Re-introduction

Re-introduction Ive been unbelievably hosed the past few days doing a combination of the following: 1. Analyzing data and writing as much as I can on the rough draft of my paper. This is my last week in the lab, and Im trying to organize everything properly so that my postdoc can do a few final experiments and write the final draft of the paper. Ive been moving numbers around in Excel so much that my hands hurt, and when I close my eyes I see pictures of neurons. 2. Starting to plan a really important party for next September/October. Details to follow later, when there are more details to give. (Oooh, cryptic.) Since I went into lab at 7 AM both yesterday and today, I am very tired and want to crawl into bed. But I thought, since its the beginning of a new application season, that Id rewrite an introduction to the blog to those of you just joining us. (I am NOT putting my full name in it like I did last time, thus enabling every internet stalker I have and apparently I have a few to effectively google me. If youre googling my full name, could you please leave a comment saying hi or something? I am tired of having to rack my brain to think of people I know in various states.) So for the basics. My name is Mollie, and I just graduated from MIT in June with degrees in brain and cognitive sciences and biology. My current research interest is protein-protein interactions in neurons, and Ill be starting a PhD program in cell biology at Harvard in September. (Like any good MIT student, I still get a little bristly when people talk about Harvard. And then I remember that I go there now. It, uh, hasnt exactly sunk in yet.) While at MIT, I participated in the UROP program for three years; I currently have authorship on an abstract, authorship on a paper thats in revision, and will have first authorship on a paper that is currently in about ten different files on my jump drive. (First authorship as an undergrad = very big deal.) I work in the lab of a pretty famous professor, who was also my academic advisor, and who wrote a ridiculously amazing letter of recommendation for my graduate school applications. I talk about my research in a bunch of different places on the blog. Its been a pretty important part of my life for the past three years, both in terms of getting me into grad school (the boring part) and in terms of making me happy to be alive and able to get out of bed in the mornings. I love research, which is why Im going to spend the rest of my life doing it; MIT is a pretty great place to be if you want to do something along those lines. I lived for four years in MacGregor, a very tall, very 70s-esque dorm on the west side of campus. Its a great place to live, and it fit my personality really well. My closest friends are the people in my entries (I lived in A for three years, then D for my senior year), and, rather critically, I met my boyfriend there. I was MacGregors rush chair in 2004, and one of my bit MIT soapboxes is that I believe very strongly in the dorm rush system I was immediately happy and at home in my dorm because I was a good fit with the residents, and I hope that all future MIT students can feel the connection and community that I experienced as a result of open dorm choice. Dormitory choice is a critical piece of MITs culture. Even though I was a band geek/choir [nasty epithet]/drama queen in high school, I came to MIT and joined the cheerleading squad. I didnt have any experience, but I got pretty good (Im stronger than I look!), and I actually became captain my junior year. I really enjoyed being on the squad for a bunch of reasons: the socialization and entertainment, the exercise (I weighed the same when I got to college as when I left), and for three two-hour chunks of time every week when I could run around and joke and not think about signaling pathways and dissociation constants. I am not a super-genius. I wasnt when I applied, I wasnt when I got here, and Im not now. I think MIT has made me into a harder worker and a better critical thinker, and frankly Ill take those traits over being a super-genius any day. You dont have to be absurdly brilliant to survive at MIT, but you do have to be willing to put in some honest labor. We subscribe to the New England work ethic around this joint. (Sidenote: One thing I do not understand, and am probably constituitively incapable of understanding, is people who choose other schools over MIT merely because they will have to work less hard elsewhere. It is beyond me that someone would choose not to challenge him/herself at such an opportunity-laden time as college. If youre going to take the easy road now, youre going to be taking the easy road for the rest of your life. Ugh.) I have a beautiful curly-haired boyfriend named Adam, and hes going to be a senior this year in aero/astro. (Yes, hes younger than I am. He lied about his age the first night he kissed me. I was lured into this under false pretenses.) Weve been together for about two and a half years now, and we just moved to an apartment on the west end of campus with an adorable bunny rabbit. Adams going to stay at MIT to get his masters, and then he will get a job and make mad loot, while I stay in grad school and make peanuts. He likes airplanes an absurd amount. He is a nationally-ranked freestyle skiier. He is also adorable. Dont believe what you hear about MIT boys. Thats about it, I think. Questions! 1. A Regular Reader asked, Incidentally, do you know of any MIT bio undergrads who applied to the grad MIT bio program? I hear this is the first year inbreeding was allowed, and was wondering if you knew what that admission percentage was? Actually, I do I mean, I applied, for one. :) Supposedly there were 9 of us who applied; I only know of four, including myself, and all four of us got in. So the admission percentage is at least 44%, and I wouldnt be surprised in the least if all nine of us got in. I only know of one person who decided to go, though most of us decided that it would be better for us to experience academic life in other places. 2. Lizzy asked, Hmmif you cant keep blogging regularly for MIT, do you have a personal blog that you can use for we readers to be updated on your graduate school goings-on? Im in a bit of a debate on this one. I do have a personal blog, but Im debating making it friends-only there have been some disquieting stories recently about grad students getting in trouble for complaining about grad school on their personal blogs, and it makes me think Id be better off tunneling underground in the blogosphere. 3. Drew asked, How do we know what foreign language class to register for? Ive been doing Spanish since middle schools, so presumably Spanish I might not be a good fit, but I dont know exactly what level to take. I heard that lots of people just take a good guess and the teacher figures out their aptitude and, if necessary moves them to a different class. Is that true? Yup, thats how it happens. And every year, some kid who took 5 years of Spanish in high school has the bright idea to take Spanish I for an easy A, and the Spanish profs figure it out in about 5 minutes, and the kid is sent off to Spanish IV or whatever. The professors are pretty good at placement. :)

Martin Luther King Jr.’S Persuasion in “Letter from...

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Persuasion in â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail† After being arrested and imprisoned in Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote one of his most famous works to the people of Birmingham, titled â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. This piece speaks of the evils of the segregation laws and how the blacks had been treated unfairly in Birmingham, in an attempt to get the white people to support the desegregation of Birmingham. He had been imprisoned because of his participation in a civil disobedience protest, and he is arguing that, even though the white people of Birmingham see the black’s way of protesting as wrong, it is a justified way to fight back against the unjust laws. In â€Å"Letter From Birmingham†¦show more content†¦In these sessions of negotiation, the merchants had agreed to take down their â€Å"humiliating racial signs† if the â€Å"leaders of the Alabama Movement agreed to call a mo ratorium on any type of demonstrations† (King 233). Though after they had negotiated this, they realized after months went by that they had been lied to, and the merchants had no intention of taking down their signs. By showing that he understands the people of Birmingham’s call for negotiation, King is bringing more credibility to himself. King is also furthering his own argument by showing them that he had already tried to resolve the racial discrimination their way, and that is why more drastic measures are justified. Martin Luther King Jr. also seeks to further his point logically by explaining to the people of Birmingham that most places in the United States aren’t segregated to the extent that Birmingham is. He also makes a point to say Birmingham’s â€Å"ugly record of police brutality is known in every section of the country† and that â€Å"it’s unjust treatment of Negroes in the courts is a notorious realityâ€Å" (King 233). King also states â€Å"there have been more unsolved bombings in Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than any city in this nation† (King 233). By making the statements that no other city treats African Americans as badly as Birmingham and that the injustice that is taking place in Birmingham is a reality that everyone throughout the country is aware of, KingShow MoreRelatedLetter From Birmingham Jail Analysis1617 Words   |  7 Pages1960’s faced solely due to the melanin in their skin (King 2). Among these African Americ ans was the reverend, doctor, humanist, husband, and Civil Rights activist, Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a middle class, black man with a life-long devotion of implementing ethnic equality to African Americans nationwide. Following one of Rev. King’s peaceful protests in Birmingham, Alabama, he was jailed on accounts of â€Å"parading without a permit† (King 3). While in jail, Martin Luther King, JrRead Moreâ€Å"a Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’S ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†.1444 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†. 9% Similarity Born in Atlanta Georgia in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., conceivably lived as one of the greatest social and religious leaders in a country where a group of its citizens had to endure excruciating conditions of disenfranchisement, inferiority and degradation of a second class citizenship by reasons of race, color or origin. In effort to condemn allRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreaus Letter From A Birmingham Jail1605 Words   |  7 Pagesand The Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and taking a closer look at their rhetorical devices and strategy’s. In Civil disobedience by Henry David Thoreau shows us the need to prioritize some one’s wellbeing over what the law says. American laws are criticized mostly over slavery and the Mexican-American war. In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† was written in response to a letter written by clergymen criticizing the actions of Dr. King and theR ead More Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesMartin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martin Luther King Jr. writes the Clergymen that have written him a letter disputing his actions in Birmingham. King is disturbed and offended by the Clergymen disagreeing with his purpose in Birmingham. King say he normally does not respond to criticism because it would waste to much precious time, but since these were men of good will he wanted to give his answers to their statements. In Kings letter he appeals to many emotions asRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagesfight long and hard for, and Martin Luther King Jr. was one of them. King, the author of â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail†, was an ordained Baptist minister with a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University. He was an activist for racial equality and led many protest for desegregation. in the mid 1950’s and in the 1960’s. The letter, was composed while he and hundreds of other demonstrators were imprisoned for protesting against the treatmen t of African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama. It was written inRead MoreThe Rhetorical Triangle : Ethos, Pathos, Logos1696 Words   |  7 PagesTriangle: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. The strongest area of the Triangle based off the letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr in one’s opinion is Pathos. Although King uses all three repeatedly in his letter, Pathos is the most expressed area throughout this letter. Through his use of ethos in the way of fairness yet with authority to his audience, logos through facts and statistic, it it the emotional persuasion that most captivates a reader interest. Ethos, Greek for character, referringRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. And Henry David Thoreau1311 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophy. American citizens expect the authority to work â€Å"for the good of the people† and â€Å"follow in everything the general will†, however, it was not always the case, according to influential American authors and civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau. Although both of their works were written over a century apart, one cannot deny the fact that both of them successfully and nonviolently converted their ideology into action using different methods of civil disobedienceRead MoreCritical Analysis: Letter from Birmingham Jail1191 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis Essay â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail was a response to A Call for Unity by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address theRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.: An Innovator of Change2438 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿Martin Luther King Jr.: An Innovator of Change Martin Luther King Jr. was a peaceful and courageous man who used a non-violent manner to stand up for all that he believed in. King Jr. sought for equal rights for African Americans during his life. He not only participated but led many of the acts to push equal rights such as the bus boycott, antisegregation campaigns, the March on Washington, and civil rights rallies throughout the United States. Due to his strenuous work for equal rights, KingRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1626 Words   |  7 Pagesineffective based on the way they’re handled. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for a type of protesting that called for patience and steadfastness over anger and violence. There are many others that have used nonviolence to promote their ideology, such as Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas Gandhi, and Rosa Parks. All their protests worked because they could create sentiment from their argument using nonviolent means. The nonviolent protests used by Dr. King woul d be effective in these times because

Problem Identification Issues With Integration - 1694 Words

Problem Identification: Issues with Integration The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in January of 2013, the rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (DGCDAR). The DGCDAR prohibited women from being assigned to jobs and specialties directly related to combat below the brigade level, in clandestine and special operations forces, and in roles that were intensely physically demanding. This now transcends to the availability of previously closed specialties, including Marine Corps infantry, to women who can meet a gender neutral standard of performance. 230,000 jobs that were previously exclusively for men in the U.S. military, have now been cleared for†¦show more content†¦Because ultimately, it is not training we are concerned with, it is the day that women actually become active and assume roles within combat-centric specialty areas. It is at this location where the primary concern resides; the overarching potential of how this will holistically affect a combat unit’s mission readiness and adaptability. In debate, the anatomical difference between men and women is undisputable, but for some reason receives the least amount of attention. However, it sheds important light on what should be considered a vital factor, due to the intense physical nature and relentless demands of combat communities. In Springer and Ross’s (2011) comprehensive Musculoskeletal Injuries in Military Women, an in-depth analysis of the susceptibility of women to injuries is extremely alarming. The astronomical difference in reported pelvic stress fractures in male and female recruits is 1 per 367 females, compared to 1 per 40,000 males (Springer, Ross, 2011). ACL ruptures in competitive athlete females range from 2.4 to 9.7 times higher (Springer, Ross, 2011). Trainees who are medically retired after or during boot camp hover at 12.7% for females, compared to only 5.2% for males (Springer, Ross, 2011). These findings are only the foundation for the argument that women may be ill-prepared to join th e ranks of those fighting on the front lines. Following the

Cross-cultural Essay Samples - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt

Cross-cultural Essay Samples - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesn't Cross-cultural Essay Samples Secrets That No One Else Knows About Specifically, the part of language, education and training will be set. Lesson Summary Cross-cultural communication is a must for virtually any company which has a diverse workforce or plans on conducting international company. Aspects like the tone variation, pronunciation ought to be taken under consideration. Not just that the role of the HRM also include instituting reward and payment systems, assessment regarding the performance of unique employees and respective initiatives to align the growth of employees to corporate strategies. Understanding cross-cultural communication is essential for any company which has a diverse workforce or plans on conducting worldwide company. On the flip side, power of the web and wireless digital technologies offer local businesses and indigenous cultural values with unprecedented international exposure. It is essential that we are conversant with our students demographic, and social financial backgrounds. Diversity helps to receive a better comprehension of buyers. Workplace diversity has for a long time been a considerable issue for many businesses and organizations. Diversity of consumers can't be ignored because of the globalization and other changes that occur on earth. The Key to Successful Cross-cultural Essay Samples Essay writing is usually practiced is schools. To get started writing your assignment you would want to encounter an interesting and promising topic. Writing an essay is a critical role in academe life. Writing a satisfactory and readable essay is something that everybody would like to achieve. The price generally fluctuates based on the essay type. You can readily locate essay writing services which could write for you at cheap prices. Disadvantages of selecting a low-cost essay service Quality If you're opting for cheaper service, bear in mind that it might not be up to the mark. Summary Hiring a low-cost essay service may be a right pick for students at one time crunch. Hopefully, the discussions along with the essay examples presented above have enlightened you so that you are now able to begin making your own essay. Alongside the topics, you'd discover loads of papers free of charge. You don't necessarily understand how you feel regarding a particular subject or topic and you allow research together with your own direction to learn the outline. Cross-cultural psychology differs from several other subfields of psychology. There's no ideal solution about how to compose an effective essay. Still, every one of them would show up in the overall list. Pros of selecting an affordable essay service Availability Everywhere online, you can get one or other essay services. Contrary to other objective essays it not only provides the huge picture but in addition provides the inside specifics of the situation. Independent consultants, found that cross-cultural practice advisory small business demand increased a great deal at least 10 decades ago and it's a lucrative field. Consumers generally have an attitude when it has to do with a specific product being made in a specific nation. The Quantitative and Qualitative Methods When psychologists are conducting any sort of research, they need to select a suitable method. Cultural psychology is understood to be the branch of psychology that manages the connection between culture and mind. It knows human drive cannot be explained by factors such as genetic predisposition.

Principles of Health And Social Care Practice

Question: Describe about the Principles of Health And Social Care Practice? Answer: Introduction Health and social care practice are very important for a society or community. Since various diseases affect people, they must stay aware of those diseases. Medication and treatment are provided to the service users by the social and health care centers. The principles of health and social care practice involve promotion of awareness regarding diseases and social issues, providing treatment and care to the users of service, maintenance of privacy by the opinion of the patient and minimization of the hazards and risks for the service users (Munn-Giddings and Winter 2013). The present report deals with the principles of health and social care practices and their implementation in a case study. First Section The main principle of health and social care practice is the principle of support. The support should be provided to maintain and assure the well-being and health. The care workers must respect the rights and personality of the patients. Patients can be of different cultures and belief (Aveyard and Sharp 2013). Therefore, they should be treated with proper dignity and respect their culture and belief. Their cultural diversity should be respected. The patients should have the independence of taking their decisions and customer rights should not be violated (Drummond et al. 2015). Since the care workers come close to the patient during their care schedule, many private matters are disclosed. So privacy should be maintained for the patients. The service users should be given the choice for self-care (Aveyard 2014). Ahmed and Sylvia had been staying together for a long time. They have developed the respect and trust among each other. Sylvia used to take good care of Ahmed based on the principle of support. She respected his privacy, his choice and dignity and used to act as an informal caregiver. Therefore, the principle of support was informally present between Ahmed and Sylvia before Angela came in as the caregiver for them. Since Ahmed and Sylvia decided not to move on to a care home ever before the dementia of Ahmed, Sylvia respected her choice and independence even when Angela decided to shift Ahmed to a care home to give a Sylvia a break from her role of caregiver. Sylvia, being an old woman herself required a break. Considering her hearing impairment, Angela took this decision. Second Section: The primary objective of health and social care practice is promoting and maintaining the patient's good health and keeping him comfortable and safe from harm. The first step towards the risk-free and safe environment for the patient is the identification of the harms and risks (Riekert, Ockene and Pbert 2013). Various types of harms can affect the patient like psychological, financial, physical and emotional harm. Therefore, the care workers must provide a safe, risk-free and effective environment to the patient for their health and well-being. Physical harm can be avoided by following the safety standards. Psychological harm can be prevented by providing supervision and mental support. Emotional harm can be prevented by providing love and care or friendly approach to the patients. Health and safety policies should be followed effectively for proper patient care (Norman and Ryrie 2013). Complex situations can be overcome by the application of certain devices and implementing the sys tem of flow buddy with the help of colleagues. Worse situations should be handled with kindness and positivity to avoid causing any harm to the patient (Brooker and Latham, 2015). Since Ahmed is suffering from Alzheimers disease, he has developed a violent nature. Since Sylvia is her informal caregiver and she is an old woman, she is prone to get physical or psychological harm. On the contrary, Ahmed might be emotionally harmed if his confidentiality and choice are not protected. Policies of sharing information should be well followed to protect the privacy of Ahmed. In addition, Sylvia should be consulted before taking any decision regarding Ahmed to recognize her dignity and choice of independence, since they decided never to move on to a care home. Third Section: The person-centered approach is fulfilling and supporting the wishes, needs and preferences of the patients. Fulfilling the needs and demands of the patients provides proper care to them (Kitson et al. 2013). This gives them a sense of individuality, which is very much essential for their well-being and health and their rights of individuals are protected. To satisfy them their personal preferences are met (Ottosdottir and Evans 2014). This makes the task of the care workers easy, as the patients tend to co-operate with them. Good communication between them increases the confidence of the patient. The clients psychological, physical, emotional and mental health is well taken care of in this process and protects them from the risks of harm (Martin and Felix-Bortolotti 2014). The care workers often face the situation of ethical dilemma where they fail to maintain the policies and rules of the organization for the well-being of the patients (Banks 2012). Conflicts arise between the care worker and the patient regarding culture, belief and opinion and the care workers on the grounds of ethics sort these out. The ethical grounds may or may not be aligned with the policies and rules of the organization (Purtilo and Doherty 2015). From the case of Ahmed and Sylvia, it can be concluded that person centered approach may help Angela to take proper and better care of Ahmed. Since Ahmed has become violent and stays awake at night, it can cause potential harm to him. However, the patient centered approach may reduce or nullify the harms and Angela can provide proper care to Ahmed. As per the present condition of Ahmed and the matured age of Sylvia, it is very logical to move him to a care home and amend his support plans. Since this upset Sylvia, Angela was forced to take care of Ahmed at home. This condition placed her in a situation of ethical dilemma where she had to divert from the organizational policies. A similar situation of ethical dilemma happened at my workplace. A patient with kidney failure required dialysis, but he had a strong belief that hospital environment might bring him more infections which will ultimately increase his illness. Therefore, he was transferred to his home where the dialysis setting was established and the treatment was provided. Although this was against the hospital policies, still I had to do this for the betterment of the patient in a situation of an ethical dilemma. This can be cited as a similar experience to the case study what Angela faced when she was made to take care of Ahmed at home. I was also in a state of ethical dilemma, as I had to breach the principles of healthcare as dialysis is supposed to be conducted in a hospital and not at home, just like the patients of Alzheimers disease has to be moved to a care home for proper treatment. Although these ethical dilemmas put the nurses like us in critical situations of law breaking, but it helps to take care of the patients with more compassion that leads to their faster recovery and satisfaction to the family. Conclusion Our society is engulfed with health risks and illness. No one can ever escape that. Therefore, care workers have a vital role in providing care to the patients to cure the illness. They should be well aware of the rules and policies to perform their duties. Proper functioning of the care workers will eventually reduce the potential hazards and diseases in the society, especially the hazards related to the elderly. References Aveyard, H. and Sharp, P., 2013.A Beginner's Guide to Evidence-based Practice in Health and Social Care. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Aveyard, H., 2014.Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Banks, S., 2012.Ethical issues in youth work. Routledge. Brooker, D. and Latham, I., 2015.Person-Centred Dementia Care: Making Services Better with the VIPS Framework. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Drummond, M.F., Sculpher, M.J., Claxton, K., Stoddart, G.L. and Torrance, G.W., 2015.Methods for the economic evaluation of health care programmes. Oxford university press. Kitson, A., Marshall, A., Bassett, K. and Zeitz, K., 2013. What are the core elements of patientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ centred care? A narrative review and synthesis of the literature from health policy, medicine and nursing.Journal of Advanced Nursing,69(1), pp.4-15. Martin, C.M. Flixà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Bortolotti, M. 2014, "Personà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ centred health care: a critical assessment of current and emerging research approaches",Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice,vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 1056-1064. Munn-Giddings, C. and Winter, R., 2013.A handbook for action research in health and social care. Routledge. Norman, I. and Ryrie, I., 2013.The Art And Science Of Mental Health Nursing: Principles And Practice: A Textbook of Principles and Practice. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Ottosdottir, G. Evans, R. 2014, "Ethics of Care in Supporting Disabled Forced Migrants: Interactions with Professionals and Ethical Dilemmas in Health and Social Care in the South-East of England",British Journal of Social Work,vol. 44, no. suppl 1, pp. i53-i69. Purtilo, R.B. and Doherty, R.F., 2015.Ethical dimensions in the health professions. Elsevier Health Sciences. Riekert, K.A., Ockene, J.K. and Pbert, L. eds., 2013.The handbook of health behavior change. Springer Publishing Company.

Barack Obamas 2007 Border Protection Paper

Barack Obamas 2007 Border Protection Paper Free Online Research Papers One of the purposes of the United States’ border policy is to protect the citizens of this great country from non-citizens who intend to harm or acts of violence against those within its borders. The main goal of this policy is to know, at all times, who is inside the massive national borders that stretch all the way from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, covering thousands of miles of land. About one million immigrants arrive in the United States legally every year. Yet every year there are also an estimated 800,000 people who enter this country illegally, or illegally overstay their visa (â€Å"Immigration and the Border† par. 4). This means that nearly one out of every two immigrants that are in the United States is here illegally. There is basically no record of where they are and what they doing here. This could potentially have a tremendously negative effect on what the United States is so proudly known for: a strong economy, a safe home for its citizens, fair and equal employment, and a free people. With so many illegal aliens within our borde rs, it is unclear how safe the American people really are since it is unclear what these alien’s intentions are in the United States. The United States currently has a very poor immigration policy that is in desperate need of a change. Particularly, The United States needs to reform its border protection policy under the plan of presidential candidate Barck Obama in order to create safer borders for its citizens. There are many problems with how the United States is currently protecting its borders. One major problem is a very poor surveillance system along its boundary line, especially along the southern border. A critical network of cameras and sensors installed for the U.S. Border Patrol along the Mexican and Canadian borders has been hobbled for years by defective equipment that was poorly installed (â€Å"GSA sees problems in border monitors† par. 1). This is a huge problem which United States officials call crucial to defending the country against terrorist infiltrators, which are often illegal aliens (â€Å"GSA sees problems in border monitors† par. 2). As part of a sweeping intelligence bill passed in December (2005), Congress suggested to nearly double the size of the Border Patrol by adding 10,000 agents over five years. The agency has about 11,000 agents; 90% work along the southern border with Mexico (â€Å"2,000 new border agents arent part of the budget, Ridg e says† par. 3). But without the proper surveillance, is becomes extremely difficult, no matter how many border agents there are, to monitor the almost 2,000 miles of United States-Mexican border. This does not include the almost 2,000 miles of coastal borders and 4,000 miles of Canadian borders, which also have similar, yet less troublesome, surveillance issues. There is simply too much land to cover by manpower alone. The United States Customs and Border Protection Agency is in desperate need of new technology and more patrol agents. President George Bush’s administration announced a plan to reform current immigration and border policies on August 10, 2007. His administration made known their plan to have a series of reforms to address current immigration and border problems, such as the abundance of illegal aliens in the United States. One of President Bush’s plans in the announcement was to add 370 miles of fencing to the currently 86 miles along the borders of the United States (â€Å"Comprehensive Immigration Reform† par 3). This is simply not enough fencing to adequately protect the American citizens. In fact, adding 370 miles of fence will still leave almost 1500 miles of the United States-Mexican border unfenced, and thousands more unfenced along the United States-Canadian border. This nation cannot take the risk of having so much of the northern border unprotected by the fence. There needs to be sufficient fencing around all borders of the United States, no matter which country the border is shared with. Another one of President Bush’s border control plans announced in August 2007 was to increase the number of border agents to 18,500 by the end of 2008 (â€Å"Comprehensive Immigration Reform† par 3. The idea of adding more border agents seems good at first, but in reality is not. Adding almost 6,000 more border agents to the current ones in about one year’s time will only give the United States 6,000 more ways to waste money. It takes a great deal of time to train border agents. Border agents undergo a rigorous application and hiring process that includes drug screenings, fitness tests, and on-the-job instruction. Rushing to interview, hire, train, and employ 6,000 agents in a year will only make things more complicated because the new border agents will not fully understand the tasks and duties of their job. President Bush’s administration should take another look at what truly needs to be done to protect the American people. Since their August 20 07 announcement, there have been few changes or proposals by President George Bush for the reform of current immigration and border policies. In fact, President Bush’s primary website, www.whitehouse.gov, has not seen an update in the immigration portion since the day he announced a plan for amending the current border control situation. There needs to be a change in the leadership of our country. Barack Obama is the man that will steer the United States back on the right track of a safe home for all its citizens. In an online article published by Senator Christopher Bond on October 18, 2001, he writes, â€Å"While nine of the 19 suspected (September 11th) terrorists apparently came to this country legally, three others stayed here beyond their visa deadlines. Six other terrorists somehow entered this country without leaving any records behind them† (â€Å"Safer Borders† par. 2). People are getting into the United States too easily. Almost half of September 11, 2001, terrorists were illegal aliens. It seems impossible that out of 19 immigrants coming into this country, nine were here illegally. And of those nine illegal aliens, our government has no idea how six of them entered the United States. These illegal aliens later went on to deploy the largest terrorist attack ever on American soil. If the United States had a better immigration policy that included a plan for safe and protected borders, thousands of Americans might still be alive today. Senator Barack Obama plans to run for United States President in 2008 with a primary goal of reforming the outdated and insecure immigration and border policy. The national borders are less secure than ever. More than a million illegal immigrants have slipped into the United States in the past few years, raising the total in the country to 7 million (â€Å"INS: 7 million illegal immigrants in the United States† par. 1). Illegal aliens create uneasiness in the back of American’s minds after the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. This is because American people wonder why, exactly, are immigrants here illegally in the first place. Besides the law-abiding aliens that simply overstay their visa, why exactly would one want to enter this country illegally if one was only here for perfectly legal actions? It is this feeling of being unsure that worries Americans. Barack Obama is exactly what the American people need right now. He is a strong leader with a plan in mind to secure our national borders and prevent an unsafe country. His plan includes adding additional personnel, infrastructure, and technology on the border, as well as having additional Customs and Border Protection agents equipped with better technology and real-time intelligence (â€Å"Immigration and the Border† par. 2). His plan will restore the United States to the safe and secure nation it once was. In a speech given by Barack Obama to the Senate on May 23, 2007, he says, â€Å"To fix the (immigration) system in a way that does not require us to revisit the same problem in twenty years, I continue to believe that we need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace.† (â€Å"Senator Obama’s Senate Speech on the Immigration Reform Bill† par. 8). Barack Obama’s plan for improvement along the border is one that will be long-term and beneficial for many years to come. As mentioned, he does not want to visit the same immigration and border control problems twenty years from now. Hiring and putting to work 6,000 border control agents in one year is exactly the type of situation Barack Obama is trying to avoid. If the United States does attempt to interview, hire, train, and employ 6,000 border control agents in that time as President Bush wants, they can expect to be revisiting the same border problems many years down the line because the empl oyees will not be adequately trained or have enough field experience to understand how to fully protect the borders. Barack Obama knows that rushing to get border control situation fixed is not the best way to do things. Fixing major problems like border protection takes time. He knows that using careful planning and strategic ideas in regards to the border will give the citizens of the United States what they want and need: stronger national security. In fact, increasing enforcement along the border is just one of Barack Obama’s many ways of improving national security. Another way Barack Obama is going to improve national security is by adding additional infrastructure along the borders of the United States. He plans to add additional fencing along the nation’s boundaries, but in a way that suffices the immediate needs of the American people, unlike President Bush’s plan. One of Barack Obama’s key plans to improve border control, if elected president, is to take immediate action on the United State’s first line of defense: its protective fencing. While in the Senate, he voted to construct a 700-mile fence along the United States-Mexican border and continues to suggest more fencing along other areas. Barack Obama understands that fencing is the first line of offense against any unwanted illegal aliens that could possibly want to enter the United States and cause harm to the American people. Protective fencing keeps people from simply walking across the border into this nation and doing whatever they please. It, inst ead, forces people to go through Customs and legally cross borders. United States Customs does not allow the transfer of guns and drugs across borders, furthermore protecting its citizens. As the single unified border agency of the United States, the Customs and Border Patrol mission is vitally important to the protection of America and the American people (â€Å"Mission† par. 2). Without adequate protective fencing, the ease of entrance into the United States notably increases. Yet another part of presidential candidate Barack Obama’s plan to improve border safety is to increase how technology is used in protecting the United States. As mentioned previously, there are many problems with outdated technology that border patrol is using. The surveillance cameras are often defective or poorly installed. If under our current border safety practices we do not have enough agents patrolling the national borders, or long enough fencing, the only thing that could help the protect the American people from illegal intruders into the United States in technology, such as surveillance cameras and motion sensors. So what is the last line of defense? There is none. Simply put, technology is one of the greatest weapons against unwanted illegal aliens entering this country. Technology can do things human beings cannot. Such as operating twenty-four hours a day seven days a week and see in the dark during the blackness of night. Barack Obama will increase push for advancements in technology to be used by border patrol agents (â€Å"Immigration and the Border† par. 2). Under his plan, technology will be one of the primary defenses against illegal aliens. For example, surveillance cameras will inform border patrol agents of any suspicious activity and motion sensors will surface any attempts for an illegal underground border cross. However, there is much room to improve on since the current technology system is so poor and has become obsolete under President Bush. Barack Obama has a solid plan for reforming the current border protection plan. He understands it will take time, patience, money, and support of all the American people. However, he is clear and concise about how he will improve the United State’s borders. He is a strong leader with a great plan in mind to secure our national borders and prevent an unsafe country from becoming even more dangerous. His ideas of adding additional personnel, infrastructure, and technology on the border, as well as having additional Customs and Border Protection agents equipped with better technology and real-time intelligence is precisely what needs to be done to improve on the safety of Americans. The citizens of the United States are scared about who is coming and going from their country because they know that the attack on America September 11, 2001, could have been prevented with stronger border protection policies. Since that tragic day, few things have changed. There are still almo st 800,000 immigrants illegally entering this country every year. New leadership is needed. A nation as strong as the United States should not have citizens living with fear for their own safety. This is why having an uncompromising, yet personable and compassionate leader like Barack Obama will only do good things. His plan is long-term, smart, and obtainable. There are many things the current border protection policy needs to have changed. The wellbeing of the United States is at risk, and Barack Obama should be leading it to a safer, more protected society with his border protection reform plan, starting the fall of 2008. Research Papers on Barack Obama's 2007 Border Protection PaperAmnesty For Illegal Immigrants Yes or No?Obama vs. McCain History EssayThe Obama Presidency EssayMr. Obama and IranMy Air force EssayCombating Human TraffickingGovernment Funding EssayThe Rise and Fall of Napoleon BonaparteHistory of American Policing EssayThe Equal Rights Amendment

Free sample - Freedom of Speech in China. translation missing

Freedom of Speech in China. Freedom of Speech in ChinaAbstract The paper seeks to examine the freedom of speech for the people of Republic of China. The paper seeks to do this, by examining the way the government of China has treated the media. This is because the paper believes that the media is central to the freedom of expression in any country. The paper also briefly examines how the Chinese government responds to those who activate for political freedom in China. Introduction The recent tussles between the government of China and the search engine Google show that China has gagged the media. This is because the Internet is the most modern means of communication (Cohn, 2007). It is also the media that can make most people express themselves freely. For freedom of expression to exist, there must be a free media .This is because people can only be heard through the media. Only last year, Liu, a renowned journalist was sent to prison. This was because of an email he had written. The charges against him were that he called for peaceful political demonstrations. Many ordinary Chinese have been jailed for candid political expression. The People’s Republic of China continues to be a country that restricts the freedom of expression. This has seen many people leave the country. It has always managed to restrict freedom of expression by censoring the media. Since its formation in 1949, china has gagged the media. This has been due to the fact that the media is state run. Only a small number of media houses are not state run. They include CCTV, The People’s Daily and Xinhua. Where the media are not censored they encounter stiff government regulations. The media here is taken to mean television, Radio, newapapers, magazines and more recently the Internet. Some of the regulations that the media faces are as follows; for one, it is forbidden to report or question the legitimacy of the communist party. This, in Chinese media is a taboo subject that can get one jailed. The media cannot also report on the government of Tibet. Tibet is a secessionist state it has seceded from China although China maintains that it is part of China. The Chinese media cannot also report on the religious movement Falun Gong. The past few years have seen the loosening of some of the government rules that restrict the media. This has been through the commercialization of the media. Also, the emergency of independent media houses has seen to participate in the loosening of the media restrictions (Esarey, 2005). Historical background For purposes of integrity, let the paper state that the Chinese media reports on social issues. The freedom that has been curtailed is the political expression. Political expression constitutes freedom of expression. The curtailing of the freedom of expression began way back in 1949. This was the year that saw the birth of the People’s Republic of China. The government established regulations to make sure that the media does not report certain topics. These regulations have always been passed by the socialist party which is the governing party. The parliament of China has also been involved in the passing of laws that gag the media (Yuezhi, 1998). In 1993, the Chinese government moved to censor the newest form of communication.  Ã‚   This was the Internet and the World Wide Web. Thus, the Internet has been censored in China since its inception. Since then there have been continuous fights between the Chinese government and management of search engines such as Google and Yahoo. The fight between the Chinese government and management of the mentioned search engines is about the freedom of expression. This is because the Chinese government has realized the potential of the Internet to be used as a means of communication. The government does not want the citizens to have any avenue where they can express themselves freely (Yuezhi, 1998). Crack on Activists The Chinese government has established a system that ensures that those who speak against the government are arrested.   These are the people who dare question the government on the taboo subject of freedom of expression. The other category includes those who fight for the rights of the citizens. These are the people who protest against police brutality. The police have been active in ensuring that those who speak against the government do not escape. They get arrested and charged on charges of defamation. Others go missing for months until they appear in court under false charges. Activists, when arrested, face long prison charges to discourage others from following in their suit. The government has also established a well trained police force to track down anyone who disobeys its regulations on censorship. Every kind of media is closely watched to ensure that they comply with the rules and regulations set in place to silence the citizenry. The one media that have been heavily cen sored in the recent past is the Internet. Internet censorship As the paper earlier documented, the censorship of the Internet began in 1993. This was when the central government passed three regulations that curtail the freedom of speech through the Internet. The first of these regulations state that individuals and private organizations are not allowed to have direct internet, international connection. This regulation was formally announced by the government in 1996, and it was updated in 1997(Collins, 2002). This regulation requires all Internet connection to go through the official government machinery such as CERNET, ChinaNET and GBNET among other government regulatory agencies (Amnesty International, 2002). The second regulation gave the ministry of public security authority to monitor the Internet provision in the country. The ministry was to inspect, supervise and guide the work of maintaining security in the country. In regard to the Internet, it was to prosecute criminal cases brought through the Internet. Reading the fine script, one can see that there is ambiguity in the powers of the ministry. This is to ensure that the ministry can get along with the suppression of the freedom of expression (Amnesty International, 2002). The government in regard to Internet censorship has been enacting new regulations. People who break these regulations face jail terms or fines. In other instances, they face both. The charges that are brought against the people who violate these Internet regulations are various. For one, they are charged with performing acts that split the nation. Defamation is also another popular charge that is brought against these people. Leaking government secrets is another charge that those people who violate Internet censorship laws get. Sites that are found to violate the state laws get blocked. Several sites have been blocked like New York Times site was blocked in 2000 though it was later unblocked. The sites for the Washington Post, CBN and CBS have also been blocked, but they were unblocked in 2000 (Abbott, 2004). According to the ministry of public security, the following is what makes a site be closed. According to the said ministry, if an Internet site is provoking division and promoting sentiment that is harmful to the national security, then it is to be closed. Injuring the image of state organizations is another crime that can get a site closed. Working to overthrow the Chinese government or the socialist set up is also termed as sedition and can get a site closed.   All this is propaganda aimed at stifling the freedom of expression. This is because it is the state ministry that determines what sedition is and what isn’t. The state ministry of security thus uses propaganda to censor freedom of speech in China. Because it cannot be overly brutal, it has come up with laws and regulations that push its’ agenda to harm the freedom of expression. Other media have also been stifled in the drive to control the freedom of speech in China. One such media is television (Abbott, 200 4). Television The people’s republic of China (PRC) is technology savvy. It has invested widely in the television industry. 35% of the population has access to television. The television industry is heavily watched by the central government. TV stations are not independent in the country. That is they cannot air what they like. Like the Internet, they are censored by the government. This is because the government allows them to carry as much social material as they want. But when it comes to political communication they are curtailed. The television networks cannot report on police brutality. Also, they cannot report on unrests in the country (Benjamin, 2005). The leading television network is the CCTV. It is a state owned corporation and employs about 10,000 people. It cannot air foreign programs. The contents of the TV broadcasts are examined by state officials on a regular basis. The TV station is closely watched by the propaganda department. It is under the scrutiny from the state department of the administration of Radio, Film and television. The chairman of the TV station is a deputy minister in the ministry of the administration of Radio, film and television. Thus, the TV industry is closely watched so that it cannot air anything that can advance the freedom of expression in the country. The other media like newspapers cannot also be used to advance the freedom of speech and expression (Benjamin, 2005). Radio Radio talk shows are slowly and systematically transforming the freedom of expression and speech in China. Most Radio stations have become liberal and are reporting on subjects that are considered taboo by the other media. Radio talk shows have become the ground on which millions of people talk back to the government. This is because the country has seen the proliferation of Radio stations in the last one decade. The Radio stations have become an avenue through which the people can at least have a measure of political freedom of expression. The other media are used by the state machinery to talk to the people. Radio provides a platform on which people talk back to the government. This does not mean that radio has a free hand to air what it wants. Freedom of expression continues to be suppressed in China on a day to day basis. China is one country that has consistently refused to grant a platform for the expression of fair speech (Guan, 1995). Newspapers Newspapers in China have not been able to cut through government restrictions. They are still under gags that make it impossible for them to report on anything that is politically sensitive. The dominant newspapers are socialist party papers that report more on social issues than on political matters. This is because to report on political issues is suicidal to a newspaper in China. Today there are 2200 daily papers in China. State agencies have authority to edit and censor news from foreign newspapers (Guan, 1995). Western media The western media are heavily censored in mainland China. This is in an attempt to stifle the freedom of speech. This is because the Chinese government understands the power of the media in opening up countries formerly locked in suppression of the freedom of speech. For example, the western media have been instrumental in opening up Burma to the international community. In China western journalists are restricted from entering the country. If they manage to enter the country, they meet severe restrictions. China is determined to continue the suppression of the freedom of speech .One of the most effective ways of doing this is the restriction of the western media in the country (Collins, 2002). Conclusion China has the longest record on the suppression of the freedom of speech. The paper has gone into details about how the government of China has stifled the media. This is because people cannot have freedom of speech when what they say cannot be reported in the media. The Chinese government has also censored the Internet. The Internet is the most efficient way of communicating globally. The Chinese government understands this, and that is why it cannot allow search engines like Google to operate freely in the country (Cohn, 2007). The freedom of speech is essential to the development of any country. Most countries that used to curtail the freedom of speech have changed and are now allowing the said freedom. The media have been liberalized in most parts of the country. One of the most conservative countries has given in to a free and independent media that are central to freedom of speech. This is none other than Russia. Other countries have followed suit. Thus, there is no reason why the world’s largest nation can continue to stifle the freedom of expression (Yuezhi, 1998). The governments of the world should rise and challenge China to give political space to its citizens. They should pressurize China to give freedom of speech to its citizens. This is because China is a signatory to international charter on freedom of speech. China also sits on the security council of the UN.Being a nation thus esteemed; it must also esteem its citizens by giving them the freedom of speech. Only in this way will it be able to prove to the world that it is worthy to sit on the security council of the UN.It will prove to all and sundry that it is serious when signing   international treaties. References Amnesty International (27 February 2002). People's Republic of China: State control of the Internet. New York: Amnesty International. Abbott, P.   (2004). The Political Economy of the Internet in Asia and the Pacific Digital Divides, Economic Competitiveness, and Security Challenges. New York: Praeger. Benjamin, L. (2005). "Watchdog or Demagogue? The Media in the Chinese Legal System." Columbia Law Review, 105(1). Cohn, W. (2007). "Yahoo's China Defense." New Presence: The Prague Journal of European Affairs, 10(2). Collins, D. (3 December 2002). China's Internet Censorship, CBS. Esarey, A. (2005), "Cornering the Market: State Strategies for Controlling China's Commercial Media." Asian Perspective, 29(2). Guan, S. (1995). Intercultural communication (in Chinese). Beijing: Beijing University Press. Yuezhi, Z. (1998), Media, Market, and Democracy in China. Chicago: University of Illinois Press.