Advice to Future Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Advice to Future Students - Essay Example Consequently, more efficient teaching strategies are developed. In the class setting, the student is required to develop a learning relationship with other students. The course requires training for an effective learning experience. Training can be done through personal effort of the in groups (Jennings 26). A student should, however, develop both training mechanism. Personal training entails personal studying and practice. This is done effectively in a private location. In addition, a student may reflect on the previous classes or focus on the future classes. This enables the students to transition one learning experience to another. Moreover, this provides student with sufficient knowledge of the classroom content. The course also requires practice in both oral and writing skills. Oral skills are acquired through communication with other student. Writing skills may be developed without aid. A student should also be able to access classroom resources such as reading and writing materials. This ensures a student keeps track of course development. With access to reading materials, a student is enabled to practice and refer to notes from previous lessons. In addition, learning resources improve the participation of students in the classroom setting. This significantly improves their learning

HRIS Vendor Analysis Essay Example for Free

HRIS Vendor Analysis Essay Competition is the hallmark of the modern market place and facilitating availability of information has become the tool with which to develop a competitive edge. As a result, the area of human resource information system has been enjoying enormous demand in the US. The popular drive to adopt human resource information systems comes from the need to develop a position of cost leadership. Because the human resource information systems facilitate the availability the information, it reduces costs of operations at the companies adopting the methods. However as the products and services of the five companies profiled here show, these systems, in addition to making the necessary information available, also automate some of the repetitive HR functions. As the profiles also demonstrate, the human resource information system is not just a question of automation, it is also a question of partnering with HR consultants to outsource tasks to more capable hands. For example, client organizations can outsource their payroll processing tasks to Paychex so that these organizations can free up resources to devote to strategic management. The question as to why human resource functions were among the first among business functions to be automated is easily answered. Relative to other business functions, the human resource functions have a more structured framework. For example, the function of payroll processing does not vary from time period to time period. Thus it is a waste of human talent to have human capital spending time in this area. In fact, due to the repetitive nature of the tasks of this sort, human error is all too likely. That is the reason companies like Trinet are offering total human resource solutions built on a platform of integrated technologies so that the part of human resource that is repetitive can be left to the digital prowess of computers. This frees up employee creativity and develops more human capital, giving the companies a competitive edge. However human resource management is not all repetitive. The task of strategic human resource management is the motivation of employees and that cannot be automated. However CheckPoint has a solution in this area in the form of self-service applications for employees and managers. Using these applications, the employees and the managers can answer their own questions. Thus this is a very good empowering tool. Using these applications, the employees and the managers can also evaluate different company benefits on their own and enroll as they see fit. Administaff offers a different business model according to which the company partners with client organizations to share HR functions. This is of strategic importance to the client organizations because by outsourcing HR functions, these organizations can focus on their core competencies and thus further hone their strategic focus. When it comes to adopting a human resource information system, the management of the organization contemplating this move has a major investment in its hands. Therefore it has to conduct an exhaustive cost benefit analysis which will indicate whether the benefits of adopting the system will outweigh the costs. Automation does not always pay off because the process of adoption is out of alignment with the strategic focus of the company. Therefore the management has to make sure that it is automating the human resource functions not just for the sake of automating, but for greater focus of resources on management of strategies for developing a competitive edge. Maintaining competitive edge means that the client organization will continue to change in terms of its work processes. At some point in its operations, the management might have to automate supply chain management as well. In that case, the human resource information system already existing must be integrated into the supply chain management system. Otherwise the company will end up with two different systems maintaining which will be prohibitive in terms of cost. Therefore if I were the management in the market for HRIS, I would want to know from the vendors whether the systems they are selling are flexible and scalable to accommodate different organizational structures. Profiles Name of Organization: Paychex, Inc. Website: http://www. paychex. com Key products and/or services provided: The company provides payroll processing services which allow client organizations to submit their payroll details via phone or web to local payroll specialists in the employ of Paychex. At the end of each period Paychex sends payroll packages containing all processed checks to the client organizations. The company also helps clients in the area of tax services and administration of employee benefits. Customer profile: the products and services described above are customized towards both small organizations with 49 or less employees and large organizations containing 50 or more employees. Indications of organization size: The company has offices all over the US and also in Germany. Currently it is serving approximately 561,000 businesses all over the US. Brief company history and background: It was founded in 1971. At the time there had been other payroll processors in the market. However none of them had been paying attention to smaller organizations with fewer than 100 employees. Yet these organizations constituted the majority of American businesses. Primary focus of operations: To offer outsourcing solutions for administrative tasks so that client organizations, both large and small, can free themselves of administrative hassles and focus on the bottom line. Recent financial performance: revenues in the year 2007 exceeded $1. 9 billion. Name of Organization: Administaff, Inc. Website: http://www. administaff. com/index. asp Key products and/or services provided: Administaff is a professional employer organization that in the form of strategic alliances with client organizations offers services in the areas of training and development, employer liability management, benefits and performance management, recruitment and selection, government compliance and employment administration. Administaff also has an e-business model which facilitates availability of information. Customer profile: the company provides these services mostly for white-collar and skilled blue-collar workers in industries where unemployment risks are low, such as technology, engineering, real estate, light manufacturing, banking, insurance etc. Indications of organization size: The company has 47 offices in 23 markets and is publicly traded on the NYSE. Brief company history and background: the company was established in the year 1986 in April. The current chairman and CEO is Paul J. Sarvadi. In 2003, Administaff was named in Fortune’s Most Admired American Companies for the fifth consecutive year. Primary focus of operations: Sharing of human resource management with client organization in the form of a co-employment relationship. Recent financial performance: 2006 revenues: $1. 4 billion. Name of Organization: TriNet. http://www.trinet.com/

Ethics In Law Enforcement Philosophy Essay

Ethics In Law Enforcement Philosophy Essay Character and ethics are the societys basic tenets. Without these tenets, human relations would become arbitrary and disorderly (Landauer Rowlands. 2001). They assist in interpersonal interactions, the creation of agreements and law enforcement. As such, the issue of ethics is a significant issue for people all over the world, more so in law enforcement. Law enforcers are anticipated to be above accusation in the sense that they should not act in a manner to open them up for accusations (Mignone, 2005). The public expects police officers to be excellent, to exhibit such disposition like being above all the actions that would make a lesser person corrupt. I carried out separate interviews with two police officers as the respondents in my hometown. Not many officers were willing to participate in the interview. I was lucky to have the pleasure of interviewing two law enforcers but on condition of anonymity. For that reason, the said officers will be herein referred to as respondent on e and respondent two. This paper tackles their responses to precise questions alongside my personal understanding of their replies. From my interviews, I got the impression that the two cops were somewhat proud of the ethical choices they make in their line of duty and were confident of always doing their best as law enforcement officers. The Significance of character and Ethics in the area of Law Enforcement When interviewing the first respondent, the following was found to be his perspective of the police force generally. On the importance of ethics and character in the field of law enforcement, he was of the opinion that ethics and character are inseparable. In law enforcement, the officer opined that there are numerous motives for doing the right thing. The first reason he offered was based on the public opinion, and this included their influence on young people who are growing to be citizens of the state and country. The respondent was of the opinion that if the law enforcers fail to have an excellent character they will fail in being a good role model. In fact, he postulated that if they set a bad example, the young citizens would grow to believe their actions are tolerable. For him, in order to enforce the law, it is necessary, first, to examine the things that possibly will sway them to conduct themselves in a poor manner. A law enforce should never allow anyone to alter their vie wpoint in an unconstructive way. According to this respondent, doing so would be falling short of exhibiting good character. When I asked the respondent what between ethics and character is more important, he retaliated that they are both inseparable, but ethics leads to character. However, it was not lost to the officer that one can present an impeccable character but when it comes to following the rules of ethics, fail miserably. According to the officer, the lure of small favors from honest citizens has the capability of influencing the choice of an officer. This can easily impair their judgments. For instance if a person gives a gift to an officer, then the cop is covertly anticipated to return the favor in the form of forms of safety, extra presence of officers, or even disgraceful actions such as letting someone off with a caution and not a ticket. When I asked the second respondent the same question, he presented me with insight into his position on the importance of good character and ethics. According to him, the field of law enforcement primarily involves numerous possible corruption situations. As such upholding of ethics and having a good character is paramount. An officer who catches a suspect with drugs on them can choose to do the ethical thing and show good a good character, which is turn the criminal in, or can let the criminal walk and confiscate the drugs, sell them and make money. An officer arresting a very abusing suspect can get mad and beat silence into him or show good character by doing the ethical thing, which is ignore him, cuff him and turn him in. The second respondent echoed the first one by opining that ethics and good character are so important in that law enforcers are meant to be role models for other citizens. He pointed out the double standards in doing what you are supposed to stop others from do ing. He pointed out the folly of arresting a person who does a crime that you (the officer) commit when off duty. To him police officers are assigned the duty of enforcing the laws and protecting the people. To him they are, and rightly so, held to a higher standard than the citizens are held. They should show others that they are not above the law and demonstrate, by their deeds, how to coexist in the society. The cops, according to him, should follow the laws alongside upholding ethics. Do the interviewees feel that in today, police have more ethics than they had ten years ago? When I presented this question to the first respondent, he seemed to feel that cops are more ethical today than they were a decade ago. This he attributed to extra and improved learning alongside improved leadership. According to him, police officers are nowadays armed with more apparatus and information that enables them to work in a more ethical way and uphold a good character. He points out the fact that a decade ago, law enforcers were not as closely monitored as they are today and were never expected to uphold the ethical standards they are presently expected to uphold. For example, then, a free gift like a cup of coffee was acknowledged by the law enforcers as freebies that they merited for offering services to a society. These small gifts are now recognized as bribes. More stress is being placed on ethics. Delattre, on the slippery incline of corruption, opines that it all starts with a minute thing, which leads to bigger acts until the acts, turn unlawful (2006). The second respondent had a similar response to this question to that of the first respondent. To him, the law enforcers are more ethical nowadays than a decade ago. This, he believes, is for the reason that the public is more watchful of the law enforcers than they were ten years ago. The cops know they are always being recorded on a camera, monitored, or reviewed. His contention, in my view, is that new technology has introduced novel methods of policing everyone. It ensures that officers stick to acceptable standards by introducing checks and balances that were non-existent ten years ago. Everybody, police included, is being watched. According to Delattre, (2006) the main shortcoming with this motivation for ethical conduct is that it is driven by apprehension for being discovered rather than the general ethics and character of the police force. Why do police officers become involved in misconduct? On the question of the reasons why law enforces get caught up in misconduct, the first respondent remarked that the cops he has known to be caught up in misconduct did so out of discontent. Discontent with their life and family alongside their work were cited. Niederhoffer, (1969) opines that loss of faith by the law enforcers in human kind normally generates private and departmental corruption. Cops find themselves not capable of making ends meet with their earnings. In high crime metropolis in which the cost of living is astronomical, police are incapable of paying their bills. The cops also discover that in such metropolis, they can get away with vices such as brutality, or skimming cash from drugs raids. This is so because no one will be willing to castigate an officer for beating up someone who has been selling drugs to their kid or notice a few dollar bills missing from cash from a drug bust as no one knew the original sum to start with. This respondent also hypothesizes that o fficers put in long hours among the worst elements society produces. They see their lifestyle, the money, and the trappings that crime comes with. Slowly they realize that they work more for far less and with their jobs, they will never achieve the material wealth the criminals have. When the second respondent is accosted with the same question, he was of the same opinion with the first officer. According to him, the police swear and desire to offer a safe environment for the society but at times things go haywire in his private life and that could affect his professional life. Personal feelings can, though should not, impair judgment. An officer just having a bad day or with some prejudice acquired in his private life could get themselves caught up in misconduct. This respondent also held the view that an officer can get involved in misconduct for the same reason others do. Officers are after all human. It was also not lost to this officer that the force screening procedure for new recruits is not perfect. A few less-than-ethical elements sneak through the fissures into the force. When they get into the force, they feel protected by the badge to do their misdeeds. The second respondent opined that the societys offhand approach towards unlawful acts at times rubs off on the law enforcers. The moment such an attitude is entrenched in mentality of the officer; it is only a matter of time before the officer commits the criminal acts. Do the interviewees feel that police are trained enough in ethics at the level of the police academy? If not, why is that? The first respondent, replied in the affirmative. The respondent pointed out that there is a recent upsurge in the teaching of Ethics for police officers in Police Academies in the country. This he attributed to a greater media and public awareness of allegations of Police Misconduct. He confirmed that there are both Recruit and In-Service level training for officers in ethics. In the officers opinion it was necessary to equip officers with all the laws and ethics, and train them on how to maintain character traits that are needed to become an excellent officer. When queried on the same issue, the second respondent had an opposite opinion. According to this officer, police in the country are loosing it. Their seniors need to sit back and reflect on the training methods in existence. The methods require either a complete overhaul, extension or a revamp as, in his opinion; they are not working. He went on to assert that some gangsters behave in a more ethical ways than some officers in the country do. He pointed a case of an officer dismissed from the force for molesting female victims of crimes. For him, this was a testimony that training on character traits and how to deal with ethical dilemmas was not effectively offered. Anson, (1983) states that instruction in ethics for police has to be more specific and considerate of time limits. It is however important to note that this respondent was a veteran in the force and therefore may have not been aware of the new methods of training in the force colleges. Should ethics training be offered as continual process for law enforcement officers? The first respondent indentified the need to provide ethics training as a continuous process for law enforcement officers. In his view, an officer can never can never know a lot neither can he or she know it all. He impressed on me the need to learn or refresh novel methods to manage every day unique challenges. Officers must progress their awareness continuously; they must endeavor to uphold a high level of knowledge. The respondent suggested formal sittings as excellent method of teaching new ideas to solve new problems that may crop up. The respondent, in my view, was open-minded, could do whatever is necessary to advance his awareness of ethical conduct, and would recommend the same for the force. Unfortunately, as Delattre (2006) correctly points out scholars are not automatically people of good disposition. Ethics can be taught and drilled; however, the scholars must be of good character and ready to accept the teachings. They must be willing to act in the ethical behavior in w hich they are being trained. The second respondent opined that ethics training should be offered as a continual process for police officers, however, it is important to understand no matter for how long you teach people of bad character they will never take in the teachings. He was on the opinion that there were persons in the job merely for the power. The veteran cop recalls seeing individuals who appeared to be of excellent character at the time when they began work only to disgrace the badge later in their career. These officers started swashbuckling around acting in a manner that is an embarrassment to the force instead of working to improve the relations between the police and the citizens. Officers like those were re-trained and assigned to a desk or some other non-public responsibility. If they were for another time unable to exhibit good disposition and ethical conduct, they were stripped of their budges and guns and expunged from the police force. This is also mentioned in Delattre (2006) where he says that police with uninhibited negative character traits ought not to be part of the police force. Do the interviewees feel that training in ethics would reduce cases of corruption? The first respondent communicated after a moment that he supposes that training would help to diminish the incidents of corruption. He was of the opinion that most of corruption is rooted into the unavailability of knowledge. According to him, unless law enforcers are provided with relevant training or education from others concerning how they are expected to conduct themselves, their single basis of information will be their own conviction that is based on their individual experiences. According to this respondent, a law enforcer who is endowed with ethical understanding will have good basis from which to build up ethical conduct. The respondent though points out that some individuals are simply crooked, and will always be crooked regardless of the education and guidance that is provided. He concluded that officers who are corrupt and irresponsible must be removed from their respective forces as fast as they are proved so. The second respondent agreed in a similar fashion that educating the police in ethics would reduce, occurrence of police corruption. He held that since the late 50s and early 60s the levels and value of education for kids has been deteriorating. He remembers the initial norm that was allowed to deteriorate to nothingness, the Citizenship Class. This was the daily one-hour class from first graders to graduation. Students were actively persuaded and indoctrinated with ethics and morality ideas. This was to integrate them into a law-abiding community. He passionately talked about how the class taught decorum, law and why it is necessary, critical thinking, diplomacy, and judgment, among others. He opined that there was a need to incorporate education regarding ethics to the law enforcement team. He went ahead to lament that there is an apparent raise of instances where ethics have been overlooked among a minor group of law enforcers. This happens despite ethics training having been inte grated into all forces academies, he pointed out. He concluded that there was some inconsistency. This he attributed to the absence of ethical training at early stages. This has affected the ability of some individuals to obey the law even when they are enforcing it. He hypothesized that these crooked cops might perceive an apparent lack of role models for ethical conduct (within the police force and in the community as a whole) and deciding that to hold on to their role in the society is not only pointless, but also insignificant. The respondent was very passionate about this issue. He was of the opinion that early education is weakening the foundation of ethical and moral tenets. Adults with no ethical and moral foundation cannot at all time act decorously, civilly, or with an acknowledgement of the fact that ethics and morals are more desirable than anarchy. During the interview with the first correspondent, I perceived him to be of an extremely fine character. He was patient and considerate. He took time to respond to questions thoughtfully and in an interesting manner. He exhibited a great character, and even politely declined a soda I offered him while I was interviewing him. Through out the time, he did not refer to anyone he has had the joy or misfortune to meet with contempt. He gave the notion that he considers that most human beings are intrinsically good and have the potential for greatness. Aged in his twenties, he is considerably fresh in the force and I perceived him to be a bit idealistic. I thought that either he is yet to be corrupted by bad mind-sets, or he really does exhibit the perfect quality that all law enforcers ought to be exhibiting. In the two interviews, I was able to establish that both officers had been educated in ethics in the course of their service in the law enforcement agency. I sampled these two law enforcers since the two were from dissimilar training generations and dissimilar years. The second respondent had fifteen years of service under his belt while the first respondent had just five years of service under his belt. Ethics and good character are gradually becoming more significant in law implementation. To be able to make and sustain a good working relationship with the society, and secure, professional working with suspects and criminals, it is paramount that an officer be able to manage all circumstances with a level of calm that will guarantee that everybody will come out of any situation alive and healthy. An officer devoid of the entrenched good ethics and character makes errors that can proof to be dangerous to a citizen, the officer or to the standing of the police department. If the public looses the trust and respect for the police, no citizen is secure. The police will not be capable of managing cases as they arise without the public support. Nothing can be more destructive to the police departments and the entire law enforcement profession than acts of officer misconduct and unethical activities. The impacts of unethical acts and conduct are many. One effect of unethical conduct is that it exposes the police department to civil lawsuits. Setting up a defense against accusations not only drains an agency financially but also has a lasting reputation outcome. The second consequence is the individual harm suffered by the supervisors. People loose their jobs or stagnate in their career progress. The involved officers and their family also suffer a devastating public humiliation. Any allegation of unethical behavior in a police person tends to make them to be stigmatized by the community and this can persist in their lifetimes. Thus, by avoiding unethical acts, an officer will be helping a great deal.

Overcoming My Fear of Public Speaking :: College Admissions Essays

Overcoming My Fear of Public Speaking I could barely hold a pen. There was this faint, yet distinctly audible, buzzing in the room; I suspected only I heard it. My hands were shaking convulsively and the writing on the blackboard was blurrier than usual. My economics teacher called out my name several times before I acknowledged her. â€Å"Carol, if the GDP per capita of Argentina falls, what is the most likely outcome? Carol?† she said, in her stereotypical teacher like tone. â€Å"I’m sorry, what was the question?† I asked. I was hardly in the state of mind to be answering questions about GDP and South America. â€Å"Are you sure you’re all right? You look a bit pale. Maybe you should get a glass of water,† she said. What she said scarcely registered. All I heard were the words â€Å"water† and â€Å"pale†. My lack of focus was reaching a comical point; I’m sure my fellow ninth-graders attributed my stupor to either sleep deprivation or a certain plant with intoxicating properties. Unfortunately, my daze was brought on naturally. I soon began to feel my heart pounding faster. I noticed how moist the palms of my hands were, and how cold the room had suddenly grown. My economics teacher, Miss Loyd, went on relentlessly. She was one of my favorites, but I still itched to dart from the class room. I kept repeating to myself, â€Å"stay calm, you’ve got nothing to worry about,† but emotions are never easy to control. The school bell rang, echoing throughout the building. In my ears, it was the sound of an executioner sharpening his sword. I felt my knees give way; I was, however, determined in my resolve. I would conquer my fears – nothing would stand in my way. I made my way out of the class room, and with a shaky hand, pulled out the speech I would soon deliver. I smile as I write this, for I am now quite the orator. This episode of my first speech in front of a large audience will always humble me; unfortunately, I have an ego the size of a small planet when it comes to public speaking.

Chains and Sustainable Development Essay

Those of us who preach the gospel of agriculture with evangelical zeal find the text compelling and convincing. We are regularly possessed by the spirit only to look around and see out colleagues, in other sectors, in country management, or even our senior management doubting, yawning or subtly edging towards the door. We face the implicit query, â€Å"If agriculture can do such great things, why have they not yet happened? †1 The past decade has been one of agro-pessimism. The promises that agricultural development seem to hold did not materialise. This pessimism seemed to coincide with pessimism about Sub-Saharan Africa. Especially for Sub-Saharan Africa the hope was that economic development would be brought about by agricultural development. After the success of the green revolution in Asia, the hope was that a similar agricultural miracle would transform African economies. But this hope never materialised, agricultural productivity did not increase much in SSA (figure 1), and worse, the negative effects of the green revolution in Asia became more apparent, such as pesticide overuse and subsequent pollution. Also in Asia the yield increases tapered off. The sceptics put forward several arguments why agriculture is no longer an engine of growth2. For instance, the liberalisation of the 1990s and greater openness to trade has lead to a reduction in the economic potential of the rural sector: cheap imported Chinese plastic buckets out compete the locally produced pottery. On the other hand, it does mean cheaper (imported) supplies. With rapid global technical change and increasingly integrated markets, prices fall faster than yields rise. So, rural incomes fall despite increased productivity if they are net producers3. The integration of rural with urban areas means that healthy young people move out of agriculture, head to town, leaving behind the old, the sick and the dependent. It is often also the men who move to urban areas, leaving women in charge of the farm. This has resulted in the increased sophistication of agricultural markets (and value chains) which excludes traditional smallholders, who are poorly equipped to meet the demanding product specifications and timeliness of delivery required by expanding supermarkets. The natural resource base on which agriculture depends is poor and deteriorating. Productivity growth is therefore increasingly more difficult to achieve. Finally, multiplier effects occur when a change in spending causes a disproportionate change in aggregate demand. Thus an increase in spending produces an increase in national income and consumption greater than the initial amount spent. But as GDP rises and the share of agriculture typically decreases, the question is how important these multiplier effects are, especially when significant levels of poverty remain in rural areas, which is the case in middleincome countries. The disappointment with agriculture led many donor organisations to turn away from agriculture, looking instead to areas that would increase the well-being of poor people, such as health and education. Those organisations that still focused on agriculture, such as the CGIAR, were put under pressure to focus more on reducing poverty, besides increasing agricultural productivity. However, since the beginning of the new century, there seems to be a renewed interest in agriculture. A review of major policy documents5, including the well-publicised Sachs report and the Kofi Annan report, show that agriculture is back on the agenda again. The most influential report, however, has been the World Development Report 2008 of the World Bank6. This report argues that growth in the agricultural sector 1 contributes proportionally more to poverty reduction than growth in any other economic sector and that therefore alone, the focus should be on the agricultural sector when achieving to reach MDG 1. A reassessment of the role of agriculture in development seems to be required. This policy paper addresses several timely though complex questions: †¢ First, how can or does agriculture contribute to economic development, and in particular how does it relate to poverty? †¢ Second, the agricultural sector has changed considerably in the past decades: what are the main drivers of this change? †¢ Third, what is the relationship between economic or agricultural growth and pro-poor development? †¢ Fourth, how does agriculture relate to other sectors in the economy? †¢ Fifth, who is included and who is excluded in agricultural development, specifically focusing on small farms? †¢ And finally, if agricultural development is indeed important to economic development, then why, despite all the efforts and investments, has this not led to more successes? 2. Agriculture and economic growth This section presents a number of factual observations describing how the agricultural sector changed in terms of productivity, contribution to economic growth, and indicating the relevance of the agricultural sector for poverty alleviation in different regions. Background: some facts In the discussion of the role of agriculture in economic development, a leading question is how agriculture contributes to economic growth, and especially to pro-poor growth. There seems to be a paradox in the role of agriculture in economic development. The share of agriculture contributing to GDP is declining over the years (see figure 1). At the same time, the productivity of for instance cereal yields has been increasing (see figure 2). It seems that as agriculture becomes more successful, its importance declines in the overall economy. Of course, other sectors in the economy can be even more successful, such as the Asian Tigers.

Dont Ask. Dont Tell policy essays

Don't Ask. Don't Tell policy essays The  ¡Don ¡t Ask, Don ¡t Tell, Don ¡t Harass policy on homosexuals in the military should be completely revised. Foundation of  ¡Don ¡t Ask, Don ¡t Tell ¡ On January 29, 1993, President Bill Clinton directed Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, to submit a draft executive order  ¡ending discrimination on basis of sexual orientation in determining who may serve. ¡ On July 19, 1993, Secretary Aspin announced a new policy for gays in the military, stating that  ¡sexual orientation is considered a personal and private matter ¡Kand is not a bar to service entry or continued service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. ¡ The DoD policy was enacted on November 30, 1993 by Congress ordering the Secretary of Defense to revise the department of defense regulations. On February 28, 1994, after extensive hearings in Congress, the Department of defense instituted its current policy on homosexual conduct in the military. The DoD policy provides that engaging in one or more of the following acts shall be cause of removal from the military: 1. If the member is found to have engaged, attempted to engage, or solicited another to engage in homosexual acts; 2. If the member has stated that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual or words to that effect; and/or 3. The member has married or attempted to marry someone of the same sex.1 Under the policy, applicants for military service may no longer be asked about their sexual orientation and the service may not initiate investigations just to determine a member ¡s sexual orientation. The general population, including military personnel, has had strong opinions on this issue. In Chapter 37 of Title 10 in the United States Code, it states that success in combat requires military units that are characterized by high morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion, and that the long-standing prohibition of homosexual conduct continues to be necessary in the circu...

The Cost of Living Essays

The Cost of Living Essays The Cost of Living Essay The Cost of Living Essay Ronda Braxton Public Speaking The Cost Of Living In the early nineteen seventies the cost living was affordable for the American families, As a child I remembered my mother sending me to Pete’s Confection Store, I would put to the items in my little red wagon and bring them home for my mother. The items that Id shop for were eggs, a loaf of bread, milk, and a six pack of seven-up sodas. There is a major difference in the price of these items then compared to now, a carton of eggs use to cost $. 25 cents per carton, a loaf of bread $. 25 cent, milk $1. 5 a gallon, and a six pack of soda was $. 70 cent per pack. Now, the cost of eggs per carton is $2. 50, a loaf of bread is $2. 00, a gallon of milk is $3. 50, and six pack of soda is $3. 00 depending on the brand. In today’s economy the cost of living is even on the rise, this explains the recession that has took over our nation. Some people in the American society barely have enough finances to liv e on the every day necessities to survive in this economic dilemma; as a result, the loss of jobs has lead to poverty in the United States for American people. Basically, people cant afford to buy food, afford adequate housing, or dont have enough money to pay their utility bills. Many people have to seek help through different agencies to help them with their essential needs. First off, the cost of food in the grocery store is very high; the average family of four is spending five hundred dollars a month on groceries consisting of bread, diary products, meats, and poultry. The cost of a loaf of bread is two dollars, milk is costing two dollars ninety five cents, a family sized pack of hamburgers is eleven dollars, and family pack of chicken wings is ten dollars, the cost of food in todays market is ridiculous. Secondly, the cost of utilities has sky rocketed, American families cant afford in this economy in the average family spent on monthly bills in the seventies and present time on their utilities. Electricity around about thirty dollars and gas was thirty – six per gallon for your car even to heat your house and now the electricity can cost you a month roughly $85. 3 and the winter months your gas bill cost is at $125. 00 that is a big difference from the past and present what the cost of energy and gas. Third, In the nineteen seventies the average new house would cost you about thirty two thousands-five hundred dollars even though the average made twelve thousand nine hundred a year in yet that was still high for some people; accordingly to the housing market an average how will cost a family about one hundred ninety five thousand dollar in middle class neighborhood. Prices relate to this economic crisis, many companies had to shut their doors on American society, some went over seas, so unemployment increased were people could not find good paying jobs or out of work; in the same matter, people were losing their homes and some them had to live with other relatives in the same token other’s hand to live on the streets or in shelter because they became homeless. People didnt know how they were going to feed their children because the cost of food was so high, they had to go to out reaches to feed their families on the other hand could not afford to feed their family on their salaries because the economic crush; In addition, high cost of utilities a person could not afford costly prices of electric or gas so they had to go energy assistance for help paying their bill’s. In conclusion, the cost of living has took a turn in history with the unemployment rate that cause many American people to go into poverty in the United States, but we do have more resources now than we had in the past; In contrast, we have numerous of food pantries, energy assistances center, shelters for families or individual person, and we have loan modification programs to lower interest rate to keep our homes going into foreclosure.