The Old West Has Been Portrayed Truly And Falsely Through Art, Music,

The old west has been portrayed truly and falsely through art, music, and literature from the late 1800's and early 1900's up till this day when illustrated through movies. Artistic expression and communication presented the realities and illusions of the old west, some of which attracted various people there, while keeping others at home. Beginning with art, one of the main painters of these years (1860-1900) was Frederick Remmington. He painted over 2,700 pictures of the frontier. One example is ?Stamped by lighting.? He also painted the Calvary charge on the southern planes. Remmington portrayed the west truthfully. For example, He didn't paint the Indians as savages, but as people. Another artist of this period was Charles Russell. He portrayed the ?bad guy? of the west as a tall, dark colored man with black hair and a black hat. Another artist of this period was Thomas Cole, who specialized in portraying the beauty and grandeur of America. Then there was the two Peale brothers, Raphaelle and Rembrandt, who also did many paintings of the west in their time. The beauty of the west was shown in artistic expression, which was a gravitation for people to go west. In the field of music, many of the musical compositions portrayed the west as a sad lonely place, which was true. ?The Streets of Lorado,? was about a man who died very lonely. ?Oh my Darling Clemintine,? was about how miners lived in the west. ?I' ve Been Working on the Railroad was what it was like to be a railroad worker, which was very hard, and long work. Similar to music, the literature of Mark Twain was about how miserable life in the west was. One piece written by Twain was called ?Roughing it.? Twain's writing is also his place where realism and place of language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppression find an outlet. Brett Harte wrote ?The outcast of Poker Flat.? (1869) He was best known for his works of local color set in the west. A popular show back then, was Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show. All in all, the myths of the west are part of what makes the whole image more interesting. But knowing the difference between the truths and the myths is important. That's why art, music, and literature are so significant.

The Argentine and Ukraine

The Argentine and Ukraine The Argentine and Ukraine The Argentine and Ukraine By Maeve Maddox A reader wonders about the phrase â€Å"the Argentine†: I often come across the phase the Argentine in older books. People are said to go out to the Argentine for vacation or business. Mostly, these books are by British authors. I cant find any information about why Argentina was once called the Argentine- what does Argentine mean that it would need the definite article? The official name of the country we call Argentina is Repà ºblica or Confederacià ³n Argentina. The country is named for the Rio de la Plata. Plata is the Spanish word for silver. In naming the country, the Latin word for silver, argentum, was chosen instead of the Spanish equivalent. The usual rule in English limits the article to countries whose names are plural or include such words as kingdom and republic. For example: the Central African Republic the Czech Republic the Dominican Republic the United Arab Emirates the United Kingdom the United States An exception to this rule is the country of Gambia. In 1964, the prime minister’s office issued a directive that the country was to be called â€Å"The Gambia† (with a capital T). The reason given was to avoid confusion with newly independent Zambia. Another reader, a US resident but a native of Ukraine, mentions her annoyance at such exchanges as this one: New Acquaintance: Where are you from? New Resident: Ukraine.†¨ New Acquaintance: Oh, the Ukraine. She doesn’t understand why people insist on prefacing Ukraine with an article. Quoted in a BBC article, Oksana Kyzyma of the Embassy of Ukraine in London asserts that Ukraine is both the conventional short and long name of the country. The region was called â€Å"the Ukraine† in English when it was part of the USSR. Then its official name was â€Å"the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.† Now, although parts of the country are reported to be held by Russian forces, Ukraine continues to be known internationally as Ukraine, without an article. Note: Another good reason to leave off the article with Ukraine is the fact that neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian language has a definite article. Of course, many speakers are not going to observe the conventions. One possible explanation for the fact that some countries acquire an unofficial the is that the country name is closely associated with a geographical feature. In English, the names of geographical features such as mountain ranges, island groups, rivers, seas, oceans, and canals are prefaced with the definite article. For example: the Alps the Canaries the Rhà ´ne the Indian Ocean the Suez Canal the Plata Perhaps speakers who say â€Å"the Argentine† associate the country with the river for which it is named. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 10150 Idioms About Meat and Dairy ProductsGrammar Review #1: Particles and Phrasal Verbs

Free sample - Sex Orientation. translation missing

Sex Orientation. Sex OrientationInclusion of sexual orientation as a protected class in anti-discrimination laws Sex Orientation is a major subject that our community needs to be addressed today. On a close examination we can identify this can be the core area from where the problem starts. Lack of adequate sex orientation can be lead to crimes and such other social problems from the early child hood onwards. Need of this Assignment:   This essay argues that the community we are writing about (college) must adopt this proposal because it will accomplish three distinct outcomes related to a community issue. Significance of this Assignment:   This thesis argues its side clearly and lays out the structure of the paper. It talks about how to plan to fund the proposal, implement the proposal, and overcome opposition to the proposal. Social problems and lack of sex orientation: This refers to crimes and such other social problems in which only one individual is involved in committing an act and its cause is located within the individual delinquent. Healy and Bronner (1936) compared delinquent youths with their non-delinquent siblings and analyzed the difference between them. Their most important finding was that over 90.0% of the delinquents compared to 13.0% of their non-delinquent siblings had unhappy home lives and felt discontented with their life circumstances. Moreover the major reason to all these is lack of sex orientation and ignorance. Delinquent boys could not internalize moral values because of the absence of good role models in their fathers. GROUP-SUPPORTED CRIMES AND SUCH OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS The crimes and such other social problems are committed in companionship with others and the cause is located not in the personality of the individual or in the delinquent's family but in the culture of the individual's home and neighborhood. Southerland developed the theory of differential association. ORGANISED CRIMES AND SUCH OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS Crimes and such other social problems committed by developing formally organized groups. The concept of /delinquent sub-culture' was developed. The set of values and norms that guide the behavior of group members, encourage the commission of delinquencies, award status on the basis of such acts and specify typical relationships to person who fall outside the groupings governed by group norms. SITUATIONAL CRIMES AND SUCH OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS Crimes and such other social problems are viewed as having deep roots. In individual crimes and such other social problems, the roots are primarily within the individual; in group-supported and organized delinquencies the roots lie in the structure of the society with emphasis either on the ecological areas where social problems prevails or on the systematic way in which social structure places some individuals in a poor position to compete for success. The situational crimes and such other social problems are not deeply rooted. A young man indulge in a delinquent act without having a deep commitment to crimes and such other social problems because of less developed impulse control and/or because of lesser reinforcement of family restraints and because he has relatively little to lose even if caught. The maximum age for this according to the Juvenile Justice of 2006 is 16 years for boys and 18 years for girls. Youths who are involving truancy, vagrancy, immorality and ungovernability also fall within the definite crimes and such other social problems. According to Walter Reckless this applies to the "violation of criminal code and/or pursuit of certain pattern behavior disapproved of for children and young adolescents." Eaton and Polk (1969) have classified this into five groups according to the type of offence. (1) Various types of violations including disorderly and minor traffic violations. (2) Other types of traffic violations (3) Violation of Properties (4) Addiction to alcoholism and drug. (5) Bodily harm (including homicide and rape). Apart from this there can be the serious threat AIDS originated from lack of sex orientation. (Downes, D. (2001), ‘The macho penal economy: mass incarceration in the US – a European perspective’)    AIDS The most vulnerable group that drew the attention of the participants was the number of HIV positive children estimated to be a million. That's why Mann reiterated that "HI V is not about a virus but primarily about people, individuals and society." There would be a viral holocaust in the world if there is no change in the sexual behavior patterns. By now homosexual relations and blood trans ­fusion were considered as the causes of AIDS infection. Still none can deny that efforts are being made seriously throughout the world by AIDS activists. It is with their efforts that statistics are collected in different affected countries and 155 of them report to WHO on AIDS Not surprisingly the scope of studies has been enlarging taking into its fold not only homosexuals but besides children and prostitutes, hemophiliacs, lesbians (women homosexuals) and drug-users too. CAUSES We can divide the factors into two groups: individual factors and situational factors. FAMILY FROM WHERE THEY SHOULD GET ORIENTATION Many theorists consider family as the most significant factor in the development of juvenile crimes and such other social problems. Class status, power group relations and class mobility, are also related to the family environment.-Early childhood experiences, emotional deprivations and child rearing processes influences the formation of the personality and the development of attitudes, values, and life style. The abnormal expression of behavior in an anti-social form is the result of these. The factors in the social system and the functioning of the institutions such as broken home, family tension, parental rejection, parental control, and family economics, sex abuse affect crimes and such other social problems. The broken family (where one parent is absent because of parental separation, divorce or death) fails to provide affection and control to the child. Family tension results from hostility and the hatred. The younger does not feel secure and content in the tension filled family environment. Long-term tension reduces family cohesiveness and affects the parent’s ability to provide a conducive atmosphere to satisfactory child-rearing and family problem-solving. Family economics is also an important contributing variable. The economic conditions of the family can be one, of many contributing factors in a multi-problem family. LACK OF SEX ORIENTATION Movies and comic books featuring immorality, smoking, drinking and brutality leave a strong impression on the young minds of the children and the adolescents. They teach the techniques of crimes and such other social problems. Movies also develop attitudes conducive to crimes and such other social problems. Movies also develop attitudes conducive to delinquent behavior by arousing desires for easy money, suggesting questionable methods for their achievement, inducing a spirit of toughness and adventurousness, arousing sexual desires, and by invoking day-dreaming. All sociologists have emphasized on the environmental of the social structure and on the learning process as important in crimes and such other social problems. FUNDS As it can be a serious threat to the society, it should be dealt with utmost concern. So the fund for the corrective measures should be allocated from the budget provision of the state medical allotment. METHODS OF TREATMENT Some important methods in treating the delinquent are providing orientation through: (1) Psychotherapy. (2) Reality therapy. (3) Behavior therapy. (4) Activity therapy, and (5) Milieu therapy. Restrictions and reprimands can be effective supplements to the major treatment approach utilized but punishment cannot become an end in itself. The two basic approaches are the individual and the group method of treatment. Sociologists usually deal with the conditions of the social structure that breed crimes and such other social problems, while psychologists treat the individual. Psychotherapy treats emotional and personality problems by changing the attitudes and feelings about significant persons (say, parents) in the clients (delinquent's) past. Through psychotherapy the delinquent is allowed by the therapist in operate in an atmosphere of love and acceptance where the person does not have to fear severe rejection of physical punishment. Reality therapy is based on the view that people unable to fulfill their basic needs, act in an irresponsible manner. The object is to help the delinquent person to act in a responsible manner, that is, refrain from anti-social activity. The basis of the reality therapy is that the past is insignificant. In this therapy, since a child is treated as a responsible person and not as an unfortunate youngster, it transmits strength to the youngster. Behavior therapy is modifying the learned behavior of the delinquent through the development of new learning processes. Reinforcements are the powerful weapon to change behavior. Money praise attention, food, privileges, admission in school, praise, attention, food, privileges, freedom to play with children and good clothes, can be considered as positive reinforces, while threats, confinements, ridicule, physical punishment and depriving of money are negative reinforces. In active therapy method a group of 6-8 children are gathered or invited to meet at a specific time/place to engage in play or some artistic endeavor. A moderately neurotic child finds great release in a permissive environment where he can express his hostility and aggression in creative work, play or mischief, because their behavior does not call for retaliation, punishment, or disapproval, pent-up emotion to find appropriate discharge. Environmental therapy provides a meaningful change and thereby adjusting satisfactorily. These are, (1) Individual counseling. (2) Social case-work, and (3) Vocational counseling are also used. PREVENTIVE AND REHABILITATIVE MEASURES Both private and public agencies have to be involved in crimes and such other social problems prevention because of complexities of the urban society. The three approaches to crimes and such other social problems prevention are: (1) Organizing activities that contribute to healthy personality development and adjustment of youth. (2) Controlling environment of young people contributing to crimes and such other social problems, and (3) Organizing specific preventive services for children. The first approach links the crimes and such other social problems prevention with: (i) General improvements in the institutional structure of the society, for example, family, neighborhood, school (ii) Raising the income levels of poverty-stricken families, (iii) providing job opportunities to young people, (iv) Establishing schools, (v) Improving job conditions, (vi) Providing recreational facilities in neighborhood, (vii) Improving marital relations through family counseling services and family soc ial work, (viii) Imparting moral and social education, among other measures. Preventive activities of the second type include community organization and the efforts of welfare and child care agencies. Preventive activities of the third type include probation and parole services. Family is the significant organization for sex orientation and there for it demand great attention. Unless these disorganized families are reorganized, unless an environment therapy is provided, frustrated and emotionally disturbed young people cannot be prevented from developing a relationship with delinquents. Juvenile units in police department in cities have undertaken recreation units for children. This will go a long way in removing hostility and mutual suspicion between the police and youngsters. Initiating community programs for educating the youngsters regarding the detrimental effects of using drugs and becoming involved in devious social behavior is yet another measure in the prevention of juvenile crimes and such other social problems. Homes for these children to give them a chance to reflect on their own situations with the assistance and guidance of staff members need to be run-away and their parents and guardians so that serious problems can be resolved. The developmen t of a sound public policy regarding all aspects of crimes and such other social problems prevention and control requires both planning and evaluation by rigorous research methods. For that we need co-ordination among various agencies including judiciary, universities, social workers, police etc.. CONCLUSION Sex Orientation is a major subject that our community needs to be addressed today. On a close examination we can identify this can be the core area from where the problem starts. Lack of adequate sex orientation can be lead to crimes and such other social problems from the early child hood onwards. We can eradicate this issue if we take adequate steps to address the problems from the early period itself.

Western Art and History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Western Art and History - Essay Example The lower ground floor houses the Greek sculptures, Egyptian mummies, Etruscan art as well as some artifacts dated from Ancient Rome. The upper ground floor holds a collection of ecclesiastical art from the Middle age, carved wooden ceilings, and some tapestries. Upon visiting the first floor, one would see a vast collection of paintings. Special exhibitions are usually displayed on the mezzanine. B. The artwork contained some elements that art critics have found interesting such as the very specific landscape and the water effects ( Kleiner, 2003) . Indeed, the water effects really showed the expertise of Witz in portraying images in plastic form using contrasting colors and strong shadows. The water seemed so real that accurately reflects the mirror images of the people on the boat as well as the piece of rock on the right side of the painting. The very stark colors in the background complement some of the subjects in the painting: Jesus Christ on the shore and Peter on the water. The vivid red robe of Christ stands out showing his magnificence as compared to the drab wardrobe of Peter struggling in the water. Another interesting feature of this painting is the fact that Witz used Lake Geneva as the setting of the incident instead of Lake Galilee. This resulted to Witz capturing the real background of Geneva during that time it was painted, as described by Hagen ( 2003 )â €  mountains can still be clearly identified: on the right, the Petit Saleve, in the middle the Mole Pointu, on the left the tops of the Voirons†. It can also be observed how Witz shows the position of Christ’s head against the mountain backdrop. The artwork is trying to emphasize Jesus as the figurehead of the church. In addition to that, landscape painting was not yet fully developed that time but the artwork shows how Witz gave justice to the piece. Aside from that

How Important to Medieval Society Were the Religious Orders Essay

How Important to Medieval Society Were the Religious Orders - Essay Example However, the most striking feature of middle age is that people were organized in different religious groups known as religious orders. Some of the religious orders of this period include the crusades, Knights Templar, Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, and Cistercians. This paper seeks to explore the importance of religious orders to the medieval society. The lives of people during the middle ages revolved around religion, especially the Catholic Church, which was the dominant church during the time. Accordingly, the Catholic Church was the only church in Europe. Therefore, all the laws and important roles in the government were left at the hands of the church leaders like bishops and archbishops. Research also indicates that the Pope had immense powers during this time to the extent that he could excommunicate a king for misdeed. As earlier stated, religion had a great influence on every aspects of human live during this period. However, people organized themselves around religious groups known as religious orders, which played an important role economically, socially, culturally and politically . The religious orders had profound impacts on the economy of Western Europe in the medieval era. Research indicates that the society of Western Europe in the medieval times were largely agrarian with a population consisting of tillers of land, which was the basis of wealth creation and political power. The manor was the basic unit of such a society. The manor in this case refers. to the agricultural land reserved to a lord. The manor mainly consisted of peasants whose main duty was to till the land for the lord’s benefit. However, since religion dictated how everything was to be done, lands where crops are grown were being cultivated in accordance with the three-land system5. The religious orders, especially the Benedictine played a leading role in ensuring that the society become food sufficient and economically stable. This is particularly evident with the Benedictine in the 12th century France, where the need to feed, clothe and house the monks increased the need to have a s table economy with enough food surplus, decent shelter and clothing. In this regard, the Benedictine monk ensured people ploughed land and engaged in productive activities to ensure that society has enough food.

Alternative Communication System Essay Example for Free

Alternative Communication System Essay Pascal was an outstanding genius who studied geometry as a child. At the age of sixteen he stated and proved Pascals Theorem, a fact relating any six points on any conic section. The Theorem is sometimes called the Cats Cradle or the Mystic Hexagram. Pascal followed up this result by showing that each of Apollonius famous theorems about conic sections was a corollary of the Mystic Hexagram; along with Gà ©rard Desargues (1591-1661), he was a key pioneer of projective geometry. He also made important early contributions to calculus; indeed it was his writings that inspired Leibniz. Returning to geometry late in life, Pascal advanced the theory of the cycloid. In addition to his work in geometry and calculus, he founded probability theory, and made contributions to axiomatic theory. His name is associated with the Pascals Triangle of combinatorics and Pascals Wager in theology. Like most of the greatest mathematicians, Pascal was interested in physics and mechanics, studying fluids, explaining vacuum, and inventing the syringe and hydraulic press. At the age of eighteen he designed and built the worlds first automatic adding machine. (Although he continued to refine this invention, it was never a commercial success.) He suffered poor health throughout his life, abandoned mathematics for religion at about age 23, wrote the philosophical treatise Pensà ©es (We arrive at truth, not by reason only, but also by the heart), and died at an early age. Many think that had he devoted more years to mathematics, Pascal would have been one of the greatest mathematicians ever.

Conformity Speech -- essays research papers

Remember those times in class when the teacher has asked a question and the answer in mind is surely correct, yet when you look around the majority have chosen an option completely opposite? What about the time your friends pressured you into stealing that shirt or CD or involving in mocking little Johnny because he was a ‘geek’? At the time there was no problems. As a part of the group you felt confident, secure and â€Å"like so cool†. But when you found that your answer was actually the correct one or were caught with the items in your bag or punished for taunting Little Johnny, do you remember your cowardice reason for acting as you did? The vast majority of people will recall saying, â€Å"Everybody is doing it† – a sentence that is one of the worst four-word combinations in the English language. (Acknowledge/greet audience) Conformity involves the changing of one’s attitudes, opinions, or behaviours to match those of the ‘norms’. The â€Å"norms†, established by society, are what we should or ought to be thinking, feeling, or doing if we wish to be accepted into a group. This desire to be accepted and belong to a group is an undeniable human need. When faced with a challenging or trivial task, there are two common ways of handling the situation. One is to do sol vas according to one’s own personal desires and belief with no specific regard to other people. The other is to base the decision on the how others will view and respond to it. The most of us would probably fa...

Crytography & Computer attack Essay

Computer attack involves operations that deny, disrupt, destroy or degrade information stored in computers and computer networks. In other words, computer attack is known as electronic attack used against a computer. The attackers of stored information in computer are called hackers or intruders. A difference occurs between computer attackers in the level of skill and sophistication of the attack (Roman Peter, 2007). More recently, attackers have developed skills that make it possible for them to access other people’s information by using automated tools. The automated and sophisticated tools are cheaply available in the market making it possible to access other people’s computer. The major incidents of computer attacks include bringing down of eBay, Yahoo! and Amazon. com by hackers. The motives for computer attack are to destroy data or information and access individual information for political, social and financial gain. On individual basis a hacker can attack personal computer to destroy information on revenge mission, or out of grudge. Attackers of computers especially in political perspective aim at gaining information for their opponent candidates to outperform him or her during campaigns (Rhodes Mary, 2003). In the context of business, hackers go for core variables necessary to compete in global markets such as information related to marketing strategies. Hackers of computer information do so once they have a particular opportunity such as use of high speed digital subscriber line. It is an opportunity that has been used by hackers to gain access to private information. The internet is known as an important tool in education or business but some offenders find ways of using internet provided in cyber to commit crimes. The offenders satisfy their needs while putting their victims at risk. There are a number of cyber crimes popular among internet offenders such as credit card fraud, cyber stalking, identity theft, software piracy, cyber terrorism and phonograph. These crimes are very common in the modern society as internet is cheaply available in cybercafes and mobile phones. The children and young generation are exposed to cyber risks such as addiction to phonographic sites. Software piracy is another common cyber crime in the modern world of advanced technology. Cyber crimes are as dangerous as any other form of crime and require law enforcement officers to be careful when handling cyber criminals. As a complex issue some offenders are prosecuted while others are set free. Three main reasons that lead to prosecution of some criminals and release of others include first, there are no defined penal laws relating to cyber crimes (Wible Brent, 2003). This means that some individuals search information from the internet and end up exceeding certain legal provisions without their knowledge. Such individuals are cyber criminals but are never arrested especially employees working in a networked office. Second, considering whether an individual has or has not committed a previous offense without computer or an offense similar in nature. Individuals who are convicted of other offences outside the cyber such as bank robbery are prosecuted of cyber crime once they are considered as suspects. Third, children below the age of eighteen years which is considered as the average age for a person to be prosecuted are set free while they are cyber offenders. The law about cyber crime favors some offenders while others are charged with criminal activities. Children are the major victims in cyber crime and yet are protected by the law owing to age factor. References Roman Peter, 2007, Computer Crimes, American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 44. Wible Brent, 2003, A Site Where Hackers Are Welcome: Using Hack-in Contests to Shape preferences and Deter Computer Crime, Yale Law Journal, Vol. 112. Rhodes Mary, 2003, Computer Crimes, American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 40.

Casualization and Its Effects in Kenya

Impact of Labor Laws in Mitigating Effects of casualisation in Kenya Humphrey Mwangi  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1413/2009 Franklin Mutwiri  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1604/2009 Patrick Mutai  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-0087/2009 John Warihe  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1268/2009 Susan Awuor  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1222/2009 Mary Mumira  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1246/2009 James Otunga  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1421/2009 Kevin Kariuki  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   HD333-BOI-1249/2009 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology CBD Campus Presented to E. O. Achoch Abstract This study explores and examines the actual impact of labor legislation in mitigating the disturbing issue of casualisation of work in Kenya. The increase in casualisation in the country is a subject of great controversy. Increasingly casual employees are filling positions that are permanent in nature. Behind employee vulnerability in the country is the high levels of unemployment and accompanying poverty. Poverty has bred a dangerous work environment where many desperate job seekers in the labor force are willing to take any job for survival purposes rather than dignity. This is a big challenge for trade unions in their pursuit to protect and advance workers’ rights and foster decent work conditions. The study attempts to cover the following as per the terms of reference: What exactly is casualisation of work, How wide spread is it in Kenya, What difference has new provision in labor legislation made on casuals according to gender, occupation, status etc, How Labor Laws Have Affected Aspects Of Casual Workers rights, do labor laws affect the family of casual workers communities and local stakeholders such as trade union and NGO’s and what are the views of employers’ in terms of impact of labor laws and casualisation of work and their sustainability. Keywords: Federation of Kenyan Employers, Standard Employment Regulation Impact of Labor Laws in Mitigating Effects of casualisation in Kenya Collins Dictionary defines casualisation as altering of working practices so that regular workers are re-employed on a casual or short-term basis. Casual employment is also referred in some literatures as â€Å"precariousness† a familiar term in employment (Burgess and Campbell 1998; Weller and Webber 2001; Hunter 2006). Precariousness is seen in terms of bundles of job characteristics to do with insecurity and poor quality of life. It is characterized with lack of regulatory protection and working time insecurity Casualisation of a workforce is therefore reduction in full or part time employees and their replacement with employees who are called in on an as-needed or casual basis. This can reduce the employees working conditions by reducing the commitment from the employer to them, and giving the employer opportunities to control them by reducing their hours. Casual workers can be more difficult for employers to manage as they have no guarantee of finding available employees at any time, but they have the advantage of only employing people when they have the work for them An elastic approach to casualisation refer to non-standard and non-permanent employment relationships such as temporary work, fixed term contracts, seasonal work and subcontracting or outsourcing. It is also important to make a further distinction between casuals that are employed directly by the company or those that are supplied through outsourcing and subcontracting arrangements. Typically support services such as cleaning and catering and in some cases transportation and distribution and security are subcontracted. According to Okougbo (2004) casualisation of work is characterized by demand for employment which is highly variable such as port work, farm work, farm migratory work and other jobs of unskilled intermittent nature. He further states that contract labor is a form of involuntary servitude for a period of time. Labor and service contracts are terms used by management to describe contract labor. Management sometimes refers to it as â€Å"body shop† or â€Å"direct hire† while other refer to contract labor as service providers. Neo-liberal market restructuring globally and in the region is the driving force behind the sharp increase in casualisation. Neo-liberalism seeks to deregulate markets including the labor market to increase labor flexibility. In short, employers want the freedom to pay low wage, change the number of workers and how and when work is conducted thus this is casualisation. According to the employment act (2007) If an employee works for a period or a number of continuous working days which amount in the aggregate to the equivalent of not less than one month, or performs work which can not reasonably be expected to be completed within a period, or a number of working days amounting in the aggregate to the equivalent of three months or more, then the contract of service of the casual employee shall be deemed to be one where wages are paid monthly and section 35 (1) (c) shall apply to that contract of service. Labor Relations Act which prescribes that casual worker should be employed permanently after three months of continuous work besides which employees are supposed to be provided with medical and housing benefits. The Act also stipulate that an employee whose contract of service has been converted in accordance with subsection (1) (Employment Act, 2007) and who works continuously for two months or more from the date of employment as a casual employee shall be entitled to such terms and conditions of service as he / she would have been entitled to under this Act (Employment Act, 2007) had he not initially been employed as a casual employee. These include:- †¢ Notice. Where the contract is to pay wages or salary periodically at intervals of or exceeding one month, a contract is terminable by either party at the end of the period of twenty-eight days next following the giving of notice in writing †¢ Working hours. An employer shall regulate the working hours of each employee in accordance with the provisions of this Act and any other written law. Rest period. According to the employment Act subsection (1), an employee shall be entitled to at least one rest day in every period of seven days. Annual leave. After every twelve consecutive months of service with his employer to not less than twenty-one working days of leave with full pay †¢ Maternity leave. A female employee shall be entitled to three months maternity leave with full pay. The female employee shall have the right to return to the job which she held immediately prior to her maternity leave or to a reasonably suitable job on terms and conditions no t less favorable than those which would have applied had she not been on maternity leave. A male employer shall be entitled to two weeks paternity leave with full pay. †¢ Sick leave. After two consecutive months of service with his employer, an employee shall be entitled to sick leave of not less than seven days with full pay and thereafter to sick leave of seven days with half pay. †¢ Medical attention. Subject to subsection (2), an employer shall ensure the provision sufficient and of proper medicine for his employees during illness and if possible, medical attendance during serious illness. †¢ Service pay. The casual shall be entitled to service pay for every year worked, the terms of which shall be fixed. The wage bill in the private sector, a key driver of household consumption, is increasingly dipping as most employers opt for casual workers to cushion themselves against a harsh business environment. Despite stiff regulations introduced last year to protect casual workers from exploitation, thus making hiring of such employees expensive, Government statistics (GOK, 2006) show that casual employment grew by 13 per cent last year compared to a five per cent growth in 2007. Comparatively, the levels of regular employment dipped 2. 9 per cent in 2008, reflecting employers' preference of hiring casuals during the period, says the 2009 Economic Survey (GOK 2009). Casual workers accounted for 32 per cent of total wage employment. As a result of this preference, the private sector wage bill grew by a measly 10 per cent, compared to a 14. 6 per cent rise in 2007. This is attributed to increased use of casual laborers whose pay is usually lower than that of regular employees. The economy is also gradually sliding into a largely casual employment which could have dire implications in the already turbulent labor market,. This would reduce domestic consumption as households will have less to spend, thus reducing demand in the productive sectors and hampering poverty eradication. The Enactment of the Employment Act by Kenyan parliament roots for better protection of casual laborers by making it mandatory for employers to remit statutory deductions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). Previously, casual and contract workers – who constitute the majority of Kenyan workforce and include house-helps, watchmen, matatu touts and building and construction workers did not qualify for most of the benefits that are available to permanent employees. There is also a bigger risk of lay -offs for casual workers to escape the statutory contributions. The greatest impact that the new laws have had in the labor market is to push employers towards outsourcing the services of workers they would ordinarily employ as casuals to cut costs. This had negatively affected the job market in that companies cannot absorb more jobs and worse still, they have to cut their marketing and advertising budgets to cope. Casual employment remains the cheapest way of engaging workers, especially so at these hard economic times when employers focus is on taming labor costs. But the flipside is that we might end up with lower revenues from income tax if the labor market was to be largely made up of casuals. The purchasing power for families will also reduce drastically. Hired on short-term contracts, casual workers strive to fulfill production quotas for long working hours under poor working conditions and low wages, often without maternity or sick leave, housing and medical allowances. Most of them are denied right to join trade unions and basic services like water while some are victims of reported sexual harassment at the work place. They face stiff penalties for mistakes, work while sitting or standing for between eight and twelve hours daily, with only a forty five minute break in between, in order to beat the quota set by supervisors Kugler et al (2003). Their daily pay is between Sh120 and Sh160 but a percentage is deducted ostensibly for social security or hospital insurance contributions, which rarely benefit them (GOK, 2003). Casual labor market is perpetuated by lack of any permanent, on-going attachment between employer and worker (Ralph C. 1960). Where this condition exists and where entry of worker is easy due to low skill requirements and the absence of institutional barriers, the labor market is likely to accumulate a chronic surplus of supply. The resultant highly competitive market is conducive to corrupt hiring practice and a wide variety of other social evils. Casual workers provide cover at short notice for the absence of permanent staff. Some may belong to an area â€Å"pool† of relief workers who are contracted when work becomes available. The key characteristics of a casual worker are; †¢ They are offered work for a specific day or session only †¢ They have no right to be offered work beyond that day or session There is no regularity of work. It is characterized with lack of regulatory protection and working-time insecurity (Tham, 2007). In contrast to standard employment, there’s little right to protection against unfair dismissal and no right to notice in case of dismissal (O’Donnell, 2004). As a result casual tends to have even less employment security than fixed term employees since they can be dismissed with ease at almost any time. This greatly affects their financial proposition as they are not sure of their fate-they literally live a day at a time. Most dramatically, casual employment is exempted from almost all rights and benefits that have come to be attached to â€Å"permanent† contracts. These include such basic entitlements as annual leave, sick leave and payment for public holidays (Watson et al, 2003). The main attribute is a simple entitlement to wage enhanced in some cases by so called casual loading on the hourly rate of pay. Precariousness has several dimensions but ultimately two of which impact greatly on casual labor rights. These include; †¢ Lack of regulatory protection Working-time insecurity Other critical dimensions may include low and irregular earnings and employment insecurity which statues are overwhelmingly silent on. Statutory regulations has played only a limited role in establishing a standard employment regulation (SER) through the provision of dynamic standards to support a platform of â€Å"decent† work (Cooney et al, 2006). However, it is a complicated and layered system leaving sizeable gaps as a result of poor coverage, poor enforcement and exemptions. The award system provides a large array of rights and entitlements for employees but these are generally confined to full time permanent (standard) employees (Campbell, 2004). These clauses permit casual employment under certain limitations and then specify that casual workers are exempted from most rights entitlements starting with employment protections such as rights to notice and compensation for dismissal. This lack of regulatory protection is not confined to non-standard work. It can also apply to parts of standard workforce where gaps in protection have been eroded. Standardized working time arrangements are central to SER. Deviations from the norms centered on working hours involves; †¢ irregular work hour both in number and timing †¢ overly short †¢ overly long These represent a much change in present period, drains employees, control over work and sponsoring increased working-time insecurity. Another central feature of casual employment is the ability of employers to determine the number and timing of hours and to alter these at short notice. Casuals appears here as easily available, easily deployed in workplace and then easily disposable (Walsh et al, 1999). Negotiation of working hours is commonly a rather fraught process in which workers are often reluctant to refuse shifts-even at short notice and even at inconvenient times-for fear of jeopardizing future offers (Pocock et al, 2004). According to Barone (2001) there do exists various institutional arrangements that can provide employment protection; the private market, labor legislation, collective bargaining arrangements and contractual provisions. Some forms of de facto regulations are also likely to be adopted even in the absence of legislation simply because both workers and firms can derive advantages from long-term employment relations (OECD,1999). This is invariably averse to employment protection legislation which has of recent days been seen to shut its doors on plight of casuals (Kugler et al,2003). Employer’s opinion on casualisation can also be deduced from Federation of Kenyan Employers which is a registered umbrella body of employers in Kenya. FKE has duties such as; to encourage the principle of sound industrial relations and observance of fair labor practices as well as to promote sound management practices amongst employers through training, research and consultancy services and adoption of best practices. FKE was established in January 1969 in response to the activities of the then-Kenya Federation of Labor, which had unified the trade union movement into a single entity. The employers felt they needed an organization that could represent them on major social and economic issues. Since then, the Federation has gained considerable strength and power. It started as a body with only 161 employers; today it represents about 3,000. On the thorny issue of casual labor, the group has few real answers. Since a large number of Kenya's industries are seasonal in nature, like agriculture, hotels, restaurants, plantations and other related businesses, it is very difficult to eliminate casual labor entirely. According to the employment act (2007) cap 35 (a) casual staff can be employed by a company if the contract will not exceed the three month agreement for casual staffing stipulated by the labor law. If there is to be a continuation of the person in the position beyond the three month agreement, the employer is expected to give a contract letter to the individual stipulating the terms of employment. Accordingly FKE (2007) casualisation is rife in the country; but most of the companies perpetuating the offence are not mainly its members, so this has limited what the organization can do about it. However, many employers argue that due to economic hardship not only witnessed in Kenya but globally, they are forced to employ their workers as casuals because they will not afford to sustain them  in the long run. Many companies usually have periods of booming and recessions in there businesses and such will determine employment of staff. Some industrial companies employ workers as casual for two months then they relieve them of their duties and hire new staffs. The treatment of â€Å"casuals,† says COTU Secretary-General, Francis Atwoli (2009), â€Å"has haunted the trade union movement for many years and is a throwback to the colonial era when workers were classified as casual people†. Atwoli believes the Kenyan labor movement could be strengthened if the casuals were allowed to unionize. To this end, COTU is now negotiating with the government to organize casual workers regardless of their salaries. COTU also wants all casual workers to become eligible for the benefits that permanent workers get: worker's compensation, housing and pensions. The COTU secretary-general recently flayed FKE for advocating that the government should institute more controls on wages. Atwoli sees such a move as an obstacle to expansion in industry. He argues that if workers are poorly paid, their purchasing power will remain low and they will not be able to afford manufactured goods. This will keep manufacturers from expanding and new jobs will remain an unfulfilled goal. Observers in business circles think investors view low wages with mixed emotions: while some foreign investors look at low wages as a sure means of maximizing profits, others see them as a sure way of reducing purchasing power in the market which could subsequently mean low sales. On the other hand, government economists argue that it is better to maintain low wages that the national economy can support rather than high wages that will lead to high inflation. FKE argues that â€Å"In raising minimum wages they are guided by certain factors like the ability of the economy,†Ã‚   To sustain any level of minimum wages, FKE says, other factors come into play like the level of unemployment in the country as well as the ability of the small employers to pay. FKE believes that COTU has to be realistic in its approach to the whole issue but FKE is studying COTU's demands. However, it should be noted all players i. e. the government, FKE and COTU concurs that unionizing casuals may be essential to safeguard the gains of all Kenyan workers. Low wages and limited benefits make casuals an attractive proposition for companies trying to cut costs. Discussion The exploding population will only exacerbate the situation as more and more workers enter a work market incapable of keeping pace with this growth. As the population growth continues to outpace the growth of jobs, employers will have increasing leverage to demand concessions from both workers and their unions. Kenya's labor movement must somehow address these issues if it is to continue to make progress on worker's rights. References Campell, 1 (2004) ‘Casual work and casaulisation: how does Australia Compare’? Labour and Industry, 15(2): 85-111. – (2007) ‘long working hours in Australia: working-time regulation and employer Pressures' Economic and Labour relation Review, 17(2): 37-68. – (2008a) ‘Australia: institutional changes and workforce fragmentation’, S. Lee and F Eyraud (eds) Globalization, Flexibilization and working condtion in Asia And the Pacific London: Chandos (2008b) ‘Pressing towards full employment? The persistence of underemployment in Australia’, Journal of Australian Political Economy, 61:0156-80. Cooney, S. , Howe, J. and Murray, J. (2006) ‘Time and money under Workchoices: Understanding the new workplace Relations Act as a scheme of regulation’, UNSW Law Journal 29(1): 215-41. Hunter, R. (2006) ‘the legal orudution of precarious work’, in j Fudge and R. Owens (eds) Precarious Work, Women and the new economy: the challenge to legal norms, Oxford: Hart. Junor, A. 1998) ‘permanent part-time work: new family-friendly standard or high Intensity cheap skills? ’, Labour and Industry, 8(3): 77-95. Pocock, B. , Buchanan, J. and Campbell, I. (2004) ‘Meeting the challenge of casual Work in Australia: evidence, past treatment and future policy’, Australia bulletin Of Labour, 30(1): 16-32 Pocock B. , Prosser, R. and Bridge, K. (2004) ‘Only a casual†¦ ‘: how casual work Affects employees, households and communiti es in Australia, Discussion Paper, Adelaide: Labour studies, university of Adelaide. Okougbo, E. 2004. Strategic Issues on the Dynamics of Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice. Lagos: Wepoapo Enterprise. Weber, M. 1947. Protestant Ethics and Spirit of Gapitalism Tham, J-c (2007) ‘Towards an understanding of standard employment relationships Under Australian labor law’, Australian journal of labor law, 20(2): 123-58. Walsh, J. and Deery, s. (1999) ‘understanding the peripheral workforce: evidence From the service sector’, Human resource management Journal, 9(2): 50-63.

Kitchen Cabinetâ€Origin of the Term and Its Political Meaning

Kitchen Cabinet- Origin of the Term and Its Political Meaning The Kitchen Cabinet was a mocking term applied to an official circle of advisers to President Andrew Jackson. The term has endured through many decades, and now generally refers to a politicians informal circle of advisers.   When Jackson came into office after the bruising election of 1828, he was very distrustful of official Washington. As part of his anti-establishment actions, he began to dismiss government officials who had held the same jobs for years. His reshuffling of the government became known as​ the  Spoils System. And in an apparent effort to ensure that power rested with the president, not other people in the government, Jackson appointed fairly obscure or ineffectual men to most of the posts in his cabinet. The only man considered to possess any  real political stature in Jacksons cabinet was Martin Van Buren, who was appointed secretary of state. Van Buren had been a very influential figure in politics in New York State, and his ability to bring northern voters in line with Jacksons frontier appeal helped Jackson win the presidency. Jacksons Cronies Wielded the Real Power The real power in Jacksons administration rested with a circle of friends and political cronies who often did not hold official office. Jackson was always a controversial figure, thanks largely to his violent past and mercurial temperament. And  opposition newspapers, implying there was something nefarious about the president receiving much unofficial advice, came up with the play on words, kitchen cabinet, to describe the informal group. Jacksons official cabinet was sometimes called the parlor cabinet. The Kitchen Cabinet included newspaper editors, political supporters, and old friends of Jacksons. They tended to support him in such efforts as the Bank War, and the implementation of the Spoils System. Jacksons informal group of advisers became more powerful as Jackson became estranged from people within his own administration. His own vice president, John C. Calhoun, for example, rebelled against Jacksons policies, resigned, and began to instigate what became the Nullification Crisis. The Term Endured In later presidential administrations, the term kitchen cabinet took on a less derisive meaning and simply came to be used to denote a presidents informal advisers. For example, when Abraham Lincoln was serving as president, he was known to correspond with newspaper editors Horace Greeley (of the New York Tribune), James Gordon Bennett (of the New York Herald), and Henry J. Raymond (of the New York Times). Given the complexity of issues Lincoln was dealing with, the advice (and political support) of prominent editors was both welcome and extremely helpful. In the 20th century, a good example of a kitchen cabinet would be the circle of advisers President John F. Kennedy would call upon. Kennedy respected intellectuals and former government officials such as George Kennan, one of the architects of the Cold War. And he would reach out to historians and scholars for informal advice on pressing issues of foreign affairs as well as domestic policy. In modern usage, the kitchen cabinet has generally lost the suggestion of impropriety. Modern presidents are generally expected to rely on a wide range of individuals for advice, and the idea that unofficial persons would be advising the president is not seen as improper, as it had been in Jacksons time.

How Sociology Defines Social Oppression

How Sociology Defines Social Oppression Social oppression is a concept that describes the relationship between two categories of people in which one benefits from the systematic abuse and exploitation of the other. Because social oppression is something that occurs between categories of people, it should not be confused with the oppressive behavior of individuals. In cases of social oppression, all members of the dominant and subordinate groups are involved, regardless of individual attitudes or behavior. How Sociologists Define Oppression Social oppression refers to oppression that is achieved through social means and that is social in scope- it affects whole categories of people. This kind of oppression includes the systematic mistreatment, exploitation, and abuse of a group (or groups) of people by another group (or groups). It occurs whenever one group holds power over another in society through the control of social institutions, along with societys laws, customs, and norms. The outcome of social oppression is that groups in society are sorted into different positions within the social hierarchies of race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. Those in the controlling, or dominant group, benefit from the oppression of other groups through heightened privileges relative to others, greater access to rights and resources, a better quality of life, and overall greater life chances. Those who experience the brunt of oppression have fewer rights, less access to resources, less political power, lower economic potential, worse health and higher mortality rates, and lower overall life chances. Groups that experience oppression within the United States include racial and ethnic minorities, women, queer people, and the lower classes and the poor. Groups that benefit from oppression in the U.S. include white people (and sometimes light-skinned racial and ethnic minorities), men, heterosexual people, and the middle and upper classes. While some people are conscious of how social oppression operates in society, many are not. Oppression persists in large part by camouflaging life as a fair game and its winners as simply harder working, smarter, and more deserving of lifes riches than others. While not all of the people in dominant groups actively participate in sustaining oppression, they all ultimately benefit from it as members of society. In the U.S. and many other countries, social oppression has become institutionalized, meaning it is built into how our social institutions operate. Oppression is so normalized that it does not require conscious discrimination or overt acts of oppression to achieve its ends. This does not mean that conscious and overt acts do not occur, but rather that a system of oppression can operate without them once the oppression itself has become camouflaged within the various aspects of society. Components of Social Oppression Social oppression is produced through forces and processes that permeate all aspects of society. It is the result not only of peoples values, assumptions, goals, and practices but also of the values and beliefs reflected in organizations and institutions. Sociologists view oppression as a systemic process that is achieved through social interaction,  ideology, representation, social institutions, and the social structure. The processes that result in oppression operate at both the macro and micro levels. At the macro level, oppression operates within social institutions, including education, media, government, and the judicial system, among others. It also operates through the social structure itself, which organizes people into hierarchies of race, class, and gender. At the micro level, oppression is achieved through social interactions between people in everyday life, in which biases that work in favor of dominant groups and against oppressed groups shape how we see others, what we expect from them, and how we interact with them. What ties oppression at the macro and micro levels together is the dominant ideology- the sum total of values, beliefs, assumptions, worldviews, and goals that organize the way of life as dictated by the dominant group. Social institutions reflect this groups perspectives, experiences, and interests. As such, the viewpoints, experiences, and values of oppressed groups are marginalized and not incorporated into how social institutions operate. People who experience oppression on the basis of race or ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, or ability often internalize the ideology that produces the oppression. They may come to believe, as society suggests, that they are inferior to and less worthy than those in dominant groups, and this, in turn, may shape their behavior. Ultimately, through this combination of macro- and micro-level means, oppression produces widespread social inequalities that disadvantage the vast majority for the benefit of the few.

ECA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

ECA - Essay Example Second, she is not entitled to tax credits because she has no child. A mother with a child is entitled to tax credit even if she is working part time. 1.3 The total tax credit would increase because the working tax grows as their income dropped. Even if Magdi is working less than 30 hours per week, he is entitled to working tax credit because his father needs care. 1.4 a. Option A will bring more income into the household because the loss of income will be recovered. Furthermore, caring for his father can be done by Sara. The household will still be entitled to a working tax credit thus increasing the source of income which would include the attendance allowance given for the father that is tax free. Also, when Magdi works until the age of 65, he will not incur losses in his pension. b. Option B might bring new source of income for the household because the Magdi would be entitled to Carer’s Allowance. The Carer’s allowance can be paid to both Magdi and Sara. Carer’s allowance is designed to replace earnings that are lost through being a full-time care giver. 2.1 a. Their insurance payout does not match the full amount of their income loss because of state benefits will produce only a well below average income, thus the payout is insufficient to sustain an existing standard of living. Also, the payout is subject to inflation rates. When insurance is a level type the value of the payout income is lesser because it is affected by the inflation rate during such pay out. 2.2 a. Asymmetric information is a situation where one party knows something that another party does not. It is used to refer to information on insurance. Insurers have the information about probabilities of adverse events occurring and base their pricing decisions on those probabilities which they have worked out from their years of claims experience. Individuals, on the other