How People Give Up Rights When Using an Airline

Many people modern day use airlines as a form of transportation. To be able to use this service passengers must have their bags and personal belongings checked by the airline. Airlines do this for the safety of their passengers and to ensure that no catastrophe happens during flight. But when this is done are passengers giving up their rights? Is it right for someone to go through your personal belongings? Or is this procedure only for security reasons? What rights do airplane passengers give up by allowing themselves to be checked before boarding? When Someone travels with an airline they must have their baggage checked before boarding the plane. Some people feel that this invades their privacy and that it is not necessary. Why should the airport check my personal belongings? Why cant they just pull up your criminal record or just check your pockets instead of checking everything? Some alternative plans is to take your bags and keep them in a secured part of the plane so there is no risk. And some airlines may even make you pay additional fees for these baggage checks meanwhile they are for your safety. Some airlines like Allegiant charge you $35 for your first bag. (â€Å"Airline baggage fees† 2) And how many people only bring one bag to the airport? Your second bag is $35 , and then any additional bags are â€Å"Subject to additional fees†. And all of this is paid for on top of your flight. Now shouldn’t it be an option to pay for safety? Does the airline even care about your safety or are they just trying to make more money? Collectively, airlines made approximately $3. 4 billion in baggage fees last year (â€Å"Airlines bagging big money† 1). Some people believe that airline just do this to make more revenue. Even though air ports are forced to check your baggage by the FAA (â€Å"Air Carrier Operations Bulletin† No. 1-94-10) people believe that the airline should not charge you extra and that the whole concept of being charged for baggage is stupid. Instead of being charged separately for baggage airlines should just include the price for baggage in the airline ticket. (â€Å"Clayton† 1). Other people seem to think that baggage fees are just a hidden fee that airlines use to try to get more money (â€Å"Most Obnoxious Hidden Airline Fees† 5). These people agree with the theory that one flat rate baggage fee should be included in the airline ticket. And as the Lehigh Valley Newspaper, The Morning Call says, â€Å"The recent measure of baggage checking at airports for bombs is a blatant disregard of a person’s privacy. Why should we stand for this, when our founding fathers fought to prevent things like this from happening? †. The person who wrote this article seems to be disregarding the fact that if it were not for this law of checking baggage that every time someone were to board an airplane they would be in danger. Imagine if every time someone boarded an airplane that that person was in danger. Modern day children go on airplanes for vacations with their families. Even if our founding fathers did try to prevent this, if this procedure was not done thousands of people every day would be in danger every day in the united states. Now even if this procedure is for the people’s safety, should the people be charged so the airlines can follow the law? Other articles regarding this subject state that when someone travels through an airline they loose their second amendment right. When people use an airline service their rights are not taken away but restricted, and for the safety of themselves and others. The second amendment, protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms (weapons). Many people argue that when boarding a plane that weapons such as knives and guns are not allowed to be brought on a plane during flight. Those people are wrong. It is one hundred percent legal to bring a gun or knife on board of a plane, with some rules of coarse. As stated in the article, â€Å"Traveling with Special Items on Airlines† from TravelSence you can bring a gun on flight as long as, 1. The gun is in part of your checked baggage. 2. the firearm must be unloaded and in a secure hard side container. 3. The owner of the firearm must be at the screening or the item and provide the combination or key to open the secure container containing the firearm. 4. ant and all ammunition must be placed in fiber or packaging specifically designed to hold ammunition. And 5. The ammunition must be in the same container as the unloaded firearm. As long as when traveling with a firearm you follow all of these procedures you can legally bring a gun with you while traveling with an airline. Once again these rules might restrict your rights as an American citizen but they do NOT take away your rights as an American citizen. And there is also rules with sharp objects such as knives. The only rule that there is on these items is,1. It can not be in carry on luggage and it must be securely wrapped to prevent injury. So once again it is one hundred percent legal to bring a weapon with you while flying with an airline service. Also if someone fells that having their baggage checked is taking away their rights that is also not true. The FAA (a government-run organization) enforces these rules and regulations for the airline passengers safety and for no other reason except for the passenger’s safety. Also by having these rules enforced by the government they can not possibly eliminate your rights as an American citizen (although they might restrict them temporarily). And concerning the rule for having baggage checked, it is up to the airlines to charge you for your bags. Some airlines like Jetblue offer your first bag of luggage for free and every extra bag has additional fees. So depending on which airline service the customer uses the cost for baggage check differ so when people complain about baggage fees they should look in to different airlines and see if any airlines offer cheaper fees or no fees at all (â€Å"Airline baggage fees† 5). The theory that baggage fees (if there are any) should be included in the ticket for flight depends on personal preference and one of the reasons why airlines do not charge the baggage fees in the ticket price is to try to hide additional fees from their customers (â€Å"Most Obnoxious Hidden Airline Fees† 5). And even though that may not seem right it is not taking away any rights that a person might have under American citizenship So, even though when someone travels with an airline service it might seem that it takes away their rights given to them in the declaration of independence, it really does not. The most traveling with an airline service does to your rights is restrict them. And the one and only reason that this is done is for the passenger’s/customer’s safety. The question here is, what rights do airplane passengers give up by allowing themselves to be checked before boarding? And the answer to this question would be, airplane passengers do not give up the rights given to them by being an American citizen. But if someone considers their invasion of personal privacy a right than they could possibly be giving up their rights (even though airlines do not save keep any information about your personal information on file).

Give a comparative, cross-national account of social policy in the field of gender equality and family policies.

Abstract Attempts to rebalance the gender inequality that exists in society have been made for many years, yet the extent to which these have worked is unclear. Various social policies have been implemented by welfare state to protect women against inequality, though different ideas generally exist as to what is acceptable within society. Such ideas have changed considerably over time and women are no longer being discriminated against as they once were, yet gender bias is still prevalent. It remains to be seen whether this will ever be completely eradicated as different countries will continue to perceive gender inequality in a different manner. The social policies, relating to gender equality, of two countries will be examined in this study to in order to consider the extent to which these have proven effective in combating discrimination. Introduction An ideology is a set of ideas as to how society should behave and generally forms the basis of economic and political theory. Ideologies have usually been created by those who dominant society and are usually formed as a result of common interests. It cannot be said that ideology is reflective of the whole of society and instead there exists differing views and opinions as to what an ‘ideal’ world is (Eagleton, 1991: 3). However, as expressed by Kania (1988: 1) a large amount of the existing literature in this area that is devoted to Marxist thought highlights the â€Å"diversity of opinion, values and policy advocated by persons associated with that label†. Despite these differences, ideology has been considered discriminatory in nature as those who dominate it are often biased. This was recognised by Curra who pointed out that ideology only â€Å"serves the interests of one segment of a society more than all other segments† (2000: 6). It therefore seems likely in light of this assertion that one segment of society will benefit from ideology, whilst other segments will not. This is largely reflected in gender equality and family policies as many still consider the so-called nuclear family to be the norm in contemporary society (Sudha, 2000: 184). However, it cannot be said that the nuclear family does actually reflect the majority in society and so the associated ideology could be seen as outmoded (Saggers and Sims, 2009: 173). This study will compare the social policies of France and Germany in the field of gender equality and family policies in order to demonstrate the extent to which gender equality is being attained. The applicability gender equality and family policy has in France and Germany to functionalism and path dependency will also be considered. Gender Equality and Family Policy Gender inequality was first brought to the public’s attention in 1970 when the feminist movement highlighted the struggles women were being subjected to as a natural part of their everyday life (Meer 2013: 4). This was followed by the suffrage movements in the 19th and 20th centuries, whereby suffragettes pioneered for the right for women to vote (Foghlam Alba, 2012: 1). During this period, certain groups of society viewed males as being the breadwinners, whilst women were considered the homemakers. Because of this conception, a lack of financial support was provided to women by the welfare state as it was believed that women could rely on the income of their husbands (Herring: 2007; p. 262). Women were far less likely to leave their husbands as a result of this, which could be one of the main reasons why there has been a huge increase in the divorce in recent years (Benson, 2013: 1). It was apparent by many that social policy changes were needed to rectify this imbalance and thus provide women with better protection against inequality (United Nations, 2013: 1). Some feminists believed that ideology was the cause of such inequality and that unless all nation states adopt effective gender equality social policies, women will continue to be treated unfavourably in society (George and Wilding: 1985; p. 122). Some feminists argue that unless equality within family structures is addressed, women will never be completely free regardless as to what social policies’ have been implemented by the welfare state (Craven, 2005: 3). This was recognised by Fraser who was of the view that the policies of existing welfare states are based on assumptions about gender that are â€Å"increasingly out of phase with many people’s lives and self-understandings† (1994: 591). It cannot be said that women are being provided with sufficient protection within society, yet gender inequality is still one of the most important principles that is contained in the human rights law of the European Union (EU). The EU continues to make progress in the tackling of gender discrimination, as exemplified by Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights, though it cannot be said that all nation states adopt the same approach as the EU. Consequently, unless gender equality is being instilled into the frameworks of all welfare states, gender discrimination will be likely to remain. Regardless of the EU’s gender equality policies, nonetheless, women continue to be treated less favourably than men and as it has been recognised by Radacic; that despite the pronouncements of gender discrimination, inequality of still persists (2008: 841). It cannot be said that EU policy has had much of an effect in establishing complete equality between the genders, though it is questionable whether it ever will (Mill and Okin, 1988: 1). Hence, it has been pointed out that although the EU has paved the way for more equal gender rights in areas such as marriage and employment, inequality persists when it comes to domestic violence, pay and the division of labour (Pascall, 2000: 240). It seems as though the EU has made great attempts towards the attainment of gender equality, yet these have not proven sufficient. Further changes therefore need to be made to ensure that women are not being treated unfavourably to men. Gender Equality and family policies in West Germany Social policy in Germany appears largely to reflect ideological principles, in that males are considered breadwinners, whilst females are considered homemakers. The German people are generally of the view that women should not go out to work and that they should instead stay at home to look after the childrenHence, as illustrated by Peters; â€Å"Men’s stereotypical role in Germany is one of the income – earning breadwinner, who leaves the house for work in the morning and comes back in the evening† (2001: 93). Although this may be a common belief throughout Germany, it does not provide a true reflection of the gender roles. Women are frequently choosing to work as opposed to staying at home, yet the gender pay gap is also increasing. Germany’s pay gap has thus been widely criticised for being one of the largest in the EU and the EU Commission suggest that this is getting worse (European Commission, 2012: 1). Davis and Robinson believe that much of this g ender bias is caused by the policies that are being held by families and societal ideals. does seem to have some validity, and social policies still need to be reformed in Germany so that gender equality is being addressed appropriately. Arguably, if effective policies are implemented in Germany, it is likely that this will cause the policies held by families to also change (Seeleib-Kaiser, 2007: 2). This alone will not be sufficient to bring about gender equality, and attitudes will also need to change. It has been suggested by Davis and Robinson that women with employed husbands are less likely to be supported than women with unemployed husbands. This is because, husbands in employment are unlikely to be supportive of efforts to reduce gender inequality (1991: 72). This suggests that women are less likely to advance in society if they receive a lack of support from their husbands. This shows how men can impact the achievement of gender equality. The social policies that exist in Germany should therefore be amended so that gender equality can be improved. At present, women do not receive adequate support from the government (Gelb and Palley, 2009: 368), though as noted by the OECD some are of the view that if greater support is provided to women, they will be less likely to have children which will have an overall impact upon the German population (OECD, 2008: 15). Conversely, it was in fact found by the OECD that countries with policies that facilitate female employment are those with the highest fertility rates† (2008: 15). Instead of reducing the population, further support would in fact increase it which is considered integral to economic growth (OECD, 2007: 7). Arguably, the limited support for working mothers in Germany has resulted in women postponing childbearing so that they can instead enter the workforce in order to financially support themselves. This has an effect upon economic growth (WILPF International, 2013: 1), though it has been said that social policy in Germany is a work in progress and that attempts to reinforce childcare is being made (Spiegel, 2012: 1). Gender Equality and family policies in France In comparison with Germany, social policy in France does actually appear to reflect the ideas of contemporary society, and is thus more favourable to women. This was identified by Rodgers when it was noted that; â€Å"France has a more conscious, clearly defined concept of family policy, which finds expression in statutory and voluntary institutions whose primary or even sole purpose is to promote the welfare of the family† (2009: 113). Statutory benefits in France are also provided, as of right, to both parents. This demonstrates how gender equality is more adequate in France than it is in Germany (Rogers, 2009: 113). This is due to the support women receive in France by the French government and the favourable family policies that exist. Significant support for childcare is also being provided by France and their allowance system is particularly generous (European Union, 2014: 1). The support that is provided to women is thus intended to allow a work-life balance to be achie ved. This approach does appear to be working given the high fertility and employments rates of women with children (European Commission, 2014: 1). Hence, it has been argued that the high fertility rates in France is due to France’s consistent family policy and the excellent employment prospects women are said to have (Del Boca, 2008: 2). Monetary benefits are a key feature of France’s family policy (Cleiss, 2013: 1). This generosity has been considered necessary in supporting women and removing gender inequality in France. Yet not all agree with this approach and it has instead been argued that whilst women in France receive a number of different benefits such as; paid, four-month maternity leaves; tax breaks for having more children; and other family-friendly government subsidies, â€Å"their country lags behind many other nations in gender equality† (MNT, 2010: 1). This suggests that although a number of social policies have been established in France that intend to provide greater support to women, not all believe that gender inequality is eradicated and instead argued that outdated societal attitudes regarding women are still prevalent (Girling, 2002: 126). Nevertheless, France’s benefit system does appear to be a lot more generous than Germany’s, which might be suggested leads to grea ter equality between the sexes. However, it seems as though complete equality is still not being attained. There still appears to be a gender pay gap between men and women in France, and women continue to be treated differently in general (European Commission, 2013: 10). Arguably, it is clear from these findings that social policies may not actually remove the gender inequalities that persist within society and that the attitudes of individuals also need to be changed. Functionalist and path dependency to gender equality and family policies Functionalism has been described as a philosophy of mind in that a particular mental state will be dependent on the role it plays on the cognitive system in which it is a part of. In effect, functionalists view the identity of mental states as being determined by its casual relations to sensory stimulations, behaviour and other mental states (Stanford, 2004: 1). Functionalism is clearly prevalent within the approaches that are being employed in both Germany and France since functionalists view gender inequality as a product of traditional ideology within society (Isajiw, 2013: 129). Given that gender inequality is still prevalent within both Germany and France it might be though that social policies cannot change traditional ideology. Pre-existing notions of the ideal family will be likely to remain and individuals will thus conform to the roles that have been provided to them by society. Whilst gender roles have changed substantially in contemporary societies, functionalists believ e that traditional arrangements remain in force (Giddens and Griffiths, 2006: 467). This is what appears to be happening in France because although social policy has been advanced, gender inequality still exists as a result of traditional arrangements. Furthermore, whilst social policy in Germany is not as supportive of women as it is in France, the same applies here and traditional arrangements continue to prevail. Path dependency is a term that is used to describe the idea that history matters and that we are today a product of what has happened in the past (Margolis, 1996: 1). Path dependency is also reflective of gender equality in Germany and France in that past decisions influence future decisions. This is so regardless of whether the circumstances are still relevant (Arthur, 1994: 33). Historical viewpoints are therefore being maintained despite the fact that this no longer provides a true reflection of reality and as put by Skocpol; â€Å"the development trends of social modernization may face legacies of path dependent cultural and institutional organisation† (1992: 8). Gender equality is affected by this and improvements to the lives and wellbeing of women is stifled. Alexander and Welzel argue that; â€Å"path dependent processes with respect to women’s suffrage policy may affect the potential to increase gender equality in particular societies† (2014: 9). Again, this demonstrates why women continue to be paid less than men in both Germany and France. This results from the historical gender inequality practices because as stated by Bjornskov et al; â€Å"because of the path dependence of the unfolding human life, gender inequality in the early eighties might equally affect today’s opportunities, choices and aspiration levels† (2007: 2). This will continue to affect the way women are treated in the future and it is arguable whether discrimination against women will ever be eradicated. Conclusion Overall, it has been argued that ideological beliefs will continue to influence the ways women are treated in society, and regardless of the social policies that are implemented by welfare states, gender inequality will continue to persist. This is because the traditional roles of males and females will continue to be prevalent within all aspects of life as women will continue to take on the role of a homemaker, whilst men will continue to take on the role of a breadwinner in certain groups of society. Ideology is largely responsible for these inequalities and women will continue to be treated differently to men as a result. This is evidenced in both Germany and France regardless of the fact that their social policy strategies are different and demonstrates how ideology will continue to dominate contemporary society. Thus, women in Germany are treated far less favourably than the women in France, yet both countries are similar when it comes to gender inequality. An example of this ca n be seen in relation to the gender pay gaps which are widespread amongst both nation states. Nevertheless, despite the fact that gender inequality is likely to persist regardless of what policies are implemented, it is manifest that improvements can certainly be made. Further support should be provided to women in Germany, whilst the gender pay gap should be reduced in France. This is unlikely to provide complete equality because, as recognised by the functionalist and path dependency models, the traditional arrangement of gender roles will continue influence society. References Alexander, A. C. and Welzel, C. (2014) ‘Four Theories Tested on Four Different Aspects of Gender Equality’ Empowering Women, [Online] Available: http://www.democracy.uci.edu/files/democracy/docs/conferences/grad/alexander.pdf [02 April 2014]. Benson, H. (2013) ‘What is the Divorce Rate’, The Marriage Foundation, [Online] Available: http://www.marriagefoundation.org.uk/Shared/Uploads/Products/5357_MF%20-%20What%20is%20the%20divorce%20rate%20-%20060213.pdf [02 April 2014]. Bjornskov, C. Dreher, A. 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(2013) ‘Struggles for Gender Equality: Reflections on the place of men and men’s organisations’, Open Debate, Online] Available: http://www.osisa.org/sites/default/files/sup_files/open_debate_2_-_reflections_on_the_place_of_men_and_mens_organisations_in_the_struggle_for_gender_equality.pdf [02 April 2014]. Mill, J. S. and Okin, S. M. (1988) The Subjection of Women, Hackett Publishing Co. MNT. (2010) ‘Gender Inequality Persists in France Despite Family-Focused Benefits’ [Online] Available: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/204545.php [03 April 2014]. OECD. (2007) ‘Babies and Bosses – Reconciling Work and Family Life’ A Synthesis of Findings for OECD Countries. OECD. (2008) ‘Gender and Sustainable Development’ Maximising the Economic, Social and Environmental Role of Women. Pascall, G. (2000) Gender and Social Policy: Comparing Welfare States in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Societ Union’ Journal of European Social Policy, Volume 10, Number 3. Peters, D. (2001) ‘Breadwinners, Homemakers and Beasts of Burden: A Gender Perspective on Transport and Mobility’ Institute for City and Regional Planning, Sustainable Development International, 93-100. Radacic, I. (2008) ‘Critical Review of Jurisprudence: An Occasional Series: Gender Equality Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights’, European Journal of International Law, Issue 4, EJIL 2008 19 (841). Rodgers, B. N. (2009) ‘Family Policy in France’ Journal of Social Policy, Volume 4, Issue 2. Saggers, S. Dodd, J. and Wildy, H. (2009) ‘Constructing the ‘ideal’ family for family-centred practice: challenges for delivery’ Disability and Society, Volume 24, Issue 2. Seeleib, M. K. (2007) ‘Innovative ways of coping with old and new challenges: Enterprises as actors of family policy’, Family Policies in Britain and Germany, [Online] Available: http://www.socialpolicy.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/10108/Family_Policy_in_Britain_and_Germany_Midpoint_Conference171107.pdf [02 April 2014]. Skocpol, T. (1992) Protecting Soldiers and Mothers: The Political Origins in Social Policy in the United States, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Stanford. (2004) ‘Functionalism’ [Online] Available: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/functionalism/ [07 April 2014]. Sudha, D. K. (2000) Gender Roles, New Delhi: APH Publishing. WILPF International. (2014) ‘Racism and Gender Inequality in Germany’ Peace & Freedom, [Online] Available: http://www.wilpfinternational.org/racism-and-gender-inequality-in-germany/ [02 April 2014]. Give a comparative, cross-national account of social policy in the field of gender equality and family policies. Introduction Social policy is the term that is used to describe the various principles, guidelines, legislative provisions and activities that impact human welfare. Social policy has thus been defined as an analysis of societies responses to social need (Lewis, 2013: 1) and has been said to focus on certain aspects of the economy that are concerned with basic human needs. Nevertheless, different societies have developed different ways to meet social policy needs. Whilst some rely primarily upon ideological beliefs within family institutions, others rely on the actions of individuals and governmental activities (Lewis, 2013: 1). Ideology plays an important part in social policy as it is the belief that individuals should behave in a way that is consistent with the goals and expectations of the most dominant in society. There are many different views and opinions that exist in respect of ideology (Kania, 1988: 1), yet it has been considered extremely discriminatory as it only â€Å"serves the inte rests of one segment of a society more than all other segments† (Curra, 2000: 6). One particular group of people therefore benefit more than other groups, which is the case when it comes to gender equality and family policies. (Brown et al; 2010: 9). The nuclear family, which is the traditional family structure that consists of two parents and children, is still being considered the ideal in many cultural, family and social settings. This is so despite the fact that â€Å"contemporary families now comprise a diverse range of different family and so-called non family types† (Saggers and Sims, 2009: 173). Although ideals are necessary in helping people to identify right from wrong, too much reliance should not be placed on ideology as this will otherwise result in inequality. A significant amount of the gender bias that currently exists has stemmed from ideology (Bjornskov et al, 2007). This is extremely dangerous and demonstrates how important gender regimes (as policy l ogics) in welfare states are in integral to equality. For example, in domestic violence cases, women are treated unfavourably on the basis that it was previously deemed acceptable for a man to beat his wife (Brown et al, 2010). This has produced many problems over the years and is still an on-going concern for many countries, which will be identified in this study (Cleiss, 2013). Thus, a comparative, cross-national account of social policy in the field of gender equality and family policies will be considered. This will be done by comparing social policy in Germany and France and demonstrating whether gender equality is attainable. Gender Equality and Family Policy in Germany and France The 1970’s new social feminist movement was the first time gender inequality was brought to the public’s attention as domestic violence was previously considered â€Å"part of the rough and tumble of marital life† (Herring: 2007; p. 262). This gender bias not only happened in the context of domestic violence but it was also becoming a natural part of everyday life. Males were considered to be breadwinners, whilst females were the homemakers. Because females were considered totally dependent on the male breadwinner, a lack of financial and support existed for women and there was a dire need for social policy changes to be implemented in order to reduce the gender inequality women were being subjected to (Curra, 2000). Feminists believed that this gender inequality was the result of ideology and that gender equality should become a vital part of social policy across all nation states (George and Wilding: 1985; p. 122). Feminism is prevalent within different jurisdi ctions and has been considered a â€Å"diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies and aims to understand the nature of gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality† (EKU, 2012: 1). Feminists’ believe that individuals cannot achieve complete freedom so long as inequality continues to persist and that humanity is therefore unattainable. Regardless of this, the gender inequality that exists within family structures is still being recognised as a global issue and is prevalent both in Germany and France. This is partly due to the cultural practices of these societies as cultural relativism is still being used to condone such inequality (Craven, 2005: 3). In addition, as put by Fraser; â€Å"existing welfare states are premised on assumptions about gender that increasingly out of phase with many people’s lives and self-understandings† (1994: 591). It seems as though inadequate social protection is being provided to women in both countries, although France’s social policy regime does appear more favourable to women than Germany’s. This is evidenced by the fact that Germany holds a strong preference for the typical nuclear family ideal and continues to view males as breadwinners and females as homemakers. It is a common belief throughout Germany that women should not work and that they should instead be stay at home mums. This was identified by Peters when he pointed out that; â€Å"Men’s stereotypical role in Germany is one of the income – earning breadwinner, who leaves the house for work in the morning and comes back in the evening† (2001: 93). Because of the stereotypical role that is still being employed in Germany, women end up performing two roles. This is because contemporary women no longer stay at home to look after children and instead choose to become income earners. Furthermore, th e pay gap between men and women in Germany continues to widen and has been criticised for being much wider than other EU states, including France. The European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding presented the results from the Eurobarometer on Gender Equality in 2010 and concluded that Germany’s figures were getting much worse: â€Å"In 2007, the gap was 23 percent; in 2006, 22.7 percent† (European Commission, 2012: 1). In a study conducted by Davis and Robinson, however, it was evidenced that much of the gender bias stems from family policies and the ideals that have been created by society. Hence, it was demonstrated that well-educated males are less supportive of reducing gender inequality: â€Å"women with employed husbands are less supportive of efforts to reduce gender inequality than women without a male wage earner† (1991: 72). This prevents women from advancing within society and demonstrates how men are capable of stifling the attainment of gender equa lity in Germany. In contrast to the male dominated ideologies that exist Germany, social policies in France do actually appear to be more akin to contemporary society. This has been illustrated by Rodgers who noted that; â€Å"France has a more conscious, clearly defined concept of family policy, which finds expression in statutory and voluntary institutions whose primary or even sole purpose is to promote the welfare of the family† (2009: 113). Both parents of the nuclear family are also entitled to various statutory benefits as of right, which signifies how gender equality is better attained in France than it is in Germany (Rogers, 2009: 113). France has a significant amount of support for women and has had an extensive policy in favour of families for a very long time. A wide range of childcare services are provided in France as well as an allowance system that is deemed extremely generous (European Union, 2014: 1). Such support is intended to encourage and assist parents in finding a work life balance and is clearly working given that France has higher fertility and employments rates of women with children compared to the rest of the EU’s member states (European Commission, 2014: 1). It has been said that the high fertility rates in France largely result from the consistent family policy in France as well as the good employment prospects provided to women (Del Boca, 2008: 2). One of the key characteristics of France’s family policy is the monetary benefits, also known as family allowance. The monetary benefits that are provided to families under this system include child benefit, flat-rate allowance, family income supplement, family support allowance, birth/adoption grant, basic allowance, supplement for free choice of working time and free choice of childcare, education allowance, back-to-school allowance, daily parental attendance allowance, family housing allowance and moving allowance (Cleiss, 2013: 1). In view of the support women are provided with in France, it seems as though Germany’s social policies on gender equality should be strengthened. This is especially so in the labour market where this appears to be amongst the worst of all EU member states. Therefore, not only do women in Germany receive significantly lower pay packets to men but they also receive a lack of support from the government (Curra, 2000). There a widespread misconception in Germany that if family friendly policies are implemented to assist working women, this will lead to them having fewer children, which will decrease the population overall (Giddins and Griffiths, 2006). However, it has been evidenced that â€Å"countries with policies that facilitate female employment are those with the highest fertility rates† (OECD, 2008: 15). This resultantly increases the future supply of workers, which inevitably leads to sustained growth (OECD, 2007: 7). Furthermore, the practices being employed in Fra nce appear to discredit the view that the population will be decreased if further support is provided to women, as this has not happened here and the fertility rates in Germany are low as a result of the lack of support for working mothers. This is due to the fact that women in Germany are more likely to postpone childbearing in order to enter the workforce, which stifles economic growth in the long term (Hering, 2007). Women are thus said to be â€Å"facing difficulties to reconcile family, domestic workload and paid work† (WILPF International, 2013: 1). It has been said that the German government is working on this issue at present and has made great attempts to reinforce child daily care (Fraser, 1994), yet it is arguable whether this is proving effective given the cultural relativism that Germany is submersed with. The generosity of France is illustrative of the support that is given to contemporary families and demonstrates how France’s social family policies are workable in attaining gender equality. Not all agree with this, however, and it has instead been argued that; â€Å"although French women receive paid, four-month maternity leaves; tax breaks for having more children; and other family-friendly government subsidies, their country lags behind many other nations in gender equality† (MNT, 2010: 1). This, it has been said, is largely because of outmoded attitudes about the role of women in society (Girling, 2002: 126). Women continue to earn less than men; they are still being viewed as homemakers and also hold few positions of power European Commission, 2013: 10). This is also the case for those women that remain childless (Milj and Okin, 1988), which suggests that although France provides better support to women, gender inequality still persists. Accordingly, women continue to be treated differently to men regardless of what policies are put into practice. It is questionable whether gender equality can ever be fully attained giv en the attempts that have been made to do so over the years. EU law has made significant attempts to ensure men and women receive equal pay for equal work, though it has been difficult for this to be accomplished. Article 141 of the Treaty of Amsterdam (which amended Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome), obliges member states to ensure that men and women always receive equal pay for equal work, yet it is often difficult to demonstrate that this is not being achieved. This is because the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that, on the balance of probabilities, their comparator is doing work of equal value to theirs or like work, which is considerably difficult (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2010, p. 1). It is therefore clear from these findings that whilst France does provide greater support to women than Germany does, gender inequalities still exist. France’s social policies thereby need to be rectified so that better equality is being attained. The first step would be to close the gender pay gap, yet it remains to be seen whether this would achieve complete equality as the traditional family model will remain prevalent. Functionalism and path dependency to gender equality and family policies Functionalist’s are of the view that an individuals’ mental state is determined by the role in which they have been provided with in society. Functionalist’s therefore view gender inequality as being a product of traditional societal ideologies (Saggers et al, 2009). This is reflected by the inequality that currently exists within Germany and France. Hence, the traditional nuclear family is still being given due consideration despite the fact that modern family structures are widely diverse. Because individuals have always been taught what the traditional roles of men and women are, individuals tend to conform to such requirements. This is still happening today, whether consciously or not, and is one of the main reasons why gender equality is difficult to attain. Consequently, whilst women are provided with better support in France than they are in Germany, many of the underlying inequalities women are subjected to remain. This is because societal attitudes towar ds men and women have remained the same, regardless as to what social policies have been implemented, as is also the case in Germany. Hence, it is apparent that whilst gender roles in both societies have changed substantially, traditional arrangement remains in force (Giddens and Griffiths, 2006: 467). Social policy in France has advanced significantly over the years and is very supportive of women, yet gender inequality is still prevalent because of the traditional arrangement that remains in force. This is also the case in Germany despite the fact that less support is provided to women as some attempts to close the pay gap have been made, yet it seems impossible for gender equality to be obtained. Path dependency theoretically explains how past decisions influence future ones, regardless as to whether the circumstances are still relevant. It is therefore clear from this theory that history is an important part of the future and shapes the way individuals behave. This theory is reflective of the gender equality and family policy approach that is being adopted in Germany and France. This is because historical viewpoints are being maintained regardless of the fact that the nuclear family is no longer considered the ‘norm’ in contemporary society. As identified by Skocpol; â€Å"the development trends of social modernization may face legacies of path dependent cultural and institutional organisation† (1992: 8). This affects the advancement of gender equality and restricts the ability to improve the lives of women. Because the emergence of social policy is determined by past influences, the typical family ideal is likely to remain instilled in society. This prev ents the modernisation of social policy, which explains why the traditional family model continues to subsist within social and family policy. Furthermore, as noted by Alexander and Welzel; â€Å"path dependent processes with respect to women’s suffrage policy may affect the potential to increase gender equality in particular societies† (2014: 9). This is why women continue to be paid lower than men in Germany and France regardless of the current changes that are being made to achieve equality. This occurs because of the historical gender inequality practices that were being employed because as was pointed out; â€Å"because of the path dependence of the unfolding human life, gender inequality in the early eighties might equally affect today’s opportunities, choices and aspiration levels† (Bjornskov et al; 2007: 2). Past discrimination thereby affects the way women are viewed in society today and will continue to have an impact in the future. Gender equality is still one of the main fundamental principles the EU continually strives for (Article 14 of the European Union’s Convention on Human Rights), yet despite the various policies that have been adopted women are still being treated unfavourably to men. This was recognised by Radacic who argued that; â€Å"notwithstanding these pronouncements, inequality of women in the member states of the Council of Europe persists† (Radacic, 2008: 841). The EU has therefore been largely impotent in challenging gender discrimination and achieving gender equality and although women and men are becoming more equal over the years, â€Å"a principle of perfect equality† (Mill and Okin, 1988: 1) is still not being established in countries such as Germany and France. Adequate family and childcare policies that allow for gender equality therefore need to be implemented, which could be achieved by employing strategies that; encourage female labour market participation, rem ove the gender bias ideologies, provide adequate childcare, promote children’s education and well being and allow for flexible labour. It is unlikely that much of the gender bias that is currently in place will be removed, though there will certainly be some improvements. Germany should be more supportive of women and France should make further attempts to close the pay gap. Conclusion Overall, traditional ideological practices continue to be adopted in Germany and France when it comes to gender equality and family policy. Because of this, women continue to be treated differently to men. It is questionable whether this can ever be rectified given that gender inequality is viewed as a product of traditional societal ideologies. In Germany, women are given less support than they are in France whose social policies appear to be more akin to contemporary society. In spite of this, however, gender inequality is still prevalent throughout France. This is evidenced by the large gender pay gap and the fact that traditional ideologies are still prevalent across all social policy methods. This illustrates that regardless of what social policies welfare states implement, gender inequality will still persist. Improvements to social policy would still benefit the economy, nonetheless, and would develop gender equality further. In Germany, there is a pressing need for greater su pport to be provided to women as well as reducing the gender pay gap, whereas in France the main focus is on the latter. It is doubtful that complete equality would be achieved in light of the fact that the traditional family model remains intact, yet vast improvements could certainly be made. This is supported by the views of functionalists who believe that the traditional arrangement of gender roles remain intact despite the fact that these roles have significantly changed in modern societies. Furthermore, because past decisions influence future decisions, as recognised by the path dependency model, the nuclear family structure will always have a place in contemporary society. References Alexander, A. C. and Welzel, C. (2014) ‘Four Theories Tested on Four Different Aspects of Gender Equality’ Empowering Women, [29 March 2014]. Bjornskov, C. Dreher, A. Justina, A. V. and Fischer, A. V. (2007) ‘SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance’ No 657. Brown, S. E., Esbensen, F., and Geis, G., (2010). Criminology: Explaining Crime in Context. Elsevier, 7th Edition. Cleiss. (2013) ‘Family Benefits’ The French Social Security System, [Online] Available: http://www.cleiss.fr/docs/regimes/regime_france/an_4.html [29 March 2014]. Craven, Z, Clearinghouse, ‘Human Rights and Domestic Violence’ Australian Domestic & Family Violence, Available: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/human_rights.pdf Curra, J., (2000). The Relativity of Crime. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage. Davis, N. J. and Robinson, V. R. (1991) ‘Men’s and Women’s Consciousness of Gender Inequality: Austria, West Germany, Great Britain and the United States’ American Sociological Review, Volume 56, No. 1. Del Boca, D. Pasqua, S. and Pronzato, C. (2008) ‘Market Work and Motherhood Decisions in Contexts’ Discussion Paper Series, IZA DP No 3303, [Online], Available: http://ftp.iza.org/dp3303.pdf [29 March 2014]. European Commission. (2012) ‘Women on Boards: Commission Proposes 40% Objective’ [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/gender-equality/news/121114_en.htm [29 March 2014]. Giddens, A. and Griffiths, S. (2006) Sociology, Social Science, Polity. Girling, J. (2002) France: Political and Social Change, Routledge, Political Science. EKU Women Studies., Feminism What is it?, [29 March 2014]. European Commission. (2012) ‘Statistics’ European Union, [Online], Available: http://europa.eu/epic/statistics/index_en.htm [28 March 2014]. European Commission. (2013) ‘Tackling the Gender Pay Gap in the European Union’ Justice, [Online] Available: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/gender_pay_gap/gpg_brochure_2013_final_en.pdf [29 March 2014]. European Union. (2014) France: Significant Support for Women and High Monetary Benefits, [Online], Available: http://europa.eu/epic/countries/france/index_en.htm [28 March 2014]. Fraser, N. (1994) ‘After the Family Wage’ Political Theory, Volume 22, No. 4. George, V., and Wilding, P., (1985). Ideology and Social Welfare. Routledge, 2nd Edition. Herring, J., (2007). Family Law, Pearson Education, 3rd Edition. Kania, R. E, (1988). Conservative Ideology in Criminology and Criminal Justice. American Journal of Criminal Justice. Volume 13, Number 1. Lewis, D. (2013) ‘Welcome to the Department’ LSE Social Policy, [Online] Available: www.lse.ac.uk/socialPolicy/aboutUs/introduction.aspx [06 April 2014]. Mill, J. S. and Okin, S. M. (1988) The Subjection of Women, Hackett Publishing Co. MNT. (2010) ‘Gender Inequality Persists in France Despite Family-Focused Benefits’ [Online] Available: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/204545.php [29 March 2014]. OECD. (2007) ‘Babies and Bosses – Reconciling Work and Family Life’ A Synthesis of Findings for OECD Countries. OECD. (2008) ‘Gender and Sustainable Development’ Maximising the Economic, Social and Environmental Role of Women. Peters, D. (2001) ‘Breadwinners, Homemakers and Beasts of Burden: A Gender Perspective on Transport and Mobility’ Institute for City and Regional Planning, Sustainable Development International, 93-100. Radacic, I. (2008) ‘Critical Review of Jurisprudence: An Occasional Series: Gender Equality Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights’, European Journal of International Law, Issue 4, EJIL 2008 19 (841). Rodgers, B. N. (2009) ‘Family Policy in France’ Journal of Social Policy, Volume 4, Issue 2. Skocpol, T. (1992) Protecting Soldiers and Mothers: The Political Origins in Social Policy in the United States, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Saggers, S. Dodd, J. and Wildy, H. (2009) ‘Constructing the ‘ideal’ family for family-centred practice: challenges for delivery’ Disability and Society, Volume 24, Issue 2. WILPF International. (2014) ‘Racism and Gender Inequality in Germany’ Peace & Freedom, [Online] Available: http://www.wilpfinternational.org/racism-and-gender-inequality-in-germany/ [29 March 2014]. Cases Abdulaziz, Cabales and Balkandali v. UK (1985) Series A, No. 94 at para 78 Leyla Sahin v. Turkey [GC] Reports 2005 – at para. 115

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Investigating the Ratio Between Poly-Vinyl Alcohol Essay Example for Free

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The main property that we are testing for is the products bounciness. Figure 1: The reaction of PVA and borax. In the above illustration, two PVA molecules are shown being cross-linked by a hydrated borax molecule. Four molecules of water are also produced. Hypothesis: In this experiment, I predict that if more Poly-vinyl Alcohol over Sodium Borate, then the appropriate bouncing solid will be formed. Methods: With the supplied solutions of PVA and sodium borate, my group and I took 100 mL of each solution. We measured out different ratios repeatedly to find the appropriate ratio. Start with a happy medium of 10mL (PVA) and 20mL (Sodium Borate) and examined the results. The results are not accurate so you have to test the extremes and then examine which way to continue. In my experiment, more of PVA is needed and less of sodium borate is needed. Continue testing until you get closer and closer to an adequate ratio with a good solid product, which we can to the conclusion that 4:1 as well 7:1 worked as good ratios to further test. We tested the ratio by cooling one and heating the other. By cooling the product it was able to harden and somewhat stay in shape. On the other hand, by heating it it doesn’t keep its form thus unable to be bounced. So to harden the heated product follow the theory of heating (50Â °c) to then immediately cooling (12Â °c) the product; this helps to harden the product inside out thus allow the product to keep its shape as well as bounce like a true manufactured bouncy ball. Results: Ratios – table 1 Trial(s)| Amount of PVA| Amount of Sodium Borate| Ratio| Description| 1| 10 mL| 20 mL| 1:2| slimy| 2| 3 mL| 30 mL| 1:10| watery| 3| 30 mL| 3 mL| 10:1| play-dough| 4| 20 mL| 1 mL| 20:1| foamy| 5| 10 mL| 2 mL| 5:1| rubbery| 6| 8 mL| 2 mL| 4:1| slightly crumbly| -| 12 mL| 3 mL| 4:1**| harder/shaped| 7| 15 mL| 5 mL| 3:1| slimy/not keeping form| 8| 7 mL| 1 mL| 7:1| too slimy| -| 14 mL| 2 mL| 7:1**| harder/shaped| Note: ** multiple tests (heated, cooled, heated and cooled) Bouncing Height – table 2 Ratio| Iced (12Â °c)| Heated (50Â °c)| Heated then Cooled| 4:1| 8-10 cm| -| 30-32 cm| 7:1| 9-11 cm| -| 19-20 cm| pH 8 weakly alkaline Discussion: A local manufacturer wanted my team to find a suitable ratio to create the well-known toy, the bouncing ball. In efforts to do so, our TA supplied PVA, along with sodium borate, to the students. Each group could only acquire so much at a time. My group acquired 100 mL of both PVA and sodium borate. To start, we did a 1:2 ratio just as a test to see if it would solidify into a ball. As a result, it came out slimy so we tried to up the amount of sodium borate (1:10 ratio), which lead us to a more watery product. Since increasing the amount of borax lead us in the wrong direction, we increased PVA and lowered sodium borate to a 10:1 ratio. This ratio gave us a play-dough outcome, which was closer to what we needed. Decreasing the amount of solution to a 5:1 ratio, we moved even closer. The 5:1 was starting to feel rubbery. After seeing how close we were with the 5:1, we tried the 4:1. Our 4:1 and 7:1 were fairly similar and the closet to our projected outcome but it was not quite there yet. So, by heating and cooling each result gave us a somewhat reasonable result. The result of cooling our 7:1 product for 30 minutes was a harder but still lacked shape as well as the 4:1 product that was cooled for 30 minutes. The 7:1 result was able to bounce 9-11 cm in height while the 4:1 product was able to bounce to a similar height of 8-10 cm. Both products heated would not bounce or keep form, so we immediately put both on ice. As most people should know, with the rapid temperature (from hot to cold), it causes an object to harden from the inside out. So, with this theory in mind, after the heated products failed we placed them on ice and let it sit there and harden. The products hardened over a 15-minute time frame and we could clearly see the difference between these and the rest of our trials. The heated then cooled product for the 7:1 ratio could bounce to a height interval of 19-20 cm, while the product from the 4:1 ratio could bounce to a height interval of 30-32 cm. Ultimately, we have to accept the best product for the manufacturer to mass produce and market so that the most money can be made. From the data collected, the ratio 4:1 is the closest to form a perfect product (bouncy ball) simply because it bounced higher which meant it was harder as well as kept its shape. But, from this experiment, we can conclude that either just cooling the ratio or by heating then immediately cooling the ratio product creates an adequate bouncy ball that when dropped it bounces like a true bouncy ball. References: Experiment 2. Polymers:. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. http://matse1.matse.illinois.edu/polymers/e.html. Polyvinyl Alcohol. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Aug. 2012. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol. Borax. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax.

Effective Retail Signage Essay Example for Free

Effective Retail Signage Essay Effective Retail Signage In this day and age of modern computers, ink jet printers and desktop publishing programs, I am still amazed to see store owners that put little effort in to producing quality signage for their stores. Signage is one of the most important ways to convey your message to your customers. Your store name, promotions, pricing, and product information may all be conveyed through signage. Are you getting these messages across effectively? As a customer walks by your store, you have about 3 seconds to let them know what they will find inside. What message are you sending? Place it where it will catch your customers attention, but will not block essential elements of your store. Think about how customers approach your store. If customers walk by your store, but your store name is only placed high up on your store front, facing the street, how will they see it? You also need to repeat the name on the door or window, and perhaps hanging from an awning or on a sandwich board on the sidewalk. Make sure signs dont block traffic flow, displays, or the view of the interior of your store. Window signage may not be visible to customers for other reasons that you do not realize. Is there a parking meter blocking the view of your window? What about a loading zone where delivery trucks park for a large part of the day, obscuring part of your store from view? Check for reflections on the window that make your interior signage invisible during the day. Youll need to check this at various times of the day to find out what happens to the light and reflections depending on the position of the sun. You can improve the visibility of your signage by improving the display lighting inside, and by using light colors in your windows. Light colored signage will stand out, while dark colors will recede and virtually disappear behind reflections on the glass. After placing your signs, double check how they look from a customers point of view. Step back and approach the store as a visitor. Walk from front to back and look at all your signage critically and reposition as necessary. The simpler you keep your signage the better. Reduce visual clutter, and focus on getting your most important message across to your customer. You will attract more walk-by traffic, and avoid confusing your customer. Your sales should increase as a result.

The Meaning Of Freedom Of Expression

The Meaning Of Freedom Of Expression Nations across the world have different constitutions and laws that govern the countries, apparently some may similar depending on the country, and some are also different. However, the Freedom of Speech and Expression is common in most of them, especially in countries that are not under dictatorship ruling. The freedom of speech has to do with freeing people to express their thoughts however they want without any type of interference. This is a major issue across the world, with no exception of Malawi. Furthermore, the issue of expression has to do with the media because these are the watchdogs of the society and they link the people with the government. The press has to do the researching for the nation, it has to be transparent and accountable in its news reporting, and so the media and press do meet up with lots of problems. The freedom of speech is defined as the freedom to speak without censorship and limitation or both. It goes on to give political rights that enable one to share ideas. Basically, the Freedom of Expression comprises of things that enable one to impart, receive and seek information without looking at the strategy used. It is said to help in democracy to work and also public participation in decision making because citizens cannot freely express their obligations if they do not have the freedom empowered to them. An article in the universal declaration read that, the free communication of ideas and opinion should be considered as mans greatest right.(David 2012) In as much as the people are given absolute rights to speak and publish whatever they like, it is also said that the law is likely to take its stand whenever any of the rights is abused. This means that the freedom of expression is something that is very important and has to be thought of on a huge note. Even the article 5 of the universal declaration does endorse this and adds on to say boundaries are not necessary as far as the freedom of expression is concerned. (David 2012) Background of the Freedom of Expression The freedom of speech dates back in the 5th and 6th BC in the Roman Republic whereby the main rights were freedom of religion and freedom of speech, also, it was talked of by Rashidun and Al-Hashimi, Islams, in their letter to one of the religious opponents. As years passed, various people fought for it in so many ways until the first state proclaiming freedom of speech was issued on December 4, 1770 in Denmark- Norway. People like John Stuart Mill pointed out that without freedom there can hardly be achievement in in things like politics and other things related, which according to him needed free expression. However, the Freedom Forum Organization said that it is important to recognize the limits of the freedom of speech as it may conflict with other things. (David 2012) The Malawi government has also adopted the concept of freedom of speech ever since it got its independence from Britain and had the democratic government. Democracy deals a lot with the voice of the people; apparently that is why it goes hand in hand with the freedom of speech and expression. The Malawi Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression and views it as a basic right. It strives for the public to enjoy their right to be informed through unrestricted access to information. Aims and Objectives To find out whether there has been an advancement of the freedom of expression or whether it has/is deteriorating. Since its establishment, things have been happening that it has not been easy to tell whether or not this freedom is really working out there or maybe it is long gone. To examine the flow of the rights in the government and reflect how the citizens are being handled with reference to the freedom of expression. How exactly is the government implementing its policies on the people, is it being over authoritative or perhaps it is imposing issues on the people without considering their rights, or perhaps it is doing just fine. To evaluate the extent of the freedom the press has here in Malawi How far does the Malawian government take its freedom of expression, to what extent does it authorize it. To find out the media has they truly are doing their jobs freely without hindrances Are the media houses truly free to report anything that they are obligated to report to the nation of Malawi? Or perhaps they have setbacks? To estimate how the freedom of speech is being used by the media and press on the people. To see through how the freedom of expression and speech have been flowing over the years. To understand what exactly it means to have that kind of freedom, and also learn its limitations. Problem Statement The media is a watchdog for the society, and its job is to keep the nation informed, entertained and educated, it has to do anything in its power to be there for the society and look out for it. However, in Malawi, the freedom of expression, or press freedom is said to have been adopted many years ago, apparently as early as when independence from the British government was granted. Now, the problem is that there seems to be a hindrance on this freedom of expression and the way the media is doing its job. Its either it is not being granted to them in full or there are lots of misconceptions about it. The media is suffering and there is no accuracy in its job, this only means that the nation is not getting accurate information, and is therefore not being treated fairly. Hypothesis Upon conducting a research on the evaluation of the freedom of speech and expression, the possible outcomes are anticipated. The government sometimes tends to take charge of the media practitioners, thereby limiting their freedom of speech and expression. When the people, media and press properly exercise their freedom of expression, they tend to come out with positive results because that is a job well done for them to serve the nation in a proper manner without limitations. Some media practitioners misuse their rights and cross their limits all in the name of having freedom of expression, as a result other peoples rights are violated. LITERATURE REVIEW So much has been said or research on the topic of freedom of expression and the media, organizations, and even individuals have quite a bit to say about it, others give some emphasis on it as in its importance in the media and others even give an overview of how it is flowing in the country and also how or what the media thinks about it. Freedom of speech has to do with people being able to give their views on things of their interest, and the freedom of the press gives the rights to the print media in order for them to freely express what they truly believe. However, having the freedom of speech does not mean having the right to hurt or discomfort other people. The freedom that is involved here has to do with how much creativity one can bring for the aim of improving the societies that we live in. this freedom is there to empower people to analyse their government and achieve what is best for both of them, in other words it has to do with criticizing the leadership both positively and negatively and end up having what is best for the nation. To live without freedom is binding but with freedom comes responsibility in reporting. (Orwell 2009) Freedom of expression is very important if the people are to participate in decision making issues, especially for countries that are said to be democratic like Malawi itself. People can not be able to participate freely in what is going on around them if they do not have the freedom, for instance things like choosing of leaders to guide them. Therefore, this issue is not only necessary for personal gain but also it helps in maintain the democratic spirit that the country has. This freedom clearly gives the society to voice out their thoughts on issues freely without any disturbances. Furthermore, this is something that needs full support because of its position in democracy and public participation in political issues and also the media. On a journalistic point of view, the freedom to give out knowledge can come under different attacks. Pressure on the journalists poses a very big threat. An article released by MISA said that Freedom of expression is a basic right, which is expressly guaranteed in the Malawi Constitution. Therefore, this programme seeks to campaign for the public to enjoy their right to be informed through unrestricted access to information. This one continued to say that MISA is campaigning for the Access to Information (ATI) bill. Section 37 of the Malawi Constitution provides for access to information. The framers of the Constitution however made this right to access information subject to an act of parliament but did not set a timeframe for the enactment of the law on access to information. On the other hand, some information clearly states that 13 years since the adoption of the Constitution, there is still no enabling act for access to information. Apparently, according to Malawi Institute of Journalism, a minister once said that the case of the July 20 demonstrations that were held in the country, he observed that some jouranalists who were cov ering the demonstrations were beaten up by the police and some radio stations put off air by the Malawi communications Regulatory Authority MACRA (Malawi Institute of Journalism 2012) Still on the concept of the freedom of expression being violated, the government has been named as the biggest violator of the freedom of expression in Malawi followed by the general public, and this is according to the Media council of Malawi (MCM). Mr Anderson Fumulani of the MCM said that a survey revealed government as a major violator of press freedom. (Ganthu 2002). Capitol Radio managing director Al Osman warned that with repressive media laws been introduced, freedom of expression is under threat. He continued to say that the media just provide a platform and that freedom of expression is not exclusive to the media. On the contrary, it was argued that Malawi is enjoying the freedom of expression now than before, according to Edson Mwamvani, southern regional information officer, the freedom of expression has improved in the last ten years, however, the freedom of expression has to look at the responsibilities as well (Gondwe, 2011) In addition to the violation, The Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) noted with disappointment that there is lack of respect for media freedom and in the country. The media in Malawi is continuously being violated not only by the government, but also some individuals of the public. Apparently, the latest threats came from the late State President Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, who warned that he was going to stop the work of some media houses and also arrest some individual journalists that continued to report negatively about his administration. He further pointed out that journalists in the country are being careless and false in their work of reporting. Furthermore, MISA Malawi also said it was aware of threats on some journalists as well as media houses from people who claim to be misrepresented in some stories published by journalists. MISA said that such things do interrupt work of the media as watchdogs of the country because it gives them fear and they d ont work to the best of their abilities. It also continued to say it feels that it is very easy in such circumstances to think that the government is actually thinking of taking little steps to ending the freedom of expression in the country. The media in the country really is trying so hard to do its job right , however, it is meeting many problems regarding its freedom of expression. MISA said it emphasizes that it does not condone irresponsible reporting, it said it is urging journalists to be truthful in every single thing they tackle. Irresponsible reporting should not even be heard of here in Malawi and around the world. The media should therefore be allowed to represent the people and take care of them accordingly. The organisation said it expects the government authorities and other people who happen to have problems against journalists and media people to give their issues to the correct bodies that are put in place for this. Freedom of expression and the right to report is given in the constitution of the country and they are both said to be protected by the head of state. The president must not be the first person to rob the media of its freedom, its simply not acceptable. The organisation was actually referring to the recent government that it should promote media freedom in Malawi. Not only that but also appealing to the media practitioners to support the people and keep alert. MISA finished by encouraging the government to continue to support media outlets. (Augustine 2010) The issue of rights being violated in Malawi, with no exception of the freedom of speech was addressed by the United Nations whereby showed that it is only a matter of time before the United Nations turns on the sanction button against the current government led by Mrs. Joyce Banda. According to the UN this is mainly following Malawi Government failure to uphold Human Rights and other laws of natural justice as enriched in the UNs Convention on Human Rights. Section 19 of the Convention gives everyone the ability to express opinions without any hindrances. About the media, the convention adds that everyone has the right to perform and work effectively with no boundaries when it comes to freedom. In 2011, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted what is known as the General Comment No 34, which is guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This comment strengthens the protection of the international law on freedom of expression including the Cou rts of Law in its member states of which Malawi is inclusive. According to Article 19, a well-known international organisation which is committed to defend the right to freedom of expression and fights against repression of the media, both the UN convention and its general comment define freedom of opinion and freedom of expression as indispensable conditions for the full development of a person. The organisation adds that freedom of opinion and expression are essential for any democratic society considering that it provides the basics of what democracy is all about. The freedom of expression provides for the exchange and development of opinions. With Malawi being a democratic country as it is called, others may question as to whether it really is a democratic state or an authoritarian which demands people to bow to the opinion of the government. the current government in Malawi has been criticised by various organisations such as Council of NGOs in Malawi for violating some sections of the constitution with no exception to the freedom of expression. According to Article 19, freedom of expression is a necessary condition for the realisation of the principles of transparency and accountability that are, in turn essential for the promotion and protection of human rights. In countries where democracy is embraced, a free uncensored and unhindered press or other media is considered as essential to ensure freedom of opinion and expression and the enjoyment of other covenant rights. Ironically, the Malawi constitution particularly Section 35 and 36, aff irms that every person shall have the right to express oneself, not onlyt in Malawi, but also in foreign countries (Nkhoma 2012) On the same issue, freedom of expression has been said to be something that is put in place in the Malawi Constitution, but it seems like lately it is sliding back to the time when it was not available. It is unfortunate that it does not matter which party is ruling or whatsoever, but the fact of the matter remains that the freedom of expression is currently not on a very good positions. Apparently after many press conferences, the late president Dr. Wa Mutharika after arguing with the media ended up shaking hands with journalists and continuosly said aluta continua, meaning let the struggle come to an end, because Malawi is a democratic country (Munthali 2010) On the area of print media, the importance of freedom of speech is important in the newspaper or print industry is that the print media does a big job of keeping the people informed. The people need to know what their leaders are doing and this is almost impossible to happen effectively is the publishers are controlled by the government. Some information has been given regarding the freedom of speech with respect to the internet in Malawi, and this is including media areas like television, radio or written press. These things are being limited by certain principles of public order, and this is what has been proposed against in the bill (Muwamba 2012) Freedom of press released an article where it talked of how the freedom of the press is constitutionally guaranteed in Malawi even though they are restricted in practice. On April 13, 2007, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) banned all private media outlets from broadcasting political rallies live without prior permission from the MACRA. This move intended to avoid messages that would be against the government. The government does not exercise over censorship, but freedom of expression in Malawi is threatened in many ways. One journalist was reportedly attacked in 2007. Dickson Kashoti, a reporter for the private Daily Times was physically attacked by Joseph Njobvuyalema, a member of parliamrnt over an article that had been critical of him. (freedom house 2008) The Freedom of information Act in 1966 gives the right to know, and also views the press as a very crucial an part of the freedom of expression, and a bridge between people and social institutions. So the press is the mediator of relationships with institutions of society family, religion, economy and many more. In addition to that, article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights adopted in 1948 continues to give the public its freedom to feely express itself and also get first hand information. However, some situations and writings have showed that the freedom of expression is not entirely valid in Malawi since it was written by George Ombuluka that the United States official also commented on the Malawian freedom of expression when he extended his speech to the late president Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika to say that he should respect his citizens right to freedom of expression. Anthony Livuza said that the government of Malawi promised to encourage the freedom of the media and this was after it met with international delegations on the issue of press freedom, the government resolved to being open and also fully supporting the media in its work . According Emmanuel, Freedom of expression in Malawi regarding television, radio, or print is set to be limited by certain principles of public order; this is said by the new bill. (Muwamba 2011)

A Case for Alternative Energy Generation: How Effective Is It? Essay

As the population rises, the demand for energy increases as well. Americans expect the convenience of electrical power to be there when they need it and their economy depends on it, but a lack of power might soon be a reality. A large amount of electricity in the United States is produced by burning fossil fuels. The national government, as well as individual states, are on a quest for less pollution, but with the energy demand so high it seems lower carbon emissions are impossible. Despite claims that the aging electrical grid is to blame for energy shortages, fossil fuel power generation plants simply cannot keep up with demand. While there is no question the electrical grid needs modernizing, alternative forms of energy production, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric programs have the potential to significantly increase the production of electricity. These programs will not only satisfy demand, but decrease dependency of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Many argue that increasing renewable energy initiatives will be ineffective without a modernization of our current electrical grid. Globally, 80 percent of electricity is lost between generation and consumption by the end user (Bernstein Global 162). Advocates for renewable energy, such as Tracy Crawford, CEO of Technical Green, are in agreement that â€Å"without rebuilding our grid, we won’t be able to move forward with any new power initiatives and that would not be smart at all†. To help reduce energy loss, companies and power suppliers are advocating for a Smart Grid, an automated power grid that communicates with buildings, appliances, and power distribution centers to increase operational savings, improve energy efficiency, improve grid reliability, and provide efficie... .... 2009. Web. 9 May 2012. Kim, Myung. â€Å"Hoover Dam.† Our States: Geographic Treasures. N.p.: n.p., 2011. 1-3. EBSCO History Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012. Pacella, Rena Marie. â€Å"Fish-Friendly Tidal Turbine.† Popular Science 1 June 2010: 44. EBSCO Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 May 2012. U.S. Geological Survey. â€Å"Hydroelectric Power Water Use.† Water Science for Schools. United States Geological Survey, 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 9 May 2012. Valenti, Michael. â€Å"Storing Solar Energy in Salt.† Mechanical Engineering 117.6 (1995): 72. EBSCO Military & Government Collection. Web. 9 May 2012. Wiser, Ryan H. The State of the U.S. Wind Energy Market: Wind Technologies Market Report: 2010. 7-9. Wind Powering America. U.S. Department of Energy , 26 May 2011. Web. 9 May 2012. Woody, Todd. â€Å"WIND VS. BIRD.† Forbes 1 Jan. 2012: 70-75. EBSCO Business Source Premier. Web. 9 May 2012.