Penalties for Atheletes Using Performance-enhancing Drugs :: essays research papers

Imagine, just for one minute that you were at the peak of you career, in a competition that would determines whether you sink of swim. You have the choice to go out all natural, or to give yourself a little boost, so it is definite that you will swim. What would you do? Would you run the risk of getting caught? The athletes that stoop to this level are cheats. They are afraid of losing. And as the old saying goes, â€Å"cheaters never prosper†. They are putting so many things at risk in their lives. They face being suspended and completely thrown out of their sport, they put their lives at risk, no to mention giving sport a bad name. Testosterone can build muscle and strength, reduce fatigue and improve recovery time after exercise. To many athletes this sounds better than sliced bread. But in reality they are running a huge risk to them selves and their country. Athletes can be tempted to boost the naturally occurring levels of the steroid to enhance their performance – but there are side effects. High levels of steroids can cause jaundice, liver damage, acne, heart problems, euphoria, mood swings, depression and paranoia. The normal testosterone to epitestosterone in urine varies between individuals, but on average is one to one. The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority says the ratio does not vary significantly within an individual unless there has been a replacement of it from an unknown source. Naturally occurring ratios of 6:1 are rare. Any athlete who returns a urine test of 4:1 are said to have committed an offence unless there are biological evidence to prove other wise. They are taking high doses of naturally occurring hormones, and other banned substances to enhance their performance. This is cheating. Ever since we were 5 we knew that it was wrong. When ever some one cheated in a game, you would kick up a stink to try making it fair, because you were cheated. And no one likes a cheater. These athletes deserve more than just a wrap on the knuckles and having to give up some of their pocket money. They ran the risk, and they were caught. They deserve what they get. In our judicial system, persons found guilty of using banned substances have to pay the following consequences, (1) fines of many thousands of dollars. (2) Intensive correction orders. Penalties for Atheletes Using Performance-enhancing Drugs :: essays research papers Imagine, just for one minute that you were at the peak of you career, in a competition that would determines whether you sink of swim. You have the choice to go out all natural, or to give yourself a little boost, so it is definite that you will swim. What would you do? Would you run the risk of getting caught? The athletes that stoop to this level are cheats. They are afraid of losing. And as the old saying goes, â€Å"cheaters never prosper†. They are putting so many things at risk in their lives. They face being suspended and completely thrown out of their sport, they put their lives at risk, no to mention giving sport a bad name. Testosterone can build muscle and strength, reduce fatigue and improve recovery time after exercise. To many athletes this sounds better than sliced bread. But in reality they are running a huge risk to them selves and their country. Athletes can be tempted to boost the naturally occurring levels of the steroid to enhance their performance – but there are side effects. High levels of steroids can cause jaundice, liver damage, acne, heart problems, euphoria, mood swings, depression and paranoia. The normal testosterone to epitestosterone in urine varies between individuals, but on average is one to one. The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority says the ratio does not vary significantly within an individual unless there has been a replacement of it from an unknown source. Naturally occurring ratios of 6:1 are rare. Any athlete who returns a urine test of 4:1 are said to have committed an offence unless there are biological evidence to prove other wise. They are taking high doses of naturally occurring hormones, and other banned substances to enhance their performance. This is cheating. Ever since we were 5 we knew that it was wrong. When ever some one cheated in a game, you would kick up a stink to try making it fair, because you were cheated. And no one likes a cheater. These athletes deserve more than just a wrap on the knuckles and having to give up some of their pocket money. They ran the risk, and they were caught. They deserve what they get. In our judicial system, persons found guilty of using banned substances have to pay the following consequences, (1) fines of many thousands of dollars. (2) Intensive correction orders.

Living in Texas vs Louisiana Essay

Texas is the second most populous and the second-largest of the 50 states in the United States of America, and the largest state in the 48 contiguous United States (Wikipedia, Texas, 2013). Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America and is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States ((Wikipedia, Louisiana, 2013). Texas and Louisiana are two different areas in the United States to live that have many diverse ways of living. Between both states, Texas is easier to live in than Louisiana because of the differences in culture, economy, and climate. The name Texas is based on the Caddo word tejas meaning â€Å"friends† or â€Å"allies†and was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas (Wikipedia, Etymology, 2013). Texas has many variations of cultures that reside within the state and these culture’s range from caucasian (white), african american (black), and spanish american (hispanic). The state also has other forms of cultures too but the ones I named are the main ethnicity that you see on a daily basis. Texas has many assortments of cultures which makes the state a equal opportunity for many cultures to advance in numerous areas of employment. The cultures in Texas always interacted with one another in different areas of living and would live in the same areas has another race and would become friends. They would go to school together and enjoy it, grocery shop at the same stores with no problems, and get gas at the same gas stations as everyone else. The races in Texas might have their differences between one another but would still except the fact that everyone has to do the same daily activities as anyone else. Louisiana was named after Louis XIV, King of France from 1643–1715. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory drained by the Mississippi River for France, and named it La Louisiane, meaning â€Å"Land of Louis† (Wikipedia, Toponym, 2013). Louisiana is mainly made up of caucasian’s and african american’s and the races do not mix very well. The way that I remember it when I live in Tallulah, Louisiana was that their was a railroad track that divided the small town into two different sections. The black’s lived on one side of the railroad tracks and the whites lived on the other side. There is only a few ways that the races interacted with one another and they were by achieving the same education from the same small town schools, grocery shopping at the only grocery store in the town, and at the few gas stations that were by the main highway. The ways the cultures had to interact with one another were not by choice but by having to so they could live their life’s and meet their ways of living in society. You would never see the cultures become friends and if they did they only showed it in the areas that they were allowed to be around each other in the town and that would consist of the places I named that you would see the two cultures together but not by choice. I was friends with everyone and did not understand why this small town lived the way that it did. I would love to go back to that town today to see if the ways of living has changed at all or if it stayed the same. I was only in fourth and fifth grade when I lived there. Texas’s large population, abundance of natural resources, thriving cities and leading centers of higher education have contributed to a large and diverse economy. Since oil was discovered, the state’s economy has reflected the state of the petroleum industry. In 2010, Site Selection Magazine ranked Texas as the most business-friendly state in the nation, in part because of the state’s three-billion-dollar Texas Enterprise Fund. Texas has the joint-highest number of Fortune 500 company headquarters in the United States, along with California. As of 2010, Texas had a gross state product (GSP) of $1. 207 trillion, is the second highest in the U.  S. , and is the fourth-largest of any country subdivision globally. As of April 2012, the state’s unemployment rate is only at 6. 5% (Wikipedia, Economy of Texas, 2013). Texas’s economy has went through the recession just like any other state but has started to rise out of the recession because of the land of oil industry that has hit its highest point since when I lasted lived in the state. The state of Texas I think is the busiest of many states because of its high demand of employment for the oil industry. The jobs are anywhere from secretary employment to a derrick man on the rig itself drilling the oil out of the ground. Every position has its own way of being very important. I miss living in this state because of how big the state is and the different areas of employment that is available. Texas does hit rock bottom but will always find a way out to rise above other states. Louisiana’s state principal is agricultural products which include seafood, cotton, soybeans, cattle, sugarcane, poultry and eggs, dairy products, and rice. The seafood industry is its biggest producer of crawfish in the world, supplying approximately 90% and directly supports an estimated 16,000 jobs. Louisiana industry generates chemical products, petroleum and coal products, processed foods and transportation equipment, and paper products. Tourism is an important element in the economy, especially in the New Orleans area. The total gross state product in 2010 for Louisiana was US $213. 6 billion, placing it 24th in the nation. Its per capita personal income is $30,952, ranking 41st in the United States. As of January 2010, the state’s unemployment rate was 7. 4% and an African American is three times as likely as a white person to be unemployed in Louisiana (Wikipedia, Economy, 2013). In Louisiana the Caucasian race has a higher play in job placement before African Americans which I do not think is right but every state has its differences. The white race runs most of the environment in Louisiana but the black’s make up the other part that is left to run. When you walk into different stores in Louisiana most of them are owned by Caucasians but blacks may be a part of the team by being an employee. If you do see a black own a place in Louisiana it is only because he fought and showed his abilities to become somebody. Seafood is a way to isolated Louisiana from any other state and it makes a lot of income from producing there different seafood products throughout the United States but the seafood industry does not pay as high as the oil field industry does in Texas. The large size of Texas and its location at the intersection of multiple climate zones gives the state highly variable weather. The Panhandle of the state has colder winters than North Texas, while the Gulf Coast has mild winters. Texas has wide variations in precipitation patterns (Wikipedia, Climate of Texas, 2013). The city I lived in was San Antonio, the summers were hot and the winters were mild. The rainy season is between the months of January and February. I loved the summers of Southern Texas because they are longer than the winters and are able to wear light clothing. The winters sometimes would get really cold but for the most part it was mild and easy to convert over to the climate change. In San Antonio it has only snowed a few times and since I have been born I only remember once when it snowed and it only stayed for a couple of hours because the climate in Southern Texas is warmer than other states. Louisiana has a humid subtropical climate, perhaps the most â€Å"classic† example of a humid subtropical climate of all the South-central states. It has long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters (Wikipedia, Climate, 2013). The summers and winters are similar in ways to Texas but the winters could be very cold and it does snow in Louisiana and the temperatures in the winter are a lot colder than in Texas. I remember when my mom drove in the snow in Louisiana but I cannot recall a time when she has ever driven in the snow in Texas where we lived. It does snow in Texas but in the northern part by the Panhandle.

Ho Ching Leadership Essay

Mr. GPower, in the reading, described as the capacity to cause change and influence. Ho Ching’s has been recognized and ranked at 18 in Asia’s most powerful people. According to the reading and further research, Ching is an influential leader because she brought a company from failing. In this basis, the company is successful not only with the CEO but the workers he or she employ. In receiving awards, she must have influenced someone to receive recognition. When Temasek Holdings was losing revenue Ching step up to the challenge to bring the company back on their feet. She did not focus on the company but also expanding the company’s potential. She has the power to influence because she started from the bottom and rose to become the CEO. In her influential speech, she has disclosed the company’s annual report proving the employees and to the public that the company’s performance is changing for the better and the results from the worker’s achi evements. According to a previous class in Phoenix, Accounting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) provides company annual reports to the public, but in some part of Asia these information are not public. Ching’s bold decision to make this public gave her employee a reason to trust her decision even more. When Ching took in the position as CEO she wants to make the company more diversified, with third invested in Singapore, third in Asia and some of the developed eastern countries. According to Thomas White International, when Ching was reconfiguring the company, majority of the staff comprised of Singaporeans. In 2007, staff diversify from people in 22 different countries and 40% of the senior management are not home grown (2010). The referred power Ho Ching uses are referent power and legitimate power. According to Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, referent power has strong interpersonal ties with subordinates. Ching strengthens the relationship with senior management to the workers (2009). Her legitimate power come from experience from rising up the ranks. Her decision to make changes and vision for the future of the company gives her followers to become motivated to work for the better of the company’s success.

Barack Obama - Speech Before a Joint Session of Congress

Barack Obama First Speech to a Joint Session of Congress delivered 24 February 2009 Madame Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States (who is around here somewhere): I have come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly and directly to the men and women who sent us here.I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven’t been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family. You don’t need to hear another list of statistics to know that our economy is in crisis, because you live it every day. It’s the worry you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It’s the job you thought you’d retire from but now have lost; the business you built your dreams upon that’s now hanging by a thread; the college acceptance letter your child had to put back in the envelope. The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere. But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before. The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don’t lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities; in our fields and our factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more. Now, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that for too long, we have not always met these responsibilities as a government or as a people. I say this not to lay blame or look backwards, but because it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we’ll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament. The fact is, our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before. In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day. Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here. Now is the time to act boldly and wisely to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jumpstart job creation, re-start lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care, and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down. That is what my economic agenda is designed to do, and that’s what I’d like to talk to you about tonight. It’s an agenda that begins with jobs. As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a recovery plan by President’s Day that would put people back to work and put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government – I don’t. Not because I’m not mindful of the massive debt we’ve inherited – I am. I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost more jobs and caused more hardships. In fact, a failure to act would have worsened our long-term deficit by assuring weak economic growth for years. That’s why I pushed for quick action. And tonight, I am grateful that this Congress delivered, and pleased to say that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now law. Over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90% of these jobs will be in the private sector – jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges; constructing wind turbines and solar panels; laying broadband and expanding mass transit. Because of this plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs their department was about to make. Because of this plan, 95% of the working households in America will receive a tax cut a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks beginning on April 1st. Because of this plan, families who are struggling to pay tuition costs will receive a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college. And Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession will be able to receive extended unemployment benefits and continued health care coverage to help them weather this storm. I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work. I understand that skepticism. Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right. That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort – because nobody messes with Joe. I have told each member of my Cabinet as well as mayors and governors across the country that they will be held accountable by me and the American people for every dollar they spend. I have appointed a proven and aggressive Inspector General to ferret out any and all cases of waste and fraud. And we have created a new website called recovery.gov so that every American can find out how and where their money is being spent. So the recovery plan we passed is the first step in getting our economy back on track. But it is just the first step. Because even if we manage this plan flawlessly, there will be no real recovery unless we clean up the credit crisis that has severely weakened our financial system. I want to speak plainly and candidly about this issue tonight, because every American should know that it directly affects you and your family’s well-being. You should also know that the money you’ve deposited in banks across the country is safe; your insurance is secure; and you can rely on the continued operation of our financial system. That is not the source of concern. The concern is that if we do not re-start lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins. You see, the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy. The ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to a college education; how stores stock their shelves, farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll. But credit has stopped flowing the way it should. Too many bad loans from the housing crisis have made their way onto the books of too many banks. With so much debt and so little confidence, these banks are now fearful of lending out any more money to households, to businesses, or to each other. When there is no lending, families can’t afford to buy homes or cars. So businesses are forced to make layoffs. Our economy suffers even more, and credit dries up even further. That is why this administration is moving swiftly and aggressively to break this destructive cycle, restore confidence, and re-start lending. We will do so in several ways. First, we are creating a new lending fund that represents the largest effort ever to help provide auto loans, college loans, and small business loans to the consumers and entrepreneurs who keep this economy running. Second, we have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and re-finance their mortgages. It’s a plan that won’t help speculators or that neighbor down the street who bought a house he could never hope to afford, but it will help millions of Americans who are struggling with declining home values – Americans who will now be able to take advantage of the lower interest rates that this plan has already helped bring about. In fact, the average family who re-finances today can save nearly $2000 per year on their mortgage. Third, we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy. I understand that on any given day, Wall Street may be more comforted by an approach that gives banks bailouts with no strings attached, and that holds nobody accountable for their reckless decisions. But such an approach won’t solve the problem. And our goal is to quicken the day when we re-start lending to the American people and American business and end this crisis once and for all. I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they receive, and this time, they will have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer. This time, CEOs won’t be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over. Still, this plan will require significant resources from the federal government – and yes, probably more than we’ve already set aside. But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade. That would be worse for our deficit, worse for business, worse for you, and worse for the next generation. And I refuse to let that happen. I understand that when the last administration asked this Congress to provide assistance for struggling banks, Democrats and Republicans alike were infuriated by the mismanagement and results that followed. So were the American taxpayers. So was I. So I know how unpopular it is to be seen as helping banks right now, especially when everyone is suffering in part from their bad decisions. I promise you – I get it. But I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger, or yield to the politics of the moment. My job – our job – is to solve the problem. Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility. I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive, but I will do whatever it takes to help the small business that can’t pay its workers or the family that has saved and still can’t get a mortgage. That’s what this is about. It’s not about helping banks – it’s about helping people. Because when credit is available again, that young family can finally buy a new home. And then some company will hire workers to build it. And then those workers will have money to spend, and if they can get a loan too, maybe they’ll finally buy that car, or open their own business. Investors will return to the market, and American families will see their retirement secured once more. Slowly, but surely, confidence will return, and our economy will recover. So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary. Because we cannot consign our nation to an open-ended recession. And to ensure that a crisis of this magnitude never happens again, I ask Congress to move quickly on legislation that will finally reform our outdated regulatory system. It is time to put in place tough, new common-sense rules of the road so that our financial market rewards drive and innovation, and punishes short-cuts and abuse. The recovery plan and the financial stability plan are the immediate steps we’re taking to revive our economy in the short-term. But the only way to fully restore America’s economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world. The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care; the schools that aren’t preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit. That is our responsibility. In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America – as a blueprint for our future. My budget does not attempt to solve every problem or address every issue. It reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession. Given these realities, everyone in this chamber – Democrats and Republicans – will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me. But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves; that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity. For history tells a different story. History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas. In the midst of civil war, we laid railroad tracks from one coast to another that spurred commerce and industry. From the turmoil of the Industrial Revolution came a system of public high schools that prepared our citizens for a new age. In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation to college and created the largest middle-class in history. And a twilight struggle for freedom led to a nation of highways, an American on the moon, and an explosion of technology that still shapes our world. In each case, government didn’t supplant private enterprise; it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive. We are a nation that has seen promise amid peril, and claimed opportunity from ordeal. Now we must be that nation again. That is why, even as it cuts back on the programs we don’t need, the budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, health care, and education. It begins with energy. We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient. We invented solar technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea. Well I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders – and I know you don’t either. It is time for America to lead again. Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation’s supply of renewable energy in the next three years. We have also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history – an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine, science, and technology. We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills. But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. And to support that innovation, we will invest fifteen billion dollars a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America. As for our auto industry, everyone recognizes that years of bad decision-making and a global recession have pushed our automakers to the brink. We should not, and will not, protect them from their own bad practices. But we are committed to the goal of a re-tooled, re-imagined auto industry that can compete and win. Millions of jobs depend on it. Scores of communities depend on it. And I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it. None of this will come without cost, nor will it be easy. But this is America. We don’t do what’s easy. We do what is necessary to move this country forward. For that same reason, we must also address the crushing cost of health care. This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes. In the last eight years, premiums have grown four times faster than wages. And in each of these years, one million more Americans have lost their health insurance. It is one of the major reasons why small businesses close their doors and corporations ship jobs overseas. And it’s one of the largest and fastest-growing parts of our budget. Given these facts, we can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold. Already, we have done more to advance the cause of health care reform in the last thirty days than we have in the last decade. When it was days old, this Congress passed a law to provide and protect health insurance for eleven million American children whose parents work full-time. Our recovery plan will invest in electronic health records and new technology that will reduce errors, bring down costs, ensure privacy, and save lives. It will launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American by seeking a cure for cancer in our time. And it makes the largest investment ever in preventive care, because that is one of the best ways to keep our people healthy and our costs under control. This budget builds on these reforms. It includes an historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform – a down-payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American. It’s a commitment that’s paid for in part by efficiencies in our system that are long overdue. And it’s a step we must take if we hope to bring down our deficit in the years to come. Now, there will be many different opinions and ideas about how to achieve reform, and that is why I’m bringing together businesses and workers, doctors and health care providers, Democrats and Republicans to begin work on this issue next week. I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process. It will be hard. But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and the conscience of our nation long enough. So let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year. The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite. Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish. This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education – from the day they are born to the day they begin a career. Already, we have made an historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children’s progress. But we know that our schools don’t just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We’ll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools. It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country – and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask this Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Senator Orrin Hatch as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country – Senator Edward Kennedy. These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our childrens education must begin at home. There is, of course, another responsibility we have to our children. And that is the responsibility to ensure that we do not pass on to them a debt they cannot pay. With the deficit we inherited, the cost of the crisis we face, and the long-term challenges we must meet, it has never been more important to ensure that as our economy recovers, we do what it takes to bring this deficit down. I’m proud that we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks, and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities. Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. My administration has also begun to go line by line through the federal budget in order to eliminate wasteful and ineffective programs. As you can imagine, this is a process that will take some time. But we’re starting with the biggest lines. We have already identified two trillion dollars in savings over the next decade. In this budget, we will end education programs that don’t work and end direct payments to large agribusinesses that don’t need them. We’ll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq, and reform our defense budget so that we’re not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don’t use. We will root out the waste, fraud, and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn’t make our seniors any healthier, and we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. In order to save our children from a future of debt, we will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. But let me perfectly clear, because I know you’ll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: if your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not one single dime. In fact, the recovery plan provides a tax cut – that’s right, a tax cut – for 95% of working families. And these checks are on the way. To preserve our long-term fiscal health, we must also address the growing costs in Medicare and Social Security. Comprehensive health care reform is the best way to strengthen Medicare for years to come. And we must also begin a conversation on how to do the same for Social Security, while creating tax-free universal savings accounts for all Americans. Finally, because we’re also suffering from a deficit of trust, I am committed to restoring a sense of honesty and accountability to our budget. That is why this budget looks ahead ten years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules – and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price. We are now carefully reviewing our policies in both wars, and I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war. And with our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda and combat extremism. Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens half a world away. As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: we honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice, and you have our unyielding support. To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay, and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned. To overcome extremism, we must also be vigilant in upholding the values our troops defend – because there is no force in the world more powerful than the example of America. That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, and will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists – because living our values doesn’t make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture. In words and deeds, we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America. We cannot shun the negotiating table, nor ignore the foes or forces that could do us harm. We are instead called to move forward with the sense of confidence and candor that serious times demand. To seek progress toward a secure and lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors, we have appointed an envoy to sustain our effort. To meet the challenges of the 21st century – from terrorism to nuclear proliferation; from pandemic disease to cyber threats to crushing poverty – we will strengthen old alliances, forge new ones, and use all elements of our national power. And to respond to an economic crisis that is global in scope, we are working with the nations of the G-20 to restore confidence in our financial system, avoid the possibility of escalating protectionism, and spur demand for American goods in markets across the globe. For the world depends on us to have a strong economy, just as our economy depends on the strength of the world’s. As we stand at this crossroads of history, the eyes of all people in all nations are once again upon us – watching to see what we do with this moment; waiting for us to lead. Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege – one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill. I know that it is easy to lose sight of this truth – to become cynical and doubtful; consumed with the petty and the trivial. But in my life, I have also learned that hope is found in unlikely places; that inspiration often comes not from those with the most power or celebrity, but from the dreams and aspirations of Americans who are anything but ordinary. I think about Leonard Abess, the bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn’t tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, I knew some of these people since I was 7 years old. I didnt feel right getting the money myself. I think about Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community – how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. The tragedy was terrible, said one of the men who helped them rebuild. But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity. And I think about Ty’Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina – a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters. We are not quitters. These words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a resilience, a decency, and a determination that perseveres; a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity. Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to the task before us. I know that we haven’t agreed on every issue thus far, and there are surely times in the future when we will part ways. But I also know that every American who is sitting here tonight loves this country and wants it to succeed. That must be the starting point for every debate we have in the coming months, and where we return after those debates are done. That is the foundation on which the American people expect us to build common ground. And if we do – if we come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis; if we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity; if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, something worthy to be remembered. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. Source: WhiteHouse.gov

Human Resource Management in International Organizations Essay

Human Resource Management in International Organizations - Essay Example In fact now a debate has started whether the concept of 'managing diversity; forms an alternative to 'equal opportunities' based on gender bias. In the UK, human resource practitioners and academics alike are becoming more aware of the emergence of managing diversity. There is now a view that, after twenty years of the ' stick' of legal compliance (which has achieved little), the 'carrot' of underpinning the business case for equal opportunities will perhaps achieve more (Dickens 1994). Thomas1 (2000) argues that, with the growing number of mergers and acquisitions, workforce diversity will become more of a priority for organizations and, therefore, in the future, people will become clearer on what diversity is and how to manage it. The business case for managing diversity therefore offers a way to operate equal opportunities as a strategic issue, a core value linked to organizational competitiveness (Dickens 1994). Diversity not only comes in the form of culture and values, but it also consists of several other visible and non-visible factors, which include personal characteristics such as sex, race, age, background, culture, disability, personality and work-style. Harnessing these differences is bound to create a productive environment in which everybody feels valued, their talents are fully utilized and organizational goals are met. Therefore, the way to place this on the corporate agenda is to see the concepts as providing both tangible as well as intangible benefits, besides being socially and morally right. Considering these factors, the underlying philosophy of managing diversity tends to imply that an organization can gain massive competitive advantage, resulting in enhanced performance with the help of a satisfied human capital. It rests on the premise that the organization will be able to serve increasingly diverse customers, meet increasingly complex business and management problems by actively seeking and managing a diverse workforce (Stephenson and Lewis 1996; Cox 1991). In the era of globalization, when MNCs prefer to take advantage of multi-location facilities, lower costs of production, expertise from the world over, diversity is bound to be there at the workplace. It is for the organization to manage the diversity by recognizing, appreciating, valuing, encouraging and utilizing the unique talents and contributions of individuals from across a wider spectrum of society. But circumstances sometimes create peculiar conditions which brings to the fore the inherent weaknesses prevalent in our society. There are rules and regulations which provide broad guidelines for keeping a delicate balance in dealing with such matters so that mutual harmony is maintained amongst the workforce. The guiding principle behind this thought is that the world is a rich and diverse place, full of interesting cultures and people who should be treated with respect. Skirmishes arising out of 'discriminatory' behavior often result in tensions amongst colleagues. Though there are federal laws in place, but it is the human character and nature which has to

Charging Children as Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Charging Children as Adults - Essay Example With matters dealing with criminal justice, the method is not much different. First, the issue has to be stated, then it is discussed, and conclusions are drawn. Where steps look like they may have been skipped, the research objectives are within the job description of solving crime, and methodology and data collection is done during the discussion of the issue if it has not been done already. The matter at hand for this discussion is that of charging children as adults for the crimes they commit. When children are charged as adults for crimes, it can leave a permanent mark on their record that they will never be able to outlive. It is believed by some that this method of criminal justice will serve as a warning to those who would otherwise do harm to others, saving untold numbers of people from harm and homicide. Others believe that the children who are sentenced to these kinds of charges are from states of disenfranchisement, with matters only made worse by the fact that where they once did not believe they would overcome their situations, they are now supported in their own conclusions, guaranteeing them a life of less opportunity than those who may commit the same crimes, but do not suffer the same consequences as a result of the advocacy they receive from their community. In conducting researching for issues in the criminal justice system, the two most common methods are quantitative and qualitative (Maxfield; Babbie, 23). Quantitative analysis is that which deals with concrete facts, or quantities.

What caused the Great Sepoy Rebellion of 1857-8 Essay - 1

What caused the Great Sepoy Rebellion of 1857-8 - Essay Example The role of the Indian sepoys was a central one as without their initial rising, other classes would not have been able to initiate such a high level of revolt. The hatred of sepoys attracted all other classes as well and this in turn resulted in the great sepoy rebellion and one of the major rebellions in the history of India. It is often referred to as the first Indian nationalist uprising. Although people from all over India were involved, the major areas of rebellion included the Northern areas of India and Bengal. The Indian sepoys tried to popularize the event by asking the last Mughal emperor to re-establish the Mughal Empire. Through this, they did gain wider support; however, the emperor did not have much power left. Therefore, the revolt was not successful to be turned into a widespread national revolt as the British were able to control it to some extent. Although the rebellion started as a military cause, it took on hold as majority of Indians joined this to show their resentment against the British. After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the British took hold of Bengal and took advantage by introducing reforms and policies against the peasants and traders. Along with this, other major causes including religious, political, social resulted in the great rebellion of 1857. The most important cause of this great rebellion included the growing resentment of the Indian sepoys towards their British masters. These sepoys were basically peasants and therefore, supported the farmer community of India at that time. Therefore, the adverse policies of the British government for the agricultural sector greatly affected the feelings of the sepoys as well as they could relate to the actual feelings of the farmer community. Secondly, these sepoys were greatly dissatisfied with the discriminatory promotion and payment policies. The European soldiers were paid more salary although the majority chunk of the work was done by the