US Imperialism in the Post-9/11 International Order

The history of the world is hitherto marked by the antagonisms in the economic aspects of the society. Since the existence of hierarchical orders in societal relations in political and economic relations were conceptualized, the contradictions between and among the decisive forces in the production process have long been made brutal and more explosive than any other points in human history. Hence, the development of the capitalist mode of production and its dominance as the world's economic system gave way for the advancement of nation-states into imperialist powers of the modern world.Contradictions among the classes in the society, between the industrialized countries and industrialized versus the colonies and semi-colonies, only intensified the differences and irreconcilable economic interests of the nations. These contradictions gave way for most of the world's major catastrophic events like the First World War and the Second World War, being, in reality, war between imperialist and industrialized powers secure their insatiable interests for the control of the market.Such nature of class antagonisms reflected the exploitation and oppression that the motive forces experienced in the light of these economic restrictions in the present economic condition (Lenin 1916: IX). This essay would settle on the issues raised by the presence of the United States' vast economic, political, and social sphere of influence on most regions of the world. As the world's only remaining superpower, the United States of America, maintains its structure in presenting and directing the course of global diplomatic, military and economic affairs.US imperialist expansion would be studied in order to come up with the particular nature of the hegemony and provide necessary clarifications on the nature of imperialism, super-imperialism and inter-imperialism and if ever these terms are applicable and politically relevant in today's discussion of global relations. After the terror attacks become the focus of regional diplomatic and military roadmaps, United States role in overseas affairs became even more directed towards armed resolution of conflict as essential appendage of its imperialist hegemony (Stivachtis, 2007).Marxist analysis of the society in general and political economy in particular could mainly present the foundations of this discourse by which we would draw the explanation for such concepts of imperialism and monopoly capitalist hegemony in the economic, political, cultural and other societal structures that are essentially intertwined with this. To Marxists, â€Å"imperialism† is not simply the â€Å"trend towards expansion† or the â€Å"conquest of foreign lands,† as it is defined by most political scientists and sociologists.The word is used in a much more precise sense to describe the general changes which occurred in the political, economic and social activity of the big bourgeoisie of the advanced capitalist countries, begin ning in the last quarter of the 19th century. These changes were closely related to alterations in the basic structure of this bourgeoisie (Germain 1955). With this definition, there are still varied interpretations of imperialism even among Marxists.Vladimir Lenin's theoretical exposition on this subject has long been accepted widely after the Soviet Union molded a formidable economic and military superpower and directly/indirectly influenced the outcomes of revolutions in third world countries. The first and second world wars were the major eruption of these antagonisms and the world experienced an imperialist war over territories for the acquisition of raw materials for the industries and market for the surplus products of the capitalist western powers. A polarized global atmosphere boiled into wars that in reality, wars of expansion.The United States benefitted greatly from the war. It made the nation accumulate more neo-colonies after the defeat of the Axis powers in Europe and Asia. Hence, a conclusion can be derived from these events: the United States, after its economy faced a major crisis in the 1930's, needed war in order to boost its military industrial complex, obtain new territories as sources of industrial needs and market for overproduced goods, propel its strategic military positions overseas and contain the Soviet union's growing power and influence.Kautsky and Luxemburg, famous Marxists in Europe, clarified imperialism and presented yet another perspective on imperialist stage of the bourgeois capitalist system. Kautsky stated that imperialism is an absolute terminology to be applied to the interests of an industrial nation to expand its commercial realm by arguing that precisely an industrialized nation cannot sell all its products within industrialized nations so it has to look for nations with backward economies that do not have the technology and capacity to produce similar goods or products (Germain 1955).Cox stipulated the mechanics of how the United States was able to control foreign markets and flooded with surplus goods. He argued that the ‘Empire' dominated these backward or lagging economies through intimidation by use of the military, alliance with the local elite thus assuring an elite's government friendly, if not servile, to United States' imperialist interests (Cox 2004: 309). The reality of the economic basis of imperialist hegemony has not really subsided at the turn of the 21st century and even after the Socialist block has collapsed in the 1990's.In fact, the same contradictions n the political economy of the world, however, significant alterations have pervaded since and the resulting events are what the current United States' ruling class faces. Robert Cox noted the events which shaped the present international order as end products of centuries of societal evolutionary and revolutionary processes. First, he refreshed what French diplomacy baptized as ‘hyper-power' of the United States of America due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of a bipolar world.Second, environmental concerns have taken the center stage of international affairs because of unstable conditions in the biosphere, biotechnology and genetically modified organisms. Along with these, there is the economic dilemma which suggests that capitalism continues to contain a tendency of widening the gap between the rich and the poor; ethnic, national, religious and other reason for polarization have been reaffirmed and; the emergence of ‘irregular' activities pertained to as terrorism and other organized crime.Hence, in the light of the authority's inaction regarding these concerns, the public developed skepticism towards established institutions (Cox 2004: 318). Further delving on this particular reasons for the establishment of a new international order, Cox asserted that with all these, there must be a ‘power' holding all these things completely so that this ‘p ower' could set forth the destruction or the genesis of an established reason.This ‘power' poses a dilemma as to what nature does this power hold that even Cox tried to provide an acceptable definition. Power†¦ [Is] in a very general sense to mean whatever force can intentionally bring about change in the behavior of any of the diversity of agents in world political economy. States are obviously to be included among the agents. Military strength and the capacity for economic coercion are obviously to be included among the relevant forces.The problem is to infer from observation of what has happened what the key forces are and what agents are capable of wielding those forces (Cox 2004: 308). Current international scene is dominated by the United States but the economic and diplomatic influences are fast rescinding because of US hegemony in many aspects of world affairs. The US led war on terror and its coalition of the willing is a manifestation of an inherent crisis in a monopoly capitalist system.Military power now assumes the greatest role in preserving the existing order while its continued intervention in domestic and regional conflicts only isolates US hegemony from the collective of nations. This fragile condition of artificial harmony in a US controlled international scene radiated greater conflicts and majority of the nations initiated their independence from the economic influence of the US through the formation of a regional economic and political cooperation.The euro for example, attempted to present an alternative to the US dollar. Even if this attempt did not gain head on with the US dollar, its presence already showed that economic regionalism was developing into more stable formations and poses formidable challenge to US unilateralism (Cox 2004:314). The war on terror has unveiled the nature of US imperialism that it is an ‘Empire' that sought to expand its influence and domination wherever necessary and possible.Conflicts in th e Middle East and the terror attacks in the US re-opened the debating floors to the concerns of terrorism and the ‘dialectic' relation of ‘terrorism' and ‘war on terror'. As Robert Cox puts it: †¦terrorism is a violent reaction to ‘Empire'; and for dominant power the response to ‘terrorism' is an expansion of ‘Empire'. The two are joined in dialectic without end since the two contestants are not of the same order†¦ The physical elimination of ‘terrorists' by police and military action does not eliminate ‘terrorism'.It encourages more people to take up the role of terrorist. The only way this quagmire dialectic could end would be by transcending the conflict in a reestablished legitimacy (Cox 2004: 318). Accumulating the economic, political, cultural and ideological crisis of the United States' monopoly capitalist empire, various thinkers attempted to explain the nature of this ‘Empire'. The most common of these terminol ogies used to refer to US imperial structure are ‘super-imperialism', ‘ultra-imperialism' and ‘inter-imperialism'.Super-imperialism is more concerned with the mechanics of the economy and that evolution from classical imperialism to super-imperialism was caused by a reverse in the international scene where US surpassed its preeminent creditor status to a debtor status, hence, the worsening crisis of finance capital under the capitalist system. Ultra Imperialism is a term coined by Karl Kautsky as a theoretical conception of imperialism in the September 1914 issue of Die Neue Zeit. Kautsky articulated that capitalist could exist without wars and these industrialized nations need not to divide territories and markets rather form a cartel.Lenin quickly repudiated this assertion and stressed that ultra-imperialism understates the class antagonisms in an imperialist system and the contradictions were disregarded. Inter-imperialism on the other hand does not really offer a new conception of imperialism but only an earlier term used by Hobson to what Kautsky referred to as ultra-imperialism. In broadest sense, US imperialism maintains the exploitative conditions at present, the contradiction between and among industrial nations and between industrial nations and third world.

How Do We Know Something Is True in the Arts and Science Essay

Hey Jamie! I’ve been wondering for a while now how you can really know if something in art or natural sciences is true.? I mean when you look at a piece of art or let’s say the way atoms connect with each other, or how the gravity works, how do you know it’s all true? Obviously there are laws that are connected with these things, however how can you be sure if what the law states is true? Jamie:You’re pretty much right about that, but I think it’s not about the truth for now – first there should be some kind of idea or a belief, before it can be confirmed, right? I mean, for instance Newton came up with the idea of gravity when an apple fell on his head, remember? It made him think about it more and more until the conception of some kind of force that affects everything on Earth popped into his mind, but I don’t think art works the same way†¦ Molly:Right†¦ Art’s totally different thing. Natural science have some rules they work with, even though there probably are some we still don’t know about, however we can notice something that happens the certain way. The rules are true. Well – people, or rather scientists claim so, but they are based on long-term observation and other research, right? Jamie:Right! If someone is absolutely certain that something is true, is it because this is the way he sees it or seeing it equals believing it is true? Molly:Well†¦ That’s a good question. I’ve heard that there are some ways to know that something is true – like I’ve mentioned before, observation, or rather a sense of perception, is one of them, but there is also reason and language that suggests people which is the objective, factual or relative truth. It’s more connected with natural sciences, however when it comes to art the way one can tell something is true is slightly different. Jamie:How so? I mean†¦ I don’t get what your point is. Molly:Look, if you have a piece of art, let’s say a picture of a battle, okay? The one who painted it, probably had some kind of knowledge about the battle he was drawing, right? Jamie:I think so†¦ Molly:So, let’s say, there is a person the picture revolves around, some kind of great figure, a king or other known man. The author of the painting wanted to show ordinary people the greatness of the person he pictured in the centre of his work. And there is a big chance that the person who’ll look at this exact piece of art, will think ‘Oh, that man was so great. ’, but how can he or she know it is true that he was as ‘great’ as the author portrayed him? Then, we could take a work of another author, the same battle, and there will be no person who will attract your attention at first, just the way the battle looked like, dead people, blood on the ground and other realistic fragments. If I was the one comparing these two pictures, I’d get a feeling that the first artist suggested the greatness of the man he portrayed because he was paid or had to do so, while the second one would be more true to me, because it would probably show the facts at some point. Jamie:Oh I see what you mean now! Hmm†¦ I have a feeling that in the end art and natural science are somehow connected when it comes to knowing the truth! Molly:†¦ Okay, now you got me confused. How can they be connected? Explain? Jamie:Oh look! If you take our chemistry book, you’ll find there all kinds of described experiments, right? However it is rare to find the outcomes of these experiments in the book. Molly:Yeah†¦? Jamie:And when you listen to your chemistry teacher, and he’ll tell you before you do the experiment that the product of the reaction should smell the certain way, as let’s say†¦ Hydro-sulfuric acid smells like rotten eggs. After finishing your research and experiment you would probably note that the smell of the acid was of rotten eggs, because this is what has been suggested by your teacher, right? Molly:Oh, now I see how it’s connected to art. Some kind of statement can be suggested to you and you are very likely to believe it, however, then you could find some other research that declines what your teacher claimed or that the guy portrayed in the picture was great. Jamie:Yes! Exactly! But then there arises a new question. Molly:Huh? What question? Jamie:Can we be sure of what people claim to be true to be actually true? Molly:Right†¦ In the end I think we are should stick to the rules that have been stated in the past, because they seem to be true, however after you said that†¦ I’m starting to doubt everything I know! Jamie:Sorry for that! Didn’t want to make you confused! Molly:No, it was actually pretty interesting! Jamie:Yup! But I think we can never be in 100% sure of what is true when it comes to art and natural science. Molly:Yeah, totally agree with you on this one.

Bcom275 Legalization of Marijuana

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marijuana may help decrease nausea, stimulate appetite, and decrease pain (2006). Alternately, the American Medical Association (AMA) does not support smoked marijuana as medicine (1995-2013). With such conflicting opinions around this highly controversial drug, there are many questions to be answered in order to decide the steps the federal government can/should be made for a final resolution. Argument For Nearly one in ten Americans used marijuana in 2010; however, our nation spends over seven billion per year to enforce the illegalization of this natural substance. A recent poll taken in 2011 shows marijuana has increasingly become the preferred drug for Americans. Overall, 6. 9 percent, or 17. million, of the United States population used marijuana in 2010 according to the survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Increase Use of Marijuana, 2011, para. 2). Dr. Jeffrey Miron, an economics professor at Harvard University, completed a study which determined the approximate cost of enforcing the illegalization of marijuana. The report estimates legalizing marijuana would save, â€Å"$7. 7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforce ment of prohibition. $5. 3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2. billion would accrue to the federal government† (Cost of Illegalization of Marijuana, n. d. ). The United States has been engaged in a losing battle against marijuana since the implementation of the Uniform Narcotic Act in the 1930’s (Bonnie Whitbread, n. d). We are not only wasting $7. 7 billion per year, but losing potential revenue. Americans could stand to profit a substantial amount of income if marijuana were to be legalized and regulated by the Department of Agriculture. â€Å"Revenue from taxation of marijuana sales would range from $2. billion per year if marijuana were taxed like ordinary consumer goods to $6. 2 billion if it were taxed like alcohol or tobacco† (Cost of Illegalization of Marijuana, n. d. ). Marijuana is not addictive and has a stark contrast of addictive properties when pitted against the addictive characteristics of legalized toba cco and alcohol. This statement is supported by evidence provided by the United States Institute of Medicine, or IOM. The IOM states â€Å"fewer than one in 10 marijuana smokers become regular users of the drug, and most voluntary cease their use after 34 years of age. By comparison, 15 percent of alcohol consumers and 32 percent of tobacco smokers exhibit symptoms of drug dependence† (Supporting evidence, n. d. , para. 2). The IOM also observed cannabis withdrawal symptoms are rare and do not require substitution medicine to stop usage. When marijuana smokers cease consumption, the overwhelming majority do not experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms demanding re-initiating use of marijuana according to the IOM. President Richard Nixon commissioned the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse in 1972. The primary objective the commission was to expose dangers of drug use and provide a detailed report on marijuana. Nixon’s commission issued a report titled, â€Å"Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding,† which reviewed existing marijuana studies and determined marijuana does not cause physical addiction (National Commission on Marijuana, 1974). Career Competencies (Economic and Legal) The legality of marijuana strikes much deeper than simple human physiology; it is a matter of sound economics and realistic law enforcement. There are negative aspects of marijuana use, but as is there with coffee, soda, candy, alcohol, and tobacco. Americans need to revaluate old rhetoric where marijuana was deemed evil and a gateway drug. The only reason marijuana could be considered a gateway drug is because often time’s consumers are exposed to shady drug dealers on a substance deemed as illegal. If Americans opened their eyes and minds to see how much money and effort is wasted to fight a losing battle become aware of how much could be profited from the legalization of marijuana the decision is straightforward; marijuana should be legalized. Argument Against Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive, and can lead to other health problems such as; lung cancer, low sexual drive (libido), and of utmost importance is to address the concern of marijuana as a â€Å"gateway† drug. Addiction has been redefined and continually evolving for decades. Whether a given substance is defined as â€Å"addictive† in a given society or culture, has to do largely with social custom and political convenience. Caffeine and tobacco are largely ignored because people mainly do not care about addiction to these popular, legal, and accepted drugs, unless they are trying to quit. According to the American Psychological Association, APA, addiction â€Å"is a condition in which the body must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms† (2013). Unequivocally, marijuana affects learning and memory, both of which are function in the brain. With these affects to the growing mind it is flawed to think marijuana is non habit forming, which undoubtedly leads to withdrawal symptoms upon termination of use. Marijuana is sex-inhibiting. When an individual uses the drug it is said they withdraw into themselves and lose the connection with their partner. Research into this phenomenon dates back to the 1970’s in which one report showed it reduces testosterone enough to impair the libido in many women and in some men. According to this research, some of the responses included: â€Å"My boyfriend and I have smoked (fairly heavily) for the past year and I would say that it 100% has a terrible effect on our sex life. It’s been a huge libido killer for our relationship†; â€Å"As I’ve continued to use marijuana (been almost five years smoking now) it’s inhibited sex for me more and more† (Castleman, 2012). Furthermore, there is scientific evidence to support that long-term marijuana smoking alters the reproductive system. The gateway theory postulates the use of less harmful drugs (such as marijuana) may lead to future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs. To test this theory a group of researchers in Sweden administered rats the equivalent of the THC (the chemical found in marijuana delivering the â€Å"high†) in one joint to lab rats. After this administration of THC the rats were allowed access to heroin by pressing a lever. According to this study, the rats who were administered the THC took larger doses of heroin than the rats who did not receive the THC injection (Ellgren, 2007). Upon inspection of the rat’s brain, it was discovered the brain cells associated with positive emotions were altered by the THC dosage, thus lending the need for higher drive for more heroin than those without the THC. Ethical Issues More research is needed in order to legislate the use of marijuana. Contemporary medicine and pharmacology are based upon the application of scientific principles and extensive clinical research to determine the safety and efficacy of a drug. Marinol, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring component of marijuana, is a well accepted, well researched, and more effective treatment than marijuana (Kraus, 2007). This approved drug, like marijuana, helps alleviate chronic pain, reduces chemotherapy-related nausea, and with HIV/AIDS treatment it helps with symptoms known as â€Å"wasting syndrome†. Many proponents of legalizing marijuana for these specific illnesses have not looked into marinol as a safe alternative. As a matter of fact the only difference between marinol and marijuana is that marinol does not stimulate the â€Å"high† associated with marijuana. Career Competencies (Psychology) Psychologists from all over the United States attest to the negative effects of cannabis. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) a cannabis user can develop; cannabis intoxication- development of maladaptive behavior that developed shortly after or during cannabis use; cannabis intoxication delirium- a disturbance of consciousness with reduced ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention; cannabis-induced psychotic disorder, with delusions- prominent hallucinations or delusions in excess of those usually associated with the intoxication; and cannabis-induced anxiety disorder- prominent anxiety, panic attacks, or obsessions or compulsions that causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning American Psychiatric Association, (2000). The DSM has other classifications for cannabis use; however the mental disturbances highlighted promote the more severe effects of continued marijuana use. Conclusion Marijuana has the reputation of being a gateway drug, although not every heroin addict started out smoking marijuana. Marijuana is prohibited and it puts individuals in circumstances where they are exposed to harder drugs, therefore if the FDA had regulations on marijuana, those individuals would never have to be exposed to those situations. In regards to the effects of marijuana, like a low sex drive, just like every medication whether it is over the counter or prescribed, there will be side effects which will affect everyone differently. Marijuana has the ability to alleviate aliments such as nausea, and other types of pain. Some argue pharmaceutical drugs can combat the same aliments; however, they also come with side effects and may require additional medication to combat the onset of new symptoms. Taxation of marijuana alone would help the economy. The fact the U. S. is wasting 7. 7 billion dollars enforcing the prohibition of the substance is persuasive enough in its self, as well as the potential revenue brought in by taxing the substance like tobacco or alcohol. Keeping marijuana illegal is only keeping drug dealers in business. While law enforcement continues to chase these petty drug dealers it is costing our taxpayers millions of dollars to put and keep drug dealers behind bars. The legalizing of marijuana would benefit the economy greatly, therefor marijuana should be legalized. The use of Marijuana and Cultural difference between Japan and The United States The history of Cannabis in the country of Japan can be traced back to 300 – 500 BC. Cannabis was a widely used plant for the majority of Japanese culture and daily lives. Cannabis fibers were used to not only create baskets and fishing tools, but were also used in creating divine clothing for the Emperor’s. Burning of cannabis was also used for old traditions, for example rooms of worship were purified by burning cannabis leave by the entrance. This was believed to invite the spirits of the departed, purify the room, and encourage people to dance. Japan’s cultivation of Cannabis came to a halt at the end of World War II when allied forces occupied and began to help rebuild Japan. It was America General Douglas MacArthur and his colleagues who re-wrote the Japanese constitution in 1948 and mirrored many of the United States laws. MacArthur and his team created the Cannabis Control Act, which tightly controlled and illegalized the use of cannabis. Due to the extreme cultivating of cannabis and its widely uses in daily lives, Western companies found a market with providing synthetic products to replace cannabis. Today, cannabis is a drug guarded and considered taboo among the Japanese culture. The use and history of cannabis is all but forgotten within today’s Japanese society, and when it is discovered people have, or are using it recreationally, they are shunned and casted as â€Å"stone-cold drug addicts† (Uno, 2011). Many Japanese people consider marijuana and other ‘hard drugs’ to be the exact same and believe all drugs have the same effect. This ideal thinking of marijuana has lead Japan to be one of the strictest laws and punishments compared to other developed countries. In 1993 a Disc Jockey from New York, Christopher Lavinger, was arrested and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and 35 days in solitary confinement after Japanese police found 1. 5 grams of marijuana, 3. 5 grams of cocaine, and some LSD (Hays, 2009). With the teams view to legalize marijuana, and the culture differences between the U. S. nd Japan, the first step to move towards a ‘Pro-Marijuana’ Japanese country would be to educate the people on the benefits cannabis can provide. As described above, the financial profit gained would be tremendous and can go back to the people in various ways. The people would also need education on their history of using cannabis within their ancient traditions and target many high-profile figures to support the use of marijuana. Because of the strict laws and taboo views Japan has of cannabis, it would be a hard road, but the understanding and education used properly, Japan could create legislation that would override, or amend their constitution and current laws banning its use. References American Medical Association (AMA). (1995-2013). Retrieved from http://www. ama-assn. rg/ American Psychiatric Association, (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (4th ed. ). American Psychological Association (APA). (2013). Retrieved from http://www. apa. org/topics/addiction/index. aspx Argument: Marijuana is not addictive. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 24, 2013, from http://dbp. idebate. org/en /index. php/Argument:_Marijuana_is_not_addictive Bonnie, R. , Whitbread, C. (n. d). The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge: An Inquiry into the Legal History of Historian of American Marijuana Prohibition. Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. Retrieved from http://www. druglibrary. org/schaffer/Library/studies/vlr/vlr3. htm Castleman, Michael. Marijuana’s Effects on Sex Vary with Individuals. † Marijuana. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Marijuana and Sex: Surprising Results of This Blogger’s Informal Survey. † Psychology Today (1 May 2011). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2013. Ellgren, Maria. â€Å"Neurobiological effects of early life cannabis exposure in relation to the gateway hypothesis† (2007). Retrieved from http://publications. ki. se/xmlui/handle/10616/38245? locale-attribute=en Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2006). Retrieved from http://www. fda. gov/NewsEvents /Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108643. htm Hays, J. (2009). Marijuana, Legal Highs and Illegal drugs in Japan. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails. com/japan. php? itemid=664 Kraus, Mark L. â€Å"Legalizing Medical Marijuana Is Not a Good Idea. † Medical Marijuana. Ed. Noel Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Current Controversies. Rpt. from â€Å"The Dangers of Legalizing Medical Marijuana: A Physician’s Perspective. † 2007. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. Marijuana use rising in U. S. , national survey shows. (2011). Retrieved March 24, 2013, from http://www. reuters. com/article/2011/09/08/usa-drugs-idUSN1E7870N520110908 Olson, D. (1998). Hempen cultrue in Japan. Retrieved from http://www. cannabisculture. om/articles/101. html/ Stirring the Pot: Could Legalizing Marijuana Save the Economy?. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/04/20/stirring-the-pot-could-legalizing-marijuana-save-the-economy/ The first report of the National Commission on marihuana (1972 ): signal of misunderstanding or exercise in ambiguity. (1974). Retrieved from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1749335/ The White House President Barak Obama. (2013). Retrieved from http://m. whitehouse. gov/ondcp/marijuana Uno, M. (2011). WEED CRISIS: Enter Japan’s Void. Retrieved from http://www. thestarklife. com/2011/06/17/weed-in-japan/ Bcom275 Legalization of Marijuana According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marijuana may help decrease nausea, stimulate appetite, and decrease pain (2006). Alternately, the American Medical Association (AMA) does not support smoked marijuana as medicine (1995-2013). With such conflicting opinions around this highly controversial drug, there are many questions to be answered in order to decide the steps the federal government can/should be made for a final resolution. Argument For Nearly one in ten Americans used marijuana in 2010; however, our nation spends over seven billion per year to enforce the illegalization of this natural substance. A recent poll taken in 2011 shows marijuana has increasingly become the preferred drug for Americans. Overall, 6. 9 percent, or 17. million, of the United States population used marijuana in 2010 according to the survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Increase Use of Marijuana, 2011, para. 2). Dr. Jeffrey Miron, an economics professor at Harvard University, completed a study which determined the approximate cost of enforcing the illegalization of marijuana. The report estimates legalizing marijuana would save, â€Å"$7. 7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforce ment of prohibition. $5. 3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2. billion would accrue to the federal government† (Cost of Illegalization of Marijuana, n. d. ). The United States has been engaged in a losing battle against marijuana since the implementation of the Uniform Narcotic Act in the 1930’s (Bonnie Whitbread, n. d). We are not only wasting $7. 7 billion per year, but losing potential revenue. Americans could stand to profit a substantial amount of income if marijuana were to be legalized and regulated by the Department of Agriculture. â€Å"Revenue from taxation of marijuana sales would range from $2. billion per year if marijuana were taxed like ordinary consumer goods to $6. 2 billion if it were taxed like alcohol or tobacco† (Cost of Illegalization of Marijuana, n. d. ). Marijuana is not addictive and has a stark contrast of addictive properties when pitted against the addictive characteristics of legalized toba cco and alcohol. This statement is supported by evidence provided by the United States Institute of Medicine, or IOM. The IOM states â€Å"fewer than one in 10 marijuana smokers become regular users of the drug, and most voluntary cease their use after 34 years of age. By comparison, 15 percent of alcohol consumers and 32 percent of tobacco smokers exhibit symptoms of drug dependence† (Supporting evidence, n. d. , para. 2). The IOM also observed cannabis withdrawal symptoms are rare and do not require substitution medicine to stop usage. When marijuana smokers cease consumption, the overwhelming majority do not experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms demanding re-initiating use of marijuana according to the IOM. President Richard Nixon commissioned the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse in 1972. The primary objective the commission was to expose dangers of drug use and provide a detailed report on marijuana. Nixon’s commission issued a report titled, â€Å"Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding,† which reviewed existing marijuana studies and determined marijuana does not cause physical addiction (National Commission on Marijuana, 1974). Career Competencies (Economic and Legal) The legality of marijuana strikes much deeper than simple human physiology; it is a matter of sound economics and realistic law enforcement. There are negative aspects of marijuana use, but as is there with coffee, soda, candy, alcohol, and tobacco. Americans need to revaluate old rhetoric where marijuana was deemed evil and a gateway drug. The only reason marijuana could be considered a gateway drug is because often time’s consumers are exposed to shady drug dealers on a substance deemed as illegal. If Americans opened their eyes and minds to see how much money and effort is wasted to fight a losing battle become aware of how much could be profited from the legalization of marijuana the decision is straightforward; marijuana should be legalized. Argument Against Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive, and can lead to other health problems such as; lung cancer, low sexual drive (libido), and of utmost importance is to address the concern of marijuana as a â€Å"gateway† drug. Addiction has been redefined and continually evolving for decades. Whether a given substance is defined as â€Å"addictive† in a given society or culture, has to do largely with social custom and political convenience. Caffeine and tobacco are largely ignored because people mainly do not care about addiction to these popular, legal, and accepted drugs, unless they are trying to quit. According to the American Psychological Association, APA, addiction â€Å"is a condition in which the body must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms† (2013). Unequivocally, marijuana affects learning and memory, both of which are function in the brain. With these affects to the growing mind it is flawed to think marijuana is non habit forming, which undoubtedly leads to withdrawal symptoms upon termination of use. Marijuana is sex-inhibiting. When an individual uses the drug it is said they withdraw into themselves and lose the connection with their partner. Research into this phenomenon dates back to the 1970’s in which one report showed it reduces testosterone enough to impair the libido in many women and in some men. According to this research, some of the responses included: â€Å"My boyfriend and I have smoked (fairly heavily) for the past year and I would say that it 100% has a terrible effect on our sex life. It’s been a huge libido killer for our relationship†; â€Å"As I’ve continued to use marijuana (been almost five years smoking now) it’s inhibited sex for me more and more† (Castleman, 2012). Furthermore, there is scientific evidence to support that long-term marijuana smoking alters the reproductive system. The gateway theory postulates the use of less harmful drugs (such as marijuana) may lead to future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs. To test this theory a group of researchers in Sweden administered rats the equivalent of the THC (the chemical found in marijuana delivering the â€Å"high†) in one joint to lab rats. After this administration of THC the rats were allowed access to heroin by pressing a lever. According to this study, the rats who were administered the THC took larger doses of heroin than the rats who did not receive the THC injection (Ellgren, 2007). Upon inspection of the rat’s brain, it was discovered the brain cells associated with positive emotions were altered by the THC dosage, thus lending the need for higher drive for more heroin than those without the THC. Ethical Issues More research is needed in order to legislate the use of marijuana. Contemporary medicine and pharmacology are based upon the application of scientific principles and extensive clinical research to determine the safety and efficacy of a drug. Marinol, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring component of marijuana, is a well accepted, well researched, and more effective treatment than marijuana (Kraus, 2007). This approved drug, like marijuana, helps alleviate chronic pain, reduces chemotherapy-related nausea, and with HIV/AIDS treatment it helps with symptoms known as â€Å"wasting syndrome†. Many proponents of legalizing marijuana for these specific illnesses have not looked into marinol as a safe alternative. As a matter of fact the only difference between marinol and marijuana is that marinol does not stimulate the â€Å"high† associated with marijuana. Career Competencies (Psychology) Psychologists from all over the United States attest to the negative effects of cannabis. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) a cannabis user can develop; cannabis intoxication- development of maladaptive behavior that developed shortly after or during cannabis use; cannabis intoxication delirium- a disturbance of consciousness with reduced ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention; cannabis-induced psychotic disorder, with delusions- prominent hallucinations or delusions in excess of those usually associated with the intoxication; and cannabis-induced anxiety disorder- prominent anxiety, panic attacks, or obsessions or compulsions that causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning American Psychiatric Association, (2000). The DSM has other classifications for cannabis use; however the mental disturbances highlighted promote the more severe effects of continued marijuana use. Conclusion Marijuana has the reputation of being a gateway drug, although not every heroin addict started out smoking marijuana. Marijuana is prohibited and it puts individuals in circumstances where they are exposed to harder drugs, therefore if the FDA had regulations on marijuana, those individuals would never have to be exposed to those situations. In regards to the effects of marijuana, like a low sex drive, just like every medication whether it is over the counter or prescribed, there will be side effects which will affect everyone differently. Marijuana has the ability to alleviate aliments such as nausea, and other types of pain. Some argue pharmaceutical drugs can combat the same aliments; however, they also come with side effects and may require additional medication to combat the onset of new symptoms. Taxation of marijuana alone would help the economy. The fact the U. S. is wasting 7. 7 billion dollars enforcing the prohibition of the substance is persuasive enough in its self, as well as the potential revenue brought in by taxing the substance like tobacco or alcohol. Keeping marijuana illegal is only keeping drug dealers in business. While law enforcement continues to chase these petty drug dealers it is costing our taxpayers millions of dollars to put and keep drug dealers behind bars. The legalizing of marijuana would benefit the economy greatly, therefor marijuana should be legalized. The use of Marijuana and Cultural difference between Japan and The United States The history of Cannabis in the country of Japan can be traced back to 300 – 500 BC. Cannabis was a widely used plant for the majority of Japanese culture and daily lives. Cannabis fibers were used to not only create baskets and fishing tools, but were also used in creating divine clothing for the Emperor’s. Burning of cannabis was also used for old traditions, for example rooms of worship were purified by burning cannabis leave by the entrance. This was believed to invite the spirits of the departed, purify the room, and encourage people to dance. Japan’s cultivation of Cannabis came to a halt at the end of World War II when allied forces occupied and began to help rebuild Japan. It was America General Douglas MacArthur and his colleagues who re-wrote the Japanese constitution in 1948 and mirrored many of the United States laws. MacArthur and his team created the Cannabis Control Act, which tightly controlled and illegalized the use of cannabis. Due to the extreme cultivating of cannabis and its widely uses in daily lives, Western companies found a market with providing synthetic products to replace cannabis. Today, cannabis is a drug guarded and considered taboo among the Japanese culture. The use and history of cannabis is all but forgotten within today’s Japanese society, and when it is discovered people have, or are using it recreationally, they are shunned and casted as â€Å"stone-cold drug addicts† (Uno, 2011). Many Japanese people consider marijuana and other ‘hard drugs’ to be the exact same and believe all drugs have the same effect. This ideal thinking of marijuana has lead Japan to be one of the strictest laws and punishments compared to other developed countries. In 1993 a Disc Jockey from New York, Christopher Lavinger, was arrested and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and 35 days in solitary confinement after Japanese police found 1. 5 grams of marijuana, 3. 5 grams of cocaine, and some LSD (Hays, 2009). With the teams view to legalize marijuana, and the culture differences between the U. S. nd Japan, the first step to move towards a ‘Pro-Marijuana’ Japanese country would be to educate the people on the benefits cannabis can provide. As described above, the financial profit gained would be tremendous and can go back to the people in various ways. The people would also need education on their history of using cannabis within their ancient traditions and target many high-profile figures to support the use of marijuana. Because of the strict laws and taboo views Japan has of cannabis, it would be a hard road, but the understanding and education used properly, Japan could create legislation that would override, or amend their constitution and current laws banning its use. References American Medical Association (AMA). (1995-2013). Retrieved from http://www. ama-assn. rg/ American Psychiatric Association, (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (4th ed. ). American Psychological Association (APA). (2013). Retrieved from http://www. apa. org/topics/addiction/index. aspx Argument: Marijuana is not addictive. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 24, 2013, from http://dbp. idebate. org/en /index. php/Argument:_Marijuana_is_not_addictive Bonnie, R. , Whitbread, C. (n. d). The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge: An Inquiry into the Legal History of Historian of American Marijuana Prohibition. Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. Retrieved from http://www. druglibrary. org/schaffer/Library/studies/vlr/vlr3. htm Castleman, Michael. Marijuana’s Effects on Sex Vary with Individuals. † Marijuana. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Marijuana and Sex: Surprising Results of This Blogger’s Informal Survey. † Psychology Today (1 May 2011). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2013. Ellgren, Maria. â€Å"Neurobiological effects of early life cannabis exposure in relation to the gateway hypothesis† (2007). Retrieved from http://publications. ki. se/xmlui/handle/10616/38245? locale-attribute=en Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2006). Retrieved from http://www. fda. gov/NewsEvents /Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108643. htm Hays, J. (2009). Marijuana, Legal Highs and Illegal drugs in Japan. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails. com/japan. php? itemid=664 Kraus, Mark L. â€Å"Legalizing Medical Marijuana Is Not a Good Idea. † Medical Marijuana. Ed. Noel Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Current Controversies. Rpt. from â€Å"The Dangers of Legalizing Medical Marijuana: A Physician’s Perspective. † 2007. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. Marijuana use rising in U. S. , national survey shows. (2011). Retrieved March 24, 2013, from http://www. reuters. com/article/2011/09/08/usa-drugs-idUSN1E7870N520110908 Olson, D. (1998). Hempen cultrue in Japan. Retrieved from http://www. cannabisculture. om/articles/101. html/ Stirring the Pot: Could Legalizing Marijuana Save the Economy?. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/04/20/stirring-the-pot-could-legalizing-marijuana-save-the-economy/ The first report of the National Commission on marihuana (1972 ): signal of misunderstanding or exercise in ambiguity. (1974). Retrieved from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1749335/ The White House President Barak Obama. (2013). Retrieved from http://m. whitehouse. gov/ondcp/marijuana Uno, M. (2011). WEED CRISIS: Enter Japan’s Void. Retrieved from http://www. thestarklife. com/2011/06/17/weed-in-japan/

Tiffany & Co Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Tiffany & Co - Essay Example Though Tiffany & co. is the price leader, the stores locations make it convenient to its customers. This is a strong marketing mix and other retailers may compete with the company by increasing their number of stores but this does not compare to the low price strategy used by Tiffany & co. Tiffany & co. has been a powerful retail brand and therefore has a good reputation for its value for money. Its convenience and the provision for a wide range of products have contributed to its strengths in the market. Tiffany & co. has also grown substantially over the recent years therefore has experienced global expansion. The company has a core competence which involves the use of improved information technology that supports international logistics systems for example the company carries out a market research that enable the company to see hoe the products perform countrywide and store by store. 2. Review of company and its business The company was the first to win an award in excellence in U S for its silverware. This was in 1867 and in 1877 the company released its logo of cross which was rare as it could only be offered to combat awards. Tiffany & Company also is said to be among the largest private employers having about 9,000 employees as at 2009. Sandra and Roy (1997) shows the company generates revenue of more than $2.86 billion. percent of sales from the grocery business and has therefore focused in opening stores for example in 2007, the company was operating about 64 stores in US which was a total of 480,000 gross square feet. There are also 104 international stores totaling to 300,000 gross square feet. Fairfax Square located in Tyson’s Corner opened in 1990 is the largest outside New York.... The intention of this study is Tiffany & co as first winner of an award in excellence in US for its silverware. This was in 1867 and in 1877 the company released its logo of cross which was rare as it could only be offered to combat awards. Tiffany & Company also is said to be among the largest private employers having about 9,000 employees as at 2009. Sandra and Roy shows the company generates revenue of more than $2.86 billion. percent of sales from the grocery business and has therefore focused in opening stores for example in 2007, the company was operating about 64 stores in US which was a total of 480,000 gross square feet. There are also 104 international stores totaling to 300,000 gross square feet. Fairfax Square located in Tyson’s Corner opened in 1990 is the largest outside New York. The most profitable location was the store in Costa Mesa in California then the New York store and Boston Copley Place. The company’s social responsibility is to plan and develop a program that will promote community development and to enable more people to improve their life. It also advocates for zero rate waste. Tiffany & co.’s mission involves enhancing and integrating supplier diversity programs where it will be categorised in procurement practices. These practices advocate for minority people in the society especially enabling women to open their own businesses. Some of the ingredients that have contributed to the success of Tiffany & co. include the strengths and virtues of the company’s founder. This is due to his overriding vision and unchanging values.

Quality Improvement Framework and Indicators Research Paper

Quality Improvement Framework and Indicators - Research Paper Example   A multitude of quality improvement frameworks have been devised. These frameworks include European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Chronic Care Model (CCM), and others. According to Massoud, four principles of quality improvement are particularly important. These include: focus on the client, understanding of service systems along with key processes, team work, and focus on the use of data. In the healthcare industry particularly, services should be devised to satiate the needs of clients. An important measure of quality improvement is the extent to which customers’ needs are fulfilled. In order to bring improvements in healthcare quality, it is also important to fathom key processes first. In every healthcare organization, work is accomplished by different people working in teams. Therefore teamwork is a pre-requisite for quality improvement in healthcare organizations. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of improved systems, it is imperative to analyze data before and after the implementation of those changes (Massoud, n.d.).Responsiveness, in other words, patient-centeredness, is another dimension. Patient-centeredness is the degree to which a healthcare organization gives importance to its patients. A good way to assess this is to evaluate patients’ experience in terms of their healthcare. Accessibility is also a dimension which describes the degree to ease to which healthcare services are provided. Equity is related to health care financing, health status, and outcomes.... Equity measures the degree to which a healthcare organization provides healthcare services to its people. The optimum use of healthcare resources available to a healthcare organization is considered efficiency. Efficiency can further be classified into ‘micro efficiency’ and ‘macro efficiency’. In some frameworks, macro-efficiency is often replaced with sustainability. It involves the overall healthcare spending at the right level. On the other side, macro efficiency refers to the realization of resources. According to a conceptual framework for healthcare quality indicators (HCQI), healthcare performance dimensions include quality, access, cost, equity, and efficiency. According to the framework presented by Edward Kelly and Jeremy Hurst, the core quality improvement dimensions include Effectiveness, safety and responsiveness/patient centeredness. These dimensions can significantly increase the desired outcomes (Kelly & Hurst, 2006). According to Donabedian , indicators can be classified into structure and process. Structure indicators of healthcare indicators include qualification of doctors and facilities available at the healthcare organization. Process indicators include proper delivery of appropriate healthcare to the organization. Areas which should be monitored for Quality In order for an organization to successfully implement a quality improvement framework, it is important to adopt an apt methodology. First of all, it is imperative to identify components which need to be improved. In healthcare organizations, some of the common problems which need to be addressed include inaccessibility of drugs and medicines, unavailability of staff, poor management of laboratory, and waiting time. The next step is to

United States National Security Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

United States National Security - Article Example Policy developers will have to address these energy encounters – but none of them are an interrogation of yes or no, either, do or don’t. As an alternative, how the United States encounter those challenges will need choices-strategy judgments about infrastructure investment, government policy, investigation funding, and even external policy. The American security plan has a strong program scrutinizing how America-and the world-uses and yields energy. It is thought that the way Americans consume energy is unfavorable to their national security, their monetary well-being, and their environs. Without prejudice, we seek solutions. We focus on long-term, strategic sets that will control the well-being of their country until the next century. At this time, the fears for their security areas composite and varied as complex and diverse as extremism, the spread of weapons of mass devastation, climate change, deteriorating states and economic downfall. Many of these national trials will require answers that go beyond military capacity and utilize all the tools at their clearance. The American security mission is prominent in the development of new state security hallucination and strategy that generate a new American store for the twenty-first century that is open to the challenges and changes we face as a nation. The United States encounters many defies around the world that are composite because they are irregular in nature. Uneven challenges are those where the unlike performers and components have not the same welfares and proficiencies, but nonetheless, intermingle compound ways to make policy tremendously difficult.  

Tort of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Tort of Law - Essay Example c injury to liability will also turn on questions relative to the duty of care and the extent to which that duty can be extended to Peggy and her injury was reasonably foreseeable.4 Ian’s possible defence turns on whether or not he can legitimately claim contributory negligence or non volenti fit injuria on the part of the victim: Ben.5 To begin with, a duty of care exists in cases where injury of the kind suffered is reasonably foreseeable, there is proximity between the parties, and the imposition of a duty of care is fair.6 In determining whether or not a duty of care exists it is also necessary to ascertain if the defendant assumed the duty of care and if the plaintiff could have reasonably relied on the fact that the defendant assumed the duty of care.7 In assessing the duty of care in potential claims against WTW and Marcus it is necessary to examine the duty of care in respect of claims for pure economic loss: monetary award where no physical damages are claimed.8 In Hedley Bryne v Heller, it was established that liability for pure economic loss in cases of negligent misstatement arise where the plaintiff is relying on the advice or information of the defendant based upon trust that the defendant will exercise a degree of care and knew or ought to have known that the plaintiff was relying on that information and/or advice.9 In addition, the defendant is required to have represented that he had the unique skills and knowledge with respect to the advice and/or information requested by the plaintiff.10 Based on the facts of the case for discussion there is no doubt that WTC held itself out has having a specific skill and knowledge: investment expertise. Through its agent, WTC as an investment business held itself out as having special investment skills that it ought to know Ian relied on in seeking its services with respect to investing his profits. Based on the special skill and expertise that WTC held itself out to have, the company ought to have known

James Cameron and his influence on the Movie Industry Research Paper

James Cameron and his influence on the Movie Industry - Research Paper Example James Cameron and his influence on the Movie Industry Credited for creation of legendary movies with unforgettable characters and special effects, James Cameron in his 31 year film career, has churned out epic blockbusters, breaking his own box office records. Right from the heart wrenching soft romance in 'Titanic', to breathless catastrophes in 'Terminator', his films have enchanted and captivated audiences worldwide. Throughout his career in the film industry, James Cameron has left an indelible mark on the history of entertainment, combining captivating special effects with inspiring and unforgettable storylines. A prominent entertainment figure, honored across the world by prestigious organizations, and listed in TIME magazine's top 100 influential people of the 20th century, James Cameron has greatly revolutionized and influenced the movie industry and culture, deserving even higher accolades, honor and recognition. Describing James Cameron's days as a young boy, Tom Shone, author of Blockbuster: How Hollywood Learned to Stop Worr ying and Love the Summer, writes: As a boy in Chippawa, Ontario, James Cameron once sent some mice over the edge of Niagara Falls in a small submersible made from old mayonnaise jars, an Erector Set and a paint bucket. Another time, he made a hot-air balloon out of a dry-cleaning bag and some candles, floating it down the street until someone reported it as a U.F.O. and called the Fire Department. Together with the young Steven Spielberg’s experiments in civic alarum-raising — locking himself in the bathroom until the Phoenix Fire Department was summoned — Cameron’s excursions suggest two interlocking propositions: (1) If you want to know who is going to grow up to be a box-office titan, check out the rec ­ords of your local Fire Department. And (2) nobody should be surprised if Balloon Boy turns into the proud auteur behind Terminator Resurrection: This Time With Feeling. (Shone) I am the king of the World James Cameron, lifting his Oscar Statuette for the movie 'Titanic' on the night of March 23 , in the Shrine Auditorium, shouted, "I am the King of the World". The highest grosser worldwide, Titanic went on to win 11 Academy Awards. The movie's successful run at the box office worldwide breaking all records, set all naysayers to rest. Being the most expensive movie ever made, going $100m over budget, it was speculated that the movie was doomed to flop. Contrary to his other movies, which were mostly sci-fi, with hard action and thrill, Titanic was different from his previous works. "Titanic, however, was something else altogether, and, particularly in its appeal to women, almost unfathomable in its emotional power" (Goodwin). The movie's overwhelming success established James Cameron as the king of Hollywood, leaving the audience crooning 'My Heart will go on'. A Visionary "An audacious visionary who developed new film technologies midstream in order to turn his creative visions into film reality, director James Cameron was cred ited with single-handedly resurrecting a once-dead science fiction genre, thanks to the timeless success of "The Terminator" (1984) and "Aliens" (1986)" (Yahoo movies). True to his reputation, James Cameron could bring the dead back to life in his movies. Beginning with ' Xenogenesis', followed by the ' The Abyss', 'Aliens', the 'Terminator' series and then 'Avatar', Hollywood science fiction has finally arrived. Avatar, a 3D digital movie, was his ambitious foray into 3D film making, a genre still in its nascent stage, where many other

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - The ways it has been changed Essay

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - The ways it has been changed - Essay Example There is tremendous reason to expect that the development of information technology will considerably affect the trade-offs intrinsic in various structures for organizing work, the theoretical basis for these changes remains badly understood. According to the website som.csudh.edu, in the age of information, technology is in the forefront in the way we work and communicate. Many companies must now conform to the needs of many to satisfy the few. No longer is money the only criteria for companies to survive. Challenges such as global competition, technological innovation and customer service persist more so today than any other era. In order for the companies to exist in the industry and preserve what they can, they have taken a bold step in reorienting themselves. One way of doing this is through the use of Information Technology (IT) which can be defined as "computer and telecommunications hardware and software that aid in the processing, collection, and transmission of text, voice, and pictorial information" (Lahti, 1994, p. 1). With this technology, I as an employee can do my work virtually anywhere and at anytime that IT allows. The fundamentals of technology allow me to explore many ways of providing accurate and ac cessible information. The organization must form an infrastructure that will be incorporated into the corporations for its survival. Technology has played a most important role in shaping an organizational structure and processes, and is one of the main catalysts for organizational change. Technological innovation in the factory and office has accelerated lately and foreign competitors have been adopting these innovations promptly and effectively. Unless, companies do the same, they will be at huge disadvantage. Many of the barriers to effective use of new technology are managerial and organizational, rather than technological. For instance in my work we are still semi-computerized, we are still using manual operation in some instances, because of that our report used in meetings or for decision making is not updated. This means that organizational structure is directly associated to the usefulness of technology. The terms, organizational structure and information technology, are subject to various interpretations. Management teams in the 1980's keenly anticipated that new technology would answer the organization problems. Information technology, a term broadly used, is seldom defined. Information refers to the use of two or more elements of data. Information is subject to broad interpretation. In most organizations, on the other hand, data and information are used interchangeability. Organization refers to a group of people working together towards a common goal or objective. Structure is the summary of the ways in which a firm's labor is directed and coordinated into tasks. This definition of organization leads to the supposition that there exists a division of labor. The classical organizational model, the Elite model, was constructed over 50 years ago. Some organizations still follow this model that stresses stability, centralization, division of labor, and command and control. Technology has also influenced the organizational structure. Organizations of the past had cultures that reflect the values of bigness, hierarchy, and rigidity, have little craving to upgrade their technological equipment. Because of these unyielding and inflexible hierarchical structures, U.S.

Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Death Penalty - Essay Example It shall discuss the different legal and academic papers which support this position and shall focus on the following issues surrounding the imposition of capital punishment: whether or not its administration is affected by race and whether or not it actually deters the commission of crimes. These concerns are crucial in determining the appropriate application of capital punishment and would help this student arrive at a logical conclusion to this paper. In Supreme Court of Louisiana No. 98-KA-1078 v. Allen Snyder (1998), Louisiana Supreme Court Justice J. Johnson entered his dissenting opinion to the court’s decision by firmly stating that he would â€Å"have more confidence in the fair-mindedness of this jury and the jury’s pronouncement of the death sentence, had the state not used its peremptory challenges to exclude every African American juror, resulting in an all white jury for this black defendant†. His statement provides one of the crucial reasons why the death penalty should be abolished in all fifty US states. There have been various instances of cases involving discriminatory juries. Such instances include the â€Å"Texas shuffle†, where African American jurors were not allowed to be part of the jury in death penalty cases (Miller-El v. Cockrell, 2003). District attorneys have a belief that black jurors often have doubts about a defendant’s liability for killing and that they also belie ve that such defendants are remorseful of their crimes regardless of their seemingly uncaring behavior. On the other hand, white jurors see these defendants as dangerous. And black jurors feel that the white jurors do not actually comprehend the environment where the black defendant comes from (Amnesty International, 2009). In a paper by Loury (2001) he assessed the trend in the felony division jury trials in Cook County Circuit Court between January 1 and June 30,

Identification of Country Specific Social Infrastructure Problems Essay Example for Free

Identification of Country Specific Social Infrastructure Problems Essay Having a sound understanding on the economic procedures of different nations can greatly help each one of them to combat internal social problems. With the establishment of international organizations to assist poor countries in structuring their societies, it is of utmost importance to provide them with the basic facts of the dilemmas experienced by low-performing economies. A great deal to support the functional institutions is to assist them in coming up with a credible and non-biased sets of facts about the countries which they intend to assist. Â   Apparently, there are some cases in which monetary assistances do not actually reach the full potential of social projects due to inevitable factors such as inefficient fund allocation, corruption and unidentified resolution effects. In this aspect, it is very important to have a reliable source of information about the priority problems of each country in terms of social infrastructure building. Objectives The main objective of the research proposal is to come up with a reliable database which will tabulate the economic problems of each underdeveloped economy. These information will be used to support the programs of international funding organizations such as IMF and the World Bank. These databases will incorporate the designation of a single standard outline which will then effectively identify the problems of the states, the key priority acts in resolving them and the estimated enough allocation of funds. Methodology In order to have a database of country profiles, it is necessary to collect data at the lowest parameter of the study-the countries themselves. Primarily, each country has its own varying degrees of social law implementation which addresses the supposedly obvious problems of each economy. 1. Global Identification of Developing/Underdeveloped countries. The list of countries belonging in these segments is available from the United Nations’ country data profile. This may save the research procedure some time and financial resources since countries will be narrowed down into a specific list. 2. After the gathering of country profiles, the next approach is to retrieve data values from respective government agencies of each country through personal office visits, e-mail transmission or telephone and telefax reception of data. The main facts which will be needed are yearly budget allocation for social welfare programs, population of each country, GDP rates, specific population of women and children, government yearly spending on health care and general infrastructure budget allocation which are all basically used as country performance indicators (Cool Fire Technology, 2004). These values will be tabulated on a computer program for easy filtering and ranking of data values in prioritizing specific country concerns. 3. Upon the retrieval of the designated data, they will then be compared to the instructional references of the World Bank or IMF to identify which of the countries will most likely need to get assistances from the two international organizations. Afterwards, a full recommendation for assistance may be requested from them to highlight the importance of helping the countries based on the specific country profile report gathering. Timeline The procedures involving the retrieval of country specific data may be regarded as the most extensive and most demanding factor in terms of time frame allocation. This procedure is projected to cover at least three to four months. If the latest country data is available from reliable resources, then those data will be used instead of conducting country specific data retrieval and interviews. On the procedures which involve the submission of reports to the funding agencies, the time expected for completion is at least two weeks after the end of country specific database construction.

Elllmer Essay Example for Free

Elllmer Essay To see all NGO’s go in this website http://www. pcnc. com. ph Caloocan Community Score Cards (CSC): A Tool for Social Accountability to be Tested in Bulacan, Caloocan, Pasay and Quezon  City September 28, 2009 Citizen’s engagement should be promoted in all fronts. It is our right to take part in decision-making process, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policies, programs and services. People have the right to transparent, accountable and participative governance, both at the national and local level. Accountability in governance can be defined as the obligation of power holders to account for or take responsibility for their actions. â€Å"Power holders† are those who hold political, financial, or other forms of power, including officials in government, private corporations, international financial institutions and civil society organizations. Social accountability is a â€Å"an approach towards building accountability that relies on civic engagement, i. e. in which ordinary citizens and/or civil society organizations participate directly or indirectly in exacting accountability.   It also  Ã¢â‚¬Å"refers to the broad range of actions and mechanisms (beyond voting) that citizens can use to help government be more effective and accountable, as well as actions on the part of government, civil society, media and other societal actors that promote or facilitate these efforts† Furthermore, social accountability is a process of constructive engagement between citizen g roups and government, a means to check and monitor the conduct and performance of public officials in their use of public resources; and a mechanism towards delivering better services, improving people’s welfare, and protecting people’s rights. One approach to promote social accountability is through the development of Community Score Cards (CSC). In a training conducted by CPE for 40 community leaders in Quezon City, Caloocan City, City of San Jose del Monte and Pasay City (thanks to FES for supporting the activity), Ms. Corrine Canlas enlightened the group on the concepts and practice of CSC. (CPE will publish a manual on CSC within October 2009 as a result of the workshop-training held). According to Ms. Canlas, CSC is ? a tool to generate â€Å"demand-side† information to enhance social accountability. It can also raise awareness and promote local-level mobilization and organization. Also, it can produce meaningful information and analysis which can be understood by all stakeholders and go beyond mere protest to evidence-based dialogues. The main objective of the CSC is to influence the quality, efficiency and accountability of public services provided at the local level. CSC can also be a follow-up or a continuing activity for Barangay Development Planning through Participatory Learning and Action (BDP-PLA). Based on experience, CSC can produce the following outcomes: * Downward accountability of service providers * Empowerment of local service users * Enhanced transparency * Enhanced sensitivity of service users to providers’ constraints * Evidence of service performance   and * Agreements on local reforms Pilot testing of CSC as a social accountability mechanism for planning, monitoring and evaluation will be tested in Barangay 91 Pasay City; Barangay Graceville, City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; in Barangay Pasong Putik Proper, Quezon City; and in Barangay 176 (Bagong Silang), Caloocan   City. Source: http://urbangov. wordpress. com/tag/participatory-governance/ Bayanihan Sa Kalunsuran (BAKAL II): Reducing Poverty in the Philippines through Participatory Urban Governance September 8, 2009 In the National Capital Region, the BAKAL 2 Project will be implemented in three cities: Quezon City, Pasay City and Caloocan City. In Quezon City, the project partner will be the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL)- Women which will be implemented in Barangay Pasong Putik Proper. The co-production program will focus in livelihood development. The project will also ensure that the programs pledged by the city government in support of the barangay development program created by the POs and NGOs in the barangay will be delivered. In Pasay City, the program will focus on integrated health development program which will particularly promote participatory feeding program, community-based primary health program by using alternative means (acupuncture, herbal medicines), and solid waste management program. Housing concerns will also be addressed, which was evidently expressed as a priority need of the residents. During the participatory planning process, they analyzed and realized that  securing housing and land rights will pave way for the improved delivery of basic utilities such as water and electricity. Through the leadership of Punong Barangay Nilo Ilarina , Barangay 91, where the project will be implemented, has initiated a process of participatory barangay development planning (see related story). In Caloocan City, the project will be implemented in Barangay 176 or popularly known as Bagong Silang, which is considered as the biggest   barangay in the Philippines , ith around one million population. It became a resettlement area during the administration of former President Marcos. Bakal 2 will help in promoting health and nutrition, especially among the children in the various day care centers operating in the barangay. Bakal 2 will be implemented in two years, which is being supported by the One World Action (OWA), a London –based campaign organization on good governance a nd women empowerment. Source: http://urbangov. wordpress. com/tag/bakal/ Las Pinas Composting or production of organic fertilizer from wet garbage. July 2007- August 12, 2010 Each of the 20 barangays in Las Pinas City now has at least one composting facility. One rotary composter can process the wet garbage of around 500 families or households. Since July 2007, vermi-composting is now being done in two barangays. Producing 400 kilograms a week, each location sells their produce to farmers in a nearby province as alternative fishmeal aside from organic fertilizer. It helps reduce the amount of biodegradable waste and contributes to the promotion of organic farming. On August 12, 2010 a â€Å"re-cycling day† was launched in five barangays, engaging residents to sell their recyclables to junkshop owners. There is now a monthly â€Å"re-cycling day† in all 20 barangays of the city. Category 1. Las Pinas-Zapote River System Rehabilitation Programme, Philippines December 13, 2002- August 2010 Collection of floating garbage in Las Pinas-Zapote River SystemThe Sagip Ilog (River rehabilitation) program was launched on December 13, 2002. Within the 56-kilometer stretch of Las Pinas-Zapote River System, 30 kilometers are being regularly cleaned. This involves daily collection of floating garbage, as well as the installation of steel garbage traps/wire mesh strainers in the Las Pinas and Zapote rivers to filter the waste/debris. From 2002 to 2005, 9,070 residents from various communities along the river system in Las Pinas City, Paranaque City and Bacoor, Cavite were trained on ecological solid waste and river management. Some of them were designated river watch volunteers. The local government officials and nearby communities actively participated in the information drive and capacity building activities. To date, there are 3,120 trained and active volunteers. The volunteers were organized into different river watch teams in the areas that border on the rivers. In 2001, the Coastal Environment Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) replanted bamboo species, locally known as kawayang tinik, to rehabilitate the Marikina and Las Pinas Rivers. These rivers which are both situated in Metro Manila are major contributors to the rapid environmental degradation of Manila Bay. Five kilometers of the said river system were targeted for re-greening using bamboos, mangroves and other related species for soil erosion control. To highlight this effort, two separate portions of the riverbanks were developed into â€Å"bambusetums†, planted with various species of endemic/exotic bamboos. As of August 2010, 10,000 bamboo culms are already planted on the riverbanks measuring 20 kilometers. Re-greening of the river banks minimized soil erosion that caused siltation of the river system. The propagation of culms from the 37 species of bamboos available in the area, have been sources of income through the harvesting of matured poles, sold to interested handicraft/furniture makers. This is aside from the jobs provided by the program to some 62 workers for the river dredging, clean-up, and re-greening activities. Source: http://www. un. org/waterforlifedecade/winners2011. shtml Makati A better future for 4000 Filipino farmers: a project helps to Increase rice yields by 1MT/ha Makati City, 7 July 2011 * The â‚ ¬ 1 billion food facility program was launched by the European Union in 2008 to help developing countries move towards long * term food security. Total EU Assistance to the Philippines under this program is â‚ ¬ 31 million covering eight projects nationwide. Of this amount, â‚ ¬ 4. 2 million (264 million PHP) was granted to FAO to support the Philippine Government in helping poor farmers in rain * fed areas grow more food and adopt sound water management and farming practices The project supports 3,600 small * Scale vulnerable farming households in Regions I and III, namely in Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Bulacan , areas which were also affected by the floods in September and October 2009. The project likewise focuses on strengthening capacity at all levels, including the Government’s institutional capacity to expand small * scale irrigation systems to more rice farm ers in rain * fed areas. Around 4000 beneficiary farmers have seen their yield increase by 1MT/ha and incremental production for all crops across cropping seasons was valued at P94. 6 million ( USD 2. 2 million) for project sites. A National Dissemination Workshop and Press Conference is organised on 7 July 2011 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pasay City to present the results of this very successful project. The project used the Farmer Field School (FFS) to transmit knowledge through a participatory approach to technology by sharing and adoption of water management as the focus to maximize the use of the small * Scale irrigation systems (SSIS). The project also provided SSIS to the small farmers participating in the FFS to secure irrigation water thereby decrease ng dependence on rain and avoiding costs incurred from renting pumps. The project ends on a high note after its 18 * Month implementation in the provinces of Pangasinan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac covering 35 municipalities and 143 villages . High yields across the five provinces highlighted the FFS on SSIS and Palay (rice) Check during the wet season 2010. The average rice yield increase obtained was about 1MT/ha, brought about by the use of certified rice seeds and training on integrated n utrient and pest managements through the FFS. During the dry season, crop diversification was intensified and complemented by the provision of small * Scale irrigation systems (mostly shallow tube wells or STWs and small farm reservoirs or SFRs). Following the integrated crop management systems (ICM), 24% average yield increase was recorded for rice (for both cropping seasons), 23% for corn and 24% for vegetable production for dry season compared to last year’s produce. The strategy of using the FFS platfo rm complemented the provision of SSIS to the farmer * Beneficiaries so that farmers needed to complete the two cycles of FFS in order to qualify to own a SSIS. Farmers share the cost of the SSIS using cluster ownership approach through the rent * To -own scheme. About 3 * 5 farmers with adjacent farms and one hectare land holding each can be qualified to own an engine and pump set including the drilling for STW, SFR, dugwell, reinforced concrete pipes or deep setting. The SSIS is subsidized at 50% and the remaining 50% is paid by farmers. After full payment, the farmers are issued a Certificate of Full Ownership. With this scheme, the project ensures ownership and sustainability of the SSIS equipment. Malabon CAMANAVA Flood Control Project as Pilot Site December 11, 2012 The launch took place at the Bangkulasi Pumping Station in Navotas City. The Pumping Station forms part of the bigger CAMANAVA (Caloocan – Malabon – Navotas – Valenzuela) Flood Control Project. Worth P4 billion, the CAMANAVA project was chosen as the first participatory audit pilot exercise. It will be implemented by COA in cooperation with selected civil society organizations (CSOs) and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The choice of the flood control project as a pilot site reflects the government’s intention to shed light on project implementation issues by engaging and empowering the citizens and residents to demand accountability from the government through close monitoring and scrutiny of the use of project funds. The launch culminated with a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement among COA, DBM, DPWH and selected CSOs. It also included a pledge of mutual support between COA and CSOs. Additional participatory audit initiatives will be undertaken in 2013 throughout the Philippines. The lessons and experiences gained from these pilots will help determine the framework of a permanent participatory audit program within COA. Mandaluyong Breastfeeding Patrol March 2007 In 2007, Dr Sabalvaro petitioned theUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Mandaluyong City Department of Health, Centre for Health Development, to sponsor IYCF training for the local breastfeeding group. Upon completion of the training, the mayor held a public gathering where the group pledged their commitment to breastfeeding education. They christened themselves ‘Breastfeeding Patrol’, a name that reflects their tactic of Moving â€Å"There was quietly through the community with an Infectious interest [and asserting] themselves to their neighbours† (Sabalvaro, 2009). Within One year they had persuaded all of the sari? Sari (sundry) Shops within the barangay stop selling formula. Since then, BF Patrol has grown to include women –and A few men From five other Blocks Of Welfareville. Nutrition Committees Of nearby barangays have also started similar advocacy groups, but Breastfeeding Patrol Remains the most well known in the area. Dr Sabalvaro Credits its success to the fact that the group was tarted by local residents, rather than as a government initiative. Block 37, She says, is the only block in the barangay that the milk companies just don’t bother with anymore. Some of Breastfeeding Patrol’s other achievements include successfully lobbying for breastfeeding stations at the mall and in the offices of major employers, such as Globe Telecom. But BF Patrol’s greatest strength is that its volunteers are a resource that is firmly rooted in the community. The Mother volunteers (and A few father volunteers, and one grandfather volunteer) are active socially and stay alert to any new pregnancies among their neighbors. Many New mothers seek them out, especially when they have decided to return. Manila Marikina Muntinlupa PHILIPPINE SANITATION ALLIANCE (PSA) PROJECT 2007 CHALLENGE Poor governance and weak enforcement of existing laws and regulations results in environmental degradation in the Philippines. While the Clean Water Act of 2004 requires the development of sewage and septage treatment systems, implementation requires capacity building and technical assistance. The private sector needs to be engaged, and the capacity of local government units (LGUs) and water districts has to be strengthened for them to develop effective and sustainable sanitation programs. INITIATIVE The USAID Philippine Sanitation Alliance (PSA), which ran from 2007 to 2011, worked with LGUs, water districts and private sector partners to develop affordable ways to protect biodiversity and reduce public health risks through improved sanitation. With assistance from the PSA, cities, water districts and private companies built treatment facilities using appropriate technology. Projects included low-cost, low-maintenance treatment facilities for public markets, slaughterhouses, hospitals and low-cost housing; and city-wide programs to properly maintain septic tanks (septage management). Cities developed effective promotion campaigns to increase willingness to pay for sanitation services and reduce the incidence of diarrhea through proper hygienic practices, particularly handwashing. Governance was also strengthened to reduce threats to biodiversity as LGUs worked to control wastewater discharges to coastal and freshwater ecosystems. PSA was part of a USAID initiative called the Global Development Alliance. The PSA assists partners through: Participatory planning workshops to develop action plans; Technical assistance to develop infrastructure and local ordinances; Information sharing for nationwide replication through national associations of cities, hospitals, hotels and restaurants, and housing developers; Site visits to learn about best practices and affordable options; Information and resource materials on technology and financing options; Training on how to develop effective promotion campaigns using a toolkit; and Sharing project results and lessons learned in local and national conferences. Under the USAID-Rotary International Water Alliance program the PSA worked in partnership with Rotary clubs and districts to implement a septage management and sewerage project in San Fernando, La Union. A second project improved water quality, access to toilets, solid waste management and health in the Pasig River System in Metro Manila. During four years of implementation, the PSA worked with its partners to provide more than 1. 4 million people with access to improved sanitation, leveraged more than $4 million in cash and in kind investments in sanitation infrastructure and activities, and trained more than 5,400 people. Some of the project results included: Onsite wastewater treatment: public and private sector partners financed 41 onsite wastewater treatment facilities for housing developments, public markets, hospitals, slaughterhouses and commercial centers; Septage management: facilitated the first city-wide septage management program in the Philippines funded jointly by the city government and water district of Dumaguete. Septic tanks are being desludged on a five-year cycle and the program will achieve full cost recovery in about five years. Five other septage management programs are in various stages of development; and Hygiene promotion: assisted partners in planning and implementing effective handwashing promotion campaigns for children with measurable results, and partners passed ordinances requiring soap and water in public restrooms. In Manila, community members decided to work together to end open defecation to protect public health and increase tourism in the historic district of Sta. Ana. ALLIANCE PARTNERS The Philippine Sanitation Alliance included ten cities (Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Malaybalay, Meycauayan, Muntinlupa, Naga, Sta. Rosa, Zamboanga), and four water districts (Calamba, Cebu, Davao and Laguna). Private sector companies and associations included Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Max’s Restaurants, C TRADE, Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations (CREBA), the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP), and the Philippine Hospital Association. Technical resource partners included Engineers without Borders and BORDA, a German NGO. Other NGOs included Gawad Kalinga (low-cost housing) and the Blacksmith Institute (pollution remediation). The PSA coordinated closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Local Water Utilities Administration, Mindanao Economic Development Council, World Bank, and the Philippine Ecological Sanitation Network. Navotas CAMANAVA Flood Control Project as Pilot Site December 11, 2012 The launch took place at the Bangkulasi Pumping Station in Navotas City. The Pumping Station forms part of the bigger CAMANAVA (Caloocan – Malabon – Navotas – Valenzuela) Flood Control Project. Worth P4 billion, the CAMANAVA project was chosen as the first participatory audit pilot exercise. It will be implemented by COA in cooperation with selected civil society organizations (CSOs) and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The choice of the flood control project as a pilot site reflects the government’s intention to shed light on project implementation issues by engaging and empowering the citizens and residents to demand accountability from the government through close monitoring and scrutiny of the use of project funds. The launch culminated with a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement among COA, DBM, DPWH and selected CSOs. It also included a pledge of mutual support between COA and CSOs. Additional participatory audit initiatives will be undertaken in 2013 throughout the Philippines. The lessons and experiences gained from these pilots will help determine the framework of a permanent participatory audit program within COA. COA Encourages Greater Citizen Engagement in the Audit of Government Programs 11 December 2012 The Commission on Audit (COA) launched the Citizen Participatory Audit project on 26 November in Navotas City. The project aims to enhance transparency and accountability in government, particularly in the use of public funds through greater public involvement in the audit process. Implemented in partnership with the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP) and funded by the Philippines-Australia Public Financial Management Program (PFMP), the project seeks to raise citizen’s awareness and understanding of the Commission’s mandate, functions and operations. It also provides a venue for citizen engagement with COA personnel in the review and scrutiny of government expenditures. Paranaque 2007 BURSARY AWARD Title: Making food Go Further: Hunger Mitigation, Urban Food Security Project With soaring food prices and rice production shortfalls, more and more Filipino families are falling into poverty and experiencing hunger. Results of a survey con ducted by the Social Weather Stations in the second quarter of 2008 revealed that 2. 9 million Filipino families said they were suffering from hunger. The National Capital Region, which includes Paranaque City, posted the highest â€Å"self-rated† hunger incidence of 22. According to the Philippines Food and Nutrition Research Institute, there was a significant increase in the cases of underweight children from 24. 6 percent in 2005 to 26. 2 percent in 2008. The malnutrition cases are highest in some provinces in Mindanao, Southern Tagalog, and Eastern Visayas. The same areas where high percentage of self-rated hunger was found (SWS, 2008). FNRI (2008) pointed out that the increase in malnutrition cases is brought primarily by the rising food prices and so less food intake. Rice prices have increased by an average of 28 percent since December 2007, prompting two * thirds of Filipino families to reduce food spending and consumption. About one in four families have already cut back on rice spending/consumption, which could eventually have a telling effect on household nutritional status given that rice accounts for up to 20 percent of total food expenditures and is the bulk of the Filipino diet. With this unfolding scenario * and the reality that one third of the total Philippine population Lives in Poverty * it is unlikely that the country’s hunger situation will drastically improve in the Foreseeable future. In the Philippines, food insecurity is exacerbated by large family size, particularly in poor households. The average family size in the city of Paranaque is 5 higher than the national average of 4. 2. Data from the 2006 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) showed that a five-Person family in the National Capital Region (NCR), where Paranaque City is located, has an average annual income of Php 313,000 ($6,388). Historical data shows that poverty incidence increases as families grow. According to the 2003 FIES, families with six or more members had double-digit subsistence (food poor) incidence compared to families with five or fewer members. 2. Goals amp; Objectives The intervention goal is to mitigate hunger and malnutrition among families and children. The assumption of the intervention is based on the conceptual framework of food security and the theory of change. That is people get hungry and subsequently may become malnourished when there is no food or they have no access to food and they utilize inadequate and inappropriate food. This is addressed by way families and children produce their own food in schools, households, and communities to ensure they have access to healthy and nutritious food. Based also on the assumption that when families are producing their own food they can have savings to buy other food needs that they do not produce. This way, families especially mothers have food items to contribute, from their own food gardens and from savings, to ollectively feed their malnourish children. 3. Key Activities Integrated School, Household and Community Food Production to Ensure Access to Healthy and Nutritious Food. This intervention is only a component of Making Food Go Further: Mitigating Hunger and Ensuring Future Resilience and Stronger Households in the Philippines Program. The main intervention focuses on building the capacity of beneficiaries in schools, households and communities to address food availability and nutrition issues. This is being done through two key activities: organic food production at schools, homes and communities; and the implementation of an integrated community approach to addressing malnourished children. 1. Small-scale, diversified organic food production at schools, homes and communities Parents, students, teachers, community leaders, and government officials and agency heads were trained on how to produce organic crops, fish, and vegetables using the Permaculture1 approach. The trainings have always hands -on activities and done on site and during learning visits to different organic production systems. Participants were also trained on how to do seed banking, organicfertilizers and pesticides making to ensure they will have seeds and organic inputs for the succeeding benefits of organically produced foods to the family and children during community meetings. Though organic food production is laborious by nature, the approach done to encourage families to practice organic food production was by mobilizing small groups of organic gardening enthusiasts in the community to demonstrate that a small * Scale (based on the family’s capacity and the availability of area at home, schools, and community) vegetable gardening using Perm culture approach can really produce organic foods. This approach designs a food production system that does not exploit or pollute the environment. It uses only organic production inputs that create a natural ecological balance in a particular location. It promotes the creation of a Harmonious relationship between plants, buildings, animals and Infrastructures on the way these are place in the landscape. Sufficiency at home and not for commercial purposes. This way they can be efficient with the available labor they have in the family to grow organic vegetables. The project also emphasized that savings from not using expensive chemical inputs also serve as income for the family which can be used to buy other food items and for other investment of the family. This is aside from the health amp; nutrition benefits of using organic inputs. To intensify the promotion of organic food production at schools, households, and communal areas, a food gardening competition was implemented. All the criteria used were consistent to the Perm culture principles so that participants are actually doing organic food production practices. A regular valuation activities and participatory monitoring and evaluation of the progress of food gardening at the three levels are done through the project management team composed of all the partners and stakeholders from the community, schools, and local government units including community health units. In all the activities and phases of organic food production, all the partners and stakeholders are always given the leadership in planning, decision-making, and implementation of plans and decisions. The project management team which is led by the project beneficiaries is the venue where they discuss, decide, and agree to collectively work as a team as they address the same targets—hungry families and malnourish children. Small -scale organic food gardening give women and men of a household the opportunity to work together to increase food availability. This was done through scheduling of works and responsibilities based on their capacity. The small-scale food gardening enabled women and men to participate in areas where they choose they are capable of doing for them to produce and access food. The products from the schools, households and group/communal food gardens become source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals of beneficiaries. These include but not limited to fish, mushrooms, legumes and lentils (e. g. string beans, mung bean, winged bean) , root crops (e. g. cassava, taro), corn, leafy and green vegetables (drumstick tree, pechay, mustard, spinach, amaranth, swamp cabbage, Malabarnightshade)yellow vegetables (e. . squash), fruit vegetables (tomato, eggplant, pepper), and edibleherbs (e. g. oregano, basil, mints). Pasay 2007 Philippine Child Friendly Cities and Communities Research:Community Assessment in Barangay 156, Pasay City The Philippine Child Friendly Cities Assessment Research is part of a global research initiative to assess the child friendliness of communities, from the perspective of c hildren and parents. Barangay 156 in Pasay City is one of two communities in Metro Manila selected for the assessment researching which this report is based The research report discusses the degree of child friendliness of Barangay 156 and provides an evaluation of the research tools and procedures utilized for the community study. Background of the Philippine CFC Research assessing the degree of child friendliness of cities and communities is one of the nine building blocks of the global Child Friendly Cities (CFC) Initiative launched over a decade ago. Although a number of assessment tools were developed to monitor child rights, these assessments came from the perspectives of individuals and groups working outside of communities. Largely missing were the views and opinions of community members, including children. To help bridge this gap, a research initiative involving the participation of several institutions namely Child watch International, City University of New York? s Children’s Environments Research Group, Bernard Van Leer Foundation, UNICEF? s Innocent Research Centre and Adolescent Development and Participation Section, New York, UNICEF country offices and local research institutions in eleven countries have collaborated to carry out a participatory assessment research. The CFC global research seeks to improve the conditions of children living in cities and communities of different types by (1) enhancing the capacity of cities and communities to better assess and monitor their level of fulfillment of children’s rights with the participation of the children themselves; (2) improving the quality and breadth of data collected on children by children and their mothers to better inform policies and programs; (3) raising awareness on children’s rights among city stakeholders like children, caregivers, community members, and local leaders; and (4) refining the action-research tools for appropriate action in cities/communities in different socio-economic, cultural and political contexts. The Philippines is one of 11 countries participating in the CFC research. The specific objectives of the Philippine CFC research are (1) to collect data and provide an analysis of the conditions of children by children and mothers in two selected cities and communities, and the governance structures and processes available to respond to their needs, and (2) to contribute to applying and refining the research toolkits and guides by using them in a range of communities, observing the process and how the data are subsequently used for community planning and advocacy, as well as contributing to the overall municipal data base on the conditions of children Pasig Quezon San Juan Taguig Valenzuela CAMANAVA Flood Control Project as Pilot Site December 11, 2012 The launch took place at the Bangkulasi Pumping Station in Navotas City. The Pumping Station forms part of the bigger CAMANAVA (Caloocan – Malabon – Navotas – Valenzuela) Flood Control Project. Worth P4 billion, the CAMANAVA project was chosen as the first participatory audit pilot exerc ise. It will be implemented by COA in cooperation with selected civil society organizations (CSOs) and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The choice of the flood control project as a pilot site reflects the government’s intention to shed light on project implementation issues by engaging and empowering the citizens and residents to demand accountability from the government through close monitoring and scrutiny of the use of project funds. The launch culminated with a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement among COA, DBM, DPWH and selected CSOs. It also included a pledge of mutual support between COA and CSOs. Additional participatory audit initiatives will be undertaken in 2013 throughout the Philippines. The lessons and experiences gained from these pilots will help determine the framework of a permanent participatory audit program within COA. Pateros Wells Project: recreation 2012 Douglas PUD has helped fund and develop the existing parks and recreation facilities adjacent to Wells Project lands and waters in the City of Pateros. These facilities include Peninsula Park, Memorial Park, tennis courts, two separate concrete boat launches, parking, a fish cleaning station and restrooms. Peninsula Park is located near the confluence of the Methow and Columbia rivers. It includes a gazebo, paved walking path, covered picnic shelter, swimming beach, restroom facilities, playground equipment, and lagoon and lawn area. Memorial Park is located in Pateros along the Columbia River. It includes three covered picnic shelters, fishing and ski docks, vehicle parking, interpretive displays, restroom facilities, a fish cleaning station and a developed waterfront trail. The waterfront trail extends along the waterfront from the concrete boat launch underneath the Highway 97 Bridge through Memorial Park to the Pateros City Hall. A second boat launch is located just upstream of Memorial Park on the main stem Columbia River.