Creation Of The Csi Effect Criminology Essay

Creation Of The Csi Effect Criminology Essay Known as the CSI-Effect, the medias representation of criminal proceedings manipulates and distorts the deliberations made by juries resulting in unrealistic expectations of contemporary forensic science. The CSI-Effect has evolved and perpetuated through the emergence of popular crime dramas, such as CSI, NCIS, Bones and Criminal Minds that obscure the juries perspective of authentic, credible forensic science. Consequently, juries now perceive forensic evidence as, objective, reliable and infallible. (Wise, 2010, p. 384) This has resulted in an increased demand for prosecution to produce viable and tangible forensic evidence, in order to satisfy the high standard of proof in criminal proceedings. Jurors therefore, fail to distinguish between the medias stylized portrayal of forensic science and the current limitations and restrictions of forensics within the legal framework. Jurors are now susceptible to the unrealistic view that forensic testing is the most superior, probative for m of evidential proof and therefore, afford greater reliability to expert witnesses and examiners. Juries may demand forensic testing or evidence examination in unnecessary cases without regard to the time or financial restrictions placed on lab facilities and testing resources. Similarly, jurors now expect that current forensic experts have access to similar advanced technology and resources as investigators portrayed in televised crime dramas. As the medias representation of crime fiction continues to inaccurately inform juries perspectives the role of forensic science in the criminal justice system will remain obscured and misinterpreted. Creation of the CSI-Effect The CSI-Effect represents the relationship between popular crime television programs and the deliberations made by juries in criminal court proceedings. The medias portrayal of crime fiction can be observed through programs including, CSI, Bones, Forensic Files and Criminal Minds. As demonstrated by Nielson Media Research, the Top 10 American Broadcast TV Rankings between June 1st and June 7th, 2009 included Law and Order: SVU with 11,562000 viewers, alongside NCIS with 11,256000 viewers. (Nielson, 2009) Due to the CSI-Effect, jurors falsely associate the forensic capabilities presented in such programs as a reflection of current discipline standards and resources. Therefore, it is commonly assumed in court proceedings that all criminal offences can be resolved using forensic evidence. As argued by Mann, 2006, television as a highly influential form of mass media, has significantly shaped the public perception of the criminal justice system. Many are convinced that in this modern age of forensic science, the CSI effect, which refers to the hit CBS television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation gives jurors heightened and unrealistic expectations of how conclusively forensic science can determine innocence or guilt. (Mann, 2006, p. 211) The CSI-Effect relies heavily on the popularity of law-orientated television programs in accordance to the fictitious, unrealistic representation of forensic science and criminal investigation issues. The manner in which jurors now determine judgements and assess evidence in criminal proceedings has been irrevocably altered. Thus, the CSI-Effect has resulted in a severe distortion of the criminal investigative process and the extent to which credible, forensic evidence can be perceived by jurors in the legal framework. Higher acquittal rates The CSI-Effect has produced an elevated standard of proof in criminal proceedings for prosecution to present substantial forensic evidence to gain a conviction. As supported by Cole and Dioso-Villa, 2009, this is evidenced by heightened acquittal rates amongst juries, subsequent to the advent of crime dramas, such as CSI. Jurors now hold exaggerated views regarding the probative merit of forensic science. Therefore, in certain situations the verdict is dependent on forensic factors such as DNA typing, fingerprints, bloodstain pattern analysis and ballistics. Mann, 2006 discusses the development of forensic evidence in comparison to the prosecutions traditional reliance on witness testimonies and statements. The medias concentration on the infallibility of forensic science has resulted in juries affording the professional opinions and testimonies of expert witnesses more probative value. Due to the CSI-Effect, jurors seek slam-dunk evidence (Podlas, 2009, p. 432) in criminal trials an d proceedings, as conveyed in relatively all crime dramas. [The CSI-Effect] focuses on the way that CSI elevates scientific evidence to an unsupported level of certainty thus bolstering the prosecutions case. (Podlas, 2009, p. 433) In reality, a large amount of obtainable evidence is difficult to achieve in certain criminal investigations. In the absence of material forensic evidence, jurors now perceive the arguments presented by prosecution to be invalid or inapplicable. The public is continually inundated with stylized portrayals of forensic science as flawless and precise. Accordingly, this has similarly affected the juries approach in demanding substantial and viable forensic evidence in order to successfully convict an individual. Everyones an Expert The existence of the CSI-Effect has remained a highly contentious and controversial issue in the contemporary legal system. In specific regards to heightened acquittal rates amongst juries, Tyler (2006, p.74) hypothesised that, [I]t is equally plausible to argue that watching CSI has, in fact, the opposite effect on jurorsincreasing their tendency to convict defendants. Tyler claims that crime television programs, such as CSI aim to deliver certainty through the achievement of justice and the ability of investigators to catch the bad guy. Tyler suggests that the juries aspirations for justice may also lead to leniency in conviction, rather than acquittal. (Tyler, 2006) However, Tyler failed to address the principal issue of forensic science and evidential proof within his criticisms of the CSI-Effect. The CSI-Effect has led to jurors with inflated perceptions of his/her own expertise in the field of forensic science. As supported by Wise, 2010 jurors consider themselves somewhat edu cated and informed in the forensic discipline through regular observation of the techniques and practices displayed in televised crime dramas. Consequently, jurors are highly likely to acquit a defendant if prosecutors fail to obtain reliable, probative forensic evidence to support the case. Juror ignorance: limitations As a consequence of the CSI-Effect, juries now hold unrealistic, impractical expectations of the field of forensic science in the existing legal system. The CSI-Effect is partially generated by the juries failure to appropriately consider the various limitations and restrictions placed on forensic testing facilities and resources. In many criminal proceedings, juries may demand forensic testing on particular evidence articles without regard to time availability or government financial expenses. This can directly influence the judicial deliberations made by juries in relation to reaching acquittals, based solely on the lack of forensic evidential proof. As supported by Heinrick, 2006, juries can demand unnecessary and costly testing for fingerprints, DNA and handwriting analyses. If such requirements are not fulfilled in criminal proceedings, jurors may be more willing to acquit accused individuals. Dissimilar to the fictional forensic techniques and procedures portrayed in crime dram as, forensic tests can take extended periods of time to complete and evidence analysis is an extremely long, time consuming process. (Heinrick, 2006) The Maricopia County Attorneys Office (MCAO) recently conducted an extensive study into typical juror behaviour in relation to the CSI-Effect. MCAO conducted interview-based surveys on approximately 102 prosecutors with professional experience with juries in criminal trials. Each prosecutor was assessed on their previous experiences with juries whom they considered to exhibit signs of the CSI-Effect. (Heinrick, 2006) MCAO concluded that, More than half (61%) of prosecutors who ask jurors if they watch forensic crime television shows feel jurors seem to believe the shows are mostly true. (Maricopia County Attorneys Office, 2005) Conclusion The existence of the CSI-Effect in the contemporary legal system can be observed through juries obscured perceptions and understanding of credible forensic evidence. The ascending popularity and public appeal of fictional crime-orientated television programs has resulted in a heightened standard of proof for prosecution to obtain actual evidence in criminal proceedings. Consequently, acquittal rates amongst current juries have increased since the development of the CSI franchise. (Cole Dioso-Villa, 2009) The CSI-Effect encompasses the growing reliance on forensic evidence in comparison to traditional prosecution approaches, such as witness testimonies. Arguments have emerged that debate the influence of the CSI-Effect. For example, Tyler argued that jurors would be more susceptible to convicting a defendant in criminal proceedings, due to the strong focus on the achievement of justice in crime dramas. (Tyler, 2006) However, jurors aim to acquire material, forensic evidence in crimin al proceedings in order to support a conviction. If this element is not satisfied, it is highly probable that an acquittal will occur. (Wise, 2010) As a subsequent result of the CSI-Effect, jurors are more susceptible to demanding unnecessary and highly expensive forensic testing, with minimal regard or consideration for the limitations placed on forensic testing facilities and resources. Essentially, the CSI-Effect can be directly attributed with misleading jurors to, reach [judicial conclusions] contrary to the interests of justice. (MCAO, 2005) A large portion of the public audience misinterpret and misperceive programs such as, CSI or Criminal Minds as accurately portraying the capabilities of authentic, current forensic science. Thus, the CSI-Effect will remain a highly significant influence in the decision making and judicial deliberations of jurors in both a global and domestic context.

Essay example --

Title Relationship between Television Viewing and Children Obesity Introduction Obesity is one of the major health problems among children today. This is evident from the United States and many developed countries in the world. Pediatrics in the past has come up with different ways of addressing the issue for instance by encouraging much time for physical activity in schools. They have also argued that television viewing in children should be reduced to at least two hours per day (Crane et al. 2013). These efforts have borne no fruits since obesity among children still remains to be a big challenge. Studies that have been carried in the past have showed that the major cause of obesity is eating junk food and lack of exercise. However, it has not been answered what really makes children not to have physical exercises like sporting and what makes them consume junk foods yet they have been warned that it will make them overweight. There are attributes that TV viewing is the main reason why children consume junk foods because of the different adverts that they are e xposed to (Mitchell, Pate & Liese, 2013). It also denies them the opportunity to have physical exercises. Therefore, it is argued that there is a direct relationship between TV viewing in children and child obesity. Although researchers have strongly supported TV viewing to be a major cause of obesity in children, there have been no longitudinal studies of childhood viewing and their health. In addition, it has not been explained how TV viewing can contribute to overweight in children yet some argue that it is a psychological activity that makes them active in one way or the other (Kimm, 2003). This study will be aimed at looking at the relationship between television ... ... energy intakes. The result is that the excess energy accumulates in the body making them overweight. The other way is snacking whereby children have snacks close to them when playing games on their play stations or when watching TV. This increases their energy intake (Coakley, 2003). They also add their meals which further increasing their energy intakes yet they are not exercising. TV viewing also promotes obesity in children through the different adverts. The adverts are mostly on junk foods because they are on high demand among adults. Consumption of junk foods in the country has been observed to increase by over 50 percent in the last two decades (Mitchell, Pate & Liese, 2013). The adverts encourage children to make purchases of such foods. As much as children will want to keep off from the junk foods, their battle is counteracted by pressure from the media.

culture and conflict :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The culture of conflict is just as important as the conflict itself. The reasons for conflict and the inner agony of pride are all do to culture. The epic poem of Gilgamesh, and The Odyssey, the story of Genesis have many forms of many conflicts. Cultural conflicts have many different forms, but pride is usually at the root of all of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book of Gilgamesh has many conflicts, and battles. Gilgamesh was a flashy warrior and leader that resolved everything with primitive actions. He was a conflict all his own because the towns people didn’t like his leadership. His acts of womanizing and mistreating the towns people is what caused this hatred towards him. They all wished for an equal to come. Enkido was a forest man that was an equal to Gilgamesh. He came, and at first wasn’t an equal to Gilgamesh, but a rival. Gilgamesh and Enkido battled through the streets of the town. These actions were pride based and human nature must have had an impact. In anything once a leader is challenged he will do anything to keep his leadership and step up to the occasion. In this case, Gilgamesh the leader was challenged. â€Å"Enkido stood, guardian on the threshold of the martial chamber, To block the way of the king, The aura and power of the wild ox, Gilgamesh, Who was coming to the chamber and take his bride.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stormy heart struggled with stormy heart, As Gilgamesh met Enkido in his rage, At the marital threshold they wrestled, bulls contending: The doorposts shook and shattered; the wrestling staggered.† (Gilgamesh_14,15)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once the battle ended, Gilgamesh knew that they were equal. Being the leader that he was, he decided not to be rivals, but be friends. They decide to travel to the forest of Cedars, where they set to challenge the org Huwawa. Enkido doesn’t want to proceed with this thought but Gigamesh wants to continue. They show up and battle the superhuman guardian, kill him, cut down the forest, cut off Huwana's head as a trophy, build a raft, and head back to Uruk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The really only cultural experience in this battle isn’t just the battle itself, but after the battle when they cut off Huwawa's head and made it into a trophy. Making his head into a trophy exemplifies their in their great victory. It demonstrates was gained and shows that they had something to remember it by.

Comparing the Treatment of Death in the Movie Antz and Antony and Cleop

Comparing the Treatment of Death in the Movie Antz and Antony and Cleopatra At first sight, Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra and the movie Antz seem to bear little resemblance to each other. Not only does a time period of almost 400 years separate the publication of Antony and Cleopatra from the first broadcast of Antz, but the very species of the characters differ as well. Yet, in the two stories the characters’ thoughts and actions are surprisingly similar, especially in regard to the thematic elements of war and death. Antony, the middle-aged Roman general in Antony and Cleopatra, and General Mandible, the unfeeling commander in Antz, both share the opinion that the life of an individual soldier does not matter. Instead of trying to ensure the safety of their soldiers, they endanger them by taking great risks. Antony persists in fighting Caesar at sea although Enobarbus warns him that a fight at sea would mean to â€Å"throw away the absolute soldiership [he] has by land â€Å" and to â€Å"give [himself up] merely to chance and hazard.† Similarly, General Mandible declares war on the termite colony and remains indifferent when Cutter, one of the soldiers, objects that a battle against the termites is suicide. Antony and Cleopatra presents large-scale death in a more distant way than Antz. Shakespeare’s play does not contain bloody war scenes displaying slain men. Death in Antony and Cleopatra retains a certain nobleness and dignity because the audience does not see unpleasant moments of suffering nor disfigured war victims. Antz, by contrast, shows the brutality of war and the disfigured corpses of the ants and termites after the battle. Barbados, who saves Z’s life during the battle, is dismembered -- at the neck -- by the ter... ...mes most horrible at the end when General Mandible, in a sudden uncontrolled rage against Cutter, reveals his whole cruelty and shouts: â€Å"I am the colony.† At first sight one might expect that in Antony and Cleopatra war would be the predominant theme, for the Romans are well-known as warriors throughout their early history. It may therefore be surprising to find that Shakespeare’s play focuses less on detailed battle scenes than Antz, especially since the latter is a children’s movie. But maybe the emphasis on war in the movie is not a contradiction to the fact that it is primarily intended for a very young audience. Are not the children of today the voters and politicians of tomorrow and would it not be beneficiary for the future of mankind if before agreeing to a war those voters and politicians reminded themselves of Barbados’ last words â€Å"Think for yourself†?

America Moves to the City Post-Civil War

In the decades post-Civil War, America moved to the city. The increase in population almost doubled especially with the rush of new immigrants. The drift towards the city didn’t only affect America, it affected the Western world. With new industrial jobs, immigrants and Americans had opportunities for jobs, having the United States flourish.I. The new look of cities; the urban frontier. A.1870 to 1900, the American population doubled, and the population in the cities tripled. B.Cities grew up and out, with such famed architects as Louis Sullivan working on and perfecting skyscrapers (first appearing in Chicago in 1885). 1. The city grew from a small compact one that people could walk through to get around to a huge metropolis that required commuting by electric trolleys. 2. Electricity, indoor plumbing, and telephones made city life more alluring. C.Department stores like Macy’s (in New York) and Marshall†¨Field’s (in Chicago) provided urban working-class jo bs and also†¨attracted urban middle-class shoppers. 1. Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie told of woman’s escapades in the city, made cities dazzling and attractive. 2. The move to city produced lots of trash, because while farmers always reused everything or fed â€Å"trash† to animals, city dwellers, with their mail-order houses like Sears and Montgomery Ward, which made things cheap and easy to buy, could simply throw away the things that they didn’t like anymore.D.Criminals flourished, and impure water, uncollected garbage, unwashed bodies, and droppings made cities smelly and unsanitary. 1. Worst of all were the slums, which were crammed with people. 2. So-called â€Å"dumbbell tenements† (which gave a bit of fresh air down their airshaft) were the worst since they were dark, cramped, and had little sanitation or ventilation. E.To escape, the wealthy of the city-dwellers fled to suburbs.II. Immigration happens all over the nation. A.Until t he 1880s, most of the immigrants had come from the British Isles and western Europe (Germany and Scandinavia) and were quite literate and accustomed to some type of representative government. This†¨was called the â€Å"Old Immigration.† But by the 1880s and 1890s, this shifted to the Baltic and Slavic people of southeastern Europe, who were basically the opposite, â€Å"New Immigration.†1. Southeastern Europeans accounted for 19% of immigrants to the U.S. in 1880, early 1900s, were over 60%!III. Southern Europeans make their way to America. A.Many Europeans came to America because there was no room in Europe, nor was there much employment, since industrialization had eliminated many jobs. 1. America often praised to Europeans, people boasted of eating everyday/having freedom, much opportunity. 2. Profit-seeking Americans also perhaps exaggerated the benefits of America to Europeans, so that they could get cheap labor and more money. B.Many immigrants to America st ayed for a short period of time and then returned to Europe, and even those that remained (including persecuted Jews) tried very hard to retain their own culture and customs.1. However, the children of the immigrants sometimes rejected this Old World culture and plunged completely into American life.IV. Americans react to the new immigrants in their country. A.Federal government did little to help immigrants assimilate into American society, so immigrants were often controlled by powerful â€Å"bosses† (such as New York’s Boss Tweed) who provided jobs and shelter in return for political support at the polls.B.People like Walter Rauschenbusch and Washington Gladden began preaching the â€Å"Social Gospel,† insisting that churches tackle the burning social issues of the day. C.Among the people who were deeply dedicated to uplifting the urban masses was Jane Addams, who founded Hull House in 1889 to teach children and adults the skills and knowledge that they would need to survive and succeed in America.1. She eventually won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, but her pacifism was looked down upon by groups such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, who revoked her membership. 2. Other such settlement houses like Hull House included Lillian Wald’s Henry Street Settlement in New York, which opened its doors in 1893. 3. Settlement houses became centers for women’s activism and reform, as females such as Florence Kelley fought for protection of women workers and against child labor. 4. New cities gave women opportunities to earn money and support themselves better (mostly single women, since being both a working mother and wife was frowned upon).V. Narrowing the Welcome Mat A.The â€Å"nativism† and anti-foreignism of the 1840s and 1850s came back in the 1880s, as the Germans and western Europeans looked down upon the new Slavs and Baltics, fearing that a mixing of blood would ruin the fairer Anglo-Saxon races and create i nferior offspring.1. The â€Å"native† Americans blamed immigrants for the degradation of the urban government. These new bigots had forgotten how they had been scorned when they had arrived in America a few decades before.2. Trade unionists hated them for their willingness to work for super-low wages and for bringing in dangerous doctrines like socialism and communism into the U.S. B.Anti-foreign organizations like the American Protective Association (APA) arose to go against new immigrants, and labor leaders were quick to try to stop new immigration, immigrants were frequently used as strikebreakers.C.Finally, in 1882, Congress passed the first restrictive law against immigration, which banned paupers, criminals, and convicts from coming here. D.1885, another law was passed banning the importation of foreign workers under usually substandard contracts. E.Literacy tests for immigrants were proposed, but were resisted until they were finally passed in 1917, but the 1882 immig ration law also barred the Chinese from coming (the Chinese Exclusion Act).F.Anti-immigrant climate, the Statue of Liberty arrived from France—a gift from the French to America in 1886.VI. Churches Confront the Urban Challenge A.Since churches had mostly failed to take any stands and rally†¨against the urban poverty, plight, and suffering, many people began to†¨question the ambition of the churches, and began to worry that Satan†¨was winning the battle of good and evil.1. The emphasis on material gains worried many. B.A new generation of urban revivalists stepped in, including people like Dwight Lyman Moody, a man who proclaimed the gospel of kindness and forgiveness and adapted the old-time religion to the facts of city life.1.Moody Bible Institute was founded in Chicago in 1889 and continued working well after his 1899 death. C.Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths were also gaining many followers with the new immigration. 1. Cardinal Gibbons was popular with Roma n Catholics and Protestants, as he preached American unity. 2. 1890, Americans chose from 150 religions, including the Salvation Army, tried to help the poor. D.The Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science), founded by†¨Mary Baker Eddy, preached a perversion of Christianity that she claimed†¨healed sickness. 5.YMCA’s and YWCA’s also sprouted.VII. Darwin Disrupts the Churches A.1859, Charles Darwin published his On the Origin of Species, which set forth the new doctrine of evolution and attracted the ire and fury of fundamentalists. 1. â€Å"Modernists† took a step from the fundamentalists and refused to believe that the Bible was completely accurate and factual. They contended that the Bible was merely a collection of moral stories or guidelines, but not sacred scripture inspired by God.B.Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll was one who denounced creationism, as†¨he had been widely persuaded by the theory of evolution. Others blended†¨creationis m and evolution to invent their own interpretations.VIII. The Lust for Learning A.New trend began in the creation of more public schools and the provision of free textbooks funded by taxpayers. 1. By 1900, there were 6,000 high schools in America; kindergartens also multiplied. B.Catholic schools also grew in popularity and in number. C.To partially help adults who couldn’t go to school, the Chautauqua movement, a successor to the lyceums, was launched in 1874. It included public lectures to many people by famous writers and extensive at-home studies.D.Americans began to develop a faith in formal education as a solution to poverty.IX. Booker T. Washington and Education for Black People A.South, war-torn and poor, lagged far behind in education, especially for Blacks, so Booker T. Washington, an ex-slave came to help. He started by heading a black normal (teacher) and industrial school in Tuskegee, Alabama, and teaching the students useful skills and trades.1. Avoided Issue of social equality; he believed in Blacks helping themselves first before gaining more rights. B.One of Washington’s students was George Washington Carver, who later discovered hundreds of new uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans. C.However, W.E.B. Du Bois, the first Black to get a Ph.D. from Harvard University, demanded complete equality for Blacks and action now. He also founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1910.1.DuBois’s differences with Washington reflected contrasting life experiences of southern and northern Blacks.X. The Hallowed Halls of Ivy A.Colleges/universities sprouted after the Civil War, and colleges for women, such as Vassar, were gaining ground. 1. Also, colleges for both genders grew, especially in the Midwest, and Black colleges also were established, such as Howard University in Washington D.C., Atlanta University, and Hampton Institute in Virginia.B.Morrill Act of 1862 had provided a generous gr ant of the public lands to the states for support of education and was extended by the Hatch Act of 1887, which provided federal funds for the establishment of agricultural experiment stations in connection with the land-grant colleges.C.Private donations also went toward the establishment of colleges, including Cornell, Leland Stanford Junior, and the University of Chicago, which was funded by John D. Rockefeller. D.Johns Hopkins University maintained the nation’s first high-grade graduate school.XI. The March of the Mind A.Elective system of college was gaining popularity, took off after Dr. Charles W. Eliot became president of Harvard. B.Medical schools and science were prospering after the Civil War. 1. Discoveries by Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister (antiseptics) improved medical science and health. 2. The brilliant but sickly William James helped establish the discipline of behavioral psychology, with his books Principles of Psychology (1890), The Will to Believe (1897), and Varieties of Religious Experience (1902).a. His greatest work was Pragmatism (1907), which preached what he believed in: pragmatism (everything has a useful purpose). XII. The Appeal of the Press A.Libraries such as the Library of Congress also opened across America, bringing literature into people’s homes. B.With the invention of the Linotype in 1885, the press more than kept pace with demand, but competition sparked a new brand of journalism called â€Å"yellow journalism,† in which newspapers reported on wild and fantastic stories that often were false or quite exaggerated: sex, scandal, and other human-interest stories.C.2 Journalists emerged: Joseph Pulitzer (New York World) & William Randolph Hearst (San Francisco Examiner) Strengthening of the Associated Press, which had been established in the 1840s, helped to offset some of the questionable journalism.XIII. Apostles of Reform A.Magazines like Harper’s, the Atlantic Monthly, and Scribner’s Mo nthly partially satisfied the public appetite for†¨good reading, but perhaps the most influential of all was the New York Nation, launched in 1865 by Edwin L. Godkin, a merciless critic. These were all liberal, reform-minded publications.B.Another enduring journalist-author was Henry George, who wrote Progress and Poverty, which undertook to solve the association of poverty with progress. 1. It was he who came up with the idea of the graduated income tax—the more you make, the greater percent you pay in taxes. C.Edward Bellamy published Looking Backward in 1888, in which he criticized the social injustices of the day and pictured a utopian government that had nationalized big business serving the public good.XIV. Postwar Writing A.After the war, Americans devoured â€Å"dime-novels† which†¨depicted the wild West and other romantic and adventurous settings. 1. The king of dime novelists was Harland F. Halsey, who made 650 of these novels. 2. General Lewis Wall ace wrote Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, which combated the ideas and beliefs of Darwinism and reaffirmed the traditional Christian faith. B.Horatio Alger was more popular, since his rags-to-riches books told that virtue, honesty, and industry were rewarded by success, wealth, and honor. His most notable book was titled Ragged Dick.C.Walt Whitman was one of the old writers who still remained active, publishing revisions of Leaves of Grass. D.Emily Dickinson was a famed hermit of a poet whose poems were published after her death. E.Other lesser poets included Sidney Lanier, who was oppressed by poverty and ill health. XVI. The New Morality A.Victoria Woodhull proclaimed free love, and together with her sister, Tennessee Claflin, wrote Woodhull and Claflin’s Weekly, which shocked readers with exposà ©s of affairs, etc. B.Anthony Comstock waged a lifelong war on the â€Å"immoral.† C.The â€Å"new morality† reflected sexual freedom in the increase of birth control , divorces, and frank discussion of sexual topics.XVII. Families and Women in the City A.Urban life was stressful on families, who were often separated, and everyone had to work, even children. 1. While on farms, more children meant more people to harvest and help, in the cities, more children meant more mouths to feed and a greater chance of poverty. B.1898, Charlotte Perkins Gilman published Women and Economics, a classic of feminist literature, in which she called for women to abandon their dependent status and contribute to the larger life of the community through productive involvement in the economy.1. She also advocated day-care centers and centralized nurseries and kitchens. C.Feminists also rallied toward suffrage, forming the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1890, an organization led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who’d organized the first women’s rights convention in 1848 at Seneca Falls, NY) and Susan B. Anthony.D.By 1900, a new generation of wom en activists were present, led by Carrie Chapman Catt, who stressed the desirability of giving women the vote if they were to continue to discharge their traditional duties as homemakers in the increasingly public world of the city.1. The Wyoming Territory was the first to offer women unrestricted suffrage in 1869. 2. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs also encouraged women’s suffrage. E.Ida B. Wells rallied toward better treatment for Blacks as well and formed the National Association of Colored Women in 1896.XVIII. Prohibition of Alcohol and Social Progress A.Concern over the popularity (and dangers) of alcohol was also present, marked by the formation of the National Prohibition Party in 1869. 1. Other organizations like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union also rallied against alcohol, calling for a national prohibition of the beverage. a. Leaders included Frances E. Willard and Carrie A. Nation who literally wielded a hatchet and hacked up bars. 2. T he Anti-Saloon League was also formed in 1893. B.American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was formed in 1866 to discourage the mistreatment of livestock, and the American Red Cross, formed by Clara Barton, a Civil War nurse, was formed in 1881.

What Does It Mean to Be a Teacher

To Whom It May Concern, Teachers are the facade of a school. They teach students skills that prepare them for their whole life. Teachers are leaders not followers; they are the lyrics to a song. They support the helpless and make frowns into smiles. A teacher is always on time and neatly dressed, not grumpy. Teachers have lost their way now. They miss some school days at a time; they record grades into the computer at the last minute, and they do not care about the students.Teachers have lost their true value. There is a teacher named Mrs. A, she does not do any of her work. She is never at school; her grades are never in on time, and there is always a substitute in her class room. Her students have not learned anything since school started, and it is certainly driving my teacher crazy. My teacher is always covering for her but gets in trouble for no reason. Teachers like Mrs. A have lost the knowledge of what it means to be a teacher.They take it for granted; teaching children is a privilege that is rewarded to those who entirely devote themselves to the job. Not those who abuse the privilege. If a teacher can not meet their full expectations, then he/she should not have the job. Students need the strong to lean on, not the weak. Students need a soaring eagle, not a crawling worm. Teachers have lost their respect; the title does not mean anything anymore. Does anyone know what the definition of a teacher is? Sincerely, Brea Robinson

Taran Swan at Nickelodeon Latin America Case Study

Taran Swan at Nickelodeon Latin America (A) Case Study Background and Scope In 1979, Nickelodeon, â€Å"a cable channel for kids 2-11 years old, was launched in the United States†. Nickelodeon provided a wide-range of programming which including â€Å"live-action, comedy, drama, animation, music and sports and game shows†. By 1995, Nickelodeon was the highest rated basic cable network and international expansion was very realistic and just getting started. To successfully transition internationally Nickelodeon allowed the channel to have its own â€Å"on-air identity and slogan† for each endeavor.Nickelodeon used an â€Å"International Swat Team† to launch the network into other countries and once established turned it over for local personnel to operate. By 1998, Nickelodeon had already expanded and operating on 30 countries. However, back in 1993, Ms. Taran Swan, then Director of Business Development for Nickelodeon, initially entertained the opportunity to expand in Latin America. Latin American TV did not cater to children. Due to the economic conditions programs were outdated and stagnant. This would be an opportunity for Nickelodeon to introduce programs that â€Å"gave kids a voice† while still embracing their culture.The steps required to meet this goal would not be easy. Swan recognized the task at hand and the need to â€Å"prove her business plan by securing minimum distribution† (at least 2 million households). Swan believed in a â€Å"big bets† strategy and keeping the â€Å"bottom line† at the forefront of her thought process. This paper will present obstacles that Swan and her team had to deal with, not just in selling the channel, attracting advertisers but also managing each other. Swan’s style and dedication allowed her to hand-pick her team to ensure deadlines were met and meeting expectations of the network.Swan was known for her â€Å"smart and strategic business directivesâ₠¬ . In addition issues addressing personal work/life balance, succession/transition plans will be explored. Finally, recommendations not only for Swan but for Nickelodeon as a company will be presented to attempt to mitigate issues that arose while expanding Nickelodeon internationally in Latin America. Swan being so involved in every step from conception to implementation would prove to be more challenging than she anticipated both in personal and professional management ways. Current SituationAt the end of the second year of operations at Nickelodeon Latin America (NLA), Swan prepared for a Town Hall with MTV. She prepared a speech in which she wanted to promote the advancements that NLA had realized for the previous year. Days before the Town Hall, however, Swan was informed by her doctor that she was unable to continue traveling for work as her four month pregnancy showed signs of high risk. Though Swan planned to leave after the Town Hall, she was hospitalized the day of the m eeting. As she left to go back home, she considered the many challenges that still lay ahead of her.After leading the NLA project from research to launch, there remained additional tasks that needed to be completed before the project could be turned over to local management. NLA was on the verge of two crucially important deals. The first deal was with Argentina’s largest provider, Cablevision/TCI, which would add 1. 5 million subscribers. A second deal would give them access to the Brazilian marketplace through a Portuguese feed. These issues were exacerbated by currency volatility, marketing problems and advertising issues. Swan had a significant hand in resolving each of these issues.Now Swan is faced with a decision on what to do about continuing operations during her leave. Her experience showed that her team needed consistent direction but that they were able to communicate with her remotely. Thus, she considered how she may continue to lead the project from her home. A nother option she faced was installing an interim manager who would be charged with leading the station forward. She further considered installing multiple leaders for different functions. She understood that regardless of what decision she made, she would have to adapt her management style and skills.Situation Analysis Due to Swan’s medical situation, there are three critical activities that must be managed effectively in her absence: increasing advertising sales, increasing affiliate sales, and the executing the Brazil-specific feed. Advertising sales was a key concern for NLA. They had missed their goal by 11% last year. Though the overall bottom-line goal was met, this lack of revenues did not make for a sustainable business model. In addition, the Latin American economy was very rocky, and Brazil was undergoing a currency devaluation.In order for the company to continue on its path to success, the sales team was going to need to land more advertising accounts, and take a dvantage of the upcoming World Cup to drive much-needed revenues. Increasing affiliate sales was also key. In particular, the deals with Cablevision/TCI in Argentina and Telemundo in the United States were very important. These deals would expand the viewership by 1. 5 million people in Latin America and millions more in the United States. In turn, this increased viewership would help increase advertising sales, and would also strengthen NLA’s foothold within the region.It was also help to show the corporation that the NLA project was succeeding. This could lead to a larger budget and more dedicated resources from the corporation. Finally, getting the Brazil-specific feed up and running was critical. Brazil has the largest population and the largest market in all of Latin America. Though NLA had secured carriage on major Brazilian networks, they still had to develop programming for the feed. This would require a significant amount of work as the company would need to customiz e the programming for the Brazilian culture, as it differed from other Latin American countries.Creating a successful feed in Brazil would open up new advertising opportunities and new affiliate sales opportunities and would solidify NLA as a major brand in Latin America. Swan knew that she would need to manage all three of these critical activities from New York to make sure that NLA continued to progress. However, she was unsure how to do so. Recommendations Taran Swan has become pregnant at an important time in her company’s progress, when there are still several challenges to complete. Among these include attracting profitable advertisers, closing a deal with Cablevision/TCI and broadcasting to Brazil.There is no simple way to achieve these goals, and they all fall under problems that need to be addressed over time with the proper management. There are options that Swan has as it relates to the management of Nickelodeon while she is away on pregnancy. 1. Swan could give t he responsibility of managing the company to a single person. 2. Swan could have two or more people share her responsibilities. 3. Swan could manage her team remotely and possibly appoint another lower manager to handle the day-to-day tasks.If Swan decides to take option 1, she will need to carefully evaluate the candidates and select the best one, and get Viacom’s approval. The best candidates that come to mind include Donna Friedman, Valerie McCarty and Stephen Grieder. All of these candidates joined within the first few months after Nickelodeon’s project to expand into Latin America began. Stephen Grieder has had the most experience with Nickelodeon out of the three, was familiar with the Latin American culture, and was described as a creative genius. Valerie McCarty was energetic and had good communication skills.Like Grieder, she was familiar with the Latin American culture. She also had taken charge of tasks, even when they weren’t completely her responsib ility. However, she was relatively new to the company. Donna Friedman was particularly known for her creativity. For example, she developed the â€Å"Grow Down† campaign, and thought of making the Jornadas party which attracted thousands of people. Swan felt that Donna didn’t yet have â€Å"multidimensional strategic thinking† needed to take on a more managerial role at the moment, but that Donna could be taught these skills.Swan could decide to take option 2 and have the responsibilities shared by two or more people. This method seemed to work out when Swan divided the marketing roles between McCarty and Friedman. It might help reduce the amount of work each individual has to do. It could also help give the team more diverse views and skillsets. In the last option, Swan could operate the facility remotely. Most of the people working in her team already have experience communicating and working with people from different countries. Swan has already been shown to be an effective leader, and doing it this way would result in the least amount of change.The team would not need to take a risk on an unproven leader. Our recommendation is that Swan operates the facility remotely, while having another â€Å"second in command,† or day to day manager. In the event Swan was unable to run the project for any reason, the person second in command would take over. This would allow Swan to continue to run the project for as long as she was able to, and potentially throughout the entire time she was needed. She should train another person to be in charge of the project, without putting the full responsibility onto them.This would lower the chance of conflicting orders or conflicting goals that could result from shared leadership and mitigate any potential damage that might occur if Swan were suddenly unable to run the plant. Alternatives / Potential Problems Donna Friedman, Valerie McCarty and Stephen Grieder all seem like they could be great potent ial leaders on their own. However, they are not yet tested in such a position. Putting one of them in charge at such a crucial point in the company could jeopardize their progress, and puts a large risk on the company. If the responsibilities were shared, it could help mitigate that risk.However, it could result in misunderstandings, communication problems and overall confusion about the direction of the company if the managers did not always agree. The leaders would need to be careful that they maintained a consistent and clear message. Additionally, it could result social loafing. Social loafing is the phenomenon where people tend to work less in collaborative efforts than in on their own because they expect the other person to fill in the work, and also because they will not get full credit for their work (Latane, Williams & Harkins, 1979).Lastly, there is the option for Swan to operate the company remotely. She is the safest leader, since she has already proven herself. Though t he risk is that due to her pregnancy, or a medical complication, she would be unable to manage the business remotely. Additionally, there might be times when it is difficult to contact her or convey all the needed information to her without her being there in person. This would leave the project without a leader. ConclusionWe learn that Taran Swan might have some team trust issues because of her uncertainty of who to leave in charge during her absence. Every relationship among team members depends on trust. Swan feels her situation has a high level of risk and she is unsure of the best option for her team to succeed while she is gone. Working remotely will allow Swan to have some control over the situation, but that stress might further her complications and prevent her from working all together.Swan needs to trust her team and give them the tools they need to development their team roles through team building exercises. If Swan communicates effectively to the team members and passe s on all training information, she should be able to manage the company remotely without caring too much stress during her medical absence. References McShane, S. & Von Glinow, M. 2011. Organizational Behavior, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Latane, B. , Williams, K. , & Harkins, S. (1979). Journal of personality and social psychology. Retrieved from http://psycnet. apa. org/journals/psp/37/6/822/