Votes For Sale :: essays research papers

Votes For Sale According to the Associated Press, lobbyist donated 633 million dollars to government representatives in the first half of 1999. A lobbyist’s job is to pass money to representatives for a vote in their favor of a bill. Up to $5000 may be given to any one congressman by a lobbyist thru Political Action Committees (PACs). Farmers, laborers, gun control activists, abortion opponents, and teachers are just a few of the numerous groups who form these committees in the United States. These interest groups employ a lobbyist to offer a cash donation on their behalf. The legislative branch of the United States government was designed to represent citizens of this nation. Congressional members are supposed to be the representatives of people in their district or state. Laws are supposed to be passed in the public’s best interest. PACs attempt to influence the passing of laws through lobbyists. Lobbyists degrade democracy, encourage improper policymaking, and likely provoke politi cal corruption. The most obvious downfall to lobbying is that representatives would be encouraged to vote for money; causing a degradation of democracy. In other words, if a pro-life group paid a representative to vote against legalizing abortion the money would influence the representative’s vote. Whether or not a bill is passed becomes an issue of who is willing and able to pay more for it. Congressmen would look to vote for bills that would get them the most money from the PACs. Even though $5,000 is the maximum donation a lobbyists can give to one particular politician; lobbyists donate to several. This can give them the upper hand in a majority decision. Lobbyists believe they are representing the people and getting bills passed that the people want, thus promoting the citizen’s role in the government. The problem with this view is that the money is getting more representation than the people are. The group that has the most money and buys the most votes will get more bills passed in their favor, regardless if they are the majority or not. This takes away from the democratic process; not allowing all the people’s votes to count. A representative should vote for those who elected him not those who pay him the most. When a representative’s vote is influenced by money the fundamentals of democracy are defeated. Secondly, representatives benefit directly from lobbyist’s donations. Therefore, representatives will use improper policymaking to assure a lobbyist’s cause is ratified.

Biogenetics - The Dangers of Biogenetically Engineered Organisms :: Biology Environment Ecology Essays

Biogenetics - The Dangers of Biogenetically Engineered Organisms As I sit here at my desk in front of my computer contemplating what to write about, I look out of the window and watch the bees at work around the large bush that has flowered in front of my house.They busily go from one tiny flower to the next looking for nectar and exchanging pollen. Occasionally one will fly away presumably to inform other bees at the hive about the location and abundance of this bush.More bees arrive to help in the gathering of nectar while others leave to deliver their bounty. Each bee is an integral part of a hive, a biological system.Each bee is also an important part of a larger system, an ecosystem and in turn each ecosystem is part of a grand system, the environment that we live in, also known as the planet Earth.Odd that such tiny little creatures, who seem oblivious to all but the flowers they are buzzing, could be part of such a large system.Even more amazing is the effect they have on this system.If not for the bees more than 30% of the plan ts and vegetables we take for granted would never be able to reproduce.In turn many of the animals we depend on for food, clothing, companionship and love would never survive.If the animal that we rely on died then most assuredly we, or most of us, would die in a matter of months.Now that little creature looks much larger and more important to me than it did just 5 minutes ago. Odd how such a small factor can have such a large effect on an equation isn’t it? Throughout the world this very important and delicate balance goes on, as do millions of others every day each affecting the other and yet at the end of the day they manage to balance each other out.As educated and well-informed people many times we may look at a system and think that we understand its intricacies but do we?And even if we do, do we have the right to change the way it works just to suit our needs?This is the question I will address in this paper and hopefully get you, the reader, to think about what we as a collective are doing and are about to do with the knowledge that we posses.

Making Connections Essay

In â€Å"Werner†, Hoeflich is sharing very intimate and specific details about his experience. Beard Probably met Hoeflich on several occasions in order to gain his trust before he was able to collect some of the details that he included in his work. It most likely took Beard days of asking just the right questions to write â€Å"Werner. † In this piece, Werner is presented as both weak and strong. In the beginning of the story, he is completely caught off guard by the fire in his home, but then the author follows with a story of Werrner cliff diving. Beard describes Werner diving out of his apartment window with athletic elegance, and then proceeds to tell us about Werner crying in the ambulance. At the end of the story, Beard describes Werner â€Å"never being able to confuse himself with the old Werner. † I am left wondering what Werner did after his accident. We know he always felt pain since, but I wonder in what other ways it affected his life. Zinner emphasizes balancing quotes with narrations which Beard did very well. He also spoke of not changing the quotes in order to preserve the character’s voice. Beard did a very good job of depicting Werner’s personality through the quotes he chose. 2. Gladwell began the piece by describing an event very vaguely, and then slowly gave us more details. He ended the story by teaching us one of the lessons that Cesar learned through his experience. I like that Gladwell keeps us wondering at the beginning of his piece. He could be talking about any number of things. I liked the ending because the reading was able to see another side of Cesar. Bow, not only was he an expert on dog behavior; he knew quite a bit about human behavior as well. I didn’t like that he chose to describe Cesar in his introduction. I also didn’t like that in the conclusion, he told a story of Cesar failing to be able to do his job. I would have described Cesar after I finished telling the story of Sugar and Lynda. I would have told the story of Cesar failing before I talked about Cesar learning about human behavior. Gladwell did a good job of hooking the reader. After the first sentence, I was left wondering what Gladwell was talking about. He also did a good job of knowing when to end the story. If he had continued on for much longer, the reader would have lost interest. 3. Ingram’s message was that this was she experienced was a very confusing time for everyone. Not all Germans hated Jews, and not all Jews resented Americans. She wanted to provide a different perspective on the war than the ones we hear most often. When I was finished reading this piece, I felt a sense of sadness. Ingram wanted us to see that although the Hamburg people were grateful for being saved, they were still haunted by the sight of their dead neighbors and friends. In order for any good to come, sacrifices had to be made. Ingram begins her memoir with a story of her bravely saving her mother’s life and uses very frank and blunt language in order to establish power. Zinner recommends that an author write without being to egotistical and to use vivid sight and smell language. Ingram did a very good job of painting a picture in the reader’s mind without making herself the hero in every situation. 4. Rodriguez was trying to tell us that there is a big change coming in California and in America. No longer do you have to come to California to live your dream. A person can stay at home and achieve it just as easily, but don’t be surprised when it doesn’t come true. I imagine that the audience had a love/hate relationship with this piece. They thought it was beautifully written and brought up excellent points, but hated to admit that what Rodriguez was saying was true. In describing East Cobb, I would use the terms† large houses, fast food, many cultures, crowded schools, crowded streets, expensive cats, large lawns, family secrets, intelligent kids, and drug abuse. Rodriguez described the California that we all know, but he also went deeper and described to us in great detail the California that very few people see. 5. Singer posed a question. Then, he spent a paragraph or two answering the question. He did this repeatedly throughout his work and added supporting details along the way. Singer gave a very convincing argument. He appealed to the emotions of a sensitive reader with the child in the pond analogy. HE appealed to the logic of a skeptical reader with all his statistics. This article would persuade most people to be more charitable. It would not provide a very convincing argument to the people with lower incomes. Singer did a very good job of cutting the clutter. He used simple language and said exactly what he meant. I also felt Singer’s personality through his writing. He is very realistic and believes that we should all be more charitable.

Aids Vaccine by Merck and Company

1) What kind of vaccine was this, and how was it supposed to work? The vaccine known as V520 that was used in these studies cannot cause HIV infection because it contains only of viral materials which has synthetically produced snippets. Such vaccine is composed of adenovirus a common virus which normally causes upper respiratory infection these groups of virus infect the membranes tissue linings of the respiratory tract very common in adult and children, this infection include fever the most frequent symptoms is the inflammation of the pharynx or sore throat which is the sign of pharyngitis, inflammation of the nasal membranes, or a congested runny nose cough and swollen lymph nodes (gland). This infection sometimes leads to otitis media. It was first discovered as an agent causing upper respiratory infection in man, the human adenovirus comprise 41 distinct serotypes which cause a variety of ailments such as acute respiratory, ocular, gastrointestinal and urinary tract diseases ( Lattime et al, 2002). The adenovirus serotypes have an oncogenic possibility and are able to stimulate tumors in rodents cause a remarkable surge of interest in the study of the molecular biology of human adenoviruses. 2) How did the researchers deal with the dilemma of working with â€Å"control† human subjects? That is, did they warn the volunteers to protect themselves but obtain no significant data to test the vaccine? Or did they try to detect the vaccine’s efficacy while their participants were at risk of getting HIV infection? Did they find a solution? Scientist has made the vaccine by crafting the vaccine by genetically making alterations the common adenovirus which consist the part of HIV. They had hope that it will activate an immune response that would make recipients less to catch HIV or interrupt the inception of full-blown AIDS. It is expected from the vaccine by the scientist that the vaccine should not cause infection but to produce results that would make on the immunity of the recipients to made it easier for the to seize through a later exposure. Those volunteers who have received the least two doses of the said vaccine nineteen volunteers constricted HIV compared with the eleven persons which are given placebos. The dilemma of working with â€Å"control† human subjects is that they are more uncontrollable regarding their environment promptness for this long tow will never be achieved on a short span of time continued by eagerness for a precise invention. It requires enthusiastic and prepared society and numerous places which are both well continued and supple to acclimatize changes in procedure. This is one of the criteria that the mentioned experiment has lacked, in using large scale trials to be short of associates with fine characterized incidence and frequency rates of HIV infection Without the consistent of how much infection takes place in a community in a particular year, there will be no means of knowing whether an entrant vaccine will help lessen the pace of new infections. All this information must be collected sooner before large-scale test can start. It is also significant to know the dynamics of viral load and CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected people in the community where the tryout takes place. 3) How would the scientists determine efficacy? That is, when comparing the vaccinated volunteers with those who received a placebo, how big a difference between the vaccinated versus control groups would have been necessary to call the trial a success (say, at the 95% confidence level)? The AIDS vaccine trials moving headed for large trials are not probable to defend people from infection. In its place the vaccines are more likely to improve the series of HIV to AIDS if a vaccinated individual becomes infected. To resolve the vaccine’s impact, volunteers will necessitate to be followed over an extended period of time possibly their life span. This represents an important model shift which requires substantial learning of trial participants and communities in which test take place. AIDS vaccine researchers require making it certain that systems are in position to confirm that a constructive test stems from vaccine-induced antibodies, rather a definite illness. Moreover, looked-for are programs to fight bias against anyone enrolled in an AIDS vaccine test whether test HIV seropositive or not. The vaccine developed by Merck and Co. did not prevent HIV infection nor did it limit the severity of the disease, in those who become infected with HIV as a result of their own behaviors that exposed them to virus. The trial could have been a success and be effective if the researchers has been more cautious on recording who are the patients who get placebo and the real vaccine, and after the vaccine they should still monitor the activities of the volunteers especially if ever they still indulge in actions that will make them more prone to the mentioned disease. 4) In your opinion, what went wrong? Why did the trial fail? The project fails because most of the volunteers are heterosexual; they were not informed after the test if they have been given the placebo or the vaccine. Unexpected results from other AIDS studies had also happen, just like the trials of two vaginal microbicide gels to avoid HIV but have led to more infections for those who have really used the product than those who has received the placebos. Because of the long time and test done to perfect the test we can always expect failure, in a certain experiment the control human being is very important because this will serve as the basis on the experimental side which include the numerous amount of volunteers unmonitored after the vaccine like their extra curricular activities and the way they have their sexual relationship with the other sex, a close observation on their itinerary’s in their everyday living in the longer period of time. Work Cited Koff, W. C., Gust I. D. Kahn P. (2007). Aids Vaccine Development. Horizon Scientic Press. Hawthorme, F. (2003). The Merck Druggernaut: The Inside Story of a Pharmaceutical. Giant. John Wiley and Sons Lattime E.C., S.L. Gerson, (2002). Gene Therapy of Cancer. Elsevier Publishing      

A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Essay Oscar Wilde, author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, makes Basils life change drastically by having him paint a portrait of Dorian Gray and express too much of himself in it, which, in Wildes mind, is a troublesome obstacle to circumvent. Wilde believes that the artist should not portray any of himself in his work, so when Basil does this, it is he who creates his own downfall, not Dorian. Wilde introduces Basil to Dorian when Basil begins to notice Dorian staring at him at a party. Basil suddenly became conscious that someone was looking at . turned halfway around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time Wilde 24. Basil immediately notices him, however Basil is afraid to talk to him. His reason for this is that he does not want any external influence in life Wilde 24. This is almost a paradox in that it is eventually his own internal influence that destroys him. Wilde does this many times throughout the book. He loved using paradoxes and that is why Lord Henry, the character most similar to Wilde, is quoted as being called Price Paradox. Although Dorian and Basil end up hating each other, they do enjoy meeting each other for the first time. Basil finds something different about Dorian. He sees him in a different way than he sees other men. Dorian is not only beautiful to Basil, but he is also gentle and kind. This is when Basil falls in love with him and begins to pai nt the picture. Basil begins painting the picture, but does not tell anyone about it, including Dorian, because he knows that there is too much of himself in it. Lord Henry discovers the painting and asks Basil why he will not display it. Lord Henry thinks that it is so beautiful it should be displayed in a museum. Basil argues that the reason he will not display the painting is because he is afraid that has shown in it the secret of his soul Wilde 23. This is another paradox because he has not only shown the secret of his soul, but the painting eventually comes to show the secret of Dorians soul also. In the preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde explains that to reveal art and conceal the artist is arts aim Wilde 17. Basil realizes that he has not concealed himself in the painting and therefore feels the painting is not worth anything. After Lord Henry sees the painting, he asks to meet Dorian. Basil says that would not be good because his influence would be bad Wilde 31. Basil is correct in saying this because Lord Henry is the main person who helps Dorian to destroy himself. Lord Henry disregards Basils request and meets Dorian anyway. This is the beginning of the end for both Dorian and Basil because Lord Henrys influence pollutes Dorian. Lord Henry taunts Dorian and continues to remind him of all the sin that is building up  and that even though his body is not aging, his soul is deteriorating fast. When Basil notices that Dorian has not changed physically in many years, he is curious to know how Dorian stayed beautiful, but also wants to know why Dorian has changed so much emotionally. Basil does not have the painting on display, but rather keeps it in the attic. When Dorian comes over one day, he and Basil are talking when Basil asks, I wonder do I know you? Before I could answer that, I should have to see your soul. Wilde 216 Dorian goes into a rage and takes Basil upstairs to see his soul which is concealed in the painting. When Basil sees the painting which is bloody and atrocious looking, he cannot believe that he painted it. Dorian reassures him that it is indeed Basils painting. In that painting is all of Dorians hate, fear, and sadness reduced onto a canvass. READ: The Tempest Epilogue AnalysisWhen Dorian sees the picture, he blames Basil for it and picks up a knife laying on a nearby table and stabs Basil. He then takes the knife and stabs the painting in the heart, killing his soul, and returning the painting to its original form. Wilde constructs this in an interesting way because after Dorian stabs the picture, which is a representation of his soul, Wilde shows Dorian laying on the ground, wrinkled and disgusting, with a knife in his heart. Wilde did this to show that when Dorian stabbed the painting, he was actually stabbing himself. Oscar Wilde first portrays Dorian Gray as a sweet, sensitive man whom everyone admires. When Basil, however, began admiring Dorian, he changed. Lord Henry moved into his life, and the painting showed a form of beauty that he could never be able to achieve again in real life without the help of magic. With this, Dorian conceals his morbid soul with the painting and continues living as beautiful as he ever was, physically, but spiritually he is rotting inside. Wilde creates an animal out of the seemingly perfect man and has him destroy himself and his friends along with him. All of this happened because of the picture of Dorian Gray.

Is citizen journalism the saviour of a free press Discuss the Essay

Is citizen journalism the saviour of a free press Discuss the opportunities and challenges raised by this new form of media, production with reference to specific examples - Essay Example This is what is commonly known as citizen journalism and has taken toll in social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. The world by being connected by the internet has made news transmission faster and easier to obtain from all corners of the world. In the event of major news events, some influential people in the social media platform tend to have large crowds of people that follow them and believe in everything that they say (Wall 2012, p.42). Nowadays, majority of people receive breaking news via this platform from the so called citizen journalists rather than the official news media. Citizen journalism has provided the chance for the mass to receive firsthand information from those at the scene of events rather than getting them from the news anchors who are secondary respondents to the event scenes. Take for instance a case of a fire in a major building in your town, if a neighbor is on twitter or Facebook, he or she can take pictures of the burning building and warn friends living in the area. Such news will spread like wildfire as a response team swing action (Allan 2009, p.34). All in all, when compared to a news anchor who will arrive hours later at the crime scene, indicates that the citizen journalist was the first respondent and the most useful in this case. The disadvantage of citizen journalist is that they may sometimes spread lies that can lead to defamation of others. Take for instance a citizen journalist spreading news that Jay Z is dead through the social media (Croft 2014). Such information would cause a lot of stir and even make major news companies to look up for the truth behind the news. Therefore, people have to be careful on the kind of news which they can believe and those which they believe. It is estimated that 50% of the news produced by citizen journalist are false; therefore care has to be taken before trusting the news source (William 2008, p.67). Citizen journalists are

The Prosecution System of Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Prosecution System of Canada - Essay Example This is especially true when it is something that is involving one from the police force's on brotherhood. They are hesitant to act right away, which is evidently obvious in the subsequent case being discussed in this research. In the first case it can be safely assumed that law enforcement is quite aware of interactions involving the distribution of this drug in many areas of Canada yet when they find that it is being carried out for the betterment of those with health issues they often step aside unless unabashed behaviors are found to be quite heavy. The reasons for this are many since the Constitution plays an integral part in how all of this comes into being. The Constitutional rights and the new Charter, of the individual in this first case plays a definitive role in the prosecution process sometimes hindering it and leading to dismissals while at other times assisting the prosecution. There are a number of variables that affect this legal process and none really have the solidity that law enforcement would like. Also, many similar ramifications of this new Charter have an affect on the secondary case in this research as well because this mans Constitutional rights have not been wholly upheld, and pr omises for treatment of his depression not kept totally intact. He has somewhat slipped through the cracks and been looked over. Perhaps this could be due to the fact he has a history of working in the police department and no one assumed his actions would go as far as they did in the case. Chapter 7 of the Constitution protects the rights of those who are very ill, either mentally (such as with severe depression) or with a medical reason so it is seen how this Charter plays a part in both of these cases. There are cases that can provide validity into both of these scenarios, and that can also give the solid reasoning needed to find the answer as to why it is imperative to have a legal understanding of how these types of cases should be handled. In this way an appropriate legal definition can be understood as to how and why legal actions should or should not be carried out. Reverting back to the case involving the usage and distribution of cannabis, Mr. Smith's case is not so different from many others and on these grounds he will more than likely not be held liable for any criminal intent in his business activities so it would be somewhat useless to even attempt to take the case to court based on the concrete evidence that is available. That is, unless it can be proven that his motives are promoting recreational usage as well. The case with the prior police officer is a little more complicated and the following research will show how disregard for treatment of depression, for anyone, can lead to more complications than first perceived. This is even with regard to those who are normally upstanding and law abiding citizens. The Smith Case This case is openly situated around the idea that the distribution of marijuana or cannabis is solely regulated by the MMAR but there remain some restrictions in this area. In this case, as in many others in the past, law enforcement is aware of the transactions going on outside of the regulations of this program yet they do not always enforce any legal penalties, not unless there is a