Our Affect on the Enviornment

Semester Draft Kankakee Island â€Å"Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy Interests skin your country of Its beauty, Its riches or Its romance. † – Theodore Roosevelt. In my own words I think Theodore Roosevelt implies that we need to be grateful for the natural wonders the earth has given us and the history it has behind it, to be considerate ND think about the future generations of the planet.If the ignorance of selfish people destroys your home, do not let them. It is too valuable. Our limitations have escaped us and we are now crossing the threshold of what our Earth can handle. By that I mean we are Impacting and absorbing more than what the Earth can handle: depletion of resources, environmental disasters, ecological instability, and climate change. We need to set ourselves boundaries in order to keep our planet prosperous. Ignorance and the lack of self control are what push our agenda to doomsday on this dutiful planet of ours that much sooner.I think some people Just don't realize the condition our planet is in and think to themselves, â€Å"How does this affect me? Why do I care? I have a house, a Job, I make my own money, and no one pays my bills? ‘ This inconsiderate attitude towards our society Is what will hinder the well being of our planet, country, state, city, down to the individual. This is our home and we need to start treating it how it deserves to be treated. We hurt the environment in more ways than you could possibly imagine. Misguided construction, irrigation and mining can face the natural landscape and disrupt important ecological processes.Aggressive fishing and hunting can deplete entire stocks of species. Human migration can introduce competitors to native food chains. Greed can lead to catastrophic accidents and laziness to environ mentally destructive practice. For example, It's dinnertime but, there's no food in the house, so you get in your car and drive to the grocery store. You walk down the aisles browsing for something to buy. You pick up chicken and a salad, and then return home to enjoy your meal. Consider the ways your simple trip to the racket affected the environment.Driving to and from the store contributed carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The electricity required to light the store was powered by coal. The salad Ingredients were grown on a farm treated with pesticides. Getting the goods to the store required trucks, trains and more trucks, all of which emitted carbon. This is why I would love to have my own country, where people with the same ideologies can gather and discuss about any problems. Everyone will have a voice. My own country will be secluded. It will be an island not surrounded by any other countries. The island is small compared to other Islands.The weather is tropical like. There are beaches, rainforest's, hills, and volcanoes. The population Is about 10,000 houses have built in solar panels since it's almost always sunny there. Solar panels will be a big commodity in my country. According to Harry T. Roman from Business Source Elite, â€Å"a well designed solar system can last for more than 20 years. It doesn't create any source of pollution, its quiet, and the sun's energy is free of course. † Harnessing the energy of the sun would greatly impact our society and evidently make our lives and the environment better.Every house would have its own little power source instead of a coal powered plant for a whole city. My main focus is energy conservation and the consequences it would have on the environment. Another alternative energy I have in mind is building large underwater turbines that could harness the endless power of waves. Imagine that. It would be like the giant turbines you see in other cities that are wind powered but these are under water. I t could probably be connected to some sort of transformer and from there be transferred to businesses, restaurants, and other public places.We can also use thermal energy since there's a volcano on the island. The Union of Concerned Scientists references indicate that â€Å"below the Earth's crust, there is a layer of hot and molten rock called magma. Heat is continually produced there, mostly from the decay of naturally radioactive materials such as uranium and potassium. The most common current way of capturing the energy from geothermal sources is to tap into naturally occurring â€Å"hydrothermal convection† systems where cooler water seeps into Earth's crust, is heated up, and then rises to the surface.When heated water is forced to the reface, it is a relatively simple matter to capture that steam and use it to drive electric generators. Geothermal power plants drill their own holes into the rock to more effectively capture the steam. † The Union of Concerned Sci entists also states that, â€Å"many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, global warming, and public health risks that result from their use.For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MM) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now reduce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U. S. Households. † Geothermal energy is definitely the way to go. It can produce vast amounts of energy to the whole country in a non-polluting way. Another implement my city will have is composting. Stainlessness's. Com expresses that â€Å"compost is created by the decomposition of organic matter such as yard waste.Compost systems confine compost so that it can receive air and create suitable temperatures for proper decomposition into fertilizer. † It's sort of another way to recycle; putting sack our waste into the Earth in a harmless way t hat promotes the well being of our community. Stainlessness's. Com also implies that compost waste results in â€Å"saving landfill space, saving energy for transporting material, and the creation of a high quality fertilizer at the location where it can be used (thereby again saving energy). In addition, plastic garbage bags are also saved. Our island will not waste any resources if they absolutely cannot be used again. Our island's main economic income, being that it's a tropical island, grows lush vegetation and other crops. Coconut, banana, sugar, bamboo, rice, pineapple, cocoa beans, are the most important crops we grow. It's what we live off of. There is also a fishing company at the island which goes out and gathers only the fish the island needs. They do it once companies are well known in our island mainly for their mutual, social, and economic benefit.Trade is also practiced in some of the villages around the island as well. We also do not grow our crops with pesticides! On the island we are all aware of the devastation and corruption pesticides do. Everything is grown organically and nothing is tampered with. Raucousness's. Org states that â€Å"at the systems level, organic agriculture that builds soil and encourages biodiversity delivers more diverse/profound benefits and ecological services than farming which amounts to ‘agricultural sacrifice areas' divorced from their geological surroundings†, which would be superb for our environment.Mostly everyone travels on bikes or walks being that the country is small. Only some people own cars, and some of those cars are hybrids, which are imported. On our island some resources are abundant. Metals such as, steel, aluminum, copper, etc, are scarce. Importing these goods is vital for building our city structures and public facilities. Most of the houses are built with a combination of bamboo found on the island, clay, some wood, and steel. The AC is powered by our water from the ocean or fro m geothermal power. Land lines are needed also to use phone service.Internet service requires people to go to the highest elevation and is limited due to the higher cost. But steel is required to build some of these utilities so we must import at times. There are various social services and recreation activities to do around the island as well. Some of the social services include: hospitals, police station, a community center, market/ trade center, a community college, and some restaurants. Those are all located in the downtown area, which is small. There are many things to do for recreation on Kankakee Island. Surfing is a big hit on the island.There's also biking riding, going to the beach, fishing, and hiking. People also go on nature walks. They usually go to the rainforest's, meditate, smoke, and connect with nature. The people of Kankakee are very nature oriented and have a strong spiritual connection with nature itself. There are also events celebrating nature. People Join in dance, smoke herb, eat fruits and vegetables, and praise that their island is the way it is: sustainable and peaceful. Kankakee Island was founded by a husband and wife named George Kankakee and Donna Kankakee in the sass's.George and Donna used to live in the crowded city of Los Angles. George was an architect and Donna was an environmental scientists. They had the typical American life but hated the city they lived in. They didn't like the crowdedness and state the city was in (environmentally wise). So George and Donna decided to do something bold in their lives. They wanted to stand for something they and thousands of people believed in. They wanted their own country where it could be sustainable and all the people that lived in their country had the same ideas.So they sold their house, located an island in international waters with some help of peers, and started to look into making it their home and to the home of now 10,000 people come alive. The only way to get to the islan d is by ship or boat so they set course for the island and were at sea for quite some time. They first had to go to the island and spend some time there to see what it was like. They first observed what resources the island had and experimented with these resources to see which can be sustainable.Being that George was an architect and Donna an environmental community. They started doing research and came up with alternative energy systems that would do no harm to the environment and would still be classified as a livable place. After that, they started to gather up materials, team up with colleagues that would help them in exchange to live on the island, and started to build their own community. Word then got out of the island and people with similar backgrounds in science, math, and business asked if they can settle on the island.From there the community started growing and more sophisticated structures and alternative energies were being built. Kankakee Island was now a livable en vironment. To conclude, Kankakee Island will be one of the most diverse places in the world to live. It has many benefits to any individual that has the right state of mind for the environment. Lush fields of vegetables and plenty of fruit grown organically with no pesticides will make any one happy. Alternative resources harvest the purest forms of sustainable energy on Earth.Using solar, geothermal, and water, we can expand our ideas and create a better life for all of us and our planet. We can show off to the rest of the world what a magnificent Job we've done and can serve as an example to some of the countries in need of an environmental safeguard. Humanity and nature can coalesce into one and start working for each other instead of fighting against it. Not Just the island, but also the people itself; 10,000 conscious individuals doing their part in a systemic community. Kankakee Island is the perfect example of the most perfect place to live.

Blood type

An application of Science to Law, Science to Criminal Justice The analysis of physical, chemical and biological evidence Forensic Medicine deals with crimes involving a human body (Murder, rape, assault) Forensic science enables us to reconstruct the past sequence of events. Forensic science can link a suspect to a crime scene. Examples of forensic evidences are: Fibers (clothes, carpet) Hair Blood If newsprint Shoe print Paint Forensic evidence can distinguish been murder and suicide. Locator Exchange Principle by Proof.Edmond Locator â€Å"Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the exciteme nt of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot be wrong, it cannot perjure itself, it cannot be wholly absent.Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value. Every Contact leaves a Trace Case Study: Burglar severed a finger on razor wire while breaking into a builder's yard was caught by police when he went to hospital for treatment. Earliest forensics lab in US is in Austria, LISA in LAP. Singapore forensic lab is set up in 1960 by Proof Chaos Tweeze Change, now part of HAS. In a Forensic Science Lab, you can find: . Physical Science Licit a. Identification and comparison of evidence b. Chemical tests c. Spectroscopy d. Microscopy Drugs, glass, paint, explosives, soil†¦ E. 2.Biology Unit a. Hair b. Plants 3. DNA Lab DNA analysis a. 4. Firearms Unit a. Guns b. Bullets c. Cartridge cases . Firearm damage 5. Documents Unit a. Handwriting b. Printing Paper d. Ink 6. Photography Jinni a. Record of evidence b. Presentation Toxicology – drugs and poisons in body fluids and organs Latent Fingerprints – using chemical means to making them visible Polygraph – or lie detector Vectoring -? analysis of voices Psychiatric Profiling -? What can we tell about the criminal from the way they commit the crime Computer Forensics and Electronic Forensics -? What can be learnt from deleted data?How can other electronic trails be followed? Forensic Engineering – Examine the engine emerging aspects of a building or object Forensic Entomology – Using insects to provide information Forensic Geology – Soil Analysis on mineral content and chemistry. Soil in different countries have individualistic composition. This composition helps to narrow down to a region Of the world. Forensic Anthropology – Examination of skeletal remains Facial Reconstruction – If you have the skull, can you tell what the face looks like?Forensic Demonology – using teeth to provide information such as identification of victims remains or criminal Identification: physical objects Biological properties Chemical properties/constituents We collect as many evidence as we can on scene. These evidences have class characteristics that can put an object in a certain class or group like brand of shoe, type of fiber or type of bullet. Individualizing: Narrowing the class to one, Attaining more information from evidences from a crime scene.Physical objects: Manufacturer, serial number, fingerprints Chemicals: Trace elements and impurities Biological samples: Blood type and DNA analysis Then we do comparison and associate the evidence to the crime scene and the criminal. After which, reconstruction to understand the sequence of past events and Re-enactment Chapter 2: Spectroscopy and the Structure of Atoms Elements are the basic materials consisting of 93 natural basics and many more artificial ones. Elements can neither be created nor dest royed.Paper Cellulose consists of C, H, O CA Carbon Dioxide CA and Water H2O Human Body consists of C, H, O, N, P, S, Ca, An, K, Fee†¦ DDCD, H2O, N oxides, P oxides, S oxides, Ca oxides or hydroxides†¦ Teeth contains Au or Hag C] Au or Hag oxides Analysis: Which elements are present? E. G. Suspected lead or mercury poisoning but are these metals present in the body regardless of their chemical form? Toxicology. E. G. FUN analysis. How much of these elements were present in the Poltroon bones? Time of Death. What is it made of? How can we identify the elements present in an object?Bulk composition (what is it mostly made of? )e. G. Bullets are mostly lead. Trace impurities (what is a small part of it made or? ) e. G. Bullets have silver and antimony Chemical tests can be done to identify these elements and chemical tests have the following characteristics: Large amounts Of sample is needed Destructive Subjected to interference Fast process Easy to do Simple equipment White light consists of all colors. In the early 19th century, black bands observed in the solar spectrum. Different spectroscopic techniques use different frequencies of light.The different frequencies of light interact differently with the molecules. Structure of Atom: Tiny, dense, positively charged core called nucleus where nearly all mass is concentrated with electrons circulating at some distance. Founded by Ernest Rutherford. Nielsen Boor found that electrons are restricted to specific energy levels, therefore atoms don't destroy themselves due to electrostatic attraction. Electrons can jump to higher energy levels by absorbing energy. Electrons can release energy when they drop to a lower level. The frequency of the electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed is proportional to LEE DeBroglie equation: E = HP (Constant x frequency of electrons) Absorption Spectroscopy is when electron jump to higher energy levels, energy IS absorbed. A drop in graph for short interval of time. Em ission Spectroscopy is when electron drops to lower energy levels, energy is given out. A sharp spike in graph. Flame tests for metals: if a metal salt is introduced to a flame, a characteristic color is produced. Energy of the flame excites electrons in the atoms and light is emitted as the atoms drop back to ground state. Sodium: Orange Barium & Copper: Green Calcium & Lithium: Red Potassium: LilacAtomic Absorption Spectrometer (AS): Advantages: Fast Specific Sensitive Small sample size Disadvantages: Element by element Neutron Activation Analysis (*ANA) Non-destructive but needs a nuclear reactor Changes the nature of element Each emitted gamma ray is at dif. Energy level. Microscopy Scanning Electron Microscope – Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (SEEM- DEG)* Non-destructive analysis looking at core electrons Use the electron beam of the microscope to eject core electrons Ejecting a core electron creates a vacancy. When a higher energy electron drops to fill vacancy, a characteristic X-ray is emittedCASE STUDY: Napoleon. Analysis of hair samples by Neutron Activation Analysis shows arsenic. Paint used for one of Napoleon's wallpaper is Chisel's Green which consists of copper arsenate. SEEM-DEG shows presence of arsenic. When copper arsenate reacts with mold, arsenic gas is produced. CASE STUDY: Kennedy Assassination 22nd Novo 1 963 Analysis of bullets fragments by Neutron Activation Analysis (ANA) shows the content of Antimony and Silver. You are What You Eat! Bones consists of calcium phosphate in a protein matrix. Calcium is derived from the diet.. Other metals may also be incorporated if they are present in diet.Relative abundance of trace elements in bone can indicate geographical origin: Strontium, copper and lead. Chapter 3: Time Of Death Alger Morris: After death, muscles relax, body is limp and starts to cool down. The rate at which body temperature cools depends on size of body, location, clothing, weather. Different parts of the body co ols at different rates. E. G. Brain cools faster than liver. General rule is -1 to 1. Degrees Fahrenheit However, note that the body may start to warm up after 2 days due to start of putrefaction Rigor Morris: Lactic acid in the muscles causes tension up to 36 hours after death E. . Jaws (errs), arms (4-errs), legs(8-1 Oh RSI), whole body (10-rush) Liver Morris (Color of the body): Also known as Postmortem lividly: the black and blue disconsolation of the skin of a cadaver, resulting from an accumulation of degenerated blood in subcutaneous vessels. Hypothesis: poor or stagnant circulation in a dependent part of the body or an organ. Settling of red blood cells due to gravity (post mortem lividly, hypothesis 0-ours) Disconsolation in lower parts. Parts on the ground not affected due to compression of capillaries (contact flattening) *Has the body been moved?If a body has been moved, he calculation of the body may not give the correct approximation of the time of death. *Take note th at CO poisoning has similar symptoms as Liver Morris, CO poisoning results in cherry pink calculation due to the carbon monoxide-hemoglobin complex Physiological Changes in the body after Death. The average core temperature of a body is 9. Degree Fahrenheit. Postmortem interval = 99. 6/1. 5 (general rule). Other indicators that can estimate the time of death are: Kit levels in ocular fluid (vitreous humor) which increase after death Stomach and intestine contents (time of last meal).A stomach empties its contents in about 2 hours. Look at other objects such as watches or mobile phone records and CATV. Putrefaction This is the process when your micro-organisms start to eat you after death. This produces gases and characteristic smells. The rate of putrefaction depends heavily on local factors such as temperature and also drug use. Forensic Entomology (Using insects) Insects can arrive and lay eggs as early as minis after death. In order to estimate the time of death, the species, lif e cycle, local conditions of that particular insect must be known. Live maggots are collected from the corpse and rear until adulthood.After which, back calculate age and determine pieces. Skeletal Remains A forensic pathologist or anthropologist will use astrology, the study of bones, to find out as much as possible about the identity of a skeleton or collection of bones. Sometimes they rely on skeletal radiology, the study of bones through x rays or fluorescence (light-emission) to help make the identification. No fluorescence indicates that the skeletal remains is 1 00 years old or more. FUN analysis As time passes, the organic components of bone (mostly fats and proteins) are lost primarily through bacterial action.Since these components contain nitrogen, there is a progressive loss of that element. At the same time, percolating ground water deposits trace amounts of fluorine and other elements, such as uranium, into the bone. Bone nitrogen content decreases with age (proteins b reakdown). Bone fluoride and uranium increases with age. Fresh bones should contain 4% of nitrogen and 0% fluoride and uranium. Therefore, FUN analysis is useful for comparing samples from the same burial grounds/sites. Carbon-14 Dating The natural amount of ICC, a radioactive isotope formed in atmosphere by cosmic rays, is constant and living things have this proportion of ICC.Radioactive atoms decay at a predicable rate and only half of the atoms will eve decayed in arrears. Hence measuring the amount of ICC allows estimation of time of death through back calculation. This method is not accurate for Components can be detected as they get to the end. Movement is due to the flow of a liquid or gas (mobile phase). Thin Layer Chromatography (TTL) Colored compounds are visible to the eye while others can be made visible through chemical staining or UP light. TTL is a presumptive test, it is unable to distinguish all the different compounds in the sample and only provides 2 answers: NO or MAYBE. Gas Chromatography (GO) GO can only be used if the unknown sample passes TTL. GO depends on the rate of which the compound moves at different temperatures. GO is still not accurate enough.High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HAPLY) HAPLY is similar to GO, but uses a liquid mobile phase. The graph result of HAPLY has very sharp and narrow peaks which are highly distinguishable to determine the different compounds in an unknown sample accurately. HAPLY GO For both methods: Efficient, highly selective and widely applicable Only a small amount of sample is needed Non-destructive to the sample Readily adapted to quantitative analysis Has high resolution Advantages of HAPLY: Can accommodate non-volatile and thermally unstable samples Advantages of GO: Simple and inexpensive equipment Rapid process How do we tell what compound is it?By comparison of chromatography of authentic samples By spectroscopy By spectrometry Infra-red Spectroscopy Based on molecular vibrations (stretch ing and bending of chemical bonds) Stretching frequency depends on masses involved and stiffness of the bond The graph of infra-red spectroscopy has 2 parts, before 1 500 wave number and after 1500 wave number Before 1500-6000 wave number shows the characteristics Of the class of compounds, but not Of individual compound After 1500 – 600 wave number shows Characteristic of individual compound like a molecular fingerprint Mass Spectrometry Measures the molecular weight of the sample. . Sample is introduced into a vacuum box 2. Sample is bombarded with electrons, leaving only positively-charged ions 3. Ions are accelerated by high voltages (100 – 1 0,VIVO), ions is deflected into magnetic field to detectors, measuring the mass of the molecule. *Know how to calculate molecular weight Some molecules will break up in the spectrometer known as Fragmentation. Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GO-MS) Another hyphenated tech unique.

Fossil Fuels versus Renewable Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fossil Fuels versus Renewable Energy - Essay Example There are also alternatives to fossil fuels. One of the alternatives is wind energy. Wind energy is cheap, proficient, and pollution free (Natural Resources Defense Council, 2013). Wind energy is made from big windmills that are placed on hills to supply power to the households. The downside of windmills is that they kill millions of birds in a year (Fear, 2011). The other alternative is solar energy. Solar energy is used to power houses, cars, satellites, and buildings. The suns energy is captured and harnessed to provide heat for electricity. Solar power is free to harness. However, it is costly to buy and install panels (Llorens, 2011). Another source of energy is biomass and cellulosic ethanol. This energy is from crops remain, and fast growing trees. The uses of the products influence the environment. However, biomass that uses trees harms the environment. The other source of energy is hydropower. This uses water to spin turbines to make electricity. Although is cheap to make electricity, it is harmful to plants, fish, and other wildlife in and near rivers (Natural Resources Defense Council,

Labour Economics, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labour Economics, - Essay Example Discussion and Analysis Theoretical Models of Economics of Education The most frequently used model for the assessment of education economics is the schooling model. The model perceives education as a form of investment by which the people who are taking the services get themselves trained with certain skills that in future help them to work and earn wages. For example, workers who had not taken specialised training for making pins would not be able to deliver the products and earn money. On the other hand, the person who has technical training would be able to work for some organisation that would add to his living. Hence it is extremely essential to acquire skills. In the same way, both of a high school pass-out and a graduate would be able to earn money, but the former would have less specialised education and thus would always earn less than the graduate unless he upgrades himself with the necessary education. Thus the return out of higher education is definitely positive and it adds value to the earning capacity of a person in the later stages of life. The second most popular theory regarding the economics of education is the signalling model. This theory states that when a person completes his education it signals for the labour market that he is capable of doing work efficiently and therefore the person can be employed. It determined the employability of the person. The Marxist approach to education is somewhat different from the approaches discussed above. According to Marx, skill development and education were two different phenomena. The capitalist society would encourage the development of skills so that more and more workers get specialised skills and help to increase in the total productivity. This would only benefit the capitalists by increasing their profits. Instead Marx emphasises on education and states that proper education would liberate the individual from the exploitation of the bourgeois and would make the economy a socialist one (Carneir o and Heckman, 2003, p. 4). The following graph describes the relationship between the age of a person and the return on investment. The opportunity cost of funds is constant over the entire period of time. It must also be noted that there is a trade of between the time that a person engages himself for education and the time that is spent for earning some income. In the figure we find that the marginal rate of return on investment decreases over the life of the person. At the preschool level the return is the highest it is the lowest at the post school level where the curve becomes asymmetric. Hence if the person is engaged more in higher education, then he has to bear a lot of opportunity cost because the time that the person spends in educating himself could have been used for earning a livelihood. Instead the person has to bear an expense. Empirical Approaches and Difficulties in Measuring Rate of Return on Education Most of the empirical researches have proved that in all cases of high enrolment in particular countries, the growth rate has increased. Thus a positive correlation is found to exist in the level of education, rates of educated and the growth rate of the economy (Boser, 2011, p. 8). There is also a noticeable corollary along with this. The countries that have shown the least difference in the male and female

Generation Z Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Generation Z - Essay Example Concurrently, most of my peers, including me, exemplify the principle of social security through adeptness and acumen on technological gadgets and applications. It is in this particular generation that most of the technological gadgets pertaining to telecommunications abound. When computers were large, bulky and immovable during the times of generation X; personal computers, laptops, and other technology gadgets seem to be produced in portable smaller versions to be pocketed and brought anywhere and everywhere. Peers and friends are seen to exchange and share information on their latest smartphones, iPads (tablets), portable media players (iPods), Kindle, and other digital media gadgets. The members of the previous generation could be oblivious of discerning one version from the other of one particular gadget (smartphones, for instance); yet, to this generation z, recognition of the feature, specifications, and applications of all updated digital media gadgets is natural to us. Thus, possessing one or more of these technological gadgets affirm the principle of social belongingness through proving that their capabilities enable immediate access to our whereabouts, if ever and whenever, needed. Finally, another proof that this generation longs to be part of a social group is the innate desire to become affiliated with peers of similar age groups through sharing similarities in sports activities and entertainment: music, films, and physical fitness programs, on a more global sphere.

Sexuality and the City Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sexuality and the City - Term Paper Example This suggests that individuals are limited by the strictures – in most cultures, homosexuality is deemed as illegal and is punishable by the law. Therefore, this essay will attempt to use some theories such as the queer theory and the urban theory in order to explain the relation between sexuality and the city. On that note, it is significant to observe that the battle for sexuality rights have been waged since the early 70s. For example, lesbians and gays made a fundamental achievement in the formation of Gay Liberation and Women’s Liberation movements. This led to complete transformation of the sexual landscape in the whole country. Similarly, during that period, gay men and women openly came out to affirm their same-sex eroticism (D’Emilio 123). Alternatively, the appeal concerning sodomy laws also triumphed in more than half the states of America. Furthermore, it led to a limited lifting of stigmatization of gay men and lesbians from federal jobs and civil ri ghts protection. Additionally, with the abolition of homosexuality as a mental illness from the psychiatric standards, the Democratic Party included gay rights in their manifesto platforms. Furthermore, there was the expansion of the gay male subculture, especially in big cities, where they were notable. Lesbian feminists strived to establish alternative cultures and institutions that tried to empower persons of the same sex. In addition, they wanted to create a vision of liberatory nature in a conventional society and set a vision for the coming times. However, with the coming of the 80s, the future seemed to turn bleak for the most hyperactive lesbians and gay men (Knoop 140). In other words, the era almost watered down their efforts that begun during the 60s when they had strategies and goals. It is also critical to observe that the same-sex movement was born out of homosexual desires felt in isolation and without the knowledge of the sufferers. This was mostly in the cities arou nd the 60s when the same-sex movement defined history and become a mythology. Furthermore, during the 60s it was clear to describe what the lesbians and the gay felt because there were neither resources nor acceptance to help them understand their situation. Another arising concept entails issues pertaining to urban theory. This is whereby the generation of wealth in the city is facilitated by the available economic priorities. Urban theory encompasses a collection of social theories that may include neo-classical, modern and classical ones. Therefore, in the context of the social theory, there are driving social forces that drive the economic and political empowerment of the city residents. This is where the issues of sexuality fall because people yearn for sexual freedom and autonomy (Bell and Valentine 153). Alternatively, urban theorists also agree that the freedoms that influence urban planning and development should include everyone irrespective of their uniqueness. It is beca use of these emerging disparities that the queer theory was born in order to counter the pressures of the city stigmatization. Queer theory began in the early 90s as a critical theory of post-structuralism format, and it entails reading of queer texts. This theory takes credit from the early works of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Judith Butler and Lauren Berlant. On the same line, it is

Discuss global health systems, service delivery, factors influencing Assignment

Discuss global health systems, service delivery, factors influencing care, and policy decisions, health disparities, and evidence based care at local, state, national, and global levels - Assignment Example Since global health is a central concern for various reasons, health systems occupy an important position in terms of global health care. Health systems work as important institutions that â€Å"plan, fund, and regulate† health care (Skolnik 2012, 88). Hence, their work involves generation of finances, providence of health care services, providence of clinical services, and finally, providence of intellectual input. The World Health Organization (WHO) is constantly involved with global health initiatives in order to increase worldwide access to quality healthcare services (Brugha 2009, 1237). Many such health initiatives have led to enhancements in the effectiveness of health aid. Evidence based health care, based on sound scientific evidence, aids healthcare decision making thereby ensuring high quality delivery of health services. They may operate at all levels including local, state, national, and global levels though acquiring complexity at larger scales. Many healthcare initiatives and programs use evidence based approach to ensure good service

Creating Your Dream Job Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Creating Your Dream Job - Assignment Example With individuals with special education needs, such multidisciplinary/ multi-agency working becomes advantageous because the collaboration among professionals directly focus on the needs of the individual. To avoid conflicts between the professionals in a multidisciplinary setting, it is essential to have a key person to coordinate each one and ensure that target goals for the individual with special needs be met. In the United Kingdom, this person has the title of the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) (SENCO, 1997). In other countries, this title is also known as a case manager or simply a social worker assigned to the case. Hughes & Rycus (1998) explain that when an individual with a learning disability avails of multi-agency services, a social worker helps him source the services he needs for his disability in the medical and educational systems. Communication and cooperation among various professionals and agencies ensue in addressing the individual’s needs. Join t work by representatives of different agencies has been proven to accelerate the progress of interventions of young people with learning disabilities and ultimately contribute much to their well-being. Educators, therapists, psychologists, speech pathologists, physicians, social workers and even government officials join hands in the care and education of these young people to ensure their optimum growth and development. The ideal SENCO worker needs to have a college degree in Special Education, Social Work or Psychology so that he or she is knowledgeable with the needs of the clients who have special education needs. The SENCO should also be adept in networking and collaboration skills, since he or she will engage in interpersonal interactions with people from various disciplines. Good communication skills is a must. The SENCO has the following job description: Contacts prospective professionals to be part of the Multidisciplinary Team Screens and hires therapists Meet with team m embers individually and as a team, if necessary Communicates and coordinates with each member about the programs they are doing with the client Organizes schedules of both the client and the various professionals working with him Collects and collates reports from each team member Evaluates performance of each team member Organizes team management conferences Furnish general report about client’s progress 2. Design a compensation and benefits package related to your dream job. Every worker dreams of having a salary that is fair and compensable for all his efforts. It is logical and acceptable to receive a salary that is commensurate to the tasks involved in one’s job. As a SENCO, salary considerations should include the skills necessary for the individual to carry out the aforementioned tasks and that would be both professional and personal skills. The salary is not the only compensation sought by workers. A good compensation and benefits package specifically for a SEN CO could include the following: Reasonable remuneration Social security Medical Insurance Travel allowance Sponsorship to Training Seminar-Workshop/ Conferences Sick and Vacation Leaves Option for flexi-time Option for tele-commuting especially with coordination and clerical tasks Provision of gadgets and other equipment for easy communication and coordination (ex. Laptop, tablet computer, mobile phone, internet connection)

The Roots of His Lingering Indecision Essay Example for Free

The Roots of His Lingering Indecision Essay If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity awhile, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story. (V. 2. 289-292) The tragedy of Hamlet does not only reveal Shakespeare’s remarkable skill as a playwright but it serves as a commentary of how he proclaims the complexity of the human mind. And even in the subject of death, he succeeds in conveying death as not just an element of tragedy, but as a showcase of complex emotions of the bereaved. In Hamlet, the â€Å"outward form† that consists of the thesis of ghostly malevolence and the use of irony in the dramatic integrity of which could not be sacrificed to preconceived Hamlet’s personality patterns and motifs (Wilson-Knight, 1963). Hamlet’s unpredictable character and ambivalent behavior compel its readers to contemplate much about the heros sanity. His personality, during the course of the play, leads us to believe that Hamlet only feigned his madness. Hamlet is a man disgusted with the repulsiveness of life around him and is obligated to set things straight. Under the guise of madness he attempts to fulfill revenge, yet the discussion does not stop there. Did Hamlet really succeed in being a good actor that he fooled everyone into believing in his madness or was he truly mad? Why did he wait so long to carry out his revenge? Did Hamlet pondered too much and this drove him to an insanity that was indeed real? In Act 2 Scene 2, we could read Hamlet speaking to himself. He wishes that he were able to act like the actor who performed the speech for him. Indecision has subdued Hamlet in forgoing the revenge the murder of his father on Claudius or keeping silent due to uncertainty about whether Claudius really killed his father. This is why he decides to try and make the players enact the murder scene as it was described to him by the ghost of his father. Hamlet is hoping that Claudius, when he sees the scene, will reveal himself as the true murderer of King Hamlet: I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play / Have by the very cunning of the scene / Been struck so to the soul that presently / The have proclaimed their malefactions (II. 2. 566-569). By watching Claudius when the actors perform this scene, Hamlet expects to discover whether the ghost told him the truth. Shakespeare creates such a vague situation which makes this character more intriguing. As a result of the ambiguity given throughout this play, many might argue for or against the idea that Hamlets antic disposition put on as a facade to mislead the royal family. This pales in contrast with the disposition of Hamlets lunatic mind. In other words, Hamlet might in fact really suffered insanity. Proof could be derived from Hamlets erratic mood changes, careless slaughter of those not directly involved in the murder of his father and his dealings with the ghost of his father. Many critics believe that Hamlet faked his insanity to conceal his real feelings and to divert attention from his task of revenge. Other critics assert that Hamlet hopes that Claudius, thinking him mad, will lower his guard and reveal his guilt in Hamlets presence. With his troubled life, Hamlet embraces the fools, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia and the ghost, and the mirror in which they all are reflected in Hamlet’s consciousness. The play exhibited the â€Å"fine intensification and enlargement of the theme of death; and in end the images which make dramatization possible are significant (Wilson-Knight, 1963). Due to his turbulent emotions which result from his indecision on how to respond to his fathers murder, he then thrived in isolation from society. Ill wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. (I. 5. 99-104) A tragic hero, Hamlet largely determines his own fate, similar to Sophocles’ Oedipus and Shakespeare’s own King Lear. An extraordinarily complex young man—intuitive, accomplished, sensitive, noble, philosophic and reckless, Hamlet is a larger-than-life character. Thus, his tragedy rooted from these ill-defined â€Å"excesses† of personality. Hamlet’s emotional side is obviously evident from the beginning: At the plays opening he is portrayed to be consumed by anguish and shock even before he sees the ghost. In his first soliloquy, he even expressed the wish that suicide was acceptable. Also, Wilson-Knight (1963) averred that by establishing a dominant motif of disease and corruption and skillfully developing it through a series of carefully chosen interlaces, always present in moments of dramatic and moral tension, he enhances the genre and provides a structure suggesting macrocosmic and microcosmic horror. How the ghost contributes to irony implicit in that analogy must be investigating by first dialectically proving malevolence. A deeper understanding of the conflicts that hound the character of Hamlet and his turbulent emotions exemplifies the complex reactions of humans towards the issue of death. The approach taken by Shakespeare in Hamlet has generated countless different interpretations of death, but it is through Hamlets struggle to confront his internal dilemma that he himself dies at the end, fulfilling his duty as a son and his duty to society, by purging the corrupt from the monarchy and avenging his father’s death. However, we all know that death is never the end, it is only the beginning. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. In Kirszner Mandell (ed. ), Portable Literature Reading, Reacting, Writing, 5th ed. , Boston: Thomson/Wadsworth Publishers, 2003, p. 722-827. Wilson Knight, G. The Wheel of Fire. New York: Meridian Books, 1963.

Constitution in Kenya Essay Example for Free

Constitution in Kenya Essay 1.1 INTRODUCTION The agitation for a new Constitution in Kenya was informed by various past historical injustices ranging from economic, social, cultural and civil to political matters. At the political level, issues on centralized and ironfisted governance kept popping year in year out. The passage of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 on 4 August, 2010 and its subsequent promulgation on the 27 August, 2010 arguably ushered in a new dawn in Kenya not only in governance but also in the various sectors of the Kenyan society.1 Its adoption has been taunted as the greatest milestone Kenyans have ever achieved other than attaining independence in 1963. 2 The joy at the enactment of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 could not be captured in any other better words than as Justices J. W. MWERA, M. Warsame and P. M. MWILU did in Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya (FIDA-K) 5 others v Attorney General another3 where they stated: Only last year and in our early maritime history we constructed a great ship and called it our new Constitution. In its structure we put in the finest timbers that could be found. We constructed it according to the best plans, needs, comfort and architectural brains available. We tried to address various and vast needs of our society as much as possible. We sent it to the people who ratified it. It was crowned with tremendous success in a referendum conducted on 4th August 2010. We achieved a wonderful and defining victory against the â€Å"REDS†. We vanquished them. The aspirations and hope of all Kenyans was borne on 27th August 2010. We achieved a rebirth of our Nation. We have come to revere it and even have affection for it. We accomplished a long tedious, torturous and painful chapter in our history. We all had extraordinary dreams. It is a document meant to fight all kinds of injustices. It is the most sophisticated weapon in our maritime history. As Kenyans we got and achieved a clean bill of constitutional health. However, the honeymoon is over, it is time to do battle with it.4 However, at the launch of the 2011/2012 Annual Report of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC),5 Mr. Charles Nyachae6 remarked : When Kenyans voted for the Constitution of Kenya 2010, they voted for change and transformation in  the way delegated sovereign power is exercised by government. To achieve good governance, there is need for respect for the rule of law and a leadership that meets the requirements chapter six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity. There is no person or institution that is above the Constitution or is excluded from its requirements. All persons and all state organs are bound by the Constitution and its principles. It is therefore disturbing and a recipe for crisis to have individuals and state organs that have failed to respect the Constitution or the law in any form including judgments of the court. The name for such conduct is impunity and impunity is the antithesis for good governance. Thus, this paper delves into how the National Assembly remains the most blatant manifestation of impunity and impediment to the implementation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. In this paper, the term Parliament and National Assembly will be used interchangeably to refer to one and the same institution. 1.2 BRIEF HISTORY OF CONSTITUTION MAKING IN KENYA One of the institutions that were created when individuals entered into civil society is the Constitution. Mr. John Mutakha Kangu7 succinctly explains that having invented a life of civic and or political society, the next realization was the need for some form of law and government to regulate the manner in which human beings dealt with each other.8 He further points out that there was need for rules of engagement which could be used to regulate how members of the society relate, not only with each other but also with the common power.9 The Constitution therefore gives the terms and conditions between the people and the government and the relationship between the people themselves. At independence, Kenya adopted the Independence Constitution under the leadership of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The most striking feature of this Constitution was the centralized system of government vested in the Presidency. The Executive dictated what was to happen in the other arms of Government, be it the Legislature or the Judiciary.10 With respect to the Judiciary, the President had the discretion of appointing the Chief Justice and the other members of the superior courts of record.11 It is for this reason that some scholars have argued that the appointment of judicial officers was shrouded in mystery.12 The legislature acted as a rubber stamp for any executive action.13 The agitation for a new Constitution began in  earnest in the 1980’s with demands for expanded democratic space at a time when Kenya was a single party state by law. Most of the civil society and human rights groups demanded the repeal of section 2A of the Constitution that made Kenya a de jure one party state.14 Former president Moi’s government bowed to this demand and amended s.2A of the repealed Kenyan Constitution thus ushering in a new era of multipartyism in Kenya. In the 1992 elections, the opposition was di vided thus ensuring Moi’s retention of power by a simple majority. The Ufungamano Group of 1997 is indicative of a serious demand by civil society groups, human rights activists, opposition leaders and members of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) for a new Constitution in Kenya.15 The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the umbrella regulatory body advocates in Kenya, provided Kenya with visual aid and making of the Model Constitution in November 1994 and the government’s opposition to the re-writing of the Constitution became weaker. However, it did not make a concession.16 The government had no trust in the ability of Kenyan lawyers to draft a Constitution for Kenya. It was on 1 January 1995 that president Moi announced that he was inviting Western Constitutional lawyers to assist the country in re-writing the Constitution. The government however did nothing despite the fact that the pressure for the review to begin was mounting.17 The Western countries were also concerned with the blatant laxity in the government towards Constitutional review yet a lot of agitation for review had been made. In May 1996 when the then United States Ambassador to Kenya, Aurelie Brazeal visited the then Attorney General, the Honorable Amos Wako, he ably convinced the government into conceding that the country needed Constitutional review as a matter of urgency. However despite this concession, no step was taken towards the review process.18 It was in 2000 when the government formed the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) to spearhead the Constitution review process.19 The commission began its work in earnest going all over the country collecting and collating views of Kenyans on the Constitution review process. A National Conference was held at the Bomas of Kenya where a draft Constitution that was a product of intense deliberations, compromises and consensus was agreed upon. However, some persons in the Hon. Kibaki’s government retreated to Kilifi where with help of the then Attorney General, the Honorable Amos Wako, radically altered and mutilated the Bomas draft. In  the referendum carried out in November 2005, the government suffered a humiliating defeat as the proposed Constitution was overwhelmingly rejected. The impact of this development was a cabinet reshuffle that threw out all cabinet ministers who opposed the Constitution. These members formed a formidable opposition group preparing Kenya for the most hotly contested election in the Kenyan history. When elections were held in December 2007, very few Kenyans were anticipating the aftermath of that election. Violence engulfed the country immediately the result for the presidential election was announced on the 30 December 2007 leading to the death of more than 1000 persons and the displacement of thousands of others. Dr. Koffi Annan chaired negotiations aimed at reconciling the two warr ing parties, the Party of National Unity (PNU) led by President Mwai Kibaki and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) under the leadership of Hon. Raila Odinga. The negotiations yielded the grand coalition government. The government committed itself to the implementation of all the terms and conditions under which the coalition government was founded as dictated by the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008.20The most reformative of this was the Agenda Four that demanded of the government to carry out comprehensive reforms on land, the Constitution and other sectors of the Kenyan society. The adoption of a new Constitution was therefore top of the agenda of the coalition government. The Constitution of Kenya Amendment Act, 2008 was enacted creating a body called the Committee of Experts (CoE) to lead in the writing of a new Constitution. Participation of Kenyans was also comprehensively provided for in the Act. On the 4 August 2010, the proposed Constitution of Kenya was subjected to a referendum receiving an overwhelming endorsement of 67 % of the voters. The promulgation of the Constitution on the 27th August 2010 indeed ushered in a new dawn in Kenya.21 One of the institutions that were apparently aimed at being regulated is the National Assembly. This was informed by the fact that the institution had been used and by extension allowed itself to be used by the powerful Executive arm to rubberstamp actions that were aimed at either mutilating the Constitution or gagging the rights of Kenyans.22 Even as late as 2003, the National Assembly wanted to impose a Constitution on Kenyans yet the foundation of a civilized society is that sovereignty belong to the people.23 Were it not for the intervention of the High Court, the National Assembly could have arrogated to itself the  power to adopt a new Constitution way back in 2004.24 PART II IMPLEMENTING THE CONSTITUTION OF KENYA, 2010 Many Kenyans sighed with relief when the Constitution was promulgated on 27 August 2010 but a few wise people cautioned that ‘adopting the Constitution is a move in the right direction, implementing it is the big deal.’25 It is noteworthy that one of the major players in the Constitution implementation is the National Assembly.26 The big question that this paper seeks to answer is whether the National Assembly has discharged that noble duty as expected. It will be noted that the National Assembly has confirmed the propositions of Karl Marx who in his theory opined that the rich uses the law to protect themselves. 27 WAYS IN WHICH PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN POSITIVE IN IMPLEMNTING THE CONSTITUTION It would be legally impossible if one was to argue that the National Assembly has done nothing in the implementation of the Constitution for to suggest so would mean the Constitution remains completely unimplemented. This part of the paper highlights the achievements of the said institution which have ensured that the letter and the spirit of the Constitution are effectively and faithfully implemented. 2.1 EXERCISING OVERSIGHT OVER THE EXECUTIVE One of the cardinal duties of the National Assembly is to exercise checks and balances over the other arms of the government in general and the Executive in particular.28 This follows from the foundation of a civilized society in which it was agreed that a government had to be formed so as to ensure protection of the welfare of all members of the society.29 It was however noted that if all the state power was left to be exercised by one person, then the said person was likely to be a tyrant.30 It for this reason that Baron De monthesque vehemently argued for a three-armed government so that each of the arms would be a watchdog over the rest.31 It is for this reason that the Constitution of Kenya provides that the National Assembly manifests the diversity of the nation and represents the will of the people.32 The will of the people is said to have been negated when one arm of government makes decisions that are tantamount to the spirit and letter of the Constitution.33 If there is one act by the Executive that generated more heat in the implementation of the Constitution is the President’s unilateral appointment of the Chief Justice (CJ), the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Controller of Budget (CoB) and the Attorney General.34 These appointments met strong resistance from the ODM side of the coalition which felt that the Prime Minister was not consulted. The press statement released by Hon. James Orengo tells it all.35 Hon. Orengo maintained that the Prime Minister had not been consulted and this amounted to a breach of both the National Accord and the Constitution.36 The bone of contention went from the legality of the appointments to a debate on the meaning of the word â€Å"consultation.† Those in support of the President maintained that consultations need not result in concurrence, whereas those in support of Hon. Orengo were of the converse position.37 The National Assembly through its chair, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Kenneth Otiato Marende, restored sanity by declaring that the appointments were unconstitutional as the President had not consulted the Prime Minister as required by the Constitution and the Accord.38 This marked a bold move from the legislature in reminding the executive that the law had to be followed. 2.2 VETTING CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE HOLDERS It has been pointed out above that the people of Kenya exercise their sovereignty through representation by the legislature. Vetting involves interviews that are meant to ascertain if the proposed candidates satisfy both the professional and integrity thresholds set by the Constitution and the enabling laws.39 Public screening of such high ranking state officers40 such as the Chief Justice has seen improved confidence in the Judiciary. The vetting process has also reduced ethnic and regional imbalance in terms of appointments to public service. It has at the same time ensured gender equality in public appointments.41 Parliament’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) unanimously approved the nominations of Dr. Willy Mutunga and Ms.Nancy Barasa as the CJ and DCJ respectively.42 However, the committee faltered when it came to the appointment of Mr. Keriako Tobiko as the DPP. The Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs rejected Mumo Matemu, Prof. Jane Kerubo Onsongo and Irene Cheptoo keino as the Chairperson of the Ethics and Antic-Corruption Commission and deputies respectively and asked Parliament to do the same. The chairman of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Dr. Bonny Khalwale tabled documents claiming the Mr.Mumo Matemu had failed to collect sh.2.4 Billion in tax arrears from a company while at the Kenya Revenue Authority.43 This transparent process by the National Assembly marked a departure from the Opaque and non-accountable process of appointments in the past. 2.3 ENACTING LEGISLATIONS One of the major duties of the National Assembly is legislation. Implementing the Constitution demands the enactment of a number of legislations.44 One must give it to the National Assembly for having risen to the occasion and enacted laws at least at the right timelines. Questions have however been raised on the quality of some of those legislations.45 The point to note is the primary level is the enactment and the quality or otherwise of law is a secondary one depending on the lens of the critique. A key achievement of Parliament is the enactment of legislations required under the sixth schedule to the Constitution within the requisite timelines. These are legislations touching on matters of Election, security and devolution implemented according to their requisite timelines. However, the National Assembly extended the period prescribed for the enactment of the bills relating to Public Finance Management, Land and County Government. The extension of time was to allow time for more comprehensive public participation and to address what the respective ministries considered to be contentious issues. By 26 August, 2011 which was exactly a year after the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, under the fifth schedule to the Constitution and the agreed schedule of bills, the National Assembly had enacted the following pieces of legislation: the Supreme Court Act, 2011,46 the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, 2011,47 the Industrial Court Act, 2011,48 the Urban Areas and Cities Act,49 the Environment and Land Court Act, 2011,50 the National Gender and Equality Commission Act, 2011,51 the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2011,52 the Elections Act, 2011,53 the Kenya Citizenship and Immigrations Act,2011,54 the Commission on Revenue Allocation Act, 2011,55 the Power of Mercy Act, 2011,56 the Vetting of Judges and Magistrate Act, 2011,57 the Judicial Service Act, 2011,58 the Independent Offices(Appointment) Act, 2011,59 the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Act, 2011,60 the Commission on Administrative Justice Act, 2011,61 the Political Parti es Act, 201162 and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission Act, 2011.63 PART III PARLIAMENT AS A MANIFESTATION OF IMPUNITY AND IMPEDIMENT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONSTITUTION While Parliament has been instrumental in the production of some key reports and holding the Executive to account, it has however been averse to the processes and institutions which seem to be a threat to their selfish political interests. Having given the achievements of Parliament, hereunder are its chief failures. 3.1 MUTILATION OF THE CONSTITUTION One of the sad stories of Constitution making in Kenya has been the blatant mutilation of the Constitution by the very same authority that is supposed to protect and defend it. Some have argued that the independence Constitution was one of the most progressive Constitutions of the time64 yet Parliament in its intention to amass power and please the Executive amended it severally.65 One of such amendments is the 1982 amendment to the Constitution that made Kenya a de jure one party state.66 The net effect of this amendment was decreased democratic space which subsequently led to curtailment of other rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of  speech, and freedom of association. It is noteworthy that Parliament allowed itself to be used by the executive to propagate the authoritarian agenda. It was a great expectation that the enactment of the Constitution of Kenya on 27 August 2010 would be an incentive to Parliament to live by the spirit of the law. It has however dawned on Kenyans that enacting the Constitution was just a single step in reforming Kenya. The bigger and challenging step is a comprehensive implementation of the Constitution. If the number of sub-standard legislations that have been passed by Parliament is to be used as a test on whether Parliament has truly lived up to its duty to protect and defend the Constitution, then Kenyans have been taken for a ride. For instance, when Kenyans found it fit to include a chapter on integrity in the Constitution, they expected that the Legislative arm of Government would actualize its implementation by passing laws on integrity that would satisfy the requirements of chapter six of the Constitution. However, as Karl Marx in his Marxist theory puts it: the ruling class has continued to use the law to propagate its dominance over the lower class; Kenyan Members of Parliament (MPs) gave a practical application of the Marxist theory67 by watering down the spirit and effect of the Integrity Bill.68 The spirit of the Bill was to ensure that only persons of unquestionable character and integrity are appointed or elected to public offices.69 It is a reasonable presumption that only persons of high integrity will respect, protect and implement the Constitution yet the current Kenyan MPs intend to preserve the status quo70 by ensuring that the law serves them.71 The other legislation that was meant restore sanity by bring discipline in the democratic space in Kenya is the Elections Act. In that regard, one of the historical injustices meted against Kenyans by politicians was the culture of party hopping.72 Party hopping not only encourages indiscipline in political parties but also constrains development of political parties in Kenya. As one of the roles of political parties is to nurture democracy, allowing politicians to join political parties and leave at will is a sure ticket to the road leading to death of democracy in Kenya. S.34(8) of the Elections Act, 2011, required that a member should be in the party list on which s/he intends to contest the elections three months before that list is submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties. In other words, one was to be in the party list by 3 October 2012. However, the amendments by the MPs to s. 34(8) of the Elections Act, 2011 now require parties to submit their lists not later than 4 January 2013. In essence, the amendment means that MPs are free to change political parties until 3 January 2013 which is two months to the elections. The chief mover and champion of the amendment to the Elections Act, Hon. Isaac Ruto, submitted flimsy arguments in support of the amendments. He is one record as having said restricting persons from changing their political parties was tantamount to their rights to freedom of expression and association and if the Elections Act was not amended it would affect MPs and Councilors.73 He stated : Considering the large number of legislators and councilors that may be affected, this provision left unamended is likely to distort if not paralyse these key institutions of governance.74 Reasonable as these arguments may sound, they reflect a failure to understand the import of restricting party hopping. It goes against the principle that one cannot have their cake and eat it at the same time. 3.2 ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE ELECTION DATE Article 101 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 expressly provides that a general election of members of Parliament shall be held on the second Tuesday in August in every fifth year. Kenyans unanimously voted for the Constitution of Kenya 2010 on the understanding that the first general elections under the new constitutional dispensation would be held on 7 August 2012. However, three groups emerged with different dates of the first general election under the new Constitution. The first group was of the view that the date of the election is in the year 2013 and specifically between 15th January 2013 and 15th March 2013.The second group was of the view that the  date of the first elections is on the second Tuesday of August 2012 while the third group favoured an election date between October 2012 and December 2012. Meanwhile, Parliament was in the process of enacting the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2011which inter alia sought to amend articles 101(1), 136(2), 177(1)(a) and 180(1) so as to alter the date of the next general elections from the second Tuesday of August to third Monday of December. Thus, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) filed in the Supreme Court of Kenya Re Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission75 seeking an advisory opinion on the date of the general elections under the new Constitution. The Supreme Court considered the matter before it and in its ruling delivered on 15th November 2011 stated, in part, as follows: We will be guided by certain principles which have clearly emerged from the submissions: the High Court is, by Article 165(3) (d) of the Constitution, entrusted with the original jurisdiction to hear and determine any question entailing the interpretation of the Constitution; it is the obligation of the Supreme Court, as the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution to protect and reinforce the conferment of first-instance jurisdiction upon the High Court especially when the matter in respect of which an advisory opinion is being sought, is pending before the High Court; subject to those principles, the Supreme Court will exercise its discretion appropriately, on a case-to-case basis, in accepting requests for an Advisory Opinion. We hereby order and direct as follows: (1) We decline to declare that the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to render an advisory opinion in the instant matter, but decline in exercise of our discretion, to give such an opinion with regard to the date of the next general election. (2) We reserve the reasons to be set out in a ruling upon notice. (3) Responding to the High Court’s request of 13th October 2011 for directions, High Court Petition Nos. 123 of 2011, 65 of 2011 and 185 of 2011 shall be placed before the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of that Court, for hearing on priority and on a day-to-day basis. (4) The aforesaid petitions shall be listed for mention and directions before the Head of the High Court‘s Constitutional and Human Rights Division on 18th November, 2011.† At the same time, three Petitions were filed at the Constitutional and Human  Rights Division of the High Court with the intention of having the High Court determine the date of the first general election under the new Constitution. The three Petitions were consolidated by the order of Honourable Justice Isaac Lenaola, the Head of the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court on 18 November 2011 into John Harun Mwau v the Honourable Attorney General and 2 others.76 The three Judge bench77 after considering the submissions of counsels for the petitioners, respondents and interested parties, held inter alia: The date of the first elections under the Constitution is determined by reference to section 9 and 10 of the Sixth Schedule as follows; (a) In the year 2012, within sixty days from the date on which the National Coalition is dissolved by written agreement between the President and Prime Minister in accordance with section 6(b) of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008; or (b) Upon the expiry of the term of the 10th Parliament on the 5th Anniversary of the day it first sat which is designated by Legal Notice No. 1 of 2008 as 15th January 2008. The term therefore expires on 14th January 2013. The elections shall be held within sixty days of 15th January 2013. (c) The body entitled under the Constitution to fix the date of the first elections within sixty of the expiry of the term of the National Assembly or upon dissolution of the National Coalition by written agreement between the President and the Prime Minister in accordance with section 6(b) of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008 is the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. In view of the court’s finding on the election date, the court did not find it necessary to express its view on the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill, 2011 as it also dealt with other issues that were not germane to these proceedings before the court at that particular moment. As legislature was seized of the matter, it would take guidance from the court’s decision or act within its constitutional mandate as it may lawfully wish to do. The Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister accordingly withdrew the Constitutional amendments that were hoped to be achieved by the Constitution of Kenya Amendment Bill, 2011 given that IEBC had settled for 4 March 2013 as the date of the first general elections under the new  Constitution. 3.3REFUSING TO PAY TAXES One of the salient features and characteristics of the duties and obligations of Parliament before the coming into effect of the Constitution was the Constitutional right of MPs not to pay taxes.78 The Constitution has now done away with that scenario by expressly providing under Article 210 that every person in Kenya must pay tax.79 The Constitution further expressly prohibits any legislation that waives the duty of every person in Kenya to pay tax.80 Some of the proponents of the non-payment of tax argue that by demanding MPs to pay tax, it would be a violation of their rights under the Constitution. They are of the opinion that the National Assembly Remuneration Act81 had to be amended to obligate them pay the taxes. The Hon. Kenneth Marende, the chief proponent of this argument argued that the law was to be followed if MPs were to pay tax. The opponents of the Mps-crusade of non-payment of tax argued that the Constitution is as clear as a crystal with respect to MPs obligation to pay tax.82 The Government appeared divided on this as the then Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, the Hon. Mutula Kilonzo agreed with those who heckled the view that Mps had no obligation to pay taxes until after the first General election is held under the Constitution. Other lawyers such as the Supreme Court Lady Justcie Njoki Ndungu were of the view that Mps were not exempt from paying taxes. The blame must squarely lie on Parliament because they refused to provide leadership on this crucial issue. It is even disturbing because the Speaker joined the bandwagon of those opposed to MPs payment of tax. The refusal to provide leadership and by extension the failure to amend the relevant legislations to give effect to the provisions of the Constitution on payment of taxes amounts to impunity exercised against the Constitution and the people of Kenya. A sober reading and interpretation of the Constitution obligates every  person, MPs included, to pay taxes. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and all other laws must be consistent with it.83 Similarly, the transitional clauses under Clause 7 of the Sixth schedule which reads; â€Å"All laws in force immediately before the effective date continues in force and shall be construed with the alterations, adaptations, qualifications and exceptions necessary to bring it into conformity with this Constitution.† The effective date refers to the date on which the Constitution was promulgated, that is the 27th August, 2010. The National Assembly Benefits and Remuneration Act is subject to the Constitution hence the MPs have a duty to pay taxes. 3.4 ILLEGAL INCREMENT OF MPs SALARIES AND BENEFITS Parliament has for some time now been the only institution that can decide to hike their pay to preposterous amounts without consulting anybody. With the coming into effect of the Constitution, the power to decide the salaries and other benefits of all state officers has been given to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.84 Members of Parliament are classified as sate officers under the Constitution hence their salaries must be decided upon by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. The Mps decided early this year to award themselves with hefty send-off packages amounting to Kenya shillings Nine Million per MP with the pretext that they had the right to such monies as a way of thanking themselves for the good work they have done in the past five years.85 It was with the timely intervention of the President that the taxpayers were spared the burden of paying such lofty amounts of benefits to the Mps. 3.5 SUSPICIOUS REJECTION OF PARLIAMENTARY REPORTS The Kenyan Mps have perfected the art of either amending reports or rejection such reports provided those adversely mentioned in the reports either directly or through proxy give out handouts to the MPs. When Parliament debated on the Parliamentary Report on the Sale of Kenyan Embassy in Tokyo Japan, there were glaring accusations that some MPs had been bribed to kill the report.86 The MPs are said to have taken bribes to amend the Report of the depreciation of the Kenya shilling in which report the Governor of the Central Bank had been adversely mentioned.87 The demeanor of some of the MPs told it all as most of those who are normally perceived as talking on behalf the common mwananchi joined the bandwagon of those who supported the amendments to the Report. If the Mps can stoop low as to take bribes of Kenya shillings 5,000, it must be the worst betrayal of the Constitution. 3.6 DISREGARD OF THE MANDATE OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONSTITUTION (CIC) AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC)88 is a Constitutional mechanism established to monitor, facilitate, co-ordinate and oversee the implementation of The Constitution of Kenya 2010. As provided for in the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) Act, 2010,89 the mandate and functions of CIC is to: monitor, facilitate and oversee the development of legislation and administrative procedures required to implement the Constitution; co-ordinate with the Attorney-General and the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC) in preparing for tabling in Parliament, the legislation required to implement the Constitution; report every three months to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee on progress in the implementation of the Constitution and any impediments to its implementation; and; work with each Constitutional Commission and Independent Offices to ensure that the letter and spirit of the Constitution is respected and; exercise such oth er functions as are provided for by the Constitution or any other written law. Regrettably, a number of bills were approved by the Cabinet and subsequently passed by Parliament without being reviewed by CIC. Also, some of these bills were not subjected to public participation as required by the Constitution. A number of Private Members Bills were also published and subsequently debated in Parliament without review by CIC yet they had a direct bearing on the implementation of the Constitution. 3.7 INCLUSION OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS IN PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND DISREGARD OF THE  DUE PROCESS There were instances in which Parliament introduced unconstitutional provisions in the bills. A case in point is the introduction of unconstitutional provisions in the County Government Bill 2012, which, subject to the operational command structure set out in the National Police Service Act90 or any other National Security legislation, purported to give the Governor the power to chair the County equivalent of the National Security Council as provided in Article 239 (5) of the Constitution.91 This provision contravened Chapter Fourteen of the Constitution, which places the National Security Council under the National Government. Further, National Security is not among the functions of County Governments as set out in Part Two of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, hence there is no County equivalent. PART IV 4.1 CONCLUSION From the introduction, parts II and III of this contribution, it can be deduced that the implementation of the Constitution is not just about the enactment of laws. The principle behind legislative oversight of Executive activity is to ensure that public policy is administered in accordance with the legislative intent, and by inference, the citizens’ aspirations. In this context, the legislative function does not cease with the passage of a Bill.92 It is, therefore, only by monitoring the implementation process that parliamentarians uncover any defects and act to correct misinterpretation or maladministration.93 Implementation involves the promotion of Constitutionalism94 and securing the observance by all state organs of democratic values and principles. The task of implementing the Constitution requires the collaboration and co-operation of state and non-state actors.95 Mr. Charles Nyachae at the launch of the 2011/2012 Annual Report of the CIC observed that the greatest danger to the Constitution is posed by Constitutional organs and state officers who ironically carry the greatest responsibility of implementing it.96 He further observes that it is a Constitutional organ and its individual state officers that seek to pass  legislations that clearly violate the Constitution that they swore to protect and some of the laws that they have passed are enemic to the Constitution. However, Kenyans should be cognizant the fact that article 1 of the Constitution of Kenya vests all sovereign power on the people of Kenya and the sovereign power is to be exercised only in accordance with the Constitution. Kenyans may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.97 No state organ especially the National Assembly should forget that sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Be that as it may, the implementation of the Constitution brought about increased transparency and accountability on the part of the Legislature as well as the Executive. Increased participation by Kenyans in the development of laws and policies marked a key milestone in the implementation process.98 Public participation in the formulation of public policies is a major gain and represents a paradigm shift from the previous dispensation where most public policies were formulated in a boardroom setup devoid of the people’s input.99 In conclusion, as observed by Mr. Charles Nyachae at the launch of the 2011/2012 Annual Report of CIC, even if we had the most perfect laws in the world, in the absence of a culture of constitutionalism, such laws would be rendered useless and become tools of oppression. All laws, regulations and guidelines on ethics and integrity are of little value if individual Kenyans as well as their leaders fail to ascribe in practical terms to ethical values and principles proclaimed in those instruments. He also observed that in the end, it is a sum total of our individual behavior and character that will reflect the nation’s ethics and integrity. 4.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Though Parliament remains the most blatant manifestation of impunity and impediment to the implementation of the Constitution, there are some steps that can be taken so as to ensure that the Constitution is faithfully and effectively implemented. These steps include: 4.2.1 CIVIC EDUCATION It is worth noting that a greater percentage of the Kenyan population is ignorant of the legislative process as well as the Constitutional implementation process. The same explains why some members of Parliament have on several occasions passed pieces of legislations which they later on admitted that they were not aware of what they were voting for. Civic education among the Kenyan citizenry as well as members of the Parliament will go a long way in creating and increasing public awareness on the opportunities, procedures and the rights relating to participation in legislative policy and other Constitution implementation processes. 4.2.2 INCREASING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES Public access and participation is envisaged in the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Article 118 (1)(b) provides that Parliament shall facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of Parliament and its committees. However, the clandestine manner in which Parliament has been conducting its affairs especially when it comes to increasing its salary and awarding itself hefty send-off packages is what has caused Kenyans to resort to the streets and camp outside the Parliament with a view of having Parliament change its view. Increased public participation in the affairs of Parliament will ensure transparency and accountability. It will also help in fostering confidence and acceptability of the legislations passed by Parliament. 4.2.3 ELECTING GOOD LEADERS The choice of electing leaders lies in the hands of Kenyans. The leaders that Kenyans should chose in the forthcoming elections so as to represent them should be leaders with proven track records. They should be devoid of corruption and unquestionable integrity. This is because it is only leaders of impeccable characters that will ensure the Constitution is implemented to its letter and spirit. 4.2.4 INCREASED VIGILANCE AMONG THE KENYAN CITIZENRY Kenyan citizens should rise to the occasion and promote a culture of Constitutionalism. They should be relentless in their quest of defending the Constitution. This includes the necessary vigilance which will ensure the faithful and effective implementation of the Constitution to the letter and the spirit. Whenever the citizens feel that certain actions of members of Parliament or pieces of legislations contravene the provisions of the Constitution, they should not hesitate to move to the Court to have such actions or legislations declared null and void. With the reformed and revamped Judiciary, the citizens are assured of a fair and just determination by the courts. 4.2.5 ENSURING ALL DRAFT BILLS ARE REVIEWED BY THE CIC At the launch of the 2011/2012 Annual Report of CIC, the Commission recommended that all draft bills are reviewed by the Commission. This is aimed at ensuring that the Acts of Parliament that are enacted conform to the provisions of the Constitution. It is at the same time aimed at ensuring unconstitutional provisions are not included in pieces of legislation as was the case in the introduction of unconstitutional provisions in the County Government Bill 2012. 4.3 REFERENCES 4.3.1 LEGISLATIONS 1. The Constitution of Kenya 2010. 2. The Repealed Kenyan Constitution. 3. The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act No.7 of 1982. 4. The Constitution of Kenya Review Act No.5 of 2000. 5. The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution Act No. 9 of 2010. 6. The National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008 7. The National Assembly Remuneration Act, CAP 5, Laws of Kenya. 8. The Constitution of Kenya Amendment Act, 2008. 9. The Political Parties Act No.11 of 2011. 10. The Elections Act No.24 of 2011. 11. The National Assembly Remuneration and Benefits Act, CAP 5, Laws of Kenya. 12. The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2011. 4.3.2 CASES 1. Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya (FIDA-K) 5 others v Attorney General another [2011] eKLR. 2. John Harun Mwau v the Honourable Attorney General and 2 others (2012) eKLR. 3. Re Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Supreme Court Constitutional Application No. 2 of 2011. 4. Rev. Dr. Timothy Njoya 6 Others v Attorney General 4 Others (2004)1 KLR 261. 4.3.3 BOOKS 1. Baron de Montesquieu, (1748). The Spirit of the Laws. 2. Gibson Kamau Kuria, Building Constitutionalism: Defining the Jurists Province and tasks: How to Mobilize a Constituency of Citizens, pp 47 3. Paralegal support Network, The Paralegal’s Handbook. 4. The Kenya Human Rights Commission in Lest we Forget : Faces of impunity in Kenya (2011) 5. Lloyd of Hamsted Freeman, MDA Lloyds Introduction to Jurisprudence (8th ed, 1957) 1129-1199. 6. PLO-Lumumba, ‘Some Thoughts on Constitutional Principles in the Review Process’ in T.O. Ojienda (ed), Constitution Making and Democracy in Kenya, (2003). 7. Prof. Hamilton Okoth-Ogendo, H.W.O. (1996) â€Å"Constitutions without Constitutionalism: Reflections on an African Paradox†, in Zoethout, C.M. et al (eds), Constitutionalism in Africa. A quest for autochthonous principles, Gouda: Quint Deventer , pp 3-25. 4.3.4 JOURNALS 1. Korwa G. Adar and Isaac M Munyae, ‘Human Rights Abuse In Kenya Under Daniel Arap Moi, 1978-2001,’ African Studies Quarterly. The online Journal for African Studies. 2. Mutakha Kangu ‘Social Contractarian Conceptualization of the Theory and Institution of Law and Governance,’ (2007) 2Moi University Law Journal. 4.3.5 INTERNET SOURCES 1. Alphonce Shiundu and Peter Leftie Why Kenyan MPs will not pay tax on allowances yet September 24 2010 at 22:00 Daily Nation Online Edition. Available at http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Why-Kenyan-MPs-will-not-pay-tax-on-allowances-yet-/-/1064/1017710/-/item/1/-/14gkivv/-/index.html. . 2. Alphonce Shiundu , Shakir Shabbir: MPs were bribed to save CBK boss, Saturday Nation. Saturday, March 10 2012 at 22:30. Daily Nation Online Edition. Available at http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Shabbir-MPs-were-bribed-to-save-CBK-boss-/-/1064/1363750/-/item/1/-/x639yvz/-/index.html . 3. John Ngirachu, Vetting: Tobiko scrapes through Thursday, June 9 2011 at 15:02 Online Nation Edition. Available at http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Panel-clears-MutungaBarasa-and-Tobiko/-/1056/1177764/-/ioc088/-/index.html. 4. Justice Isaac Lenaola Public Participation in Judicial Processes .Available ata

Juarez Drug Cartel Philosophy and Culture

Juarez Drug Cartel Philosophy and Culture A counterculture will always be a subculture that instead of following the larger societys norms they refuse to have the same belief and value set as the larger society. This group establishes their own set of norms and beliefs (Thomas 39). Countercultures have existed for hundreds of years all over the world. Some have been a complete failure while others have managed to carry on and lead their movement worldwide. It is no doubt that these countercultures are considered rebels in the eyes of the larger society. One of Mexicos most well-known countercultures is the Juarez Drug Cartel. The Juarez Drug Cartel is a criminal organization in charge of some of the drug trade in Mexico. In recent years, this cartel has expanded its criminal offenses from not only drug trafficking but to also conducting kidnapping and human trafficking operations (Unknown). All as a means to continue revolutionizing their movement. The Juarez Drug Cartel which may also be referred to as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization in honor of its leader, is mainly located in the city of Juarez which is in the state of Chihuahua. It began to develop in the 1980s after the Guadalajaras cartel leader, Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo was arrested. Rafael Aguilar Guajardo, the individual who was an associate of the Guadalajaras cartel, presumed the authority to control Ciudad Juarez (city of Juarez) after the notorious arrest. Shortly after for unknown circumstances, Aguilar Guajardo was killed in 1993 and one of his right hand men, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, aka El Senor de los Cielos (Lord of the Skie s), undertook control of the beginnings of the cartel. Under his control, half of Mexican trafficking took place and his trafficking expanded to Central America and South America. (Unknown). The Juarez Cartel had quite an operational system going on. It was in charge of moving tons of cocaine from Colombia into Mexico by means of air and then disbursing it into the United States by land. Carrillo Fuentes died in 1997 and his brothers, Vicente and Rodolfo took control. Part of the reason as to why this cartel developed into a well-established criminal organization was because they worked closely with corrupt local and state law enforcement. These municipal forces have allowed not only the Juarez Cartel, but many other cartels to continue their criminal misdemeanors. The cartel was able to use small armies of their own to protect themselves and their territories. One of the cartels small army is the Linces, which consists of former individuals from the Armys Special Forces. In October 9, 2014 Vicente Carrillo Fuentes was arrested by Mexican government officials (Unknown). It is reasonable to say that this cartel has weakened its powers due to new criminal organizations developing but still to this day it has remained in Mexicos territories still carrying on criminal operations of their own. Upon researching any counterculture, it is important to understand two main terms in order to properly analyze the information. Sociological perspective is a term that is basically used to inform an individual that they must be able to understand the outlook of others and the meanings behind their actions, all in effort to broaden ones views (Thomas 4).ÂÂ   The sociological perspective can also help one understand how they as an individual are shaped by their social environment (Thomas 5). With this said, one can attempt to understand that the Juarez Cartels actions have significantly affected ones views. For example, whenever one mentions the drug trade most people think about drug trafficking coming into the United States from Mexican drug cartels, which of course all ties into our understanding of the sociological perspective. The sociological perspective is another term used in sociology which attempts to make it be known that an individual has the ability to see how their p ersonal life is in a sense attached to the larger world (Thomas 5). With this being said, the Juarez Drug Cartel has significantly deteriorated the Mexican republic. Mexican officials have had a long term drug war against the cartels. Since 2009, more than 7,000 people have fallen victim to this long going war. The cartels have attempted to force the government to end this drug war once and for all by literally terrorizing the citizens. The cartel is even attacking corporations. Pemex, which is a state-owned petroleum company has had many kidnapping and theft coming from not only the cartels but also from employees who work alongside the cartels. The cartels are terrorizing the nation to the point where the amount of vehicle armoring production has increased due to security measures that individuals are seeking. In Mexico City alone there has been a 25% increase of armored cars whereas in the rest of the country there has been 60% which of course signifies how great of a fear the ca rtels are causing (Duff). It has been noticeable how the perception of Mexico has been viewed negatively in the most recent years. The problem is so severe that foreign direct investment is not the same anymore. AmCham surveyed a questionnaire where 27% of correspondents noted that for security issues in Mexico they would think twice on whether investing in Mexico (Duff). Their actions have greatly affect Mexicos society and economic progress. Ethnocentrism is the belief that everyone elses culture is inferior and that ones culture is superior above all (Thomas 35). The Juarez Drug cartel is considered a counterculture because it is not something that everyone wishes to do. There are individuals in Mexico living in a state of poverty who under no circumstances would ever consider turning to the criminal organization. There are others who are desperately trying to make ends meet and feel as if they have no other option. Either way, the larger society does not agree with a criminal organization killing, kidnapping, or terrorizing the public. It is something that is not considered acceptable mostly when cartels are doing it for money and drugs. The Juarez Drug cartel and other cartels are giving a message to the youth of Mexico that anyone can leave the poverty state and have it all, which of course violates the views of the citizens. Cultural relativism is the belief that a culture should not be judged by ones standards but by the countercultures instead (Thomas 36). One must be able to understand why a counterculture group behaves in the manner in which they do. The Juarez Drug Cartel continues to do what they do because they find themselves in competition against other cartels in the control of narcotics and territories (Cartels at War: Mexicos Drug-Fueled Violence and the Threat to U.S. National Security ). One of the most prestigious men in the drug organization, Joaquin Guzman Loera, mentioned that poverty was what drove him to turn to the drug trade industry. He mentioned that there were never any job opportunities even today, so for money to be acquired for food, one had to turn to growing marijuana. He mentioned that there was not and there still is not a way that exists that can help individuals survive or contribute to the economy (Lombardi). Of course these are words coming from a drug lord, but it put s into perspective how the Mexican government has yet to counterattack these words with actions. Young adolescents living in poverty are now being recruited by drug trafficking organizations due to such a great lack of opportunity in the country (Ramsey). It is estimated that there was an increase of poverty in Mexico between 2012 and 2014 by two million (Rama). People are becoming more and more desperate and the cartels are simply trying to do something that the government is not doing (jobs) even if it their reasons are morally wrong. In rural communities, the drug industry has been able to recruit many in joining the criminal organization. It is estimated that the majority of laborers are employed by no other than by the narcotics industry (Jones). The Juarez Drug Cartel is a counterculture that has revolutionized into an escape for many citizens. Based on research found on the Juarez Drug Cartel, the majority of individuals would agree that the Juarez Drug Cartels philosophy is not right and that it should not continue. This drug organization is giving false hopes to many of Mexicos impoverished individuals who do not seem to notice that the instant in which they are agreeing to join the drug trade, they are signing up for a life or death situation every day. Since the 1980s, the Juarez Drug Cartel has been terrorizing the nation with its drug trade. Its practices have established them as a counterculture. They have grown their organization to the point where so much corruptness exists that even local and state police are being a part of this countercultures wrongfully practices. References Kan, Paul. Cartels at War: Mexicos Drug-Fueled Violence and the Threat to U.S. National Security . Washington D.C. : Potomac Book, 2012. 27. Book. Duff, Devon and Rygler, Jen. Drug Trafficking, Violence and Mexico. 26 January 2011. Knowledge at Wharton University of Pennsylvania. Web. 08 03 2017. Jones, Michael K E. The Effects of the Mexican Drug Trade over the Past Sixty Years. 05 October 2014. E-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS STUDENTS. Web. 06 March 2017. Lombardi, Daniel. Does poverty lead to drug trafficking? The worlds notorious trafficker says yes. 14 January 2016. Desert News U.S. World. Web. 09 March 2017. Rama, Anahi and Yukhananov, Anna. Mexican government says poverty rate rose to 46.2 percent in 2014. 23 July 2015. Reuters. Web. 08 March 2017. Ramsey, Geoffrey. Poverty a Recruitment Tool for Mexicos Criminal Gangs. 20 July 2011. InSight Crime. Web. 08 March 2017. Thomas, W. LaVerne. Sociology: The Study of Human Relationships. Austin: Hull, Rinehart, Winston, 2003. Textbook. Unknown. Juarez Cartel. 17 November 2015. InSight Crime. Web. 06 March 2017.