Sociology Of Corrections Essays - Criminal Law, Penology

Sociology Of Corrections Typically, there are four justifications for punishment that are still used today in the United States: Retribution, deterrence, incapication, and rehabilitation. There are many ways of reaching these justifications besides prison today, which are made to help the current problems in the criminal justice system. There are many different views about the effectiveness of these justifications, and with all of the problems in the criminal justice system many questions are left unanswered today, such as...... How well do the realities of the correctional enterprise concur with these justifications of punishment ? Reality in this aspect generally means the rate of recidivism for a given offender. According to Marquart and Sorensen, It may be possible to manipulate certain gross features of the existing, conceptional prison system- such as length of sentence and degree of security- in order to affect these recidivism rates. (Correctional Contexts, Roxbury Publishing company, 1997, pg. 299 ) The recidivism rates for any given offender depend upon a lot of variables, one of which being, time of sentence. One harsh reality of the correctional enterprise is that the majority of the correctional institutions in the United States today are over crowded. A 1992 survey said that, there are 3,500 county jails in the United States today, and there are 400,000 inmates inhabiting them. ( Class discussion, September 20 ) This makes time of sentence difficult to be fair about when there is no room to house an offender, even if he does deserve it. In light of what we know about corrections, how successful are we in achieving these goals? Which should society use retribution, deterrence, incapacitation, or rehabilitation? Justifications for specific sanctions overlap considerably. A term of imprisonment may be philosophically justified by its primary goal of retribution but also serve the secondary functions of deterrence and incapacitation. ( American Corrections, West/Wadsworth, 2000, pg. 6 1 ) Judges try and impliment sentences for these three justifications as often as possible when it fits the crime, however rehabilitation according to Clear and Cole conflict with the other three justifications. ...Rehabilitation clearly conflicts with the other goals. For example, the deterrent power of incarceration depends primarily on being unpleasant. If incarceration consists mainly of a pleasant rehabilitative experience, its deterrent power is lost. ( American Corrections, West/Wadsworth, 2000, pg. 6 1 ) This obviously puts a lot more pressure on the correctional program, especially the judge and jury who are imposing the punishment. I would imagine that in most cases we are very successful in achieving retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation, however rehabilitation is used only if it deems itself to be absolutely necessary. Which in a lot of peoples opinions, rehabilitation should be the first thing on the agenda of the courts for each offender, however, that's not the case. How do current problems in corrections exacerbate the burden of justifying punishment ? The current problems in corrections completely intensify the burden of decision making when it comes to the criminal process. This is one of the main reasons that we have so many new approaches for punishment rather then using incarceration. Probation, restitution and fines, community service, substance abuse treatment, day reporting, house arrest and electronic monitoring, halfway house, and boot camp ( American Corrections, West/Wadsworth, 2000, pg. 6 2-63 ) all of theseforms of punishment are available to help the courts decide something else to do with offenders rather then imprisonment. Currently there are 4 million American's under some kind of correctional authority, and 1.8 million are incarcerated ( Class discussion, September 7 ) With the serious problem of correctional institutions being over crowded, it doesn't help the institution itself, as well as not helping the inmate. This is not including the amount of money that it costs just to keep one person incarcerated for a period of time. With all of this in mind, come all of these new punishments that help relieve some of the burden of decision making on the correctional world. Is imprisonment philosophically justified ? In my opinion, imprisonment is absolutely philosophically justified. When a given individual breaks the laws mandated by society, he/she needs to be punished. I personally believe in the middle eastern philosophy of an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

My Best Teaching Experience (Personal Story)

My Best Teaching Experience (Personal Story) Teaching can be a demanding profession. There are times when students can seem uninterested in learning and disruptive to the classroom environment. There are plenty of studies and educational strategies for  improving student behavior. But personal experience may be the best way to show how to turn a difficult student into a dedicated pupil. I had such an experience: one where I was able to help change a student with major behavioral issues into a learning success story.   Troubled Student Tyler was enrolled in my senior American government class for a semester, followed by a second semester by economics. He had impulse-control and anger management issues. He had been suspended many times in previous years. When he entered my class in his senior year, I assumed the worst. Tyle sat in the back row. I had never used a seating chart with students on the first day when I was just getting to know them. Every time I talked at the front of the class, I would ask questions of students, calling them by name. This helped me to get to know the students. Unfortunately, every time I called on Tyler, he would respond with a glib answer. If he got an answer wrong, he would become angry. About a month into the year, I was still trying to connect with Tyler. I can usually get students involved in class discussions or at the least motivate them to sit quietly and attentively. By contrast, Tyler was just loud and obnoxious. Battle of Wills Tyler had been in so much trouble through the years that it had become his modus operandi. He expected his teachers to know about his  referrals, where he was sent to the office, and suspensions, where he was given mandatory days to stay out of school. He would push every teacher to see what it would take to get a referral. I tried to outlast him. I had rarely found referrals to be effective because students would return from the office behaving worse than before. One day, Tyler was talking while I was teaching. In the middle of the lesson, I said in the same tone of voice, Tyler why dont you join our discussion instead of having one of your own. With that, he got up from his chair, pushed it over and yelled something. I cant remember what he said other than that he included several profanity words. I sent Tyler to the office with a discipline referral, and he received a weeks out-of-school suspension. To this point, this was one of my worst teaching experiences. I dreaded that class every day. Tylers anger was almost too much for me. The week Tyler was out of school was a wonderful hiatus, and we got a lot accomplished as a class. However, the suspension week would soon come to an end, and I dreaded his return. The Plan On the day of Tylers return, I stood at the door awaiting him. As soon as I saw him, I asked Tyler to talk to me for a moment. He seemed unhappy to do it but agreed. I told him that I wanted to start over with him. I also told him that if he felt like he was going to lose control in class, he had my permission to step outside the door for a moment to collect himself. From that point on, Tyler was a changed student. He listened and he participated in class. He was a smart student, something I could finally witness in him. He even stopped a fight between two other students one day. He never abused  his break time privilege. Giving Tyler the power to leave the classroom showed him that he had the ability to choose how he would behave. At the end of the year, Tyler wrote me a thank you note about how well the year had gone for him. I still have that note today and find it touching to reread when I get stressed about teaching. Avoid Prejudgment This experience changed me as a teacher. I came to understand that students are people who have feelings and who dont want to feel cornered. They want to learn, but they also want to feel as if they have some control over themselves. I never made assumptions again about students before they came into my class. Every student is different; no two students react in the same way. It is our task as teachers to find not only what motivates each student to learn but also what motivates them to misbehave. If we can meet them at that point and take away that motivation, we can go a long way toward achieving more  effective classroom management  and a better learning environment.

Professional solutions to the impact that the increasing concern of Research Paper - 1

Professional solutions to the impact that the increasing concern of how alcohol consumption affects the rate of interpersonal violence has had on biologists in Finland - Research Paper Example Understanding genes causing alcoholism is vital in finding lasting solutions to the problem of alcoholism, and scientists in Finland have been concentrating in gene therapies to identify these genes related to alcoholism. Individuals addicted to alcohol consumption have numerous gene constitutions that interact with environmental factors to influence them into drinking and result into the drinking problem. Gene therapy have helped in understanding gene vulnerability in which is significant in finding curative measures in helping those individuals who are heavy consumers of alcohol. In addition, scientist have discovered and are still discovering various drugs that have the ability to suppress the alcohol genes in individuals and an example is that aldehyde dehydrogesnase has been discovered to help in neutralizing the GABA gene which has been discovered to lead to addiction of alcohol in individuals. Scientists are also advocating for educational programs to help in solving the high rate of interpersonal violence caused by excessive alcohol consumption amongst individuals. Loneliness has been studied to be a key problem in encouraging people to drink alcohol. This is because they find it hard to control their habits therefore resort to drinking to achieve a false confidence in communicating and interacting with individuals. Low self esteem and instant gratification are factor which lead to alcohol consumption and interpersonal violence amongst individuals. Therefore, scientist are emphasizing on the need to sleep to help in solving the problem of loneliness and prevent consumption of alcohol in individuals who drink because they are lonely or need instant gratification from various issues affecting their lives (The Portman Group ). Examples of these programs include off-time pubertal training which is used to predict physiological

Tourism in Norway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tourism in Norway - Essay Example Tourism can be described as travel from one geographical area to another in accomplishment of recreational desires, leisure, educational purposes or business issues. In some cases, tourism has been seen a kind of sporting activity especially when the participants travel for recreational and leisure purposes. Tourism involves visits to certain geographical features and fantastic scenes that exist in the world. Tourists participating in tourism may be individuals from international spectrum or internal citizens living within the country that is the tourist destination. Tourism activities have huge benefits to the economy of the countries that act as the preferred tourist destination. Upon visits to various regions to see the fantastic scenes, tourists make huge payment for the access to the particular regions of preference. The collected tax from the tourism activity passes to the governments of the individual destinations, who ultimately use the revenues in financing various national projects for the benefits of the entire citizens. Norway is one such country with exemplary and attractive tourists’ destinations. The Norwegian tourism sites have earned the country superb income that has been used in financing and purchasing development programs of national importance. The history tourism in Norway illuminates the British lords as the first fishing tourists to visit the country (Aas 282). The British lords were mainly interested in fishing of salmons that inhabited most of the Norwegian rivers. Aas (282) elucidates that the current trend of marine fishing in Norway has been dominated by the German tourists who buy fishing trips from the Norwegian and foreign tour operators. According to Aas (282), most of the fishing tourists within Europe travel to particular tourisms destinations in Norway by the use of cars and planes. Currently, most of the tourists travelling from Germany to Norway have been using special fishing charters. Aas (282) confirms that most of the fishing tourists visiting Norway prefer catching the halibut, cod and coalfish species. Aas (282) further reports that most of the fish caught during fishing tourism are meant for consumption by the individual tourists during their stay in the tourism destination. It is worth noting that most of the tourism fishing in the Norwegian marine waters is not regulated and this has resulted to dilapidation of the fishing grounds. Aas (282) further reports that fish tourism in Norway reaches its peak especially during summer seasons when the temperatures are high. Fish tourism sport in Norway mainly involves sailing of small boat provided by the tour operators and takes place near the shore of the coast. Aas (282) adds that some tourism operators provide larger boats to their clients who sail to conduct fishing in deep seas away from the shore. In move to ensure security and keep track of the fishing tourists on board, most boats area fitted with GPS and echo sounders that helps in d etection of any impediment. Fishing tourism in Norway has developed at an alarming rate with about 1000 companies carrying operations along the coastlines of Norway, with well-equipped facilities for comfortable tourism. Aas (282) discloses that families mainly own most of the fishing tourism companies along the coast of Norway. According to Aas (282), marine fishing tourism in Norway is well developed along the southern parts of coast with anticipated future growth along the northern parts of the coast. In the views of Aas (282), fishing tourism in Norway has been a stable source of employment opportunities considering the fact that it takes place through all seasons of the year. Fishing tourism in Norway has enabled the local gather deep information and knowledge on how to utilize fishing infrastructure to commercially exploit the fishing bays. According to Slavastog, the Norwegian government has structured efficient plan to encourage domestic tourism (14). It is also evident that tourism in general ranks at the second

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death by Henry Patrick Research Paper

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death by Henry Patrick - Research Paper Example It is significant to note that Patrick Henry's powerful speech was given on March 23, 1775 at St. John's Henrico Parish Church in Richmond. Through this articulation, we realize that there is a connection of beliefs and attitudes and that the speaker tries to trace it out for us to understand the notion well. There is a strong articulation from the availed phrases from Henry speech, which says, â€Å"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. People may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace (Henry 10). The war is actually begun.† This strong norm shows there is a connection between beliefs and attitudes at large. Additionally, the availed speech is a sort of emotional appeal. Henry is quoted by saying, â€Å"Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.† This is an emotional articulation in that Henry was addressing the gathering out of hunger and sudden feelings. Henry speech was a well-organized speech in that it entailed some of the main characteristics that a well-organized speech adheres to (Vaughan 54). The speech is easier to understand, pleasing, easier to remember and credible as well. In addition, the speech portrayed a specific and purposely central idea characterized by main point that was supported and narrated in well conversant manner (Cohen 711). The style in this writing is formal. This was a speech directed to the president and the urge of being formal was an option. The speech was to address the president to pity the fate of the common citizens and being formal was one way of Henry to eliminate any sort of personal feeling rather address issue as a community spokesman. Henry stated that â€Å"Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these war-like preparations, which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir.’ However, a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. From the above Henrys words, we articulate that the speaker uses metaphors in this writings. From the excerpt, the author meant that freedom is the ability for an individual to make any choice they want, in any manner they deem fit as long as it does not harm or interfere with others’ pursuit of freedom (Cohen 714). The author’s beliefs advocated for maximized lives for those with minimum lives, this meaning that the lowest, least fortunate class of our society should be the most well off lowest class of all other societies no matter the cost. It is a complicated argument but a very charitable. As evident from the speech, the author did not advocate for socialism or equality but rather a well off lower class. The millionaire can still be a millionaire, but he must sacrifice some of his wealth to allow the least fortunate to live comfortably. At some point, the speech becomes even

Postmodernism and Poststructuralism in Literature

Postmodernism and Poststructuralism in Literature In what ways do postmodernists and poststructuralists complicate our understanding of reality and its representation in literature and culture? Postmodernism is a shift of emphasis from content to form or style; a transformation from reality into images[1] which is what will be explored in the following essay and also the ways in which postmodernists and poststructuralists complicate reality. Focusing on how it is represented in culture. The theorists that will be focused on in regards to exploring this question are Derrida and Baudrillard with emphasis on the gulf war. Jacques Derrida is one of the major figures in the intellectual life of our time[2] Through his intervention texts are perceived in a different way, he discusses the conflicting relationship between an authors expressed intentions [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and what the text actually describes.[3] Paying attention to ideas that are inconsistent with its overt statements.[4] Therefore, his theory of deconstruction brings to light [the] suppressed textual conflicts concerning what is ideal, primary or original[5] he focuses on the hierarchies between speech and writing; and nature and culture.[6] An important term when discussing Derrida is differance. Differance arises from his appropriation of Saussures concept of the sign[7] It is used in relation to the oppositions between presence and absence because differance is neither present nor absent but instead it is a kind of absence that generates the effect of presence.[8] The term is neither identity or difference but a kind of differentiation that produces the effect of identity and of difference between those identities.[9] Derrida invents this term to show the alternative understanding that refers to the passage of the infinite, endless differentiation[10] Differance means both to differ and to defer[11] Therefore, it is the unresolved deferral of the identity one might have ascribed to a particular term for example an entirely fixed meaning for the word dog never definitively arrives.[12] Derridas famous statement there is no outside of the text[13] does not mean that there is anything in the world but words on a page or books because Derrida redefined the term text. text means the indefinitely deferring movement of differentiation.[14] Rather than Derrida asking what is there, he interrogates the tangles in which we become entwined when we ask what there is.[15] Human beings tend to project something original which is represented or hypothesized by them, this is referred to as origins which is already enmeshed in language [16] The way we talk about origins, and what is secondary to them, produces the effect that there seems to be an origin.[17] Derrida always depicts origins textually and it is suggested that there may or may not be a beyond to the plays of language, the replies to his famous statement there is nothing outside of the text[18] are mostly in agreement that there is surely something outside of the text such as blood, rain, trees, and bodies, they believe that Derrida denies reality in favour of words[19] this response to his statement misunderstands what Derrida means when he refers to text. For him, the text means differance, spacing, relationality, differentiation, deferral, and delay.[20] By saying that there is nothing out of the text is stating that there is always relationality and differentiation but whatever is imagined as reality, it is argued that differentiation is critical.[21] The critics that object Derridas theories, they suggest the feeling of anger and emotion because emotion is not a text, some critics do defend Derrida but still fail to grasp what he means, for example, they state that it is impossible to describe anger without metaphors [and] linguistic meanings- we have always entered the world of language, [22] and that language constructs the reality in which we live in. Other critics argue that emotion is already differential[23] therefore, they believe that Derrida emphasises that we are always in the world of language, whether people refer to the rain or sun we never stepped out of language to touch the thing itself.[24] However, this explanation is a misunderstanding, according to Derrida a suggestion of rain in itself that I am, however, unable to experience except in the world of language and meaning.[25] This is a deconstructive way of talking because it projects an original world that people believe we cannot access, trapped in some prison of language[26] This raises the issue of a world that we cannot access, Catherine Belsey definition of the real, One can only think of language as a network, a net over the entirety of things, over the totality of the real[27] the real can be a place of traumatic events that should never be confronted, even in dreams[28] the real surrounds us it is a condition of human beings but it is something that is lost to us. constituted by culturally constructed images of reality.[29] A theorist that explores the loss of the real and the replacement of it is Baudrillard. His theory suggests thats simulation and simulacra replaces the real with a copy, no more mirror of being and appearances of the real[30] The real disappears because it is made up of miniaturized units, from matrices, memory banks, and command models.[31] Therefore, it can be reproduced multiple times, it is nothing more than operational. Thus, it is no longer enveloped by an imaginary [so] it is no longer real at all, it is hyperreal[32] The age of simulation begins with a liquidation of all referentials, by artificial resurrection in [a] system of signs.[33] Baudrillard suggests that this becomes a question of substituting signs of the real for the real itself[34] this process is to deter every real process by its operational double Baudrillard describes it as a perfect descriptive machine which provides all the signs of the real[35] therefore, the real is not needed to be reproduced ever again. He goes on to say that to simulate something is to feign to have what one hasnt [36]however, he suggests that to do this is not to simply feign because feigning always leaves reality intact [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the difference us always clear, it is only masked;[37] but simulation on the other hand threatens the difference between what is true and what is false between the real and the imaginary because the simulator produces true symptoms[38] so simulation is a play of illusions and phantasms[39] Moreover, Baudrillards the gulf war did not take place suggests that the war that took place during January and February 1991 was a TV gulf war.[40] It is a perfect example of Baudrillards theory. a hyperreal scenario in which events lose their identity and signifiers fade into one[41] suggesting that the medias representation as purveyor of reality[42]what viewers saw on the TV was for the most part a clean war with lots of pictures of weaponry, including the amazing footage from the nose-cameras of smart bombs.[43] Baudrillard insists that technological simulacra neither displace nor der the reality of war[44] instead becoming an integral part of the operation. Technology allowed the boundaries between simulation and reality to become blurred[45] Baudrillard argues that under these conditions the virtual has overtaken the actual[46] and it functions to deter the real event and leaves only the simulacrum of war[47] however, as he points out this does not mean it is unreal in the sen se that it does not have real effects[48] therefore, the real vanishes into the virtual. The event of war had become obscene and insupportable[49] like every real event. Therefore, we are confronted with a virtual apocalypse, a hegemony[50] which is ultimately more dangerous than real apocalypse[51] in turn our virtual had definitely taken over the actual and we must be content with this extreme[52] because we are no longer in a logic of the passage from virtual to actual but in a hyperrealist logic of deterrence of the real by the virtual[53] Derrida misunderstands Baudrillard by stating that he finds it interesting that simulacra of images, television, the manipulation of information, reportage[à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] nullified the event[54] he agrees that something like this or something analogues happened[55] however, he quickly asserts his disagreement by suggesting that this should not make us forget-and the event unforgettable- that there were deaths[à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] that no logic of simulacrum can make us forget.[56] Baudrillard does not deny that there were any deaths in the war, Baudrillard is suggesting that the media controlled the way in which people viewed the war, how they were exposed to it and desensitised to it through its representation. Another example of simulation would be Existenz[57]. The film played with the idea that a digitally created simulation could invisibly and seamlessly replace the solid, messy analogy world of our everyday life[58] The film the Matrix[59] also gives an idea of a simulation where social control was nearly complete[60] therefore, by opposing the imagery with the real as two different narrative registers in the same film [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Hollywood narrative, even in the most outlandish form, asserts all the more stridently its status as reality[61] Overall, Theorists such as Derrida and Baudrillard complicate our understanding by suggesting that what we know to be reality is in fact not what we think. Baudrillard believes that our reality is replaced by a simulation that we have to come to accept, this simulation is controlled by outlets such as the media Derrida suggests that language does not construct our reality like critics have previously stated but instead suggests that we project an origin of an original world which we cannot gain access to. Films mentioned above also show how we can live in a world of simulation instead of the real which we try to gain back but never achieve. Bibliography Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations, Julie, Rivkin, Michael, Ryan, Literary Theory: An Anthology, 2nd Edition (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2004) Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, 1st Edition (Australia: Power Publications, 1991) Belsey, Catherine, Culture and The Real, 1st Edition (London: Routledge, 2005) Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, 1st Edition (UK: Granta Books, 2005) Evans, Mikhail, The Singular Politics of Derrida and Baudrillard, 1st Edition (Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014) Iwata, Hiroo, Dr. Strange Device Or; How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Media Art, The Journal Of The Institute Of Image Information And Television Engineers, 66 (2012), 219-222 Sarup, Madan, An Introductory Guide to Post-Structuralism and Postmodernism, 2nd Edition (Hertfordshire: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1993) [1] Sarup, Madan, An Introductory Guide to Post-Structuralism and Postmodernism, 2nd Edition (Hertfordshire: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1993) [2] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, 1st Edition (UK: Granta Books, 2005) p.xi [3] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 28 [4] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 28 [5] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 28 [6] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 29 [7] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 29 [8] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 29 [9] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 29 [10] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 31 [11] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 31 [12] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 31 [13] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 33 [14] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 33 [15] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 33 [16] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [17]Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [18] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [19] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [20] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [21] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 34 [22] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 35 [23] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 35 [24] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 35 [25] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 35 [26] Deutscher, Penelope, how to Read Derrida, p. 35 [27] Belsey, Catherine, Culture and The Real, 1st Edition (London: Routledge, 2005) p, 49 [28] Belsey, Catherine, Culture and The Real, p. 49 [29] Belsey, Catherine, Culture and The Real, p. 52-54 [30] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations, Julie, Rivkin, Michael, Ryan, Literary Theory: An Anthology, 2nd Edition (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2004), pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [31] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp.365-337 (p. 366). [32] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [33] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [34] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [35] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [36] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [37] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 366). [38] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 367). [39] Baudrillard, Jean, Simulacra and Simulations. pp. 365-337 (p. 369). [40] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, 1st Edition (Australia: Power Publications, 1991) p.2 [41] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 2 [42] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 2 [43] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 3 [44] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 4 [45] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 4 [46] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 8 [47] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 8 [48] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 9 [49] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 9 [50] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 27 [51] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 27 [52] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 27 [53] Baudrillard, Jean, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place, p. 27 [54] Evans, Mikhail, The Singular Politics of Derrida and Baudrillard, 1st Edition (Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), pp. 54-55 [55] Evans, Mihail, The Singular Politics of Derrida and Baudrillard, pp. 54-55 [56] Evans, Mihail, The Singular Politics of Derrida and Baudrillard, pp. 54-55 [57] David Cronenberg (dir.), Existenz (Alliance Atlantis Communications, 1999). Momentum Pictures, 1999. [58] Iwata, Hiroo, Dr. Strange Device Or; How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Media Art, The Journal Of The Institute Of Image Information And Television Engineers, 66 (2012), 219-222 [59] Wachowski Brothers (dir.), The Matrix (Warner Bros, 1999). Warner Home Video, 2007. [60] Iwata, Hiroo, Dr. Strange Device Or; How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Media Art. [61] Iwata, Hiroo, Dr. Strange Device Or; How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Media Art

Analysis of Articles Opposing American Aid to Columbia :: Government

Analysis of Articles Opposing American Aid to Columbia In â€Å"Are We ‘Salvadorizing’ Colombia?†, Garry M. Leech claims that the current situation in Colombia is a replicate description of Salvador in the 1980’s. He explains how the Clinton Administration imitated Ronal Regan’s Administration during the 1980s. â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look†, also by Garry M. Leech, claims that the aid given to Colombia by the US government will not â€Å"end Colombia’s civil war, retrieve the nation’s economy nor put the narco-traffickers out of business†. The $1.3 billion aid package is divide, not to benefit the Colombian people but rather benefit the Colombian’s political and economic elite. In this essay, I will analyze this two academic articles relative to the current political situation in Colombia and its direct relation with the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID). Garry M. Leech is very detailed when pointing out evidence to support his claims. He points out, in â€Å"Are We ‘Salvadorizing’ Colombia?†, that during the 1980s the Regan Administration used the Cold War to justify its support to the Salvadoran government; while, the Clinton Administration used cocaine to justify its support to the Colombian government. According to this article, the threat of drug trade in the US should not be confused with the current civil war in Colombia. He supports these arguments with historical evidence by stating that this civil war began as a fight for the repressive Colombian Government during the 1950s; meanwhile, the drug war began with the boom of cocaine in the 1970s. This evidence is again used in â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look† to support Leech’s claim that â€Å"eliminating the violence related to drug trade will do little to solve the underlying political, social, and economical problems that have been the real cause of all the violence that has occurred throughout Colombian history.† Leech assumes that the modern reader is aware of the misconceptions caused by the fear of communism during the Cold War. He relates this with the Colombian case, trying to sympathize with the reader, and making them believe that it is wrong approach to fight the drug war. Another important claim mentioned is the relation between the Colombian military and the paramilitaries; therefore, the indirect relation with drug trade and human rights violation. In â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look†, he states that 80% of the USAID package is going to the Colombian military and police force.

What It Means to Be a Blackbelt

Ryan Cloninger Denver Tae Kwon Do Mr. Putnam November 8, 2009 What a Black Belt Means to Me When I was thirteen I started taking Tae Kwon Do. I wanted to learn how to fight and break boards. I have come a long way since my first Tae Kwon Do class. As a candidate for black belt rank, I now have a different perspective of Tae Kwon Do, and different motivation for attending each class. To me a black belt consist of displaying great character, becoming a leader, and reaching your goals, and understanding the history of Tae Kwon Do.To become a true black belt, you have to look back and remember the men who started Tae Kwon Do, and understand their history. Tae Kwon Do means the way of the fist and foot. In Tae Kwon Do you are empty handed. When empty handed you must use your hands and feet. In the early times Korean men used their hands and feet as weapons. Koreans used Tae Kwon Do for self-defense when invaders came to savage their village. Men died fighting to protect their loved ones a nd their homes. What once was a military form of fighting soon became a way of life for the Koreans.The history of Tae Kwon Do has taught me that becoming a black is not about what color material you receive. Tae Kwon Do black belts never quit. They work hard to achieve goals, even when the journey is difficult. I have learned to never retreat in life, and that victory is the goal. Becoming a black belt has always been a goal of mine. The respect and honor you gain from becoming a black belt is priceless. Knowing you worked hard for a black belt makes your accomplishment so much better. I have been taking Tae Kwon Do for over four years and am yet to have earned my black belt.The school I train under believes in working hard for the rank of black belt, and this can take a very long time. I believe the long road will make the destination that much more rewarding. Another goal I have is to attend college at Clemson University, after graduating high school. After college I hope to be a professional chef. My goals of going to college to become a chef have been with me ever since I can remember. Growing up around my grandparents who were always cooking got me interested in becoming a chef.Tae Kwon Do has taught me to stay in pursuit of this goal. In order to be the best college student and the best chef, I know I need to be a leader and not a follower. During the Tae Kwon Do summer camps I had a chance to practice my leadership skills. My instructor, Mr. Cloninger, allowed me to teach the Tae Kwon Do classes to work on and critique my leadership skills. Instructing the students really helped me correct my own mistakes in technique and forms. As I have grown through the ranks, my instructor has allowed me to instruct the classes.Instructing is another way of learning. If you cannot teach the material you truly do not understand it yourself. This is required to perfect your material, as I learned from personal experience. I believe my instructor, Mr. Cloninger, is an example of a great leader. He pushes me to my limit and beyond. He makes me a better person, better in the karate school, and in the community. Mr. Cloninger is dependable, hardworking, and possesses many great character qualities. Displaying good character is essential for being a great leader and a great black belt.Positive characteristics, such as respect for others, self-control, obedience, and humbleness, are the building blocks of a well-trained black belt. Respect is always important when training. Respect is earned. It is not simply given to you. You must work hard and be respectful to your instructor. Self-control is an important characteristic to have, not only in martial arts, but also in life. Self-control is harnessing your actions and emotions. When in training all emotions must leave the room. Your mind should be set on your material and goals.Self-control also applies in every day life, whether it is when you are driving down the road and some one cuts you off, or w hen your peers upset you at school. Obedience is another attribute a black belt must have. Whether it be listening to my parents or my instructor, I need to be able to listen and follow through when something is asked of me. Black belts are portrayed as people that can be trusted, doing what they are told and doing it the first time. Obedience comes easier when you have respect for others and self-control of your own wants and desires.A true black belt should be humbled in his achievement of his rank. Black belts should have respect for the art and not use their rank to show off, bully, or be intimidating. Black belts should not to be portrayed as cocky, arrogant or boastful. This is not being a good leader or representative of martial arts. I continually try to implement respect, self-control, obedience, and other positive characteristics into my life. These characteristics help me learn in school, train in Tae Kwon Do, and be a good member of my family.I am grateful and honored th at I was given the chance to test for my black belt. I received the best training from Mr. Putnam and Mr. Cloninger. These great leaders have taught me to stay strong and to work hard for my goals. If I receive the rank of black belt, one of my many goals will have been accomplished. My journey to becoming a black belt has taught me to display great character, build my leadership skills, reach my goals, and understand the meaning behind Tae Kwon Do. I look forward to continuing my Tae Kwon Do journey for many years to come.

Essay Sample on E-Commerce Focus on the Core Elements

Essay Sample on E-Commerce Focus on the Core Elements Many factors contribute to a companys success or failure. Company is defined by more than just its product or service. An effective organisation has much strength in its favour to remain competitive. Factors such as: flexibility, creativity, openness to use of technology and innovations, a balance between core and context, communication across the organisation and talented employees are a must for competitive advantage (Wignaraja 2004). It is an organisations ability to adjust to changing times that creates a foundation for the public to admire. Integrity is crucial. Upholding the companys value system and word to the public remains a key facet for success. Building any strategy or campaign on this premise presents the best possible and true corporate image to the public and allows for a great amount of trust to form. This paper will explore the notion that an organisation has greater ability to focus on the core when it utilises available technologies and resources to handle its context. This may mean outsourcing some of their processes in order to gain greater optimisation. First, the organisation must have the ability to value technology and innovation. Todays telecommunication is a triumph for human ingenuity and spontaneous order. In some parts it embodies leading edge technology like Asynchronous Transfer Mode but really it is the use of new technologies combined with older ones that makes the Internet so fascinating and vital to business. Specifically the Internet ends distance limitations and it empowers individuals in important new ways to create new enterprise (Gasman 2005, p. 2). The Internet is relatively vast in its freedom. Unlike the traditional telephone, the Internet is not charged by the mile or any distance. This brings people together. With these technologies, makes outsourcing and seamless work flow possible (Grandt 2005). Once a company is able to focus on the core, more attention can be paid to what it values most. Literature suggests that in order to have a balance between context and core, values must stand out (Porter 1985 Bennis 1989). This paper will examine how technology allows an organisation to focus on valued core elements like leadership and communication both of which play a large role in how well technology works for the organisation. Without effective leadership and communication, the outsourcing and logistics that utilise technology would be a skeleton in function. Core values add the flesh, the culture that makes an organisation great. In recent years, the Internet Boom has taken over the way people see business being done. In fact, we live in a trailblazing time when everything about life is changing because of technology. Part of the job of focusing on core is to embrace technology at the core. Geoffrey Moore elaborates that in order to focus on core an organisation must differentiate as much as possible and to assign ones best resources to that challenge (2000, par. 3). This action, however, can be time consuming to take away from the core. In order to complete the task, one must understand the difference between core and context. Moore points out that many companies do not know what is important, only making share holder stock go higher. What is one organisations core may be anothers context (Rowley 2002). He also writes, core and context interoperate to create equality, and both are fundamental to every organisations effectiveness (2000, par. 6). Organisational success is about finding balance and in todays age of e-commerce and enterprise, it seems that it is expected that technology will aid in creating this balance. It is believed once the balance is achieved that one can focus on the core including continued maintenance of the balance between context and core. By challenging certain tasks to technology and outsourcing, an organisation can focus on elements of competitive advantage like leadership and communication. Below will be examples of how Countrywide Financial Corporation and other entities like Global Home Loans achieve this balance through technology and data re-sourcing allowing management to focus on its culture and employee growth. As the act of doing business becomes more innovative due to new technologies and high levels of communication, it is surprising that doing business become more complicated and expensive. Is it the factor of elevated expectation and competition from global markets, it is a lack of understanding your own organisation and its cores? Angelo Mozilo believes that outsourcing creates room for improved focus upon core values and it is with the implementation of high speed communication and data systems that enables people to better interact with each other (2002, par. 3). It allows for context to be processed outside the core, only to return when needed. Outsourcing is much like a double-edged sword, it can be seen as a negative as much as a positive. Many believe that it is stealing from American jobs to use cheaper labour sources in countries like India. Timothy Smith surmises that outsourcing has three functions in making organisations more efficient, effective and reduces costs. O utsourcing enables organisations to reallocate resources (Smith 2001, par. 3). This in turn allows the organisation to spend less time on those tasks, saves it money in labour and location by changing focus from survival to enhancing competitive advantage. An organisation can only do this when it becomes people focused (Ahmed Sharma 2002). Exporting organisations are also seeking ways to lower costs while increasing customer service. A relatively new approach is supply chain management (SCM). Supply chain management differs from traditional materials and manufacturing control in several ways (Burn Hackney 2003). First, SCM views the supply chain as a single process. Second, SCM requires strategic decision-making due to its impact on overall costs and market share. Third, supply chain management regards inventories as a mechanism of last resort. Finally, it requires an integrated approach to systems. Integration results in reduced inventory and significant cost benefits (Trunick 2005). The success of SCM usually involves implementation of an information management system. Still the model is evolving to include new innovations being used as tools. The Amorphous type of chain changes as the company introduces new strategies. This type of model best reflects the continuous flow of ideas and possibilities within the e-commerce construct or Internet medium specifically. It helps anticipate future occurrences. This aids a company’s tracking of Internet use especially when applied to advertising and promotions, as it is known the number of businesses utilising the Internet for e-business purposes was significantly low at 28% though an further 33% were actively considering the implementation (Ritchie Brindley 2002, p. 2). The function of procurement within the logistics process is moving to a new plane of sophistication due to new technologies to make the job simpler. Much of it is moving to the platform of the Internet to maximise efficiency and productivity. E-Procurement is now moving from easy-to-automate tasks like invoicing generations to more complex concerns such a E-marketplace implementation, operation and electronic collaboration. Literature suggests that currently focus in on technologies that support E-procurement of direct goods that are mission critical. Also because raw materials that go into production of the finished product many account for 80 percent of a companys expenses, the saving derived from implementing E-procurement is compelling (Thierauf Hoctor 2003, p. 250). In other words, E-procurement technology offers lower purchase prices to faster fulfilment cycles as well as lower administrative overhead to better control. As a result, companies realise broad, measurable benefits from the implementation of E-procurement. Companies stand to gain even more impressive results from coming generations of the technology that includes connecting to trading exchange with their own industries. This also enables a customer better informed purchases as a company learns to manage production on a daily basi s. This means the capability for the supply chain to extend beyond customers and suppliers improves. This also improves the ability for the company to communicate with the customer and the supplier. This leads to new ideas and knowledge about the process as companies and suppliers work in a join environment. Sometimes organisations look to sourcing inventory as a way to cut costs and speed up the process. GHL will find that by using the Internet as e-strategy that they can achieve multitasking on new levels, allowing for many lines of communication as once. The Internet will allow GHL to tap into a bigger supply base to ensure dependable supply and backup sources. This in turn will reduce the amount it takes to secure shipment of new products. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are particularly valuable in new product introduction because it acts as a means of sharing information. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are software packages that attempt to integrate the information flow within a company, solving the problem of incompatibility between systems and operating practices. The ERP system will streamline the GHL’s data flows and provide management with direct access to a wealth of real-time information. This is facilitated by the used of database techno logies which will link applications together and pass relevant data between them as necessary. Any new information added to one of the system updates the other systems automatically, thus creating complete integration between them (Soh 2002 and Grandt 2005). Directory services and middle ware are used in order to connect the applications and provide an infrastructure for users to communicate with each other and connect to the sources of information. There are many benefits and drawbacks to using this method of data transportation. It is important to analyse rather not this will be good fit for a company like GHL. A key difficulty is that departments distrust the information provided by another department, be it via an information system or some other mechanism. Therefore checking and cleaning the data should be made an integral part of the implementation (Bonner 2002, par. 5). If ERP is integrated with the organisations decision-making structure, ERP can begin to deliver busin ess benefits, impacting data delivery levels. Still its success can only be measured by the attitude of the user. Management is a highly contested area of theory and practice. Essentially, there is a difference between theory and practice (Boddy 2002). It can be easy to confuse the two concepts of management and leadership on an organizational level. In today’s company, the role of management also involves leadership within a team structure. Managers have the responsibility to set goals, maintain moral, aid in training and communicating corporate objectives. However, this does not mean a leader cannot be a subordinate. If a company is smart, it will encourage leadership by example across the board. This instils in the employee a sense of pride and motivates them to achieve goals. A good leader like Angelo Mozilo provides vision and clarity for the team of employees. Such a leader will be able to communicate and create a rapport with their team. This connection begins at a fundamental level of human sociology where the use of story is central. Howard Gardner reflects, the ultima te impact of the leader depends most significantly on the particular story that he or she relates or embodies, and the receptions to that story on the part of the audiences (1995 p. 14). By telling stories, allows for a certain level of openness or vulnerability on the part of the leader and makes them human. By opening the line of communication, gives the employee knowledge of their environment and develops trust. For managers who actively keep and open dialogue are putting their people first. They are more focused on nurturing and training. Research suggests leaders are more interested in mentoring and training their team rather than focusing on output of numbers or turn around time. This once again acts a mini-strategy to manage communication within the team. This development in team building allows for providing people opportunities to learn from their work rather than taking them away from their work to learn (Hughes 2004, p. 4). A healthy culture inspires options and the innovations that grow out of creativity. Still one cannot ignore times of fear. Management sometimes creates fear on purpose or misuses it to work employees harder. This does not create positive outcomes but promotes conflict and an unstable team (Demb 2004). In other words, creates dysfunctional dialogue and a lack of communication. It is clear for management to be successful, it must communicate its vision but also create positive reinforcement. Once key members understand people’s needs, then action can be taken to improve management’s role. Only then will a leader be taken seriously. Recognising positive traits in a team member builds trust, integrity and also meets an important need while building a team. Communicating these facts actively also keeps open the dialogue and in turn, makes people more comfortable and management less unapproachable (Stowell 2005). The leader’s role is to sell the idea of commitment within a culture even if conflict exists. Robbins defines conflict as being a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about (2002, p.384). The traditional school of thought believes that conflict should be avoided at costs where as a modern way of thinking takes into account human relations and how human relations form over time within the organizational construct. With conflict comes the chance communication between employees will become more difficult or fail completely. Every person behaves differently when presented with conflict and the response can create dysfunctional situations. This dysfunction can hinder group performance and make everyday details difficult to see (Demb 2004). Communication can lead to misunderstanding but so does lack of action. Sometimes it is not evident that taking action could have changed the outcome. What is important to an organization is that they follow through with every possibility (Miller Whitney 1999). This is where employees pick up on non-verbal communications from management. If a leader appears not to be concerned, then more than likely the team members will not be either. Internal cues, both verbal and non-verbal are extremely important to not only success but just day-to-day functioning. In order to avoid a complete break down in communication, one recommendation is to institute effective, reliable leadership because that will build trust and communicate skills (Stowell, 2005). First leadership must be put in place then a change of policy can be put into place. There must be consistency with the chain of command where both the product and the use of the product are concerned. Everyone must have the same percep tion of the organisations objective. Everyone within the organization must be on the same page. If new information should become available, there must be a policy in place where employees do not fear speaking up or sharing this information. It must be openly communicated across the board. By having a trusting, open door policy with people creates an atmosphere of safety where communication can take place. It is only when people fear retaliation or negative outcomes, that they keep important facts to themselves. Even those who did stand up are labelled whistle-blowers and this has a negative dysfunctional outcome. So it is important for the health maintenance of the organisation to implement a policy of open communication where everyone stays on the same page. Also another idea is to have a program of due diligence where people back each other up and support each other through periods of conflict (Body 2002). This will enable teams to have not just one chain but multiple cha ins of communications where information is double-checked and triple checked before put into use. This will ensure that any new issues or mistakes are found and addressed before they are put into real-world situations. This can also lead to teams thinking outside the box to create new innovative ideas to fix the problems. By building this type of culture, allows the organisation to maintain a high level of integrity with the public but to also remain competitive within the market. Competition is brutal and the market continues to shrink due to communication technologies. It is important in leadership to embrace change and stick to a vision. By having leadership skills one can recogise the physical and mental signs of our feelings/emotions before we can act on them meaningfully and constructively (Eby Ruin 2004, par. 20). It is by recognising these attributes that one can build an effective team structure. A leader acts as a coach to not only reinforce the game plan with directions but also encourage creativity, new ideas and acquiring new skills. This paper explored the notion that an organisation has greater ability to focus on the core when it utilises available technologies and resources to handle its context. This paper examined how technology allows an organisation to focus on valued core elements like leadership and communication both of which play a large role in how well technology works for the organisation. Without effective leadership and com munication, the outsourcing and logistics that utilise technology would be a skeleton in function. Core values add the flesh, the culture that makes an organisation great.

Free 1-month Trial of LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium - Expires March 29, 2011

Free 1-month Trial of LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium - Expires March 29, 2011 I just got word that LinkedIn is offering a free trial of its Job Seeker Premium service.   Heres a short article I wrote about that service.   Job Seekers:   Have you heard about LinkedIns Job Seeker Premium? I encourage you to take advantage of this offer and explore the benefits of the service.   Offer expires March 29, so act fast! I do not get any payment for referring people to this service.   I just think its a great opportunity to get organized and increase contact with recruiters. Remember to mark your calendar so that if you do not want to continue the service you cancel before your month is up! And please report in the comments any experiences, positive or negative, youve had with Job Seeker Premium. FREE TRIAL OFFER Category:Archived ArticlesBy Brenda BernsteinMarch 24, 2011 1 Comment The Essay Expert says: February 8, 2012 at 9:24 am Sorry Ashok, this offer has expired! However LinkedIn does offer a free trial from time to time, so watch your inbox! Log in to Reply

Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Response Paper - Essay Example The author stops in the middle of the woods and is unsure for sure whose land it is but thinks that he or she knows. (One can only assume that the narrator is a ‘he’ since it seems to be written from Frost’s own perspective). The person who owns it will assumedly not see the author stop his horse in the middle of the woods to watch it snow. He indicates that his horse probably thinks it is a bit odd to come to a halt in the middle of nowhere and in the middle of the night. The horse reacts almost as if to question if the author is sure that it is time to be stopping. It is quiet and peaceful as he or she sits there and watches. However, the author has to start back up. He states he has promises to keep and indicates that he has a long journey ahead of him before he or she may go to sleep though it is already in the darkest part of the night. Despite the author’s hesitance to leave the silence and peacefulness of the woods, he still must trudge on through th e snow to get to his destination. This particular poem by Frost appear to be a narrative because it tells the story of a certain event in the form of poetry. The way that this is able to be determined is pretty straightforward as it reads just like a little short story. The author writes it as if they are an eyewitness to what is going on at a particular instant in time. The poem does have a rhyming scheme. It is written as four stanzas that are almost completely identical. Every line is iambic and there are four syllables that are stressed. Within each stanza, the first, second and fourth lines all rhyme. Even though the third line does not rhyme, it sets up the rhyming pattern for the following stanza. The only part of the poem where this pattern is broken is in the last stanza where the first, second and third lines all rhyme and the fourth line is repetitive of the third line stating, â€Å"And miles to go before I sleep.† The mood of the poem is

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Assignment

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Assignment Example The unified economic agreement between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on November 11, 1981 in Abu Dhabi. These countries are often referred to as The GCC States. This area has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, mostly due to a boom in oil and natural gas revenues coupled with a building and investment boom backed by decades of saved petroleum revenues. In an effort to build a tax base and economic foundation before the reserves run out, the UAE's investment arms, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, retain over $900 billion in assets. Other regional funds also have several hundred billion dollars. The region is also an emerging hotspot for events, including the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Doha also submitted an unsuccessful application for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. However, Qatar was later chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2006, its GDP (nominal) was $717.8 billion (IMF April 2007), led by spectacular growth in United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In 2007, its GDP (nominal) was $1,022.62 billion (IMF April 2008). IMF predicts its GDP to reach $1,112.076 billion at end of 2008 and $1,210.112 billion at end of 2009. ... Recovery plans have been criticized for crowding out the private sector, failing to set clear priorities for growth, failing to restore weak consumer and investor confidence, and undermining long-term stability. Threats being faced by GCC countries are numerous. These threats are both internal and external. Given the vast possession of natural resources like Oil and Gas, many internal and external forces are at work against these countries. Monarchs rule all the GCC countries, although all of them have provided more or less high degree of social welfare in their states there is a growing demand by public for democracy and basic human rights first being freedom of speech. (Web- The GCC in a turbulent world ) GCC states are facing several domestic challenges headed by demographic issues, which are to blame for political and economic problems as well as others associated with security and linked to the presence of a large proportion of foreign workers on GCC soil. The issues include agg ravation of the â€Å"growing fundamentalist Threat, effects of instability in Iraq, fallout of Iranian nuclear issue, over all security of Gulf, US and EU interests in the GCC area, presence of foreign troops in the area, US strategy in the area to â€Å"prevent any force from imposing its hegemony on the GCC area†, security of oil shipments, presence of US forces in consolidating the GCC regimes, Iranian role to undermining Iraq’s stability and Iranian nuclear issue presenting a serious challenge to the stability of the area. GCC countries remain unstable due to impact of host of issues on the region directly. Major challenges being security, economy and demography. These countries face internal conflicts with each other like GCC versus Iran and Iraq.