloaded from the Defense Distributed website. Shortly after the restraining order was issued, President Donald Trump (realDonaldTrump) tweeted, â€Å"I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn’t seem to make much sense!† The NRA said in a statement that anti-gun politicians and certain members of the press had wrongly claimed that 3D printing technology will allow for the production and widespread proliferation of undetectable plastic firearms. August 2019 In the wake of three mass shootings in Gilroy, Calif.; El Paso, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio in the span of two weeks that left a total of almost three dozen people dead, a new push was made in Congress for gun control measures. Among the proposals were stronger background checks and limits on high-capacity magazines. Red flag laws also were proposed to allow police or family members to file a court petition to remove firearms from individuals who might pose a danger to themselves or others.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Canada and the European Union new free trade agreement Essay

Canada and the European Union new free trade agreement - Essay Example Canada and the European Union new free trade agreement Canada as a country is renowned for its skillful ideas in research, innovation and invention and production of different types of manufactured products. These products include industrial and machinery, rail products, agricultural and medical equipments. The Canada’s gross domestic product was $42.7 billion resulting from employing approximately 418, 000 Canadian individuals in the manufacturing industry. On the other hand, the European Union benefits from Canada on products such as aero products, rail products and agricultural goods, and medical products, scientific and precision equipments. However, the trade between Canada and European Union is affected by 22 percent tariff on the goods exported and imported. This has been affecting the trade making the European Union to get goods at costly prices (Canada). Upon the completion of the agreement, the Canada-EU trade agreement will work to reduce and remove most of the existing EU tariffs on the manufactured goods, which include electrical parts and equipments and medical equipments. The reduction of physical barriers on the market will help to increase market access for exports and imports. Additionally, the agreement gives opportunities of helping Canada and EU identify different ways and steps of either preventing imposition of non-tariff barriers or direct deal with them when they arise.