Nigerian government Essay

1: Could the supposed installment of pay-offs to Nigerian government authorities by Jeffrey Tesler be considered â€Å"facilitating payments† or â€Å"speed money† under the particulars of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? Answer: After this all turned out in June 2004, Halliburton instantly terminated Jack Stanley and cut off its long-standing relationship with Jeffrey Tesler, asking its three accomplices in the Nigeria consortium to do likewise. The United States Justice Department took things further, setting up an amazing jury examination to decide whether Halliburton, through its KBR auxiliary, had been infringing upon the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In November 2004 the Justice Department augmented its examination to remember installments for association with the Nigeria compost plant that Kellogg had been engaged with during the 1980s under the administration of Jack Stanley. In March 2005, the Justice Department additionally expressed that it was seeing whet her Jack Stanley had attempted to organize offering with adversaries and fix costs on certain outside development ventures. As of mid 2007, the U.S. examination was all the while progressing. 2: Irrespective of the lawfulness of any installments that may have been made by Tesler, do you think it is was sensible for KBR to employ him as anintermediary? Answer: Tesler’s contribution in the undertaking may have stayed obscure were it not for a disconnected occasion. Georges Krammer, a representative of the French organization Technip, which alongside KBR was an individual from the consortium, was charged by the French government for misappropriation. When Technip wouldn't shield Krammer, he pivoted and circulated what he saw to be Technip’s filthy material. This incorporated the installments to Tesler to make sure about the Nigeria LNG contracts. 3. Given the known debasement of the Abacha government in Nigeria, should Kellogg and its replacement, KBR, have had an arrangement set up to manage pay off and defilement? What may that arrangement have looked like?Answer: It isn't known whether a pay off was really paid. What is known is that in December 1995, Nigeria granted the $2 billion agreement to the KBR consortium. The LNG plant before long turned into a triumph. Nigeria contracted to manufacture a second plant in 1999, two more in 2002, and a 6th in July 2004. KBR rehired Jeffrey Tesler in 1999 and again in 2001 to help secure the new agreements, all of which it won. Altogether, Tesler was paid some $132.3 million from 1994 through to mid 2004 by the KBR consortium. 4. Should Kellogg have left the Nigerian LNG venture once it turned out to be evident that the installment of pay-offs may be required to make sure about the agreement? Answer: The KBR consortium was one of two to present an offer on the underlying agreement, and its offer was the lower of the two. By mid 1995 the KBR consortium was somewhere down in conclusive exchanges on the agreement. It was now that Nigeria’s oil serve had a dropping out with the country’s military despot, General Abacha, and was supplanted by Dan Etete. Etete end up being far less obliging to the KBR consortium, and out of nowhere the whole arrangement appeared to be in danger. As indicated by certain spectators, Dan Etete was an intense client who promptly started to utilize his impact over the LNG venture for individual increase. Regardless of whether this is valid or not, what is known is that the KBR consortium immediately went into an agreement with the British legal advisor, Jeffrey Tesler. The agreement, marked by a Kellogg official, approached Tesler to get government licenses for the LGN venture, keep up great relations with government authorities, and give counsel on deals system. Tesler’s charge for these administrations was $60 million. 5. There is proof that Jack Stanley, the previous head of M.W. Kellogg and KBR, may have taken payoff installments from Tesler. In any event one other previous Kellogg worker, Wojciech Chodan, may have taken payoff installments. What does this educate you concerning the conceivable idea of the moral atmosphere at Kellogg and afterward KBR? Answer: This new development drove French and Swiss authorities to research Tesler’s Swiss financial balances. They found that Tesler was â€Å"kicking back† a portion of the assets he got to administrators in the consortium and subcon-tractors. One of the supposed payoffs was an exchange of $5 million from Tesler’s record to that of Albert J. â€Å"Jack† Stanley, who was head of M.W. Kellogg and afterward Halliburton’s KBR unit. Tesler likewise moved some $2.5 million into Swiss ledgers held under a bogus name by the Nigerian oil serve, Dan Etete. Different installments incorporated a $1 million exchange into a r ecord constrained by Wojciech Chodan, the previous Kellogg official whose broad written by hand notes propose the installment of a pay off to General Abacha and installment of $5 million to a German subcontractor on the LNG venture in return for â€Å"information and advice.† 6. Ought to Halliburton be called into account in the event that it is indicated that its KBR unit utilized pay off to pick up business in Nigeria? What exactly degree should a partnership and its officials be considered responsible for morally speculate exercises by the directors in one of its auxiliaries, especially given that a large number of those exercises were started before the auxiliary was claimed by Halliburton? Answer: In mid 2005, in any case, Halliburton put KBR available to be purchased. The deal was viewed as an endeavor by Halliburton to separate itself from a few outrages that had inundated KBR. One of these concerned charges that KBR had methodicallly cheated the Pentagon for administrations it gave to the U.S. military in Iraq. Another outrage fixated on the Nigerian LNG plants and included KBR representatives, a few previous authorities of the Nigeria government, and a secretive British attorney called Jeffrey Tesler. The underlying foundations of the Nigerian embarrassment go back to 1994 when Kellogg and its consortium accomplices were attempting to win an underlying agreement from the Nigerian government to manufacture two LNG plants. The agreement was esteemed at around $2 billion. Every one of the four firms held a 25 percent stake in the consortium, and each had veto control over its choices. Kellogg representatives held a considerable lot of the top situations at the consortium, and two of different individuals, Technip of France and JGC of Japan, have guaranteed that Kellogg dealt with the consortium (the fourth part, ENI of Italy, has not offered any expression in regards to the executives).

Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction Essay

†¢Apocalyptic and dystopian fiction: worried about the finish of development either through atomic war, plague, or some other general catastrophe. Dystopian fiction is set in a world or development after such a fiasco. The time period might be following the calamity, concentrating on the travails or brain research of survivors, or extensively later, frequently including the topic that the presence of pre-fiasco human advancement has been overlooked (or mythologized). Dystopian stories regularly happen in an agrarian, non-innovative future world, or aâ world where just dispersed components of innovation remain. There is an impressive level of obscuring between this type of sci-fi and that which manages bogus utopias or dystopic social orders. †¢ †¢Dark dream: a subgenre of imagination which can allude to scholarly, masterful, and filmic works that consolidate dream with components of repulsiveness. The term can be utilized extensively to allude to fantastical works that have a dim, melancholy air or a feeling of ghastliness and fear and a dull, regularly agonizing, tone. †¢Gnome, being of earth (gnomus). He portrays them as two traverses high, exceptionally hesitant to associate with people, and ready to travel through strong earth as effectively as people travel through air. [4] [5] †¢Undine or sprite being of water Undines are perpetually delineated as being female, which is reliable with the old thought that water is a female component. [8] They are typically found in backwoods pools and waterfalls,[9] and their lovely singing voices[10] are once in a while heard over the sound of water. †¢Sylph, being of air (sylevestris) is a legendary soul of the air †¢Salamander, being of fire (Vulcanus).

Gay Marriage In United States, Brazil, And Singapore. - 3025 Words

Gay Marriage In Three Countries: United States, Brazil and Singapore (Essay Sample) Content: Name:Professor:Course:Date:Gay Marriage in three Countries: USA, Brazil, and SingaporeSince social change started spreading from the more liberal Western countries, the issue of gay marriage has been in the spotlight. Homosexual couples are in the frontline demanding the right to marry in an open and legal manner as their heterosexual counterparts. However, the rigidness in sexuality and the taboo nature of homosexuality always played against these gay couples as the rest of society always succeeds in suppressing them. Interestingly, in some parts of the world, the tide has shifted in favor of the gay community. Some countries have finally yielded to the constant pressures from the gay community to recognize their rights to marry openly and in a legal manner. However, many other parts of the world still refuse to recognize the rights of the gay community, leave alone their rights to marry (Snyder 39). The resulting contention will be the playing field of this paper as we use the examples of three countries, the US, Brazil, and Singapore, to investigate the current state of affairs concerning gay marriage. In addition, we will establish how much civic engagement has achieved in terms of their quest for equality and justice in a compare and contrast exercise.GAY RIGHTS MARGINALIZATION IN THE US, BRAZIL, AND SINGAPOREThe global views on some of the most fundamental aspects of society have changed little in the last few decades to reflect the divergent perspectives shared by different parts of the world. Sexuality is at the very core of human society, the basic norm being carnal knowledge is shared between people of opposite sex. However, the recent emergence of homosexual couples has led to the sudden demand for a recognition of their rights to engage in their life freely and even marry under legal circumstances (Mello 31). Fundamentalist within the society and government continue to frustrate these demands that the gay community refers to as right s comparable to those of free association and religious affiliation. Interestingly, more and more parts of the world continue to yield to pressure from the gay community especially on the issue of gay marriage, as other parts remain adamant.The Unites States is a liberal society that allows one of the highest degrees of free speech and rights to engage in an activity considered rightfully endowed to humans. Not surprisingly, this country is home to one of the oldest struggles by the gay community for their rights to marry legally. Since the mid to late 70s the gay community in the US has fought for gay rights, among which is that of marriage. The fruits of this long strife exist in the current state of affairs of the country in terms of gay rights, especially those pertaining to marriage. Including the District of Columbia, more than 30 states in the US allow gay marriage. Statistically speaking, more than two-thirds of the US had made provisions for the acceptance of gay marriages based on the number of states that have allowed same-sex marriage. However, a few states continue to outlaw same-sex unions as the rest of the nation embraces the gay community. The states of Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, and Nebraska continue the ban on gay marriage (Bronski 121).Comparatively, Brazil offers the gay community a considerable degree of freedom to exchange their vows legally thanks to a Federal Court ruling on May 2013 (De 91). However, some notaries continued to deny the marriage certificate to gay couples but the Federal Court decision forced them to comply. On the other hand, Singapore continues to refuse to acknowledge the rights of the gay community and denies them the rights to marry. The nation reaffirmed its stand on same-sex unions in October 2014 when the Singapore Supreme Court upheld the countrys ban on same-sex unions.Other than the right to marry, the gay community has many other demands that it regularly makes in line with the struggle for equality and jus tice. Heterosexual couples enjoy numerous benefits in the United States, Brazil, and Singapore. These include tax exemptions where applicable or existent, medical insurance, pension and so on. Gay couples in the United States enjoy the primary benefits entitled to heterosexual couples, but some jurisdictions imposed restrictive policies for same-sex couples (Cahill 23). The issues related to filing tax returns have been a contentious issue in some states though cognizant of the same sex union, introduce unnecessary complications in this process due to the type of marriage involved. The Brazilian circumstances regarding benefits for gay couples are somewhat more relaxed as the gay community enjoys their newfound freedom in the country. However, some lobby groups demand that gay couples prove their union by opening a joint bank account and sharing an address, which are both restrictive requirements. Singapore makes no provisions in terms of benefits for same-sex couples because it doe s not recognize marriage between same-sex couples (Lian and Tong 302).A member of the country has the right to enlist in the armed forces as a service members provided they are qualified and have reached suffrage. There have been many instances in the world where the gay community has suffered castigation because of this issue. The United States armed forces accepted the enrollment of gay service members after 2011 when the policy of Dont Ask, Dont Tell ended. Gay couples were now eligible to serve in the US armed forces, but the case changes in states that still upheld a ban on same-sex marriage. These states turned back these couples and asked them to travel to states that recognize same-sex unions. Brazil allows same-sex couples to enlist in the armed forces as well as other disciplined forces in the country (Pecheny and Corrales 84). However, sexual acts are illegal, which poses a threat to gay couples due to the effects, and strain on the relationship. The law requires all Sing aporeans to serve in any of the three disciplined forces for a period of not less than 20 months. Although homosexual members can enlist, they get different treatment because homosexuality is a condition according to the Singaporean Armed Forces. Surprisingly, they listed it down in the directory of diseases (Lai 21).CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE RIGHTS OF GAY MARRIAGE IN THE THREE COUNTRIESIndividuals efforts can be discussed from civic engagement entailing the involvement of an individual in the affairs of a community for the sake of conflict resolution, arbitration, or settlement of disputes. The issue of gay marriage has resulted in numerous cases of conflict and created many instances that could use mediation as homosexuals continue demanding what they believe to be rightfully theirs. In this issue, we note that individuals, organizations and the liberal world at large seem to be trying to arbitrate to enable them marry legally.There are many individuals, both heterosexual and homos exual, who have been trying to employ civic engagement techniques to change the mindsets of the world and governments where the aggrieved gay couples reside. One good example is in United States, where though the gay community enjoys many rights and freedoms gay marriage still suffers under the ban in some states, the Mayor of Boston took the initiative. On March 2015, Mayor Martin J. Walsh signed the freedom to marry brief in support of the same-sex marriage campaign in the country (Manaster 106). The freedom to marry brief is an initiative by American mayors supporting the same-sex marriage effort. To date, it has the signatures of more than 220 mayors from over 40 American cities. The Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva claimed once to hold conservative views on the civil union of gay couples during the run-off with the current president Dilma Rousseff. With such kind of support, the few instances of marginalization in this almost perfect example of gay rights recogniti on and social equality boosted the rights of the gay community. Singapore continues with the ban on homosexuality and denies recognition to gay marriages and related rights. However, some individuals relentlessly continue to agitate for the rights of the gay community, especially those pertaining to marriage. A few prolific bloggers have come out strongly against the government for enforcing laws that they term as archaic that marginalize an entire group of Singaporeans.Organizational efforts in the context of gay rights in the United States are a touchy issue that always creates friction between the states that continue to enforce the ban on same-sex marriage. However, there is a vast collection of groups, which have come to the aid of the gay community. One of the most vocal and prolific American groups which continues to lend itself to the fight for gay rights is the Freedom to Marry group. This lobby group consists of city mayors who have come together in solidarity and support of the same-sex marriage issue. They sign a brief that signifies their individual, as well as their citys support for the enactment of blanket policies and laws legalizing gay marriage. So far, more than 260 mayors have signed as over 40 cities demonstrate their support. Brazils case in terms of group efforts at civic engagement is grimmer than the rest. There is widespread persecution of the gay community often resulting in murder. The Grupo Gay de Bahia (GGB) has been fighting for the gay community since the early 2000s (Haynes 57). In addition to the fight against homophobia, the GGB is actively involved in trying to reduce instance where marriage certificates disappeared due sexuality. Since the Federal Court in Brazil states that every notary in the country should issue a marriage certificate regardless of sexua...

Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning Essay example

Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning Cloning is defined as the â€Å"creation of an exact copy of a living matter, such as a cell or organism† according to Encarta encyclopedia. The copies produced through cloning have identical genetic makeup and are known as clones. Scientists use cloning techniques in the laboratory to create copies of cells or organisms with valuable traits. Cloning is a controversial topic because new areas of science often raise questions about safety. Early experiment performed on animals showed potential dangers. For example, cloned cows developed faulty immune systems. In some studies, cloned animals seemed to grow old faster and die younger than normal members of the species. According to Encarta online†¦show more content†¦Faust and Adam and Eve. Dr. Frankenstein tried to create a human, with terrible consequences (Guinan 306), Dr. Faust traded his soul with the devil for forbidden knowledge, and Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge; Good and evil, and were banished from the Garden of Eden. The stories about the two doctors may not be true but it is used to illustrate that some knowledge are not to be tampered with because we may not be well prepared for it. The story of Adam and Eve is true. They tampered with what was forbidden and disrupted the order of nature. It is the same with clo ning, if we tampered with cloning, something terrible could go wrong because the technology is unstable. We should at least obey and respect nature, which is part of tradition by banning cloning. From the start children are always produced sexually not through a combination of toxic substances and if we start using toxic substances to reproduce it will disrespectful to nature and tradition. It would also be sacrificing the humans’ race to clones. The clones might grow to dominate the world. For instance, when George Washington’s (first president of the United States) generation kicked the bucket, a brand new generation took over and it has been like that for many centuries. If clones are made they will grow to dominate the future. Not only those topics, we have to consider earthShow MoreRelatedEssay on Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning2440 Words   |  10 PagesReproductive and Therapeutic Cloning New areas of science often raise questions about safety. Reflecting back on the past medical technologies invented, people have always opposed it but often benefit from it later on in life. The use of in-vitro fertilization, for instance, was once a controversial issue. Some people worried that society could discriminate against humans produced as a result of IVF and humans could spread diseases. Furthermore, its usefulness cannot be predicted becauseRead MoreEssay on Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning1472 Words   |  6 PagesThere are two types of cloning, one of them is reproductive cloning which is when a whole organism is cloned and therapeutic cloning is the cloning of cells, organs or tissues. Cloning is when two cells decide or are forced to duplicate into two cells to replicate each other. Cloning can be done deliberately or naturally; and it results in two copies having identical cells, DNA, genes, organs and organisms. Cloning is a common, ongoing, debatable topic a mong society today. Many people argue aboutRead MoreReproductive and Therapeutic Cloning: Dolly The Sheep1468 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen an increase in the methods in which DNA, Reproductive and Therapeutic cloning and the processes that happen in order for cloning to occur. DNA Cloning occurs when the DNA cell is replicated, an organisms DNA is taken and placed in a Vector also known as plasmid. 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Human cloning is the process of using nuclear transfer, (a process of dna transfer) to a human cell in order to grow human cells. Human cloning is necessary and inevitable and research in the fields of reproductive and therapeutic cloning should continue to develop. Human cloning should be legal because reproductive cloning is inevitable and therapeutic cloning provides

Is The Unites States Political System A Legitimate Democracy In Any S Essay Example For Students

Is The Unites States Political System A Legitimate Democracy? In Any S Essay Is the Unites States Political System a Legitimate Democracy?In any system which claims to be democratic, a question of its legitimacy remains. A truly democratic political system has certain characteristics which prove its legitimacy with their existence. One essential characteristic of a legitimate democracy is that it allows people to freely make choices without government intervention. Another necessary characteristic which legitimates government is that every vote must count equally: one vote for every person. For this equality to occur, all people must be subject to the same laws, have equal civil rights, and be allowed to freely express their ideas. Minority rights are also crucial in a legitimate democracy. No matter how unpopular their views, all people should enjoy the freedoms of speech, press and assembly. Public policy should be made publicly, not secretly, and regularly scheduled elections should be held. Since legitimacy may be defined as the feeling or opinion the people have that government is based upon morally defensible principles and that they should therefore obey it, then there must necessarily be a connection between what the people want and what the government is doing if legitimacy is to occur.The U. S. government may be considered legitimate in some aspects, and illegitimate in others. Because voting is class-biased, it may not be classified as a completely legitimate process. Although in theory the American system calls for one vote per person, the low rate of turnout results in the upper and middle classes ultimately choosing candidates for the entire nation. Class is determined by income and education, and differing levels of these two factors can help explain why class bias occurs. For example, because educated people tend to understand politics more, they are more likely to vote. People with high income and education also have more resources, and poor people tend to have low political efficacy (feelings of low self-worth). Turnout, therefore, is low and, since the early 1960s, has been declining overall. The winner-take-all system in elections may be criticized for being undemocratic because the proportion of people agreeing with a particular candidate on a certain issue may not be adequately represented under this system. For example, a candidate who gets 40 percent of the vote, as long as he gets more votes than any other candidate, can be elected?even though sixty percent of the voters voted against him(Lind, 314).Political parties in America are weak due to the anti-party, anti-organization, and anti-politics cultural prejudices of the Classical Liberals. Because in the U. S. there is no national discipline to force citizens into identifying with a political party, partisan identification tends to be an informal psychological commitment to a party. This informality allows people to be apathetic if they wish, willingly giving up their input into the political process. Though this apathy is the result of greater freedom in America than in other countries, it ultimately decreases citizens incentive to express their opinions about issues, therefore making democracy less legitimate. Private interests distort public policy making because, when making decisions, politicians must take account of campaign contributors. An interest may be defined as any involvement in anything that affects the economic, social, or emotional well-being of a person. When interests become organized into groups, then politicians may become biased due to their influences. Special interests buy favors from congressmen and presidents through political action committees (PACs), devices by which groups like corporations, professional associations, trade unions, investment banking groups?can pool their money and give up to $10,000 per election to each House and Senate candidate(Lind, 157). .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .postImageUrl , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:hover , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:visited , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:active { border:0!important; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:active , .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1 .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3e122956f847715bef1429a8ffcc0ea1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: De Tocqueville's Democracy In America Essay Consequently, those people who do not become organized into interest groups are likely to be underrepresented financially. This leads to further inequality and, therefore, greater illegitimacy in the democratic system.The method in which we elect the President is fairly legitimate. The electoral college consists of representatives who we elect, who then elect the President. Because this fills the requirement of regularly scheduled elections, it is a legitimate process. The President is extremely powerful in foreign policy making; so powerful that scholars now speak of the Imperial Presidency, implying that the President runs foreign policy as an emperor. The President is the chief diplomat, negotiator of treaties, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. There has been a steady growth of the Presidents power since World War II. This abundance of foreign Presidential power may cause one to believe that our democratic system is not legitimate. However, Presidential power in domestic affairs is limited. Therefore, though the President is very powerful in certain areas, the term Imperial Presidency is not applicable in all areas.The election process of Congress is legitimate because Senators and Representatives are elected directly by the people. Power in Congress is usually determined by the seniority system. In the majority party (the party which controls Congress), the person who has served the longest has the most power. The problem with the seniority system is that power is not based on elections or on who is most qualified to be in a position of authority. Congress is also paradoxical because, while it is good at serving particular individual interests, it is bad at serving the general interest (due to its fragmented structure of committees and sub-committees). The manner in which Supreme Court Justices are elected is not democratic because they are appointed by the President for lifelong terms, rather than in regularly scheduled elections. There is a non-political myth that the only thing that Judges do is apply rules neutrally. In actuality, they interpret laws and the Constitution using their power of judicial review, the power explicitly given to them in Marbury v. Madison. Though it has been termed the imperial judiciary by some, the courts are the weakest branch of government because they depend upon the compliance of the other branches for enforcement of the laws.The bureaucracy is not democratic for many reasons. The key features of a bureaucracy are that they are large, specialized, run by official and fixed rules, relatively free from outside control, run on a hierarchy, and they must keep written records of everything they do. Bureaucracies focus on rules, but their members are unhappy when the rules are exposed to the public. Bureaucracies violate the requirement of a legitimate democracy that public policy must be made publicly, not secretly. To be hired in a bureaucracy, a person must take a civil service exam. People working in bureaucracies may also only be fired under extreme circumstances. This usually leads to the Peter Principle; that people who are competent at their jobs are promoted until they are in jobs in which they are no longer competent. Policy making may be considered democratic to an extent. The public tends to get its way about 60% of the time. Because one of the key legitimating factors of government is a connection between what it does and what the public wants, policy making can be considered 60% legitimate. Furthermore, most of what the federal government does never reaches the public. Public opinion polls represent the small percentage of issues that people have heard about.Though the individual workings of the American government may not be particularly democratic, it must be somewhat legitimate overall because without legitimacy, government fails. However, the people who run for and win public office are not necessarily the most intelligent, best informed, wealthiest, or most successful business or professional people. At all levels of the political system,?it is the most politically ambitious people who are willing to sacrifice time, family and private life, and energy and effort for the power and celebrity that comes with public office(Dye, 58-59). .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .postImageUrl , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:hover , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:visited , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:active { border:0!important; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:active , .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28 .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1c330b23713b0fb70a23a3fabeabbe28:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Veitnam Essay The legitimacy of the United States government is limited, but in a system of government which was designed not to work, complete democracy is most likely impossible. BibliographyDye, Thomas R. Whos Running America? The Clinton Years. Englewood Cliffs, NewJersey: Prentice Hall, 1995. Lind, Michael. The Next American Nation: The New Nationalism and the Fourth American Revolution. New York: The Free Press, 1995.

Viva La Revolution Essays - Public Finance, Tax,

Viva La Revolution Viva La Revolution What would it take to stir up the courage to bear arms against the government? The courage remains hidden for now. But when the time is right, when the future becomes the present, and the scene is set the courage of the people will shine true. This scene must be set to trigger the emotion and release the nationalism. Some occurrences that could stir the needed courage, regardless of the consequences, would be, in my eyes, perhaps the reinstatement of the Drafts Board or any dictatorship actions performed by the government. A revolt could take place even at a simple rise of taxes. The Drafts Board remained in use through many wars. But these wars and these ways of thinking are behind the American people. And perhaps behind the thinking of the American Government also. And if it were by some sick twist of fate ever reinstated many veterans and others would be bound to take a stand. The young people of America deserve their right to chose if they want to defend their country in war. The very freedom they have been chosen to protect would be gone. Therefore they must retain their right to chose. Our country was created by the struggle of a common people for a democratic government. And who in their right mind would not fight to keep their right to choose the leader of their country. That is what a democracy is about. If the American people decided to just let the government standardize us into certain categories we would be denying the honor of those who died to give us our individuality in the first place. Our government defends those who are caught in a dictatorship political structure, then the people must defend themselves from being in need of defense like those who we currently aide. In this situation Americans would have nearly no choice but to defend themselves by revolting. As the saying goes, only two things in life are certain, death and taxes. Although taxes may seem like petty reasoning for taking up arms, it deserves more contemplation. It was a constant raise of taxes that began the revolt by Americans against the English government in the origin of our fine country. When the government forces everybody to pay more than their own fair share of taxes to support the country, the people must fight and take a stand. This is certainly a fight worth fighting, making life easier for our children and our childrens children. In conclusion, to answer the original question, many occurrences could take place that jeopardizes the freedom of the people that would be just reason for revolt against the government. A few have been discussed and a few will be left to contemplation. Bibliography Personal Essay, therefore there is no Bibliography necessary. Political Issues

How to Develop Verbal Interview Skills that Win the Job

How to Develop Verbal Interview Skills that Win the Job Say there are three candidates coming in to interview for an open position. Candidate #1 has a great resume, lots of experience. But she starts out nervous, fidgets, and tells rambling stories that get far away from the original question. About halfway through, she gets rather quiet (despair at the fizzling interview or just not knowing enough about the topics at hand?). She uses phrases like I guess I’m looking to leverage my experience, and the word uh pops up a lot.Candidate #2 has a solid resume, maybe a little light on experience. He starts out a little nervous, but makes it a point to tell specific, targeted stories about his experience, and uses a lot of good words: high-performing, solving problems, uniquely suited.Candidate #3 has an admittedly weak resume with little experience, but comes in with a bang. Strong handshake, eye contact that would make a bear stand down, and a slick, rehearsed answer for every question. In fact, it’s so rehearsed you can’t even tell what’s real from what might be fudged. She uses words like: phenomenal and no weaknesses. You’d probably buy a used car from her, but is she right for this job?So which one takes it? It could very well be #2, even without a perfect resume–because candidate #2 gives good interview. From this brief outline, it’s clear that candidate #1 squanders her good resume (which likely got her in the door) with a weak verbal performance in the interview. It’s possible the strength of her resume could get her another crack via a second interview, but you can’t count on a second chance. Candidate #3 comes off as too much. Too slick, too glib, too many bells and whistles that could be covering up serious deficiencies. Candidate #2 comes in just right, Goldilocks-style. Even if his resume may not have been as accomplished as #1’s, he uses his verbal skills to sell himself (without overselling like #3).Bottom line: your words matter, as does how you present them. You can spend all the time in the world fine-tuning your resume so that you look amazing on paper, but if you can’t back that up when it comes time to meet the hiring manager and perform, then you might well have talked your way out of a job you could have had. It’s so important to make sure that your interview persona includes strong, appropriate language, and that you’re expressing things clearly and professionally.Let’s walk through some of the most important talking points of an interview, and how to approach them.Be Honest- or At Least SEEM HonestEveryone has â€Å"tells† when they’re lying. Maybe you get an ever-so-subtle tic at the corner of your eyelid. Maybe you suddenly feel the need to fiddle with your watch. Whatever it is, if you’re less than truthful in a job interview, there’s a good chance that you’ve also tipped off your interviewer. A lot of tics and nervous reactions can be passe d off as nerves, but once there’s a whiff of dishonesty, that’s very hard to shake in an interview. Before the interview, try to get a handle on your verbal mannerisms, and practice giving interview-style answers without them.Part of this is making sure you appear genuine. If you agree with everything the interviewer says, or gloss over specifics with phrases like â€Å"I totally got this,† it comes off as glib- and maybe covering for other issues.If you claim expertise in something, be prepared to back it up with specifics. And if you’re going to exaggerate, make sure it’s in something that isn’t going to be apparent right away.If you put on your resume that you’re fluent in German, be prepared to make small talk with someone who just happened to spend a semester in Berlin.If you have something on your resume that you’re really trying to get around (read: a firing or performance issue), try not to outright lie about it. Even i f you successfully sell a lie to the interviewer, you risk being tripped up numerous other ways, like a background check or the interviewer just happening to know someone at your old company. If you’re asked directly about something unpleasant, don’t come up with excuses- those always sound hollow. Explain that things didn’t work out, and what you learned from the experience.Dishonesty or general dodginess will almost always be a dealbreaker, so it’s important to do everything you can to come across as an honest, forthright candidate who’s just right for this role.Like, Y’know, MannerismsThe biggest problem with verbal tics and mannerisms (like, y’know, uh, umm) is that we don’t always realize we’re doing it. So how to fix it? Practicing your repertoire of interview stories helps, as does slowing your speech down a bit.Knowing your conversational mannerisms helps too. Sit down with a trusted friend, and ask about whether they’ve noticed any of these verbal issues. Or give your interview spiel, and ask for feedback. Once you know, you can work on addressing them. In an interview, these can come across as you being nervous or you not feeling comfortable with what you’re saying, so you want to do everything you can to limit those unintentional habits.This applies to other bad habits, too, like apologizing for everything. Or using words like totally that express very little. [via Rymax Inc.]Taboo TopicsSome topics are just not appropriate for a job interview, and likely never will be. These are the conversational areas you should definitely avoid:Controversial TopicsReligion and politics are a no-go. Think Drumpf is going to Make Donald Drumpf Again? Enjoy shouting from the rooftops, â€Å"I’m with her† while wearing your best Hillary t-shirt? Doesn’t matter. Your party affiliation, and your political opinions stay checked at the door (or in your private Twitter feed) . Plus, you don’t want to pull the interviewer into a legal danger zone by discussing religion or other topics that they’re legally not allowed to ask you about.Personal LifeYou may well be going through a rough time, but telling the interviewer about your concerns about Fluffy McWhiskerton’s digestive issues is not only inappropriate, it’s a waste of the interviewer’s time. He or she is there to evaluate you as a potential employee, not as a concerned cat parent. If you see a picture of a cat on the interviewer’s desk, feel free to make a brief small talk comment about how you have your own furball at home, but then shift right back into go-get-‘em interview mode.Similarly, you won’t get any pity points by sharing your personal woes during the interview. In addition to being distracting, it can raise red flags about whether you’re equipped to give all of your attention to the (potential) job at hand.Complaints about Your Last JobIf you left your last job under less-than-great circumstances, or are interviewing at this new place because you just can’t stand to be in your current job anymore, none of that matters when you show up for the interview. It’s a fine line, because you’ll definitely be asked about your current or last job. You don’t have to sugarcoat anything, but don’t fall into the trap of complaining. It’s best to leave things a diplomatic and a little vague whenever possible, especially if you feel a rant coming on. And it’s best practice to never personally criticize someone, whether it’s a boss or a colleague. Remember: the interviewer is also evaluating you as a potential colleague†¦you don’t want to seem like a whiner, or worse, a behind-the-back-complainer.Questions Not to AskYou’ve heard the advice of â€Å"always go into an interview prepared with questions to ask,† right? That’s always going to be valid, but not all questions are created equally.â€Å"Are you going to do a background check?†You may or may not have shifty eyes while you’re saying this, but it’s always going to sound shady. If you’re asking about a background check, it’s probably because you’re concerned about a background check. And if you’re concerned about a background check, that’s a red flag. Even if it’s an idle question about the interview process, it will still raise an eyebrow. It’s better not to ask.â€Å"Do you monitor internet usage?†This one basically tells the interviewer that you’re looking for a cushy place to mess around, with an accessible water cooler. Sure, we all stray from our duties and find our way to Facebook during the day sometimes. But asking about it up front suggests that it’s your priority, when your priority should be the job opportunity right in front of you.â€Å"What does this job pay?†He who brings up money first, loses. (It’s an old proverb. Probably. If not, it should be.) Being the first to bring up salary makes it a lose-lose for you. Either you get a number that could have been higher later, after negotiation, or the interviewer thinks you’re too mercenary and not concentrating on how well you could do the job. Neither one is going to endear you to the interviewer. Save the money questions for the next step, when ideally you’ll be negotiating your new job offer like a pro.â€Å"What are the grounds for termination here?†Again, if you have to ask, you’re concerned about it. Think of the interview as the beginning- why would you want to talk about the end? You don’t want to raise even the smallest concern that you would be a fire-able employee.How you present yourself is such a major part of the interview process. The hiring manager already knows you look good on paper- hence the invitation to come in. Itâ €™s the same reason you dress your best and practice your handshake. Why not make sure you’re choosing and using your words and content to your best advantage? It can make you the â€Å"just right† candidate and get you to that next step: the job offer.