Feminism essays

Feminism essays Why is gender so important? I think, the simplest answer is, because its there. There are two genders, which we call female and male and there are many distinctions between them. People generally afraid of talking about gender because many of them think that the talking would be end about feminism. Then why are they afraid of feminism? Because, these people think that feminism states, women are good, men are bad. And there are several myths about it. People believe that; feminists are man haters, they are lesbians, they want to bring men down and take over, etc. However, all of us should know that, Feminism is a policy, practice or advocacy of political, economic and social equality of women and the people who advocate this, are feminists. (www.milwaukeenow.org) So it can be understood from here that feminists are not against men, they just want to have equal rights. Feminism has been a prominent and controversional topic in writings for the past two centuries. One of the most important work of contemporary feminist theory is, Simone de Beauvoirs book The Second Sex. Lets mention the aim of the book with her words: For a long time I hesitated to write a book on woman. The subject is irritating, especially, to women and it is not new. Enough ink has been spilled in quarreling over feminism and perhaps we should say no more about it. It is still talked about, however, for the voluminous nonsense uttered during the last century seems to have done little to illuminate the problem. After all, is there a problem? And if so, what is it? Are there women really? (www.marxist.org) In this essay, Ill discuss the reasons why de Beauvoir criticizes woman and her opinions about the improvement of the womans position in society. If we observe woman and man, from past to now, well see that they do not have any common feat ...

All about the C# Programming Language

All about the C# Programming Language Year of Creation?: 2000. C# is the main programming language of the Microsoft .NET framework and has had millions of dollars spent developing and promoting it. In under 6 years it has become a rising star and may yet rise to rival Java. Why was C# Invented?: Because Sun wouldnt allow Microsoft to make changes to Java. Microsoft had had a product Visual J but the changes they had made upset Sun and so it came to a halt. What is C# used for?: All sorts of applications ranging from computer games, utilities, Operating Systems and compilers. There are also web based applications running on the asp.net platform. What versions of C# are there?: The current version is 2.0 and that came out with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. Version 3.0 is being developed. Does C# present any problems for novice Programmers?: C# is a comprehensive language with many advanced features, especially in version 2.0 such as generics. To get the best out of C#, knowledge of Object Oriented Programming is essential. Syntactically it has a lot in common with Java. How would you sum up C#?: C# is a modern programming language and is really only rivalled by Java. It does though require the .NET framework on Windows. There remains a substantial body of code written in C and it seems that C# will coexist with C rather than replace it. C# is an ECMA (European Computer Manufacturers Association) and ISO standard and this has allowed other implementations such as the Linux project Mono to happen.

The Rise of Mass Communications SLP Research Paper

The Rise of Mass Communications SLP - Research Paper Example After this project, Mr. Robinson is commissioned by the US State Department through the television series â€Å"Air Waves.† The aim of the project is to discourage Islamic fundamentalism and improve the relationship between the Khmer and Cham Muslim communities. The project is also geared as an pre-emptive measure in discouraging the creation and development of Islamist sympathizers in the Muslim population of Cambodia. The second series garnered around four million viewers for its entire run. Mr. Robinson’s third project, entitled â€Å"Time for Justice,† aims at introducing Cambodian locals to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) (in cooperation with the Cambodian government and the United Nations) – a chamber that prosecutes senior members of the Khmer Rouge. The third series is such a success that the British Embassy financed a larger fourth project, â€Å"Duch on Trial.† According to Mr.

Psychology of Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychology of Diversity - Essay Example It focused on a small, closely-knit South Asian community in Muncie, Indiana. The people in this town are mostly Asians who are part of the diaspora. She recalls that when she left Muncie in 1981 to go to college, her mother gave her some advice – to remember her Indian heritage. At first, she was really puzzled, for how could she know her heritage when she grew up in Muncie? She has lived in a country which regard non-white and non-European as â€Å"outsider† and â€Å"other†. Up to now this setting is still experienced by Asians and Latinos in America. But she says that she’s just a young adult woman of Indian ancestry living in a small American city, trying to understand what her heritage was. She focuses her paper to that time of history up to today when American has not yet awaken to the realization that she survived with diaspora and immigration. Gupta-Carlson said that when Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line and built the automotive plants that would power America’s consumer economy to fame, he had no other recourse but to bring in the immigrant workers and had them work. He then relied heavily on immigrant labor, but he tried to forcibly Americanize his workers. This occurred during the 1920s and 1930s. He enforced the restrictive laws on immigration that made a backlash against Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and other Asian settlers in agricultural and logging communities. Ford wanted to erase the â€Å"foreign-ness† in his workers. The worst discrimination happened then. There are many other incidents and inhuman conditions mentioned in the paper of Gupta-Carlson, and the experiences proved not very uncommon. Today, more than ever, we still see and witness these occurrences – immigration laws against immigrants, working conditions still inhuman and really oppressive measures enforced not only on Asian male but also on women. Not only are these inhuman conditions present in the working place but also

The set time of 10 seconds Essay Example for Free

The set time of 10 seconds Essay The data will be recorded by measuring the distance travelled by the first oxygen bubble after the set time of 10 seconds. There is a set time of 10 seconds because after this time of activity, the enzyme Catalase begins to degrade and therefore the rate of reaction becomes slower. The table will be set up in the following way: Test Number Concentration / % Distance Travelled / cm   Average 20 Volume must be kept the same of the overall solution otherwise different scaled will be presented i. e. more substrate than usual: the bubble will go further; the result is not reliable and cannot be used. Safety Precautions: H2O2 at 20 volume (100% for this experiment) is a significant irritant, if it contacts the eyes it could cause itching and could lead to eye damage, therefore goggles must be worn during all handlings of H2O2. Care must also be taken with the H2O as it can come out of the end of the glass tube. This could get onto the floor and cause slipperiness, so care must be taken and the end of the tube must be sat on something absorbent. Equipment must also be rinsed thoroughly, as someone could unknowingly pick up a beaker covered with H2O2. Rinsing out excess substrate and enzyme could also increase the validity/reliability of the results. Suggested Data Analysis: The type of graph used will be a scatter graph with axes labelled as follows: Results may be analysed by looking at mean, mode and median to look for trends in the graph, for example, looking to see if as the concentration doubles, the distance travelled does the same. A scatter graph was chosen, as a trend line can be added, which can help identify anomalous results. Modifications: During the first run of the experiment, it was noticed that the Catalase was not running as quickly at 100% (20 volume) as it did in the trial runs (on a previous day). Therefore, running the experiment by measuring the distance travelled in a set time of 10 seconds became unpractical, as the distances travelled in this time were too small. So, a new set time of one minute was added before this limitation presented a problem. Results: Test Number Concentration / % Distance Travelled / cm Average. The results were collected in the order suggested in the plan (100% descending to 20%, then 20% ascending to 100%) to eliminate the affects of room temperature change when an average was taken. As two results were taken for each concentration an average was calculated for the distance travelled, this will be analysed. Data Analysis: From the graphs it is possible to see the trend that, as predicted, as the concentration of substrate increases, the rate of reaction increases. The gradient for the graph of the first run of results is: 0. 189 The gradient for the graph of the second run is: 0. 198 The gradient of the graph showing the average distance is: 0. 192 This shows a close similarity between the results. It was expected that as the concentration double, the rate of reaction would double also. On the graph showing the averaged results, this is approximately true for the double of 20% to 40%, but as show by the exponential trend line, as the concentration increases, the rate of reaction escalates. When 40% is doubled to 80% there is a 257. 14% increase. When the trend line approximation for 50% is double to 100% there is an approximate increase of 271. 20%. This shows that as the concentration of substrate is increased, there is more likeliness that the H2O2 will contact a Catalase enzyme because there are molecules of H2O2 to collide, so they are moving at greater rates, so the rate of reaction escalates with the concentration of substrate. Evaluation: The equipment used had high limitations, which could have affected the results. Firstly, when the mixture is made in the syringe, the reaction begins and water and oxygen are produced immediately, due to the syringe being difficult to attach to the glass tube, oxygen was lost in the process of attaching the syringe. This was unavoidable because the rubber connector had to be tight to prevent further gas loss. Repeats were important here so that excess gas loss could be identified. An anomaly that relates to this limitation is in the 40% concentration test in the second run. It is possible that it may have taken longer here to attach the syringe. Due to uncontrollable gas escape the bubble would have gone less far if it took longer to attach the syringe and further if it took less time. In most cases the values for the first run and the second run do not vary by more than 0. 2 around the average, so there is an uncertainty value on the distance travelled of ? 0. 2cm, as shown by the error bars in the graph to show average. As all measurements were made by the guide on the syringe, there could have been an effect on the concentrations, if the syringe was not marked accurately there would be an inaccuracy in concentrations, therefore there is an uncertainty value of ? 0. 1cm^3. This is shown as a horizontal error bar on the graph to show average. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Love Of Life :: essays research papers

Summary for Love of Life:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Love of life started out on a trail with two men being the characters. In the beginning they started out as tired and weak. Each man had a rifle. They came upon a some boulders and the man in back slipped over one and sprained his ankle. Bill staggered on through the milky waters. Bill was gone now. He looked at his watch and could not tell if it was in the end of July or beginning of August. He was still laying in the stream that lead to the Coppermine River. The man got up and started to proceed towards his destiny. He winced with pain and through the pack over his left shoulder to take the pressure off his injured ankle. He picked his way through muskeg to muskeg, and followed the other footsteps along and across the rocky ledges. He thought he was hilucinating when he saw a ship, and the ocean. Every once and a while he would stop. On his journey he came across some bones, bones that looked as if they were chewed up. His hunger pangs did seem as exquisite anym ore. He saw four newly hatched chicks, and he ate them ravenously, thrusting them alive in his mouth. The chase led him across a swampy ground in the bottom valley and he came across some footsteps, they must be Bill's he thought. He began to feel the hallucinations again when he thought he saw a horse, but what was really a bear. He thought to himself here is meat in front of me, I will throw my knife and kill it. But he went on with a new type of fear, not a fear that he would die from starvation but be violently destroyed. Now and again wolves passed along his path, but sheered clear of him. He came across some bones, the wolves had must of made a kill. Next thing he was squatting in moss, sucking at the shreds of life. In the afternoon of the next couple days he found a track of a man not walkin but dragging on all fours.

Corruption in Pakistan Essay

Abstract: Corruption is a very old problem in government, and concern about corruption has shaped the development of public services. For example, in many countries a Public Service Commission conducts exams or sets for the selection of suitable Candidates to be appointed to the Civil Service posts. In this way it prevents Political patronage, as well as promoting expertise. Many countries have established specialist anti corruption agencies relatively independent of the police or of the government. Since the mid 1990s, there has been new international attention to corruption. Transparency International (TI), an NGO founded in 1993, publishes an Influential Corruption Perceptions Index1, and has a number of national groups that lobby governments. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank now Promote anti-corruption in their lending. Economists have become influential in International thinking about corruption. Introduction: Corruption is a method and a technique adopted just to bypass the rule of law and engulfing the whole system into socio-economic turmoil. Furthermore, corruption, being the mother of all ills, gives birth to multifarious problems including nepotism, favoritism and negating meritocracy, transparency and accountability. It is an established fact that the cruelty shows its influence as the rule of law is abrogated. Banking scams, industrialist’s monopoly to create baseless crises, bypassing the constitutional supremacy, lavish living styles of the ruling class, foreign tours under the head of national exchequer, general apathy, neglect, carelessness and an attitude of indifference towards national issues are all the outcomes of corruption which is root cause of all evils in the motherland. The South Asian countries have been pluralist societies; however, the legacy of colonial rule was a fragmentation of loyalties through corruption and bribery. That is why corruption and nepotism continue to exist. Loyalties to a particular group; family; caste or ethnic, religious, or linguistic community invites corruption in the form of nepotism. Since independence, the nationalization of bank and industries in the 1970s, the use of foreign aid, and the infusion of drug money into the economy, corruption has become even more systemic. Lack of accountability is an outcome of nepotism and favoritism. How can a corrupt person be held accountable by a corrupt authority? All in all the entire unfortunate system is prone to the monster of corruption. In such dismal state of affairs, the question of accountability does not arise. Only lucrative and emotionally charged speeches and pledges can never come up to the expectations of the people. Rule of law is the only option that can pave way for accountability. Incompetent judiciary in terms of not bringing the culprits in to the gallows of law and absence of bringing the corrupt politicians and policy makers to the books is another decisive factor in today’s sorry state of affairs. In the same manner the unnecessary delay in deciding the cases of corruption is a clear explanation of the adage: the justice delayed is justice denied. In much the similar fashion, highly centralized economy, breeds conflict amongst the poor and the rich. The growing influence of the privileged class always uses the influential authority to snub the poor people. In such a grim situation, the victims and the upper both use their influence at their maximum extent to have maximum benefit from the opportunity. Thus the capitalism is in the forefront in bringing and paving ways for corruption. Corruption evolves as a result of evasion of ethical and religious norms. Religion always asks the believers to have a solid strive in bringing a moderate society. It agrees in favor of decentralized economy. Regulation of wealth according to rule of law is the motto of Islam. The discussion on corruption in Pakistan would never be complete without having a glance on National Reconciliation Ordinance, a symbol of corruption in Pakistan. It was promulgated by a military dictator to serve his own vested interests. It freed all the politicians and civil servants until 1990, who were convicted on charges of corruption. PPP and PML (N), the big political giants remained the beneficiaries of this ordinance. Under the provisions of NRO, the civil servants, politicians and major industrialists were given a safe passage to escape from all the charges of corruption and made them free of any sin. NRO, most appropriately can be termed as the law that legitimized corruption in Pakistan. The cost of corruption is high. Stolen resources from education budgets mean overcrowded classrooms and crumbling schools, or no schools at all. Books and supplies are sometimes sold instead of being given out freely. Schools and universities also ‘sell’ school places or charge unauthorized fees, forcing students (usually girls) to drop out. Teachers and lecturers are appointed through family connections, without qualifications. Grades can be bought, while teachers force students to pay for tuition outside of class. In higher education, undue government and private sector influence can skew research agendas. The end result is limited access to – and poor quality of – education, and a social acceptance of corruption through a corrupted education system. Theme: There is little doubt that corruption impedes economic development, lowers the ratio of private investment to GDP, and has a negative effect on the functioning of democratic institutions. Therefore, corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political realm, pervasive corruption undermines democracy and good governance by undermining  formal democratic processes, including elections. More generally, corruption erodes the institutional capacity of government institutions as formal procedures are ignored, resources are diverted for private gain, and public offices are paid off through bribery or other means of enrichment. The good news is that there appears to be an inverse correlation between democracy and corruption; strong, robust democratic institutions result in less corruption across the system. The role of sound democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary and an independent media, along with active political participation, is crucial to the fight against corruption. SCOPE We need to call on our politicians and public officials to be accountable for their actions. How can we trust them if we don’t know what they’re doing? We must demand that they put in place regulations which will force them to act openly. Then corruption can’t hide. And our trust in the political process will improve. When leaders act transparently, showing us clearly what they do, we can make informed choices when we vote. And we can hold them to account once elected. From grassroots groups to big organizations, civil society has a crucial role to play. We can monitor electoral campaigns and parties’ activities. If state resources are abused, we must report it. And if regulations to prevent corruption aren’t in place, we must demand them. Rules about politicians’ conflicts of interest. For example our regulations to stop corporate lobbying and political funding from distorting the democratic process. If companies publish their donations, the y can show their contributions aren’t intended to win favors. By speaking out, we can show that everyone gains from honest elections and open decision-making. Background Benazir Bhutto of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) first came to power in August 1990 but later was dismissed. Her government was replaced by Nawaz Sharif and his Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) party in April 1993. After the resignation of both the president and the prime minister, and an interim government, elections were held, which resulted in a second term for Bhutto and the PPP. Her government was again dismissed in November 1996. Sharif returned as prime minister but this time representing the Pakistan Muslim  League party -N(PML-N). This era of democratic government ended in October 1999 following a military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf. After declaring himself the chief executive, the Supreme Court validated Musharraf’s claim to the presidency in May 2000. In 2002 a parliamentary election returned civilian rule, yet the Musharraf presidency was extended for another five years. During the military government, former Prime Minister Bhutto was indicte d and convicted on corruption charges at home (in April 1999) and abroad (in Switzerland in July 2003). Former Prime Minister Sharif was also tried and sentenced for acts of terrorism in April 2000 although he was eventually pardoned and went into exile. Against this backdrop, the political situation in Pakistan deteriorated. A devastating earthquake in 2005 in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region greatly strained the government. In March 2007, further turbulence arose after the dismissal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry for alleged misuse of office. Violence in the northern province of Waziristan and in the province of Balochistan in the south served another blow to national unity. After a period of civil unrest, Musharraf was re-elected to the presidency in October 2007, declaring a state of emergency and suspending the constitution within a month of taking office. Although parliamentary elections were to take place in 2007, they were first postponed because of worries of instability and later as a result of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December 2007. When th e elections finally took place in February 2008, President Musharraf was defeated by the PPP and PML. The parties formed a coalition government in March 2008 with a new prime minister in power: Yusuf Raza Gilani. The Supreme Court justices that Musharraf had dismissed during the country’s state of emergency in 2007 were then restored. Currently, the fate of President Musharraf seems uncertain now that his party has been excluded from the ruling coalition. However, he has so far not given any indication that he is considering any type of voluntary resignation. Corruption in Government Corruption is rising in Pakistan society and now it is a bitter reality. Almost every person is corrupt no matter belongs to government or not. Pakistan is blessed with corrupt and fraud people from President to MPA all are corrupt who are sitting in Assemblies and Parliament and are said to be  called the so called leaders of Pakistan. The corruption does not only present in high government officials but every single Pakistani is corrupt. In my point of view corruption is in blood of Pakistani’s and without it our identity is incomplete. According to Transparency International Report in Pakistan corruption is increasing on every level from low level to high the ratio is the same and the result the general public have been crushed in a wheel of inflation. In Pakistan corruption is happening in all the departments whether it’s police, custom, education, media, judiciary it is almost everywhere every single institution. One cannot think of getting an NIC or passport eas ily without bribing the so called government employees who are said to be called the helpers of common man but in my point of view in every government institution corruption have been done openly without any fear. Because when our judiciary is corrupt that who will think of being punished in this corrupt society. It’s not only the fault of corrupt government which are rolling on us and has made our lives like hell, it’s our fault also when we quietly bear all the unfair things happening all around at least we should raise a voice but it is also impossible. Pakistan corruption has touched the sky and now it’s become uncontrollable and it has been spread like a fire in every institution of Pakistan. Pakistani nation are now use to the rising corruption in society and we the common man have mould ourselves in such a way that we also adopt the way of corruption in our daily lives. Corruption is not only done on high level and in government offices but it’s been happening all around because common people are get inspiration from high level officials and adopt the same behavior as they do for destroying general people. When milk man mixes water in milk what is this, this is also corruption but done on low level and from this also common man will be affected. When traffic police do Chelan of an ordinary citizen while violating traffic rules so the challenge meant nothing to us we just bribe the officer and all things better. Now the common man has also learnt the surviving techniques in the corrupt society like Pakistan and in way only we are able to survive. Corruption is there in Pakistani society and it cannot be controlled or stopped because of corrupt government and its Pakistan bad luck that after Liaquat Ali Khan Pakistan has been ruled by corrupt people. To whom we can  say that stop the evil of corruption from Pakistan but we the common man can only appeal to International organization who are funding our failed stated that â€Å"FOR GOD SAKE, DOES SOMETHING, TAKE HOLD OVER THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT, ARMY SOURCES AND ALL DEPTS. WHO ARE BECOME THE SLAUGHTER FOR GENERAL PUBLIC.OTHERWISE, HUMANITY WILL BE RUINED.† Corruption is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. The consensus is that corruption had started taking root immediately after Pakistan’s creation in 1947, when people in collusion with the bureaucracy filled fake claims to get property allotted to them. But none of the seven Prime ministers till 1970, Liaquat Ali Khan, Khwaja Nazimuddin, Muhammad Ali Bogra, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Huss ain Shaheed Suharwardy or Feroz Khan Noon were ever accused of being directly or indirectly involved in any kind of corruption. Neither did the Ayub Khan or Zulfiquar Ali. Bhutto governments encounter serious allegations of corruption. However, corruption received a huge fillip during ‘the lost decade’ under military dictator Zia ul Haq, when the US was fighting the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan and bags full of dollars were landing at the infamous Ojhri camp, the ISI covert headquarters in Rawalpindi. After Zia, two governments each of the PML and the PPP were dissolved on charges of corruption, following which Transparency International declared Pakistan the second most corrupt country in the world in 1996. When Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999, he promised ruthless and across-the-board accountability. Headed by Lt. Gen. Amjad Hussain, NAB managed to send shivers down several spines (particularly those of the business community) and succeeded in recovering Rs 300 billion. In the process, however, he sparked off massive capital flight, which forced then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former SBP governor Dr Ishrat Hussain to beg Mu sharraf to call off the witchhunt for businessmen. Hussain was thus unceremoniously ousted and none of his successors were willing to take up the cause. Meanwhile, it is said, the Chaudhrys of Gujrat prevailed upon Musharraf and forced him to give up the drive against corruption and go instead for their political opponents. This gave birth to the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance, the object of which was to pardon the corrupt and the criminals in the name of national reconciliation. But in December 2009, the Supreme Court declared the ordinance illegal. Meanwhile, the past PPP government has won for  itself the dubious distinction of being the worst government in last 64 years. The title may not be wholly undeserved: a number of top government officials (including ministers and senior officials) have either been sent to jail or have had criminal investigations launched against them on the directives of the Supreme Court (this list includes our new prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who faces charges in a rental power case in which Rs120 billion were swindled). Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is also considered among the biggest players in the corruption game. According to a daring statement made by the previous PPP finance minister Shaukat Tarin, the premier tax collection agency is involved in tax evasion worth Rs 500 billion annually. This is why one never hears of tax evaders being jailed in Pakistan; ‘punishment’ comprises nominal fines and penalties, which further encourage evaders to remain within the ever-expanding underground economy. While the World Bank gave $150 million to Pakistan for reforming the FBR and effecting real documentation of the economy, nothing has happened so far. That said, Pakistan is not the only victim of corruption. Even so called honest societies in the west, including the US, seem to shine on the surface but are rotting at the core due to corruption. Among recent laws introduced in the European Union is one that states that corruption cannot be challenged in a court of law; hardly anybody is arrested in the US for having committed financial fraud. The black economy is also a global phenomenon which, according to The Economist, accounted for a missing nine trillion dollars worth of output in 1998, an amount close to the size of the US economy. Later, a study by Australian economist Friedrich Schneider attempted to measure the size of the black economy in 76 developed and emerging economies. Among the findings was the fact that underground activity is equivalent to 15 percent of officially reported GDP on average in rich economies and about one-third of GDP in emerging ones. In India, the black economy which was rampant in the 1970s is back and booming, pushing up stock and property prices, caus ing inflation and even making the Indian rupee unusually strong against the dollar. The black economy is growing in India and is now estimated to be worth a stunning 500 billion dollars, almost half the size of the official economy. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief, Admiral (retired) Fasih Bokhari has said at a press conference in Islamabad that in his estimate, corruption in Pakistan could  be Rs 10-12 billion a day. Earlier, the NAB had put out a relatively less shocking figure of six to seven billion rupees a day which had upset the cabinet of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The retired admiral has responded to the ire of the politicians by being blunter. The factor of the politicians is significant. When you cut them out, the world detects significant cutback in corruption. During the early days of the General (retired) Pervez Musharraf regime, there was subsidence in the occurrence of graft because his government was still to expand to get him the ‘legitimacy’ he wanted as a ruler. After patterns of corruption get repeated, the people start complaining about it. Their encounter with graft takes place with departments that deal with them: the police, the judiciary, the income tax bureaucracy, the customs, land records, etc. In many cases, at the provincial and federal levels, departments are presided over by politicians as ministers. Third World levels of corruption have been identified and accepted as unavoidable. The noise of corruption in India and China is deafening but no one says they are ‘failing states’ because of corruption. In fact, both are counted as successful in comparison to the ‘no-corruption’ countries in the EU and the US superpower itself. Those who advocate ‘tough accountability’ before the 2013 elections in Pakistan need to reflect a little on the precedents. But that doesn’t mean we should do nothing about the loss of public trust in the NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other corrupt anti-corruption institutions. First of all, the NAB, FIA and FBR should be constitutionally protected in their powers to take action against offenders. But the catch is that Pakistan’s problem number one is not corruption but law and order and writ of the state. As China and India demonstrate, a country can still be rated ‘successfulâ⠂¬â„¢ if it has a functioning economy undamaged by a dysfunctional state. All the more significant because until a few weeks ago, the former navy chief had estimated that the amount lost through corrupt practices was just Rs 5 billion a day. And the revised figure is giving severe heartburn to politicians; former civil and military officials as well as the people of Pakistan who are now demanding Bukhari expose and take action against the corrupt. However, even if Bukhari were so determined, he’d be walking into the Augean stables. ‘Pakistan’ and ‘corruption’ are synonymous in the eyes of the world. Not only has the vice gained acceptance as a way of life,  corruption has been institutionalized in Pakistan over the years. Take, for example, the latest ordinance promulgated by President Asif Ali Zardari, which allows investors to invest in the stock market without disclosing their source of funds till 2014. Plain as a pikestaff, the move is aimed at assisting people to whiten their black money and evade accountability, a fact confirmed by concerned officials. However, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan continues to insist that the move is essential to jumpstarting investment since the stock market is a risky business and won’t attract significant investors under the prevailing circumstances. That said, there are primarily two categories of corruption in Pakistan. One is tax evasion, which funnels monies into the black economy; the second is the siphoning of funds from the formal economy by the informal economy. It’s this latter category that hurts the Pakistan economy most. The practice that generates the largest gains for tax evaders in Pakistan is the under invoicing of import goods, particularly machinery. Since the economy is largely under documented, the culprits easily get away from under the noses of the authorities responsible for maintaining checks and balances and eradicating sham business practices. But corruption is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. The consensus is that corruption had started taking root immediately after Pakistan’s creation in 1947, when people – in collusion with the bureaucracy – filed fake claims to get property allotted to them. Low Salaries The basic reason for corruption is low salaries as everyone is finding a way to better their living standard as much as they can; it’s also a human nature that he has everything more and more. So mostly corruption is to be seen where there are people having fewer salaries they use corrupt ways to achieve the goal. It is true that they do not have any other way to fulfill their wants. The Judiciary The other sector in Pakistan which is seen as notoriously inefficient and corrupt is the judiciary. According to TI Pakistan’s 2006 survey, 96 percent of the people who came in contact with the judiciary encountered corruption and 44 percent of them reported having  to pay a bribe to a court official. The judiciary is also viewed as lacking independence from the executive and contributing to a general culture of impunity. Despite these problems, judges are exempt from oversight and investigations by Pakistan’s national anticorruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau. The business community generally lacks confidence in the capacity of the judiciary to enforce rules and laws, and the settlement of disputes often involves paying bribes. For example, the judiciary takes an average of 880 days to settle a business dispute at a cost of 24 percent of the claim the country’s tax and public finance administration has also been affected by corruption Survey According to a survey carried out by Transparency International the corruptions factors are as follows along with their results in terms of percentage. TI-Survey on Causes of Corruption-Mega & Petty †¢ Lack of Accountability (31.68%) †¢ Low salaries (16.54%) †¢ Monopoly of power (16.43%) †¢ Discretionary powers (12.61%) †¢ Lack of transparency (9.97%) †¢ Power of influential people (4.59%) †¢ Red Tapism (4.28%) †¢ Others (4.9%) Survey the most corrupt departments in Pakistan. Measures Now in order to combat them few measures need to be taken are as follows †¢ Strengthening of Institutions †¢ Supremacy of Law †¢ Prevalence of code of conduct †¢ Proper checks and balance on all officials as well as citizens †¢ Increase in salaries and incentives †¢ Restoration of judiciary on free basis †¢ Hiring of new employees on merit rather than beneficiaries †¢ Proper awareness campaigns need to be formed Corruption in society In areas of food and water, education and health, employment and so forth people across Asia face extremely serious problems of corruption. When attempting to gain the basic services to which they are entitled as members of society, corruption remains a serious obstacle. we are not implementing the good system and processes and nor we are whole heartedly following that political system, due to this, corruption is the main produce which we are reaping now and that’s why we are looking for a leadership who will follow the rules whole heartedly and put us on track. Impact of corruption on our society To a varying degree, corruption exists in almost all countries. However, the degree to which it impacts the common people’s lives and increases poverty is directly proportional to the level of this scourge and how widespread it is in society. A country’s or provinces development depends on how much of the States resources are lost to this ugly practice. In developed countries, where corruption is limited to a small number of projects and where common people do not encounter it on a daily basis, the adverse impact tends to be marginal and does not jeopardize the welfare of its people. In contrast, a poor country like Pakistan, where each borrowed dollar must be spent to uplift the people from poverty, it has a significant impact. A recent World Bank report lists corruption and lack of transparency as the two core reasons that hamper Pakistan’s drive for development. Corruption can also affect the various components of sports activities (referees, players, medical and laboratory staff involved in anti-doping controls, members of national sport federation and international committees deciding about the allocation of contracts and competition places). Corruption in Education Education is a fundamental human right and a major driver of human and economic development. It strengthens personal integrity and shapes the societies in which we live. Since education typically comprises 20-30 per cent of a country’s budget, it is critically prone to corruption, from national education ministries to local schools and universities. The cost of corruption is high. Stolen resources from education budgets mean overcrowded classrooms and crumbling schools, or no schools at all. Books and supplies  are sometimes sold instead of being given out freely. Schools and universities also ‘sell’ school places or charge unauthorized fees, forcing students (usually girls) to drop out. Teachers and lecturers are appointed through family connections, without qualifications. Grades can be bought, while teachers force students to pay for tuition outside of class. In higher education, undue government and private sector influence can skew research agendas. The end result is limited access to and poor quality of education, and a social acceptance of corruption through a corrupted education system. SUMMARY Corruption remains a substantial obstacle for Pakistan where it is still perceived to be widespread and systemic. Petty corruption in the form of bribery is prevalent in law enforcement, procurement and the provision of public services. The judiciary is not seen as independent and considered to be shielding corrupt political practices from prosecution. Various efforts over the past years have tried to develop institutional mechanisms to address these problems. A National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which was developed in 2002, offers a comprehensive plan for tackling corruption. The executing agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), is endowed with comprehensive powers to investigate and prosecute cases. However, a lack of political will, coupled with the perceived co-option of the judiciary and the arbitrariness of many anti-corruption proceedings, are major obstacles in the fight against corruption. Conclusion In Pakistan, corruption has eaten up the inner of people belonging to all walks, sections, areas and classes in the country. The poorest is least corrupt only because there is nothing handy to steal from the laborer who puts in half a day’s work and charges for the full day, is as corrupt as the executive engineer in a government department who puts half the project funds in his pocket. The problem, therefore, is somewhat larger than it appears. Corruption has become part of our system. It is much easy to diagnose the problem, analyze it and lay it out explicitly but it is more difficult to prescribe as to what can be done about it. Fortunately, the solutions to all the problems sketched out above are well known: i.e. transparency, openness accountability, selection on merit, privatization,  competitive tendering, and removal of discretion and enforcement of the rule of law. Not with standing, mentioning or diagnosing the hallmarks of an egalitarian society or corruption. Fr ee policy; there is dire need to pen down practical measures in removing or rooting out corruption from the country. Following steps may also ensure corruption-free future in our country. Establishment of independent commission to combat corruption and ensuring independence of regulatory institutions, and independent judiciary, in this regard, plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law and protecting a society against corruption. It can ensure that no one is above the law. There is also need to ensure the independence of regulatory institutions such as the Central Bank, Securities and Exchange Commission in order to prevent major corruption in relation to the financial operations of banks and stock exchanges. Loans must be issued pledging the equal value property without politician’s pressure. Declaration and publications of assets of all persons holding elected office and their family members, such declarations should be available for inspection to the members of the public. In the UK a number measures have been adapted to monitor and provide checks on activities of members of Parliame nt. A register that is open for inspection by the public is maintained in which members have to declare nine categories of interest from which they may derive financial benefits. All the public servants should be compelled by law to clear their deskwork within a reasonable time. Failing which, they should be punished with deduction from their pay because sometime they delay in work to get some benefit from people. Work in offices should be automatic so that needy persons do not have to visit offices and give an opportunity to clerks to make illegal demands. Citizens should be free to lodge complaints with courts or ombudsman. Discretionary powers of officials should be kept to the minimum and be monitored by respectable citizens. Let us revive social boycott of corrupt politicians, officials, businessmen and even journalists. In addition there is a dire need to organize various forms of civil society groups, raise voices and keep on highlighting these issues, use the free press to expose the real instances of corruption and malpractices and act as pressure group. Moral and religious awareness are also key solutions to this problem.

Banking Reforms in India Essay

Cash reserve Ratio (CRR) is the amount of funds that the banks have to keep with the RBI. If the central bank decides to increase the CRR, the available amount with the banks comes down. The RBI uses the CRR to drain out excessive money from the system. Commercial banks are required to maintain with the RBI an average cash balance, the amount of which shall not be less than 3% of the total of the Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL), on a fortnightly basis and the RBI is empowered to increase the rate of CRR to such higher rate not exceeding 20% of the NDTL. What is Reverse Repo rate? Reverse Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows money from commercial banks. Banks are always happy to lend money to the RBI since their money are in safe hands with a good interest. An increase in reverse repo rate can prompt banks to park more funds with the RBI to earn higher returns on idle cash. It is also a tool which can be used by the RBI to drain excess money out of the banking system. What is a Repo Rate? The rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks is called repo rate. It is an instrument ofmonetary policy. Whenever banks have any shortage of funds they can borrow from the RBI. A reduction in the repo rate helps banks get money at a cheaper rate and vice versa. The repo rate in India is similar to the discount rate in the US.

Free Essays on The Euthyphro

The moral dilemma involving Euthyphro and Socrates begins when Socrates challenges Euthyphro by asking him what holiness really is, since Euthyphro claimed he was an â€Å"expert† in religious matters. Euthyphro defines holiness as persecuting religious offenders. Socrates found this definition unacceptable, seeing that there are many other more worthy deeds than persecuting people. Euthyphro went on to say that whatever the God’s found agreeable was indeed holy. Socrates then went on to say that the God’s fought with each other, so what might be agreeable to one might not be to another. Basically, Socrates was trying to prove that holiness cannot be defined by the Gods. Therefore, neither the Gods nor holiness can be defined because each was inherently based on the other. This left Euthyphro in a dilemma, unsure of what constituted holiness. He believed that holiness was a kind of justice that was for â€Å"looking after the Gods†. Socrates again disagreed by saying that the Gods are all powerful and don’t need to be looked after in any way. Again, Euthyphro rebutted by saying that sacrifices are made to the Gods in order to grant prayers. All this really accomplished was bringing the argument back the beginning, leaving the dilemma unsolved.... Free Essays on The Euthyphro Free Essays on The Euthyphro The moral dilemma involving Euthyphro and Socrates begins when Socrates challenges Euthyphro by asking him what holiness really is, since Euthyphro claimed he was an â€Å"expert† in religious matters. Euthyphro defines holiness as persecuting religious offenders. Socrates found this definition unacceptable, seeing that there are many other more worthy deeds than persecuting people. Euthyphro went on to say that whatever the God’s found agreeable was indeed holy. Socrates then went on to say that the God’s fought with each other, so what might be agreeable to one might not be to another. Basically, Socrates was trying to prove that holiness cannot be defined by the Gods. Therefore, neither the Gods nor holiness can be defined because each was inherently based on the other. This left Euthyphro in a dilemma, unsure of what constituted holiness. He believed that holiness was a kind of justice that was for â€Å"looking after the Gods†. Socrates again disagreed by saying that the Gods are all powerful and don’t need to be looked after in any way. Again, Euthyphro rebutted by saying that sacrifices are made to the Gods in order to grant prayers. All this really accomplished was bringing the argument back the beginning, leaving the dilemma unsolved....

The Ethanol Subsidy and How Biofuel Tax Incentives Work

The Ethanol Subsidy and How Biofuel Tax Incentives Work The primary ethanol subsidy offered by the federal government is a tax incentive called the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2004. It took effect in 2005. The ethanol subsidy, which is commonly referred to as the blenders credit, offers ethanol blenders registered with the Internal Revenue Service a tax credit of 45 cents for every gallon of pure ethanol they blend with gasoline. That particular ethanol subsidy cost taxpayers $5.7 billion in foregone revenues in 2011, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan congressional watchdog agency. Debate Over the Ethanol Subsidy Supporters of the federal ethanol subsidy argue that it encourages production and use of the biofuel and thereby reduces the amount of foreign oil needed to produce gasoline, a step toward energy independence. But critics argue that ethanol burns far less efficiently than gasoline, driving up fuel consumption and that it increases demand for corn for fuel and artificially boosts the cost of farm commodities and retail prices of food. They also say such an incentive is unnecessary because legislation enacted in 2007 requires oil companies to produce 36 billion gallons of biofuels such as ethanol by 2022. While born of good intentions, federal subsidies for ethanol have failed to achieve their intended goals of energy independence, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, a Republican from Oklahoma and leading critic of the ethanol subsidy, said in 2011. The effort to Kill the Ethanol Subsidy Coburn led an effort to repeal the ethanol subsidy in June of 2011, saying it was a waste of taxpayer money - he said the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit cost $30.5 billion from 2005 through 2011 - because consumption remained only a small part of the countrys fuel use. His effort to repeal the ethanol subsidy failed in the Senate by a vote of 59 to 40. While Im disappointed my amendment did not pass, taxpayers should remember that when I offered an amendment to defund the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska in 2005 we lost that vote 82 to 15, Coburn said in a statement. Over time, however, the will of the people prevailed and Congress was forced to scale back this wasteful and corrupting practice. Today, the earmark favor factory is mostly closed. Only the tax division remains open. Im confident this debate, and many more ahead, will expose the tax code for what it is - an abomination that favors the well-connected over working families and small businesses. History of the Ethanol Subsidy The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit ethanol subsidy became law on Oct. 22, 2004, when President George W. Bush signed the American Jobs Creation Act into law. Included in that piece of legislation was the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit. The initial bill gave ethanol blenders a tax credit of 51 cents for every gallon of ethanol they mixed with gasoline. Congress reduced the tax incentive by 6 cents per gallon as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, gasoline refiners and marketers are required to pay the full rate of tax, which is 18.4 cents per gallon on the total gasoline-ethanol mixture but can claim the 45 cents per gallon tax credit or refund for each gallon of ethanol used in the mixture. The ethanol subsidy benefits multibillion-dollar integrated oil companies such as BP, Exxon, and Chevron. The First Ethanol Subsidy The Energy Policy Act of 1978 was the first federal legislative ethanol subsidy. It allowed for a 40-cent tax exemption per gallon of ethanol, according to Purdue University.The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 increased the tax exemption to 50 cents per gallon of ethanol.The 1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act extended the ethanol subsidy to 2000 but decreased the amount to 54 cents a gallon.The 1998 Transportation Efficiency Act of the 21st Century extended the ethanol subsidy through 2007 but reduced it to 51 cents per gallon by 2005.Bushs signature on the Jobs Creation Act changed the way the modern ethanol subsidy worked. Instead, it offered a straight tax credit to producers, the legislation allowed for the blenders credit. President Trump Protects the Ethanol Subsidy During his 2016 campaign, President Donald Trump came out as one of the ethanol subsidy’s strongest supporters. Speaking in Iowa, where corn is king, on January 21, 2016, he said, â€Å"The EPA should ensure that biofuel . . . blend levels match the statutory level set by Congress,† adding that he was â€Å"was â€Å"there with you [farmers] 100 percent† on continuing federal subsidy for ethanol. â€Å"You’re going to get a really fair shake from me.† After Trump took office in January 2017, all seemed well with the ethanol subsidy until early October, when his own EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced that the agency was considering lowering the EPA-mandated subsidy payment level for ethanol â€Å"slightly† in 2018. The suggestion sent shockwaves through the Corn Belt and its Republican congressional protectors. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley accused Trump of a â€Å"bait and switch,† in reference to his empathic campaign promise. Grassley and Iowa’s other Republican senator, Joni Ernst, threatened to block all of Trump’s future EPA appointments. The governors of most Corn Belt states joined in sending Trump warning him than any cutback in the Renewable Fuel Standard program’s subsidies would be â€Å"highly disruptive, unprecedented and potentially catastrophic.† Faced with the potential loss of influence over some of his strongest congressional backers, Trump quickly told Pruitt to back off any future talk of cutting the ethanol subsidy. On July 5, 2018, Pruitt resigned amid multiple accusations of ethics violations involving his excessive and unauthorized personal use of government funds. He was replace within hours by EPA deputy director Andrew Wheeler, a former lobbyist for the coal industry.

Compare and contrast 2 different transportation modes and 2 different Essay

Compare and contrast 2 different transportation modes and 2 different terminals - Essay Example It is also important to put into consideration the peak and off-peak periods of travel. There are a lot of similarities between air transport and the high-speed rail, more than even the similarity that is there between either the conventional rail. High speed rails tend to compete with airplanes to a large success. As such, the line normally tends to attract a premium class of travelers who give priority to high-value traveling (Hensher, 2004). High speed rail, unlike airports will however require less space. On the other hand, there is a dire need for vast spaces in the case of an airport, and the associated low-density expansion. When major stations have been directly located at the heart of a city, their economic benefit tends to be concentrated from the system. A good example is the San Francisco owned S. F. Airport. A lot of the economic advantage that accrues from this airport is normally to the benefit of the car-rentals, hotels, and restaurants that are located within the San Mateo County, as opposed to the revenue that is collected by the city. Since it is not possible for an airport to be located in San Francisco, the city can however make use of the high-speed rail. ... In addition, they can also act as an important part of a good system of transport. There are also capable of connecting rail stations in a city center to a multitude of other rail stations in other city center, in a record loading and unloading time for passengers of between 3 and 8 minutes (Dempsey, 1999). Conversely, the air transport tends to connect airports that are located in different city centers, and the average interconnectivity of the passengers ranges from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Nevertheless, if the two modes of transportation are properly designed and maintained, they normally tend to complement one another (Song et al, 2006). Usually, journeys that takes between two to three hours are best suited for high speed rail, as in such an average distance of 200 miles, the high speed rails tends to be faster than even air transport. Normally when one is traveling for a distance that is below 400 miles, air transport is slowed down by such processes as security checks, as well as the distance one has to cover to and fro the airport. In the long-run the time spent on an air journey becomes almost similar to that by a high speed rail (Rodriquez et al, 2006). Airport vs. rail terminus The early airport terminal bore the origin of their architectural designs from the then union stations of railroad. The term terminal also bears its origin from the railroad industry. Both the rail and airport terminus bears some similarities. In a case whereby the inter-modal facilities of a terminus are properly designed, it is possible for a passenger to board and exit an aircraft and a train (Dempsey, 1999). In a way, the terminus normally found in an airport tends to differ a bit from the railways terminus

Solow-Swan growth model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solow-Swan growth model - Essay Example The model begins with neoclassical production function presented by equation Y/L = F (K/L. making y the subject of the equation y = f(k), and this is represented by the red curve. Therefore, output per worker translates to capital per worker. From the graph, n = population growth rate, y = output/income per, k = capital per worker, worker, s = saving rate, L = labor force, and ÃŽ ´ = depreciation.The steady state is at point A where the two graphs interact. At this point, the first equilibrium, the output per worker is ever constant. When the investment cannot combat population output per worker the curve falls from y2 to y0. When saving per worker is greater than depreciation plus the population growth, the cumulative capital increases leading to shifting of the steady state from equilibrium A to B.The concept of Keynesian economics is based on the divine entity that can lead to over economic difficulties. The Keynesian economics model emphases on the fact that intervention put by t he government to necessary economic stability and growth during economic hard times. In this economic model, the government has a vital role to smoothen the business cycle bumps. The model stresses on the significant measures the government should take on spending, hiking, tax breaking among other measures for the economy to function best during the economic crisis. The main importance of Keynesian economics economy is that it helps governments to survive severe economic depression (Frank and Bernanke 54).... In this economic model, the government has a vital role to smoothen the business cycle bumps. The model stresses on the significant measures the government should take on spending, hiking, tax breaking among other measures for the economy to function best during the economic crisis. The main importance of Keynesian economics economy is that it helps governments to survive severe economic depression (Frank and Bernanke 54). According to Keynesian economics theory, the macroeconomic economy is significant than a market aggregate. Moreover, resource markets and individual commodities can easily lead to automatic equilibrium that can last for a long time. However, it does not guarantee fell employment. Nonetheless, the Keynesian economics benefit government policies since it gives a helping hand to the economy. IS/LM chart illustrates an upward shift in the IS a curve that indicates an increase private investment or government spending thereby leading to interest rates (i) due to higher output (Y) Great Recession The Great Recession is the estimated as the longest regression of between 2007 and 2012. Therefore, it is sometimes called the 2007 global regression or the lesser depression. It is related to the dominant global decline that started in December 2007 and registered a sharp down downward turn in 2008. The Great Recession affected the economy of the entire globe and some of the countries were hardly hit. The main characteristic of this recession was the systematic imbalance that led to global financial crisis between 2007 and 2012. Furthermore, it led to the European sovereign debt crisis. Regardless, of the European debt crisis, china and United States showed a continued economic growth; thus, these two nations becoming global economic