When six females filed a class action discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart in 2004, they were not just looking out for their own interests; they were in fact standing up for 1.6 million other women who worked for – and were allegedly treated unfairly by – Wal-Mart after December 26, 1998. The suit alleges that Wal-Mart in effect has lived under a corporate management culture that discriminates against female employees in matters of pay, promotions, training for management positions, and job assignments. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court, and the judge ruled that the women could ask for back pay and compensation for those 1.6 million women. This paper points to the facts of the case, many of which have been presented cogently and graphically by a professor from the University of California at Hayward, Richard Drogin. Using files and data from Wal-Mart, Drogin has painted a picture of institutional discrimination that cries out for a judgment in favor of the pla

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Since 9/11 politicians have been forced to pass legislation that could very well be ruled unconstitutional. One of these, passed in the heat of the anti-terrorism fear within the U.S. is called "The Patriot Act." "The civil liberties of ordinary Americans have taken a tremendous blow with this law, especially our privacy to online communications and activities" (EFF 2001 2). The law itself is enormous- 342 pages in all. It permits far more extensive surveillance. For example, surveillance on all foreign students now in American schoo

I think we all identify with either the Saints or the Roughnecks. We would all like to flaunt authority and play games with police, even if we are truly saints in real life. Even the perfect student may often wonder what it would be like to be a part of a group that deliberately goes somewhere with the intention of creating mischief for some unsuspecting person who happens along. The Saints were that kind of gang, and so were the Roughnecks. Maybe it is a teen-aged thing to want to do this. The Roughnecks just happened to be poorer than the Saints. That probably had always been a problem, even when they were younger, in that they could not buy the expensive clothes other kids had or afford the toys that the other kids brought to school, and it really rankled them and became a problem for them when they were in high school, when the couldn't con their parents into buying them a car or giving them the spending money they wanted, because their parents were not that well off. They had to make do with hanging out in public places nearer home, because it was easie

The current popularity of reality TV all over the world has made reality TV as one of the potent movers of real life drama, challenge and social conflicts in contemporary television entertainment. Reality TV symbolizes the social life of contemporary viewers. It brings out into open the true to life experiences of the participants and allows its viewers to relate or associate these experiences to their own lives, and perhaps serve as one of their inspirations. Reality TV brought about the social dilemma of modern society in interacting with regular people, with life's daily obstacles, and with realization of dreams of making it big in the quest for victory. As indicated by Cynthia Frisby (2004), in her article Getting Real with Reality TV, "Reality TV allows audiences to laugh, cry, and live vicariously through so-called everyday, ordinary people who have opportunities to experience things that, until the moment they are broadcast, most individuals only dream about." Though reality TV may be appealing to majority of its audience becau

Although the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law was not the first such act passed by Congress requiring that runaway slaves be returned to their so-called owners, this law proved particularly politically inflammatory due to the nature of the year when it was passed, and its specific provisions. Firstly, during this period of time, the American union was continuing to expand, and admit more Western states into its fold. Former territories could be admitted as either free or slave states, and every time a new territory became a state, the Congress was torn by increased division and decisiveness between advocates of the federal union and of state's rights. Also, this law transgressed the notion of what constituted the rights of the federal government in ways that previous laws did not. It called upon the federal government to enforce the law and did not merely allow Southern states to tolerate slavery within their borders and attempt to find slaves that had fled bondage with state authorities. "The law stated that in future any federal marshal who did not arrest an alleged runaway slave could be fined $1,000." ("Fugitive Slav

Part I: The ethical valuation of euthanasia has been hotly contested within both the judicial and ethical arena for the past two decades. Philosophers and politicians alike stand on either side of the debate without a clear view of the future ahead. Euthanasia itself is a term that needs further clarification; it is a term that encompasses two parts active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Within active euthanasia there is an "intentional attempt at mercy killing" whereas within passive euthanasia a patient is "allowed to die". The difference, though subtle in nature has a strong ethical connotations. Within the medical profession, active euthanasia is argued to be strictly unethical precisely because it goes against the creed of medical ethics. The AMA (American Medical Association) argues that by allowing active euthanasia we are promoting a culture that is antithetical to the practice of medicine. They forward several rational explanations for this pe

One of the most difficult issues modern American universities have had to grapple with is the issue of fairness in the wake of the historic discrimination against minorities in the United States. To do so, the University of Michigan's University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (OUA) put forth written guidelines that required the admissions department to consider a number of factors in making admissions decisions, "including high school grades, standardized test scores, high school quality, curriculum strength, geography, alumni relationships, leadership, and race." 1 The university defined African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans to be historically "underrepresented minorities." 2 These minorities, Michigan alleged, had been the subject of historical injustices, and it was legitimate to take such experiences into consideration when building a freshman class much as one might consider the applicant's status as a son or a daughter of an alumni,

Issue 1 In replicating Sir Ronald Fisher's famous experiment with tea tasting, it is essential for the subjects in the experiment to be blindfolded or, alternatively, presented with the cups of tea after they have been poured (Binomial coefficients..., 2006). However, given that when cold milk is poured into hot tea, the milk does not curdle (and when hot tea is poured into milk, the reverse occurs), the subjects would need to be blindfolded so that they could not "see" the curds and therefore guess correctly the order in which the tea and milk were combined. In Fisher's experiment, the tea-tasting lad

Executive Summary The article addresses the issue of anti-trust laws and how they relate to the case of the Microsoft Company. According to critics, Microsoft has intentionally dominated the computer market by means of practices such as including a free Internet Browser in their Windows software. Furthermore, the company is accused of unfair practices such as leveraging their existing control to further dominate not only the computer market, but other information-related markets as well. To examine the issue, a brief history of anti-trust laws is given. From the first section of the article, it becomes clear that anti-trust laws have been established approximately a century before the advance of computers and the information age. It is also mentioned that the original intention of these laws was to protect the consumer; a more competitive market means more competitive prices for the end consumer, whereas a monopoly of the market would mean that the specific company has control

The objective of this work is to research and examine the Charter School and to answer the question of are Charter Schools more successful than public schools and if so then why are they more successful than public schools. The research will be inclusive of data that will compare the learning and outcome objectives of these schools as compared to those of the public schools in terms of test scores, social development and other outcome objectives.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of business in the U.S. Specifically, it will discuss the use of non-monetary rewards in the workplace. Non-monetary rewards in the workplace are becoming an increasingly common way to reward employees for a variety of workplace issues. For profitability, non-monetary rewards make good fiscal sense for just about any business, and they help maintain a more satisfied and productive workforce as well. Non-monetary reward programs are relatively simple to implement, and even small businesses can benefit by implementing these programs for their employees. At a time when employers must keep their employees motivated, productive, and service oriented, and make a profit, non-monetary rewards simply make sense. Non-monetary rewards for employee performance in the workplace include "formal and informal acknowledgment, assignment of more enjoyable job duties, opportunities for training, and an increased role in decis

Nowadays, corruption has become an octopus whose tentacles reach all countries and domains. Still, as Lipset and Lenz emphasized in their article, despite this phenomenon's ubiquity across historic moments and cultural backgrounds, the issue which makes the difference consists of the degree to which this plague extends. Generally, when speaking about corruption, most people think of public affairs and omit the private dimension of the aspect. An eloquent example outlining the latter may be the incentive plan proposed by Sears, Roebuck, and Co., after confronting severe financial difficulties in the 1980's. The American company suggested a commission-based program which was expected to increase profits as a result of the employees' (both mechanics and sales advisors) effort to produce or sale more, in order to earn additional revenues. At a first glance, the idea seemed very efficient as it had the desired impact on revenues, but at a closer look, it led to major defic

Looking In the mid to late 15th century in Europe, a period known as the Renaissance flowered during times of great political and social turmoil and various cities, such as Florence and Venice in Italy became the centers of humanistic philosophy which was highly influenced by classical forms and motifs dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Artistically, the Renaissance created an entirely new way to express human emotions and ideals via architecture, sculpture and especially painting. Historically, the painters of the Renaissance, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi and many others, were forced to fully evaluate not only the achievements of their numerous predecessors but also the new scientific theories of the time related to perspective construction, meaning that these painters "created paintings that reflected realistic yet often idealized figures and scenes based on humanistic tents and principles, whereby man was separate from God and viewed his environm

Mozart was one of the greatest composers who ever lived, and yet, he did not realize financial success during his life. Today, that would be nearly impossible. Mozart's life was very different from the world of today. The general setting was quite opulent. He often performed in palaces and mansions of the rulers and wealthy and their homes were massive, with very formal and highly decorated room. The costumes were also quite opulent and much more formal than they are today. In fact, while Mozart himself seemed like a relatively normal man, who liked to have fun, his world was very different and very formal. Probably the biggest clue to the revolution from aristocracy to democracy was Mozart's inability to earn a living. In the beginning of "Amadeus," he was playing in an opulent palace for rich aristocrats. By the end of the film, he was writing operas for the "common" people that were far different from the formal music he played in drawing rooms. His opera was bawdy and raucous, and appealed to a wide variety of "lower-class" peo

Martin Zank of The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy proclaims the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber to be one of the most important, yet also one of the most obscure of all modern theologians. Zank notes that the "preponderance in Buber's writings of abstract nouns such as 'experience,' 'realization,' and 'encounter,' make Buber's philosophy difficult to penetrate for some persons who desire a more concrete explaination of how to ethically function the world. However, historian of Israel Motti Friedman notes Buber's intense preoccupation with making his philosophy practical and relevant to modern life, despite this apparent linguistic obscurity. Buber, because of his own political and personal concerns was particularly interested in making his philosophy relevant to topics pertaining to the historical consequences of the Holocaust and the establishment of the state of Israel. Buber was one of the first advocates of the need for an dua

In his essay entitled "Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem," psychologist Erich Fromme states that "Only if a man has emerged from mother's lap and father's commands, only if he has emerged as a fully developed individual. . . can he have the courage to say 'No" to power or to disobey." What Fromme is attempting to say with this powerful quote is that a person can only achieve true freedom and become a well-rounded individual by severing t

This paper analyzes communication devices and skills used in Jon Stewart's interview with Pakistani President Pervez Musharaf. This show was aired on September 26 on the Jon Stewart's regular show called the Daily Show. This interview earned rave reviews from all quarters of American media and Musharaf was praised for his honesty, straightforwardness and political acumen. Stewart as we already know can take people completely off guard with his candid yet relevant questions.

Describe the current event Recently, the issue of gay marriage came to the forefront of the news, in New Jersey. Although news pertaining to sexuality and sexual preference often is relegated to late night news, or to the back pages of the newspaper, this topic proved so controversial, for several weeks the issue was the focus of every major news source. "New Jersey's Supreme Court ruled in a landmark decision October 25 that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples all the legal benefits of marriage, but it stopped short of Massachusetts in legalizing same-sex marriage." (Peterson, 2006) Describe the two types of families chosen Family 1: A gay couple, unmarried, with middle-school age children from one of the couple's earlier relationships Family 2: A traditional, nuclear heterosexual couple with one middle-school child, an adolescent, and two sets of grandparents heavily involved in the children's upbringing Describe the potential

During this period of Roman history, five important events/persons greatly contributed to Roman expansion and conquest: 1. When Rome was found in 753 B.C.E., legend tells us that Romulus and Remus, twin brothers raised by a she-wolf, fought against each other with Romulus winning, thus serving as the source for the name of Rome. 2. By 509 B.C.E., under the influence of various kings and monarchs, "a more representative form of government known as the Roman Republic" came into existence. During this time, Rome, situated on the River Tiber, grew into a major power and by 266 B.C.E. had taken control of the whole of the Italian peninsula ("Roman Empire," Internet). 3. As the empire grew and came to dominate a good portion of Europe, it slowly incorporated many ideals of the ancient Greeks, especially in art, literature and philosophy. They also adopted "cultural elements from Persia, Egypt and other Eastern civilizations" and created a unique form of government and law whi

The Passionate Mind of Maxine Greene provides an introduction to the life and writings of this idealistic philosopher of education, through the eyes of contemporary colleagues in the field of education. Maxine Greene advocated a rigorously intellectual but student-focused approach in her teaching of future educators. She also believed that the arts, and self-expression, should be front and center of any curriculum, and insisted upon including literature in her classes, as well as history and philosophy, when she taught educational philosophy. (152) Greene encouraged the future teachers that she taught to trust themselves, trust their students, and engage in intense self-exploration as well as encourage students to do the same. Greene made ample use of philosophers beyond the field of education, such as the existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre's belief in human freedom and agency

Death penalty or capital punishment is one of the most passionately, actively and persistently debated topics in American political, legal and social circles. It occupies the same place in political agenda of a new presidential candidate as abortion or gun control. Opponents of death penalty base their arguments on the "cruel and unusual punishments" clause of the Eight Amendment. They feel that the constitutional laws if studied closely provide opposition to deprivation "of life, liberty, or property without due process of law."(U.S. Const. amend. V)) Defenders of death penalty however ground their arguments in deterrence believing that if strict punishments are used, crime rate could be effectively controlled. This section also believes in retribution arguments. Justice Brennan described retribution as "[t]he asserted public belief that murderers . . . deserve to die". 1 I feel that the cases in which death penalty should be granted cannot be defined in absolute terms. Ther

Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon relates the story of Milkman Dead and his obsession with flying, yet the book is also full of motifs and themes related to love which at times reinforces and supports the story while dealing with death and loss. Morrison also uses the themes of flight and love in order to engage the reader and bring about feelings of freedom. In addition, Morrison uses memory as a tool in order to relate the idea that certain sensory perceptions like smell and taste can often bring the reader closer to understanding a character and their personal feelings. Thus, by using these recurring themes, Morrison is attempting to tell us that it is better to try and deal with our problems than to escape from them. Also, Morrison's storytelling technique allows the reader to pick up on certain cues that inform Solomon's desire to escape from reality and his responsibilities; thus, flying is a metaphor for this need to escape while love acts as the binding ingredie

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines Total Quality Management (TQM) as a, "management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society" (Total Quality Management). Although TQM didn't become popular until the 1980's, the management approach originated in the 1950's. This paper begins by discussing the types of problems that TQM seeks to solve and the mechanisms it uses to solve these issues. It next discusses how globalization and demonstrated success by many companies have made TQM an imperative for most organizations to survive in an increasingly competitive environment. Even so, failure rates for TQM implementations are high. Therefore, this paper concludes by identifying common reasons for failure and by making specific recommendations to increase the liklihood of a su

It is in man's nature the tendency and desire to evolve, no matter his level of development. There is a need to surpass one's limits which unfortunately can lead a man to engage in imprudent actions. This is why it is important to consider the best way of combining the efforts to improve while keeping in line with the moral percepts of both the society and the personal system of conduct. Drawing the line it would be fair to say that indeed the way in which one decides to revolt against his personal condition is a matter of personal choice and involves the system of values one share. The situation of the African American community is most revealing. Throughout the history of their presence on the American soil, the black community has been the subject of heated debate and confrontation with the white part of the society. This permanent state of facts has encouraged most often a violent approach to solving the issue of segregation and racial discrimination. From one point of