Conservative Guide to Florida

Conservative Guide to Florida Welcome to the resource page for conservatives in Florida. Here, you will find a comprehensive list of people, groups, laws, and other items of interest to conservative Floridians. Whether you want to get involved with conservative politics in the state or are just trying to learn more, this will be the place for you.   Florida: Purple State Politics Florida is a center-right state where conservatives have dominated state-level politics since the late 1990s. Jeb Bush became governor in 1999, starting a string of GOP control of the governors mansion through at least 2019. Rick Scott is the current Republican Governor. As of 2013, Republicans control more than 60% of the seats in both the state house and state senate. The story is quite a bit different when it comes to national politics. Presidential elections are almost always close. Florida gave two close victories to both George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 and to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Since 1981, the US Senate seats have been split between 1 Republican and 1 Democrat in all but four years. Democrats usually run as moderates in the state, while Republicans run moderate to very conservative in statewide elections. Democrats and liberals tend to populate the heavy population zones including the southeastern part of the state near Miami and Palm Beach County, Tampa in the northwest, and Orlando in the middle of the state. Republicans and conservatives do well in the many low-population and rural inland counties, the gulf coast region on the southwest, and throughout the military-friendly Florida panhandle. Duval County (Jacksonville) is one of the few large cities in the state where Republicans also do well, relatively speaking. Snowbirds and retirees have a major impact on the political scene in Florida. A large portion of these residents often flock from liberal northeastern states and bring their votes with them. Key Laws of Interest Florida is a very strong 2nd amendment state with strong gun rights. The Stand Your Ground law enables Floridians to defend themselves without the threat of a lawsuit. Florida also has a three strikes law which has severe punishments for repeat felons. Florida is one of just six states to have no state income tax while also having relatively low state sales taxes. Food purchases are non-taxed. In regards to abortion, parental notification is a requirement and an ultrasound is required prior to an abortion being performed and the provider must offer to let the patient see the ultrasound. Same-sex marriage is banned in Florida, with 62% of voters having approved a constitutional ban in 2008. Important Conservative Figures From the State Marco Rubio: US Senate 2011-2017 and 2016 presidential candidate. Allen West: US Congressman 2011-2013. Jeb Bush: Governor 1999-2007 and 2016 presidential candidate. Rush Limbaugh: #1 Talk Radio Host nationwide and Palm Beach County resident. Tim Tebow: NFL Player, motivational speaker, and conservative role model. Will Weatherford: Florida House Representative 2006-Current and Speaker of the House 2012-Current. Florida Organizations, Websites, and Thinkers The James Madison Institute: Operates with a mission to keep the citizens of Florida informed about their government and to shape our state’s future through the advancement of practical free-market ideas on public policy issues. The Republican Party of Florida: The GOP team that works to promote the Republican party agenda and Republican candidates in the state. BizPac Review: Florida-based news and information site for conservatives. Features both original reporting, editorials on local issues, and information on Florida elections. Conservative Radio Stations (Major Cities) A listing of major-market radio stations in the state of Florida. Personality lineups are as reported by the stations as of May 2013. Ft Myers - FOX 92.5 (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity) Miami - WIOD AM610 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck)Orlando - WFLA 104.5 (Glenn Beck, Dave Ramsey, Rush Limbaugh) Jacksonville - WBOB AM600 (Laura Ingraham, Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee)Jacksonville - WOKV FM104.5 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Herman Cain)Naples - WGUF 98.9FM (Jim Bohannon, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller)Naples - WNOG 1270 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck)Pensacola/Panhandle: WPNN 790AM (Laura Ingraham, Burnie Thomspon/local, Mike Gallagher)Pensacola/Panhandle: WCOA 1370AM (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity)Pensacola/Panhandle: WCOA 100.7FM (Mike Huckabee, Phil Valentine, Mark Levin)Tampa - WFLA AM970 (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Todd Schnitt/Local, Sean Hannity)Tallahassee - WFLA 100.7 FM (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity) West Palm Beach - WJNO AM1290 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin)

Flirts and Philanderers

Flirts and Philanderers Flirts and Philanderers Flirts and Philanderers By Maeve Maddox When I was a child, I learned that the name Philadelphia derives from the Greek words philos (loving) and adelphos (brother) and that William Penn chose the name because he wanted to establish â€Å"a city of brotherly love.† I’ve recently learned that the word philander derives from the Greek words philos (loving) and andro (man/male) and that in ancient Greek it meant â€Å"a lover of men.† According to a note in the OED, the word in Hellenistic Greek could also be applied to a woman who loved the man who was her husband. Philander was appropriated by 17th century poets as a stock name for a lover and came to be used for any man known for his popularity with women: You know I was always a Philander among the ladies.† (OED citation, 1785) In modern use, philander has become a verb that has in turn produced the agent noun philanderer. philander (verb): to engage in casual sexual encounters. Used chiefly of men. philanderer (noun): a man who philanders. Both the OED and Merriam-Webster give flirt as a synonym for philanderer, but philanderer is more negative and gender-specific than flirt. Either a man or a woman may be a flirt, but a philanderer is a man. Another difference is that flirting applies to a playful sort of sexual innuendo that does not assume sexual activity, while philandering connotes promiscuity and lack of marital or romantic integrity. Here are examples of recent use of philandering and philanderer: Power and  philandering  seem to go hand in hand.   Actor Jon Hamm has played the  philandering  ad executive Don Draper on the American Movie Classics show Mad Men. Unlike many presidents,  Nixon  had never been suspected of being a  philanderer. [In] 2007, Vitter was exposed as a paying philanderer. Here are some additional words that are or have been used to describe men of loose character: Casanova Don Juan Lothario playboy rake rouà © skirt-chaser womanizer Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?16 Misquoted QuotationsA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Needs Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Needs Assessment - Essay Example The greatest area of need is the family support that these students are accorded by their families while handling stress. The educational program that the children go through is quite demanding and occasionally puts them under undue stress. That was the opinion of most parents. In reference to the educational staff at school, most parents were of the view that they made students work harder and thus put them under so much stress. In spite of the presence of the families, the stress needs to be managed well. In fact, most parents had a fair understanding of the processes that their students underwent during their therapy sessions at school. From the interviews, it is obvious that the students observed had shown incredible improvements since the first time that they attended the therapy sessions. It should be noted that the levels of motor coordination of the students directly affect their motor activities. This directly affects their concentration while doing activities, like dressing and eating. Overall, most parents thought that the performance of their children was improving. The progress that most parents would want to see is an exponential improvement in the physical performance of activities. The set goals that most parents needed to achieve were material support from the institution. Most parents shared their sentiments with other parents as well as the therapist. The biggest problem that affects the performance of the therapist is the overwhelming workload. He or she has to tend to the needs of the diverse student population alone. The biggest strength of the therapist is his/her understanding of the individual needs of the students. A therapist has a personal relationship with the students and thus is able to attend to their needs more effectively. Such a specialist’s biggest weakness is the fact that he/she lacks additional human resources to assist in delivering services. The priority that the therapist uses

Strategic Position of the UK Tourism Industry Essay

Strategic Position of the UK Tourism Industry - Essay Example The present research has identified that the UK tourism industry is facing tough competition from other tourist destinations in Europe, such as France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Due to decline in the valuable US market, the industry is facing the slowdown. The increasing number of Chinese tourists over past few years and the high average spending capacity of these visitors present China as a potential emerging market for UK tourism. While competitive tourist destinations are already capturing Chinese visitors, UK tourism industry needs to take some urgent steps including promotion of UK as a favorite tourist destination along with government taking suitable measures related to visa and tax policies. The information regarding the strategic position of UK tourism industry and strategic option suitable for it are collected from secondary sources on the internet including newspaper articles, articles from websites, such as Visit Britain, tourism society, etc. Other authentic sources of secondary information have also been searched to take the strategic audit. In order to do the strategic audit, suitable marketing models are used. The report has focused on the tourism industry as a whole and complies with the guidelines of the national tourism agency of Britain i.e. Visit Britain. A threat of new entrants: The threat of new entrants into the tourism industry of UK is quite high. Earlier, there were only a handful of low-cost carriers in the airline sector of the tourism industry. However, today there are a significant number of low-cost carriers that are presenting competition to well-established low-cost carrier services of Ryan Air and Easy Jet. Considering the emergence of new destinations for tourists on the global tourism map, the threat of new entrants is high. Governments of several countries and specifically the third world countries, such as Sri Lanka, India, etc. are seeing tourism as the major source to give the boost to their economy. Â  

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay Example for Free

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay The term populism refers to a political system where the leaders appeal directly to the people and seek the support of social sectors that are not adequately represented in the political arrangements that exist. In a populist system, the leaders tend to enjoy the support of the mass as a result of mass mobilization. In many Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Peru and Mexico, one or more administrations have adopted populist policies (Dornbusch and Edwards, pg. 7). However, populism has failed to emerge in Colombia raising the question of why populism is not part of the Colombian society. Although populism in Colombian was promoted by the political leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan who was assassinated in 1948, populism failed to emerge after his death. Gaitan assassinated ended populist leadership in Columbia . Up to date, Colombia has managed to adopt a non-populist political system. Although the current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe leadership is considered to have some elements common with many populists, he is not a populist. The issue of absence of populism in Colombia in a continent dominated by populism and the reasons behind the absence needs to be examined. President Alvaro Uribe non-populist leadership has been attributed to his lack of interest in mobilizing masses and activating supporters. These factors are important elements in populism. This paper will explore the reasons behind absence of populism in Colombia by tracing historical events in the country. The paper will first present a belief history of Colombia and important events during the leadership of Jorge Gaitan. His emergence as a political leader and the peoples’ reaction to his emergence will be explored as well as the reasons behind lack of populism emergence after his death . Finally, the paper will evaluate President Uribe non-populist policies and why/how he has made great efforts to make Colombia prosper in absence of populism and left tendencies. Discussion A Brief overview of populism Populism embraces political representation that challenges the democratic political society where a highly polarized concept of society exists. Populist regimes like the ones that have been witnessed in Latin American emphasize on the social divide between the privileged who have benefited from the existing political practices and the underprivileged who account for the excluded majority (Coniff, pg. 22). Populist leaders claim to represent this underprivileged group that comprises of the poor and promise social justice. As a result, the leaders tend to reject any political intermediation that aim at limiting and checking their political power. Some political analysts consider populism to be nationalistic, authoritarian and depend on social mobilization for support. Many populist regimes often destroy traditional parties. The populist manifestation indicates that the traditional market reforms in a populist regime are unable to sustain economic growth, reduce poverty, generate employment opportunities and reduce inequality. Although populist leaders use democratic means to assume into political power, they are involved in undermining democratic institutions once they get into office. History of Colombia and events at the time of populist Jorge Eliecier Gaitan The collapse of the Gran Colombia 1830 led to the emergence of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Colombia became a republic in 1886. Two major political parties, the Liberal and Conservative parties emerged in Colombia due to the differences between the followers of two leaders Paula Santander and Simon Bolivar These two parties dominated the Colombian politics for a long time. Gaitan became achieved national prestige through his efforts of addressing the issues of concern of the peasants. For instance, he was involved in a Congressional investigation of worker’s revolt and strike in 1929 in Santa Marta and also wrote on the excesses of management and repressive intervention of the army in Colombia. This made Gaitan win great popular prestige and become a hero among the peasants. He joined the left wing of the Liberal party after 1930s and managed to win Congressional elections in March 1947. He continued to strengthen his position and increase his popularity by trying to reach the masses and giving them hope The Colombian society comprised of the privileged who held political offices and the poor who considered Gaitan to fight for their rights. Peasant populism and rural protests were witnessed since the 1930s. Gaitan became a charismatic leader of the Liberal party (Sharpless, pg,36). His popularity and claims to fight for the welfare of the masses attracted hundreds of thousands of low income Colombians and Union members in his political meetings. He was admired for denouncing moral, social and economic events that oppressed the masses which he promised to eliminate with cooperation and support from the people . His claim to champion the cause of the masses increased populism. The people, most of whom were peasants and low income earners were attracted by Gaitans leadership. For instance, the issue of land reforms which he seemed to address was of great concern to the people. For example, by mobilizing the masses to protest through the streets of Bogota in February 1948, Gaitan gained the support of the masses . He was assassinated two months later, an event that triggered the â€Å"La violencia†. This was characterized by confrontation between the Conservative and Liberal parties’ supporters and hostilities between classes. The Colombian society experienced violence and instability. Non-populism in Colombia after Gaitan’s death .The absence of populist regimes in Colombia in the 1930s and 1940s as well as the political instability that was witnessed in Colombia (Dix, pg. 342). After Gaitan’s assassination made it impossible for the political leaders to put into place populist regime in Colombia. Uncontrolled human confrontation in Bogota spread to the country side where bands were organized to create terror. La Violencia is estimated to have led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people over duration of eighteen years, the 1948 – 1958 periods was bloodiest . One of the most powerful guerilla group in Colombia, and known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was the product of this conflict. The period after Gaitan’s death was marked by lack of hope in the masses and the political society. Armed confrontation was characterized by rebellions and riots between 1948 and 1966(Hylton, pg. 40). Because populism requires leaders to mobilize the masses, violence drove Colombia into a politically unstable nation. The political instability that was experienced in the country made it impossible for the political leaders to secure leadership through populism. There was mass social frustration due to the killings and displacement of a large number of people. Those who had believed that Jorge Gaitan was the only hope for improving the lives of the masses were disappointed. In Bogota and the Mariano Ospina’s government struggled to restore order in Colombia. However, the rural violence that was witnessed triggered a state of undeclared civil war and violence spread throughout the country. Only the southernmost parts of Marino and Caribbean coastal area were spared. The violence phenomenon became complex and was characterized by sheer rural banditry as well as partisan political rivalry (Roldan, pg. 93). The political rivalry undermined the emergence of populism because this period of internal disorder led to the refusal by successive Colombian governments to give in to the peoples’ demand for social economic change. The repressive nature of the Ospina government undermined efforts of political leadership to participate in political meetings or engage in efforts that could increase one’s popularity but undermine the government. Violence and instability continued (Palacios, pg. 72). For example, the government on March 1949 banned all public meetings and had all Liberal governors leave their positions. These measures were being taken to restore order in the country. Furthermore, the government in 1949 ordered the closure of Congress. This meant that the political system in Colombia could no longer function as usual. The rural police forces intensified efforts to fight the Liberals and the belligerents. As a result, the liberals protest led to the liberals’ eventual resignation form their positions and as a result, protests by the Liberals continued. The failure by the Liberal party to contest during the presidential elections had Laureano Gomez, a Conservative candidate take over office in 1950. Gomez was the leader of a reactionary faction and preferred authority and order. The constitution that was drafted under Gomez’s’ guidance in 1953 was expected to expand the powers of departmental governors and enhance presidential autonomy. In order to contain the mounting violence and to prevent the regaining of power by the liberals, Gomez tried to curtail avail liberties and to acquire broad powers. In addition, the independent labor unions were removed and the congressional elections were held without any opposition. Other measures that the Gomez administration put into place included the control of courts by the executive, censoring of the press. Gomez also directed his repression against the Liberal opposition. There was relative economic prosperity during this time due to the expansion of the export markets and foreign investment increase. However, Gomez lost support due to military establishment, attacks on moderate conservatives. Gomez illness in 1951 had Roberto Urdaneta become the acting president. General Gustavo Rojas took over power in 1953 and military leadership that was witnessed in the country continued to undermine political participation and democracy in the country. In the 1960s, armed conflicts whereby left-wing insurgents, government forces and right-wing paramilitaries were witnessed in Colombia. There was lack of civil authority and public order and intense military operations were undertaken to counter the opposition. Rojas was however removed from power in 1957 leading to the restoration of civilian rule after some moderate Liberals and Conservatives formed a bipartisan coalition known as the National Front. Alberto Lleras Camargo served as Colombia’s president upto 1962. All these events made it difficult for populist regimes to emerge again in Colombia and up to date, Colombian leadership is still non-populist. Alvaro Uribe’s policies and non-populism The absence of populism in Colombia is unique in a continent where populist politics are still evident today . The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies are not populist despite having some elements of populism. President Uribes is now in his second term in office. His policies have not aimed at increasing mass support for his government. In populist regimes, government policies tend to be implemented in a manner that tries to win the support of the masses. Since Uribe assumed into power, he has not advocated for policies that aim at addressing the needs of all the citizens. Instead, he has focused on improving economic development and improving security in the country. The main reason why Uribe is not populist can therefore be attributed to the fact that he has not made efforts to mobilize masses and cultivate supporters. Rather than focusing on efforts to uplift the poor in order to gain the support of the masses, President Uribe policies emphasize on improving economic growth and security. As a result, since his elections into office in 2002, he has received high approval ratings due to his policies that have promoted sustained economic growth, security and continuous implementation of sound social programs. The domestic security policy that Uribe has adopted plays a critical role in promoting democratic representation in governance. The policy was unveiled in 2003 and the efforts by Uribe’s administration to deepen democracy and strengthen democratic representation have ensured that democratic institutions have not been undermined to create populism. After being elected into office and inaugurated on 7th August 2002, President Uribe introduced radical policies to improve security. Insecurity in Colombia due to violence has for decades undermined economic and social development. President Uribe is a tough conservative whose political life has focused in fighting rebels and illegal armed groups in the country which cause the instability. The landslide victory for the second term provided him with adequate time to address the issue of drug trafficking and armed groups. The democratic security policy seeks to cater for the wellbeing of all Colombians. (The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy, pg 1). The Colombian government has been working together with the US to fight drug trafficking groups and leftist insurgent groups by consolidating state control so that the country is not a sanctuary of perpetrators of violence, terrorists and drug traffickers (Kirk, pg 52). This has protected the entire population from illegal drug trade and victimization by illegal armed groups. The government social programs have been well planned and coordinated unlike in populist regimes. The programs receive consistent and great financial support from the government in order to increase social and economic development across the country. In other populist regimes in Latin America, social programs are poorly coordinated, fail to reach the targeted beneficiaries and receive huge funds during the election period. This has not been the case for Colombia. Uribe’s social programs to improve the living standards of the people by reducing inequalities has minimized sectoral and class conflicts in Colombia (US Central Intelligence,np) Agency. Populism is established when inequalities are not eliminated hence they create a social divide between the privileged and the underprivileged. In addition, populism is promoted when a large group of people who feel that they very minimal benefits from economic development support populists who promise to improve their welfare. In Colombia, the social divide has been addressed by the economic policy that has been implemented to improve income distribution. The benefits of the social programs reach the expected beneficiaries. The element of clientelism that still exists in Colombia prevents enlarged political participation and mobilization. The political system is supported by faithfulness and loyalty and together with the development of professional class of politicians who are committed to intermediating between the voters and the state has made it difficult for populists to succeed. The government has accepted limits and checks in governance and intermediation between the state and the civil society is possible. Uribe’s leadership has not in any way attempted to mobilize the masses in efforts to overcome inequality and poverty. The efforts to improve leadership and promote democracy in the government oppose the utilization of state resources for personal interests or to maximize political support. This is a clear indication that Uribe is not a populist. However, his efforts to have the constitution amended so that he may run for a third term in office has made him resemble the populist presidents who undermine traditional institutions of democracy. President Uribe has shown great commitment in maintaining democratic institutions and addressing the needs of Colombia as a nation rather than focusing on issues that increase the support of the masses. Why and how President Uribe efforts to make Colombia prosperous President Uribe has been making great efforts to make Colombia a prosperous nation free of populism and leftist tendencies. Populism and leftist tendencies undermine democratic institutions and result to political instability that compromises prosperity of a nation. Political stability is meant to support economic prosperity which improves the living standards of the poor. This narrows the social divide that allows populism to contribute to low economic and social development. For instance, the presence of leftist armed groups for decades has made it impossible for the government and the people to increase economic prosperity. The primary groups that are considered to be a threat to Colombia’s stability and peace are the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the ELN guerillas. These groups rely on criminal activities to generate funds. War and drug trade have derailed economic prosperity in Colombia for a long time (Livingstone, pg. 21). This has turned Colombia into one of the world’s largest center for drug trafficking. President Uribe democratic security policy has improved both the national security and economic growth due to stability. In Uribe’s administration government policies, lack of populism is clear . This has been achieved by ensuring that market reforms move towards sustaining economic growth, reduction of poverty and unemployment as well as a reduction in inequality. Uribe’s economic policy has been able to move away from economic populism where emphasis is placed on the risk of deficit finance and inflation, reaction of economic agents on non-market policies and external constraints. Rather than mobilize the masses through the implementation of social programs that never benefit the people, Uribe’s government has developed and implemented sound social programs that distribute resources equally and have the living standards of the underprivileged improved. In other Latin American nations, social programs are implemented by the political leaders to win the support of the masses. Unfortunately, the people never benefit from the programs because a large proportion of the financial resources put aside to support the programs is either wasted or embezzled. The allocation of resources to support government programs has been consistent, an issue that has improved economic growth in Colombia. Transparency and democracy ensure that leaders are responsible and accountable. By improving the living standards of the people across the nation, Uribe’s leadership has made it difficult for political leaders to become populists by claiming to represent the underprivileged. The presence of leftist groups in Colombia has led to blood shed, prosperity of the drug trade and social injustice. These groups have been involved in the drug trade and in the rural areas impose their rules on the people. The domestic security policy has aimed at defeating armed groups such as the ELN and FARC. The president has expressed concern that some of the major security threats in Colombia include narcotics trade and terrorism. He has therefore taken a hard line stance against guerillas. Together with the assistance from its neighbors and the US, the Colombian government has managed to force out rebels from Colombia’s cities and towns. For example, the government has succeeded in fighting the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The need to restore peace in the country and invest in improving the welfare of the people has become a priority. For example, the security program that is implemented is expected to increase judicial action against the perpetrators of crimes with high social impact, restore peace, reduce human rights violation as well as the dismantle terrorist or leftist groups. The security policy is expected to demobilize illegal groups, increase intelligence capacity, engage civilians in leadership and increase defense spending. Colombia is engaged in regional economic cooperation as a means of improving regional economic growth, political stability and security. For instance, President Uribe has been able to put aside political differences that Colombia has had with its neighbours such as Venezuela to pursue economic progress. Furthermore, because the neigbouring nations are concerned about the presence of illegal armed groups in Colombia, bilateral relations have made it possible for the nations to fight leftist groups together. Regional economic growth has had positive impact on the Colombian economy. President Uribe has been working hard to strengthen government institutions that increase freedom. For example, in 2004, President Uribe managed to engage citizens throughout the country in governance after he established a government present in about 1,099 municipalities in Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe supports free trade policies and has attempted to fight internal forces that cause political instability which affect the country’s economic and social development for decades. He has strong domestic policies that support government programs that empower people economically. For example, his administration supports economic cooperation with its neigbours. Diplomatic ties with the neighbours in Latin America has been supported, economic development supported and efforts to combat leftist tendencies improved. The Colombian government has been involved in expanding the country’s participation in the international trade, strengthening the rule of law, promoting good governanace, protecting human rights and reducing poverty (US Central Intelligence Agency, np). Conclusion Populism has been a common element in Latin American nations whereby the leaders attempt to win the support of the masses through mobilization. Countries such as Chile, Peru and Brazil have had populist political parties dominate political leadership. However, Colombia is a Latin American country that has managed to maintain non-populism since the death of the populist Jorge Gaitan in 1948. The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies have shown that he is not a populist. In addition, great efforts by Uribe to make Colombia prosperous free of populism and leftist groups have been successful. Works Cited Conniff, Michael. Populism in Latin America. University of Alabama Press, 1999 Dix, Robert. The Varieties of Populism; the case of Colombia. Western. Political Quarterly, 31, 334-351, 1978 Dornbusch, Rudiger and Edwards, Sebastian. Macroeconomics of Populism in Latin America, University of Chicago Press, 1991 Hylton, Forrest. Evil Hour in Colombia. New York: Verso Books, 2006 Kirk, Robin . More Terrible Than Death: Drugs, Violence, and Americas War in Colombia. United States: PublicAffairs, 2004 Livingstone, Grace. Inside Colombia: Drugs, Democracy, and War. Rutgers University Press, 2004 Palacios, Marco. Between Legitimacy and Violence: A History of Colombia, 1875– 2002. United States of America: Duke University Press, 2006 Roldan, Mary. Blood and Fire; La Violencia in Antioquia, Colombia, 1946-1953. Duke University Press, 2002 Sharpless, Richard. Gaitan of Colombia: a political biography. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1978 The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy. Embassy of Colombia. Accessed on April, 29 2010from http://www. presidencia. gov. co/sne/visita_bush/documentos/security. pdf Urrutia, Miguel. On the Absence of Economic Populism in Colombia. University of Chicago Press, 1991 US Central Intelligence Agency. Colombia. Accessed on April 29, 2010 from; https://www. cia. gov/library/ /the /co. html

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Hucklebe

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Hucklebe The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Debeers Case Analysis

For more than a century, the powerful DeBeers Consolidated Mines, a South African corporation controlled by the Rothschild Bank in London, has managed to organize the cartel, restricting the supply of diamonds on the market and raising the price far above what would have been market levels How could DeBeers maintain such a flourishing, century-long cartel on the free market? The market has not been really free. In particular, in South Africa, the major center of world diamond production, there has been no free enterprise in diamond mining. The government long ago nationalized all diamond mines, and anyone who finds a diamond mine on his property discovers that the mine immediately becomes government property. The South African government then licenses mine operators who lease the mines from the government and, it so happened, that lo and behold! , the only licensees turned out to be either DeBeers itself or other firms who were willing to play ball with the DeBeers cartel. In short: the international diamond cartel was only maintained and has only prospered because it was enforced by the South African government. he very structure of the cartel is at stake, with the problem centering on the African country of Angola. First, even though the Angolan civil war is over, the results have left the government powerless to control most of the country. Secondly, the end of the war has given independent wildcatters access to the Cuango River in northern Angola, a territory rich in diamonds. And thirdly, the African drought has d ried up the Cuango along with other rivers, leaving the rich alluvial diamond deposits in the beds and on the banks of the Cuango accessible to the eager prospectors. With the diamond deposits available and free of war, and the central government unable to enforce the cartel, 50,000 prospectors have happily poured into the Cuango Valley of Angola. For most of the 20th century, De Beers sold 85% to 90% of the diamonds mined worldwide. With this monopoly, it could artificially keep diamond prices stable by matching its supply to world demand. The De Beers legacy was more than 100 years old. In 1888, Cecil Rhodes successfully consolidated South Africa's diamond mines, laying the foundation for De Beers. He formed a cartel with the ten largest merchants. Each was guaranteed a certain percentage of the diamonds coming out of De Beers' mines. In return, they provided Rhodes with market data, enabling him to ensure a steady, controlled supply it both controls supply and influences demand, combining the roles of major distributor, marketing agency and buffer-stock manager. It has developed an expertise in matching supply to demand and the financial strength to hold diamonds temporarily off the market. A monopoly on marketing

Criminal Investigation (Arson) Essay

What are the similarities and differences between an arson investigation and a bombing investigation? Arson is the intentionally setting of fires to property, persons, and vehicles. Bombing can be defined as the offense of using a projectile, or explosive weapon to cause alarm, panic, danger, or death. There are many similarities and differences between the investigation of a bombing and the investigation of arson. The similarities to conducting an investigation for arson or bombing is as follows: 1) secures the scene upon arrival, have authorities evacuate the area and keep people from contaminating the crime scene further. 2) Notify the proper authorities or investigators to respond to the scene. 3) Begin the process of eliminating any accidental possibilities. 4) Begin to observe the structure, person, or object damaged by the fire or explosion and attempt to locate the point of origin. 5) Observe if any physical issues caused the damage. 6) Begin to collect and process the evidence. 7) Back track and make sure all information is taken and processed before leaving the scene. Be sure during the entire investigation we are using our senses and interviewing any credible witnesses. There are numerous differences when investigating an arson or bombing. Normally a bombing situation is going to be more chaotic, and have the possible for more causalities. During a bombing investigation, many other agencies including federal, local, and state agencies will deploy teams and personnel to assist. Bomb dogs and Bomb technicians will arrive on scene and control the security cordons for the scene. Many different groups and personnel will have certain jobs and duties to perform in order for the scene to become clear. During any bombing investigation a secondary (explosive) device needs to be discovered before any time of physical investigation can begin. After the scene is cleared a further investigation can began. During an arson investigation, the local Arson investigator will normally control the scene upon arrival and complete the arson investigation. Very  seldom do federal authorities become involved unless the arson occurs to federal property. Generally Arson investigations are not a chaotic and time sensitive as the bombing investigation. Arson investigations are filed through police and the fire department at most agencies. As shown there are many similarities and differences between an Arson investigation and a Bombing investigation. Both investigations are important and represent direct threats to our country, citizens and property.

star trek essays

star trek essays Television programs provide one of the most popular forms of entertainment today. From The Simpsons to The X-Files, television shows amuse, shock, sadden, and excite us by turns. Television does more, however, than simply entertain. Television shows are cultural products, and as such, they reflect, reinforce, and challenge cultural ideas. It acts as a mirror and a model for society. In examining and understanding those cultural messages and popular appeal of certain television shows, we should understand something about the society that has created and sustained them. Arguably, Star Trek is one of the most popular television shows ever produced. Today Star Trek includes four television series and nine motion pictures . Like some of the other television shows, Star Trek has been subject to the vagaries of producers and writers so it is difficult to generalize about the intent of the authors of Star Trek or the viewpoint of the readers. Yet, it is also clear that Star Trek has at various times been reflective, informative, and critical about the culture -American culture- that produced it. Star Trek has addressed a wide variety of issues, including war, capitalism, individualism, technology, race, gender, prejudice, religion, etc. The list can be extended to many other issues but here I will focus on race, gender, prejudice and religion only. As portrayed on television such issues are representations of socio-cultural perspectives on broad human concerns. For taking a closer look to those issues, in the continuing parts I will give some exam ples from a number of Star Trek episodes that had written in different times. The portrayal and treatment of religion in the Star Trek television series and films provides an important cultural commentary on the place of religion in society. Although no single coherent approach to religion appears in Star Trek, the series is nevertheless variously reflective of, informed by, an...

Underdog Play Characters and Summary

Topdog/Underdog Play Characters and Summary Topdog/Underdog is about the men who hustle cards and take money from fools. But these characters are not as slick as the con-men in David Mamet’s scripts. They are soured, worn-out, self-reflective, and on the brink of destruction. Written by Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog  won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. This two-person drama is filled with gritty dialogue and age-old themes, rooted in a long tradition of fraternal rivals: Cain and Abel, Romulus and Remus, Moses and Pharaoh. The Plot and Characters Two brothers in their mid-to-late thirties struggle to eke out an existence in a shabby little rooming house. The older brother, Lincoln (also known as â€Å"Link†), was once a skilled Three-card Monte con-artist who gave it up after the untimely death of his friend. The younger brother, Booth, wants to be a big shot – but spends most of his time shoplifting and awkwardly practicing the art of card hustling. Their father named them Booth and Lincoln; it was his dismal idea of a joke. Booth talks about his many goals and dreams. He discusses his sexual conquests and his romantic frustrations. Lincoln is much lower-key. He often thinks about his past: his ex-wife, his successes as a card hustler, his parents who abandoned him when he was sixteen. Booth is impulsive throughout most of the play, sometimes reacting violently whenever frustrated or intimidated. Lincoln, on the other hand, seems to let the world step all over him. Instead of grifting, Lincoln has settled into a very odd job at a carnival arcade. For hours on end, he sits in a display box dressed as Abraham Lincoln. Because he is black, his employers insist that he wears â€Å"white-face† make-up. He sits still, reenacting the final moments of the famed president. The â€Å"real† Lincoln was assassinated by a man named Booth as he watched the play, My American Cousin ). Throughout the day, paying customers sneak up and shoot Link in the back of the head with a cap-gun. It’s a strange and morbid occupation. Link gets lured back into card hustling; he’s in his natural element when hes working the cards. Seething Sibling Rivalry Lincoln and Booth share a complex (and therefore fascinating) relationship. They constantly tease and insult one another, but alternately offer support and encouragement. They both pine over failed romantic relationships. They were both abandoned by their parents. Link practically raised Booth, and the younger brother is both envious and in awe of his elder. Despite this kinship, they often betray each other. By the play’s end, Booth graphically describes how he seduced Link’s wife. In turn, the older brother swindles Booth. And even though he promised to teach the younger brother how to throw cards, Lincoln keeps all the secrets to himself. Conclusion of "Topdog/Underdog" The inevitable conclusion is as violent as one might expect, considering the names of the two characters. In fact, there is something disturbingly voyeuristic about the final scene. The explosive ending feels very similar to the unpleasant job that poor Link has at the arcade. Perhaps the message is that we the audience are just as blood-thirsty and macabre as the carnival patrons who pretend to shoot Lincoln day after day. Throughout the play, the brothers exhibit very shady, misguided, and misogynistic characteristics. Yet, through it all, they are very human and very believable as brothers who have been through so much together. It seems the climactic violence stems not so much from a believable progression of the characters, but from the author forcing these deadly themes onto her creations. Is the ending predictable? Somewhat. Predictability is not entirely a bad thing in drama. But the playwright could give us one more throw of the cards so that we could be fooled again.

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs Essay

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs - Essay Example es to unskilled workers is overburdening the employers because many of these workers do not know how to perform the job and are ineffective and inefficient. The author states that providing employees with so many benefits is overburdening the employers and this is leading to increase in their cost of production. The author states that the inequality in the wages that are being paid to different employees is resulting in unemployment of unskilled workers because employers do not have enough money to pay the unskilled labor force. Since the unskilled jobs are paid less, the natives are not willing to take up these jobs and these jobs are being taken by immigrant populations. This situation is quite clearly reflected in the region of United States because in United States people who work in the suburban centers are mostly illegal immigrants because suburban employers prefer paying low wages and the requirement of paying high wages to American citizens is discouraging them to employ the unskilled population of United