The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Essay Example for Free

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Essay When you say that something is impasse, it means that something that is being negotiated cannot be resolved or the two contending parties have reached a deadlock. It is a French word that could also mean or pertain to a situation that cannot progress at all due to misunderstanding between the parties concerned. One example of this situation would be the discourse between the employer and the employees regarding their Collective Bargaining Agreement. Labor history could prove that several negotiations of this kind has encountered several deadlocks hence, has become an impasse. It is basically due to the fact that at some points, the two parties concerned are not willing to sacrifice or give in to the conditions of the other. This scenario is very dangerous for it may result to boycott, demonstrations or protests as far as the employees are concerned. And on the other hand, it may result to retrenchment, as far as the employer is concerned. For there are two opposing interests, there would also be equal reactions to the issue concerned. As for me, if I would be the one to resolve this issue, I would find common grounds between the employees and the employer where each of them would benefit with the resolution of their problem. It may be in the form of an increase in the wages for this has been the long concern of workers around the world, and I believe is more just for both of the parties concerned. Through this, I believe this impasse would be resolved. REFERENCE Impasse. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,: Fourth Edition. 2000: Houghton Mifflin Company: USA.

First Amendment And Music Censorship Essay -- Censorship

The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights exists because the Founders of our country understood the importance of free expression. The First Amendment states "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press . . ." (Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution 17). One of the ways the American people use this freedom of speech and expression is through the creation of the art form known as music. Music's verbal expression bonds our society through our emotions and experiences. This fundamental right of freedom of expression is being threatened by public and governmental groups who believe they have authority to monitor and decide what others should experience. The censorship of music lyrics is a violation of our First Amendment right, and public groups should not be allowed to bypass this right to censor obscene lyrics produced in the music industry. Through the decades, artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones have raised controversy over their seemingly explicit acts that are now viewed as legendary. Parents banned their children from watching Elvis Presley and his outrageous hip movements though today these moves are copied by Britney Spears, pop groups, and dancers all over the world. In 1956, Ed Sullivan deemed Elvis "unfit for a family audience." However, in 1970 Elvis met the President in the Oval Office, and now his face appears on a postage stamp (RIAA; History 2 of 4). On June 15, 1966, The Beatles released their album Yesterday...and Today featuring a shocking cover with the foursome surrounded by raw meat and butchered baby dolls. Immediately the album was withdrawn from music shelves everywhere and returned only with a new approved c... ... something we have not yet discovered. We have seen the objections of yesterday as the legends of today. Now we must stand strong to make our own decisions and see things through our own eyes and touch it with our two hands, because it is through experience and challenge that we all grow and discover new ideas. Works Cited: Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. 1791 - 1991 The Bill Of Rights and Beyond. Commission on the Bicentennial of the Unites States Constitution, 1990. Duin, Julia. "Warning Labels Don't Keep Kids From Shock CDs." Insight 12 Jan. 1998: 1-2. Hald, Karen. "Music - A Human Right." . Recording Industry Association of America . "Freedom of Speech." Brief History . Recording Industry Association of America. "Parent's Page." Background . Walters, Shari. "About Music for Teens." Parental Advisory Labels . First Amendment And Music Censorship Essay -- Censorship The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights exists because the Founders of our country understood the importance of free expression. The First Amendment states "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press . . ." (Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution 17). One of the ways the American people use this freedom of speech and expression is through the creation of the art form known as music. Music's verbal expression bonds our society through our emotions and experiences. This fundamental right of freedom of expression is being threatened by public and governmental groups who believe they have authority to monitor and decide what others should experience. The censorship of music lyrics is a violation of our First Amendment right, and public groups should not be allowed to bypass this right to censor obscene lyrics produced in the music industry. Through the decades, artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones have raised controversy over their seemingly explicit acts that are now viewed as legendary. Parents banned their children from watching Elvis Presley and his outrageous hip movements though today these moves are copied by Britney Spears, pop groups, and dancers all over the world. In 1956, Ed Sullivan deemed Elvis "unfit for a family audience." However, in 1970 Elvis met the President in the Oval Office, and now his face appears on a postage stamp (RIAA; History 2 of 4). On June 15, 1966, The Beatles released their album Yesterday...and Today featuring a shocking cover with the foursome surrounded by raw meat and butchered baby dolls. Immediately the album was withdrawn from music shelves everywhere and returned only with a new approved c... ... something we have not yet discovered. We have seen the objections of yesterday as the legends of today. Now we must stand strong to make our own decisions and see things through our own eyes and touch it with our two hands, because it is through experience and challenge that we all grow and discover new ideas. Works Cited: Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. 1791 - 1991 The Bill Of Rights and Beyond. Commission on the Bicentennial of the Unites States Constitution, 1990. Duin, Julia. "Warning Labels Don't Keep Kids From Shock CDs." Insight 12 Jan. 1998: 1-2. Hald, Karen. "Music - A Human Right." . Recording Industry Association of America . "Freedom of Speech." Brief History . Recording Industry Association of America. "Parent's Page." Background . Walters, Shari. "About Music for Teens." Parental Advisory Labels .

Law, Ethics & Corp. Governance Essay

1. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving skills, competence, and abilities: The employee seems to be unable to learn the computer applications that are basic to her job responsibilities, but, consistently â€Å"tells† her boss that she is â€Å"a good worker and a genius† and that he does not â€Å"appreciate her†. Even after a few months of training and support, she is unable to use the computer tools to be productive and efficient in completing the required tasks. This can be a difficult situation for an employer to make because many employers try to see the positive and have faith in all their employees. If this situation took place within my company, I would continue to observe the employees attitude as well as dedication. Many times, employees are not capable of performing certain tasks, however, with a humble mindset, it is possible to work with them and guide them while working. This specific employee seems to have a self-assured mindset that she is not doing anything wrong. Instead of opening up and allowing her boss to assist her, she becomes arrogant. I would go a different route and have a professional come and train her from another company to see if that would help. If this specific assistance does not help, I will have to write the employee up to warn her that she must submit to the work load within a certain time frame. I do not believe this is being harsh to the employee. If she is hired to do a specific task and cannot get the task accomplished, then she is incapable of doing the work. I will be able to provide a written statement and have her terminated. Employers cannot waste time on employees who talk about their capabilities, yet not perform them. According to â€Å"Law and Ethics in the Business Environment† Chapter 2, she is able to voice her opinion publically in court, however, she must have written proof to back her up whys he should not be terminated. 2. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving management, behavior, and performance: The employee tends to burst into a rage when criticized and is frequently late to work as noticed by her boss and other staff members. When her boss attempts to address her behavioral issues and the company late policy, the employee’s response is that she â€Å"knows her rights and what to do† if she is wrongfully discharged. She also says she took a business law class in undergrad that taught her â€Å"everything she needs to know about exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy†. I would provide counsel and verbal warning to the employee. It is important to get all of the facts and bring that person into your office without making a big scene. Being honest and upfront about the tardiness and improper behavior will get much respect from the employee and show firm leadership. I will discuss what has been taken place and how important it is to have the whole department working on one accord. I will also discuss that their tardiness is not fair to the other employees. I would take the time to ask if there is anything wrong, or if there is something happening in the workplace or personal life that is causing what is perceived as â€Å"a person with a bad attitude who is unhappy at work. I believe listening and showing empathy will let the employee know you care about their well-being but yet, still mean business. There may be some personal issues that they just need to get off of their chest. If I get a sarcastic response from them, then I must be strong, but not attacking, and let them know that the behavior shown is not acceptable and needs to improve. I would be sure that I am focusing on the problem, not the person. In situations like these, staying calm and let them do the talking will show the humility in you as a leader. In situations like these, I would point out their strengths, and try to first focus on the good aspects of their performance rather than a perceived bad attitude. Documenting and date this conversation as a verbal warning to the employee, yet not making it a threat. This is not a written warning, but shows that you did talk to the person about difficult employee issues. The more the employer documents, the easier it will be to terminate if it gets to that point. The biggest mistake is to not document. Documentation and building a case is the proof that shows you talked to this employee many times but to no avail (Sheahan, 2012). 3. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving labor and laws: The employee takes a day off from work, without management consent, for her religious holiday observance that falls on a day that is during â€Å"tax season†. The day off occurred during an incredibly busy period for the company during which the employer had notified all employees they were not allowed to take off without prior management approval. Also, there is no labor union for accountants. However, she begins talking to her co-workers during lunch breaks and sometimes during regular work hours, encouraging them to organize and form a union to â€Å"protect ourselves†. This can be a difficult situation because it involves the employee’s religious rights. According to an Act in 1997, â€Å"GUIDELINES ON RELIGIOUS EXERCISE AND RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE FEDERAL WORKPLACE†, Agencies shall not discriminate against employees on the basis of religion, require religious participation or non-participation as a condition of employment, or permit religious harassment. And agencies shall accommodate employees’ exercise of their religion in the circumstances specified in these Guidelines. These requirements are but applications of the general principle that agencies shall treat all employees with the same respect and consideration, regardless of their religion. At the same time, employees are not to engage in religious acts with employees by forcing their beliefs and opinions on them. This can cause immediate termination. Regardless of religious observation day or not, an employee is not to take a work day off without employers permission. The employer has every right to terminate the employee. It is understandable to observe religious acts as an individual but there has to be communication between employee and employer. The employer has to make accommodations for that specific day. 4. Describe what steps you would take to address the following scenario involving policies and procedures: The employee’s supervisor consistently asks her out on dates; the employee initially refuses to go out on a date with her supervisor. The employee later discusses the issue with her girlfriend who encourages her to accept his offers. During her new employee orientation, the employee was informed of the company policy which prevented employees from dating their supervisor and was given an employee handbook with the written policy. The employee and her supervisor later begin having a consensual relationship. Based from the research according to Saalfeld Griggs PC Publications, a supervisor dating an employee is prohibited within many companies. Although romantic relationships in the workplace are common, employers have legitimate reasons for concern about employee dating. The biggest fear is a sexual harassment lawsuit arising from either a supervisor who has a habit of asking subordinates out on dates; an employee who files a lawsuit after a consensual relationship goes sour; or the perception of co-workers that a supervisor is playing favorites with his or her â€Å"significant other. A policy that prohibits a supervisor from dating a subordinate must also describe the penalty imposed if the policy is violated. Men often hold more senior positions in a company, therefore, a policy that always penalizes the subordinate (e.g. by requiring termination or transfer) may create sexual discrimination liability. When enforcing a â€Å"no dating† policy, the employer must be careful to penalize both sexes equally. An employer who selectively enforces the policy, or enforces it more harshly against one sex compared to the other, may be liable for sexual discrimination. In a consensual relationship between a supervisor and a subordinate, the subordinate often is the recipient of preferential treatment. Employees have asserted claims for sexual harassment based on the theory that they can’t receive the same benefits because they are not â€Å"sleeping with the boss.† The policy is in writing and both the employer and employee decided to go against this policy. If one or the other is not able to transfer to another department, they must suffer the consequences of being released from the company. Reference Page: 1. Halbert, T., & Ingulli, E. (2012). Law & ethics in the business environment (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. 2. Sheahan, K. (2012). Bad Employee Behavior. Article retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6739049_bad-employee-behavior.html 3. Sutton, R. (1999). Regulating Workplace Romance. Article retrieved from: http://www.sglaw.com/publications.php?id=36&pubtype=showarticle

Predicting the 20 Most Populous Countries in 2050

In 2017,  the UN Population Division released a revision of its  World  Population Prospects,  a regularly-issued report that analyzes world population changes and other world demographics, estimated out to 2100. The recent report revision noted that the world population increase has slowed a bit, and is expected to continue to slow, with an estimated 83 million people added to the world every year. Population Overall Grows The United Nations forecasts the global population to reach 9.8 billion in the year 2050, and growth is expected to continue until then, even assuming that the decline in fertility would increase. An aging population overall causes fertility to decline, as well as women in more developed countries not having the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. If the fertility rate of a country is lower than the replacement rate, population declines there. The world fertility rate was 2.5 as of 2015 but declining slowly. By 2050, the number of people over age 60 will more than double, as compared with 2017, and the number over 80 will triple. Life expectancy worldwide is projected to rise from 71 in 2017 to 77 by 2050.   Overall Continent and Country Changes by 2050 More than half of the forecast growth in world population will come in Africa, with an estimated rise in population of 2.2 billion. Asia is next. Asia is expected to add more than 750 million people between 2017 and 2050. Next are the Latin America and Caribbean region, then North America. Europe is the only region anticipated to have a lower population in 2050 as compared with 2017. India is expected to pass China in population in 2024, Chinas population is projected to stay stable and then to slowly fall, while Indias is rising. Nigerias population is growing the most quickly and is forecast to take over the United States number three position in world population around 2050. Fifty-one countries are projected to see a decline in population by 2050, and ten are estimated to drop by at least 15 percent, though many of them are not largely populated. The percentage per person is higher than in a country with a large population, such as  Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (territory counted independently from the United States population). The least-developed countries grow more quickly than those with mature economies, but also send more people as immigrants to the more developed nations. What Goes Into the List Following is a list of the 20  most populous countries in the year 2050, presuming there are no significant boundary changes. Variables that go into the projections include trends in fertility and its rate of decline over the next decades, infant/child survival rates, numbers of adolescent mothers, AIDS/HIV, migration, and life expectancy.   Largest Populations by Country in 2050 India: 1,659,000,000  China: 1,364,000,000Nigeria: 411,000,000United States: 390,000,000Indonesia: 322,000,000Pakistan: 307,000,000Brazil: 233,000,000Bangladesh: 202,000,000Democratic Republic of the Congo: 197,000,000Ethiopia: 191,000,000Mexico: 164,000,000Egypt: 153,000,000Philippines: 151,000,000  Tanzania: 138,000,000Russia: 133,000,000Vietnam: 115,000,000Japan: 109,000,000  Uganda: 106,000,000Turkey: 96,000,000Kenya: 95,000,000   Source World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, June 21, 2017.