Caribian Crisis Essays - CubaUnited States Relations, Fidel Castro

Caribian Crisis Outline A. Introduction 1. Topic 2. Topic question - Give evidence - Give examples of other ideas 3. Thesis B. Batista/Castro Government 1. Before Castro's reign - conservative at first - turned communist 2. USSR stayed ally with Castro C. U-2 Spy Plane Incident 1. Francis Gary Powers - USA's excuse - 1958 incident 2. Note to the US government - air space violation - Cuba 90 miles off the cost of Florida 3. Rejection of open skies' proposal - Eisenhower left for the summit conference - no more U2 flights over the USSR 4. Powers tried and convicted of espionage by the supreme court of the USSR - Castro seized all American-owned properties - oil refineries - sugar mills - electric utilities - USA very angry D. Summary of The Inspector General's Survey of The Cuban Operation 1. Freedom of Information Act to the National Security Archives -group that publishes declassified government documents -the porpoise of document 2. A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime - Cuban exile organization - propaganda offense - clandestine intelligence - paramilitary force E. The CIA's Plan of Invasion 1. The bay of Pigs - Cuban exile organization - propaganda offense - clandestine intelligence - paramilitary force 2. Budget approved - Political action - propaganda - paramilitary - intelligence collection F. What Went Wrong In The Bay of Pigs Invasion 1. The actual Plan 2. The Inspector General's conclusions - The Central Intelligence Agency - failures with the project and agency G. What Actually Happened In The Bay of Pigs Invasion H. Conclusion The invasion at the Bay of Pigs has raised many questions and many interesting things have come out of it. What people want to know is, why it happened, or what caused it, but the most important question that is not commonly asked is what was the main affect of the invasion? Some say that the affects are not many. People believed for a while that there was no way that the united states could suffer from the invasion on Cuba, they were wrong. The main affect was that Cuban leaders feared another direct US invasion, and so they allowed the USSR to place nuclear missiles in Cuba, aimed at the United States, this is called the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union offered military aid to Cuba, and Cuba agreed to let the Soviet Union send missiles and materials to build launch sites. In October 1962, the United States learned that Cuba had nuclear missiles in place that could be launched toward American cities. President John F. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade to halt the further shipment of arms. He demanded that the Soviet Union remove all missiles from the island and dismantle the remaining missile bases. For several days, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Finally, the Soviet Union removed the weapons under protest from Castro. The Soviet action came after Kennedy privately agreed not to invade Cuba. Kennedy also agreed to remove U.S. nuclear missiles from Turkey, which the Soviets considered to be a threat. All because of the invasion on Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. Fulgencio Batista y Zald?var became the dictator of Cuba in 1952. The United States had been kind to Batista. Shortly after, Fidel Castro, became the leader of an underground antigovernment group. After leading several failed uprisings, and being arrested for leading those revolts, Castro finally lead a successful rebellion against Batista. In 1959, Castro became the Premier. At first, Castro was very conservative, but after he realized how much power he had gained, he started abusing it, being very hostile to both the Cuban people, and the United States. The United States, who had been very good to Cuba, but the U.S. started to get angry when, in 1960, Castro seized American oil refineries, sugar mills, and electric utilities. In the early 60s, he also started to welcome communism and formed close ties with the USSR. In 1959, when Castro became premier, the Central Intelligence Agency, (CIA) started planning an invasion near Guant?namo Bay, a US naval base in Cuba, in the Bay of Pigs, in southern Cuba. The CIA set up a small sub-organization with the sole purpose of planning the invasion. Despite the propaganda, intelligence planning, counter intelligence planning, and paramilitary planning, the mission still failed. In February 1962, the Inspector General wrote a document called The Inspector General's Survey of the Cuban Operation. This was deemed top secret until 1997. Inside it tells many reasons for the failure. Why didn't the CIA think of these problems ahead of time? Before Castro's reign over Cuba, a man named Fulgencio Batista y Zald?var was the Premier from 1952 to

Ethical relativism concept

Ethical relativism concept Introduction The concept of ethical relativism outlines that ethical principles and actions are relative to social norms. Stated differently, proponents of ethical relativism argue that ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† but this judgment is only relative to social norms (Welch 516).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The concept of ethical relativism developed from cultural diversity, to mean that there are significant differences between the moral judgments of different people. Indeed, there is a lot of variation regarding the etiquette, moral values, and principles of different cultural groups. Therefore, even though people often disagree about whether an issue is â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that nobody should assume that their perception of ethics is correct, or incorrect. Since ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that there should be tolerance among people, even in the face of serious disagreements regarding ethical positions. Since cultures and people disagree, there is no single criterion for evaluating the truthfulness or falseness of an ethical practice. Without an acceptable criterion for evaluating ethical practices, varying views regarding ethical and moral positions prevail. The concept of ethical relativism has been the subject of business ethics for several years, but few scholars have provided a definite direction regarding its validity in business. This paper adopts a simplistic version of the debate and demonstrates that cultural diversity affirms a â€Å"relative† interpretation of moral principles and actions.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethnocentrism Ethnocent rism is a product of the failure to acknowledge that different cultures have unique sets of beliefs and values (Mustafa Hamid 37). When people do not acknowledge that this diversity exists, they often tend to isolate people that are different from them. Usually, ethnocentric people believe that their beliefs and values are the â€Å"right† set of beliefs and values, whereas other people are wrong in believing what they do (Mustafa Hamid 37). Cultural ethnocentrism normally happens when people impose the beliefs and values of one culture as the superior set of beliefs and values. Cultural ethnocentrism is normally bad for business because it creates divisions within different groups, especially in a multicultural environment. Indeed, when a group of people who share the same beliefs, values, and norms come together and impose the same values on a different group of people, they are likely to cause friction between themselves and the new group. This friction is likely to limi t diversity in the organization, thereby also curtailing other advantages of diversity (such as innovation and creativity). Ethnocentrism is therefore a manifestation of the failure to acknowledge that if people’s unique sets of beliefs and values differ from the dominant culture, it does not mean that the cultural beliefs of minority cultures are wrong; it only means that they are different. This idea is also true for businesses because it is wrong to judge the ethical or moral principles of one group of people, based on their cultural affiliations (Mustafa Hamid 37).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lack of a Common Ethical or Moral framework The concept of cultural or ethical diversity stems from our philosophical understanding of the world and the moral guidelines that define our actions. The lack of a common framework for outlining our ethical o r moral actions are especially profound in this context because people are equal and there is no justifiable ground to show that there are better human beings than others. Since people have equal human rights and equal capacities to make their moral or ethical decisions, it is incorrect to judge their actions as â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior†. In other words, no common ethical or moral framework defines people’s moral or ethical actions. Instead, people develop varying sets of beliefs and values according to their social norms. There is therefore no justification to say that the moral or ethical direction of one group of people is â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior† to another. Similarly, it is unfair to require one group of people to follow the ethical or moral principles of another culture because there is no common framework to define what sets of ethical or moral principles are â€Å"correct† and which ones are â€Å"false† (We lch 516). Assuming that one set of ethical or moral principles is superior to another would only amount to promoting inequality between societies because such an action would be preferential and unfair to other people.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, in the Japanese culture, customers who pay for services often expect personalized service. It is therefore unusual for Japanese service providers to give services that do not meet a customer’s personal need. Comparatively, in the western world (mainly America and Europe) customers pay for personalized services as an â€Å"extra† service from the service provider. In America, for example, people have to give tips if they expect exemplary service. In such an environment, some service providers would consider it rude if a person receives a personalized service and fails to give a tip to the service provider. The difference between Japanese and American business practices only outline the tip of the iceberg regarding the differences in business norms and practices between different cultures. Another example may be the prevalence of kickbacks and bribery as a â€Å"normal† business practice in most third world countries. Indeed, in many of these countrie s, government officials require kickbacks or bribery for the approval of business contracts, or the awarding of the same. In some of these countries, people consider this practice as a norm by accepting it as an important business requirement for success. Comparatively, many western cultures consider bribery and kickbacks as unethical and immoral business practices. In fact, most western business entities consider this practice as â€Å"unusual†. The differences in these business practices show that the definition of ethical and moral business practices differ across cultures. Social conditioning and programming therefore define the way businesses operate across different cultures. Ethical and Moral Time Adjustments Ethics and morality in business have always been controversial. The development of ethics and morality describe a product of human development, which questions what is â€Å"good† and what is â€Å"right† (Holmes 2). This development arose from the e xpanded capacity of human reasoning that has defined human civilization for centuries. The controversial nature of ethics and morality however stems from the changing contextual frameworks that define both concepts (this analysis closely relates to the idea that there is no single framework for judging people’s morals or ethics). Indeed, just as societies have different frameworks for assessing the ethical or moral implications of their actions, it is equally important to acknowledge that these ethical and moral actions are also subject to time adjustments. Stated differently, morality and ethics are normally subject to time variations, because what people consider â€Å"morally right† today may not necessarily be â€Å"moral† tomorrow. Many examples show how morality and ethics have changed across human societies. For example, recently, the isolation of women in social, economic, and political developments was an acceptable practice in many societies (including Western societies). For example, the society sidelined women in the workplace because many people perceived women to be homemakers. However, as civilization crept into many societies and feminist movement started to be more vocal about this issue, gender discrimination has become a strange concept, not only in business, but also in other aspects of social, economic, and political development (Holmes 2). This analysis shows that morality often changes, not only within the context of cultural relativism, but also in the context of time adjustments. It is therefore naà ¯ve to assume that ethical and moral actions are fixed, or that one narrow lens of moral or ethical principles may judge human actions. Conclusion Even though the concept of moral relativism is disputable, the acknowledgement that moral and ethical principles vary, poses more advantages than disadvantages to people and businesses. For example, it is possible to reduce moral and ethical conflicts if people stop to under stand moral and ethical principles from a narrow lens of their moral or ethical understanding. Certainly, this paper affirms that ethics and morality are flexible concepts because they vary not only across different societies, but also across different periods. Therefore, there is no ultimate standard of â€Å"appropriate† or â€Å"inappropriate† moral or ethical principles because the opinions on morality or ethics depend on the cultural perspective of the society in question. Comprehensively, this means that there are no â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† moral or ethical principles to guide business conduct. Consequently, this paper affirms that cultural diversity shows us that moral principles and actions are relative. Holmes, Robert. Basic Moral Philosophy, New York: Wadsworth Incorporated Fulfillment, 2006. Print. Mustafa, Hasrina Hamid Hamidah. â€Å"Intercultural Relationship, Prejudice and Ethnocentrism in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC): A Time-Series Experiment.† Asian Social Science, 8.3 (2012): 34-48. Print. Welch, Patrick. â€Å"Moral psychology and the problem of moral criteria.† Journal of  Moral Education, 40.4 (2011): 513-526. Print.

The naked truth Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The naked truth - Term Paper Example It is innocent, being the most natural form of human existence or it could be sinful, drawing the viewer into thoughts of lust or temptation. The nude is naked, it is ornate, it is weak, it is powerful, it is simple, yet incredibly complex; in short, it encompasses almost any contradictory pairing one could imagine. We hope you enjoy this examination of five artists’ use of nudity to play with the themes of confidence, power, objectification, complexity, gaze, morality and sexuality. This work, a pencil on paper by the French Henri Matesse, is possibly the most classical of all the works chosen for this exhibition. It is a classical life drawing, a rought sketch of a woman on a pedestal clearly posing for the drawing session, and is done in a rough, sketch like fashion with simple shading and a sense of constant movement throughout. This piece can almost serve as a foil for the rest of the exhibition, by giving a very classically imagined life drawing for other pieces to work with or against. Just because this piece is classical, however, does not mean that it is simple. It demonstrates one of the most innate tensions to depicting the nude in art, the balance between objectification and personification; the struggle between the subject being a beautiful object of art while simultaneously a human. This work relates that tension to the audience by putting the subject on a pedestal, a pedestal that almost looks like a serving platter for food. This invokes the idea of the subject simply existing for one’s viewing pleasure, an impression further reinforced by the ornament worn around the subject’s neck. How different is this person on a wall from a jewel on a neck? Is it there simply for one to view and enjoy or does it have value in and of itself? Furthermore, Matesse’s shyness about depicting classic Western private parts, nipples and vulva, give this person a mannequin appearance, putting a final weight to offset the human/object bala nce. The next piece, a wash by the British artist Henry Moore, works with Matesse’s piece to form a backdrop to the rest of the works in the exhibit. Whereas Matesse’s works as a classical foil, this almost serves as an overview, visually illustrating and giving an overview of many of the tensions that other works will play with in more depth. Viewers will almost be able to slot other pieces by other artists mentally into the spectrum Moore creates. This work outlines some of the vast number of tensions inherent in work with nude figures. The first and probably most obvious is the weakness/power tension displayed by the top left and bottom right figure, respectively. The top left figure, feebly attempting to hide her nakedness from the viewer, demonstrates the feeling of utter powerlessness and shame that can be associated with nudity, while the bottom right figure proudly displays itself with a disdainful eye towards the viewer. Countering both points is the bottom fi gure second from right, choosing to hide private parts she does not wish the world to see while defiantly and powerfully gazing outwards. This work also plays with the personification/objectification dynamic inherently integrated into nude works though facial details. These details range from the assortment of dots, almost alien, on the bottom left figure, implying heavy objectification, through the

'la ci darem la mano' by Mozart from the opera Don Giovanni Essay

'la ci darem la mano' by Mozart from the opera Don Giovanni - Essay Example 6 of Don Giovanni". (Donelan) In this piece Mozart used the elements of rhythm. . He used specific instruments to convey the mood and settings of an opera as he did using this piece. An example of this is Mozart uses the clarinet to set the mood using rhythm. In this piece he used its sensuous and different timbre for astounding effect. He frequently associated the clarinet with female upper class characters. He cleverly uses the elements in this piece for example it is the clarinet's first appearance following the overture in Don Giovanni and is reserved for Donna Elvira's entrance. (Donelan) In conclusion, it can be said that Mozart used the elements in Don Giovanni to produce an effective setting for the text. He brilliantly does this in all of his works just as he did in the piece under discussion. If familiar with Mozart's work this should not be a new premise. He was a brilliant and innovative composer. He is known as one of the most compelling figures in music for over two hundred years.

Literature review Walkable Streets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Literature review Walkable Streets - Essay Example Walkable streets are actually shared spaces. They are actually designed for all types of people irrespective of being on foot, cars, on wheelchairs, or even bicycles. A walkable street actually makes you have the urge to step outside. This means that there are interesting things like trees, people, apartment buildings and homes as you move along. A walkable street is the one that does not make you feel like you are risking your life when crossing it. This is because it has sidewalks, lighting, curb ramps, benches, and signals that will all aid you while crossing it. In summary, a walkable street would lead to any destination that you want to go (Urban Ecology, 2011).Many communities are actually embracing the mobility of pedestrians as a substitute to reducing dependency on automobiles. This shift is attributed to the fact that dependency on automobiles is ecologically unsustainable because of increased pollution, and also reduced walking diminishes social interaction and mixing of p opulations (Pivo, Gary, & Fisher, 2010). According to Hutarabat Lo (2009) he argues that there are several ways that can make a place walkable. Sidewalks should be erected where there are sidewalk gaps with priority being given to those areas that encourage walking like schools, stations of transit, stadiums, and around congested public areas. Moreover, certain obstructions like utility poles and posts can actually decrease the walkable width of the sidewalk. Proper lighting and maintenance of the side walk is to be sustained so as to reduce obstructions, encourage walking, and improve safety. In addition, another way of making the sidewalks safer is by implementing buffers because they absorb carbon dioxide from automobile emissions and also aiding in water drainage. Making of crosswalks is safer and a key component to walkability. Curb extensions decrease the radii of corners of the curb at various intersections. Moreover, curb extensions calm the traffic and also decrease the dis tance pedestrians have to cross. While on the streets with parking, the curb extensions allow pedestrians to see the oncoming traffic better where they would otherwise be forced to walk into the street to see past the parked cars. The zebra crossings or striped crosswalks also provide safer avenues for crossing because they provide better visibility for both the pedestrians and drivers (Zehner, 2012). Walkable streets in relationship with public transit A walkable street must contain a relatively large number of friendly pedestrians. This is because many people are of the belief that the different physical street designs features are sufficient enough to create walkability. The best designed streets are actually not walkable if we walk in them. On the other hand, streets that are poorly designed are memorably walkable if it contains a large number of people. Very little is more enjoyable and attractive to humans than an inherently vibrant, festive place filled with blissful and soci able people (Nozzi, 2011). Whether driving,

Can Regulation Of Tobacco Affect Health Care Costs Economics Essay

Can Regulation Of Tobacco Affect Health Care Costs Economics Essay The economic calculations associated with tobacco use are very complicated. For every savings, there are increased costs in other areas. Many productivity costs are subjective, while things like tax revenues are very definitive. These costs can be absorbed by various entities; public, private, and governmental. The tobacco industry has been viewed as the root of many of these costs. This industry has historically been exempt from oversight by any governmental agency, other than taxation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently taken charge of overseeing and regulating many tobacco products, including cigarettes. Can the new regulations have any effect on health care costs? Why is tobacco use such a big deal? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world, responsible for one in ten adults and the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide (2010). Costs (both public and private) associated with health care related to tobacco are astronomical. Productivity is reduced or lost when people are at their prime due to tobacco use. A 1994 report estimated that the use of tobacco resulted in an annual global net loss of US$ 200 thousand million, a third of this loss being in developing countries (World Health, 2010). This paper will look at the costs associated with tobacco use in the United States and the relationship regulation may have on reducing these costs. Compared to the length of time tobacco has been used, the health effects of its use are just recently becoming understood by the general public. Prior to this knowledge, the tobacco companies were free to advertise without any regulation. 1789 saw the first tobacco advertisement in the U.S for snuff. Communication, transportation, and manufacturing constraints of the time prevented any major branding and marketing successes. The first strong national tobacco brand didnt emerge until near the end of the Civil War, when both Union and Confederate soldiers in Durham, North Carolina raided a local farmers tobacco crop while waiting for a surrender to be completed. After the war was over, these soldiers began writing to the farmer, Mr. John Green, requesting more; Green went on to establish the successful Bull Durham Tobacco Company. (Collins Lapsley, 2010) The cigarette machine was one of the two major innovations that changed the industry and embedded tobacco into the minds of Americans. It was introduced in the 1880s and allowed companies to go from producing 40,000 hand-rolled cigarettes a day to over 4 million. The other major innovation came in the form of advertising. The color lithograph revolutionized advertising and packaging. These factors allowed companies to brand their products, searing them into the fabric of everyday life. Promotions, such as trading cards, were packaged with cigarettes and became collectors items. World War II came and went with millions of soldiers and sailors addicted to nicotine courtesy of free cigarettes issued along with meals. Marketing remained pretty much unregulated throughout the 1950s. Advertisements promoted how healthy it was to smoke and how doctors (whom the public trusted) recommend one brand over another. Sponsorship of television shows, like The Flintstones and Gunsmoke, propelled cigarette smoking into a normal and expected part of life. For tobacco companies, it was the Golden Age: cigarette ads featured endorsements from dentists, doctors, babies and even Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle (Collins Lapsley, 2010). Research evidence was beginning to mount of a link between tobacco use and lung cancer. Filtered cigarettes were born, which eventually led to light and low tar brands all of which have been proven to be no safer than regular ones. Rising public interest in health issues associated with tobacco use and concern about social costs associated with the care of sick tobacco users have created an atmosphere less tolerant than before. In the United States, social acceptance of tobacco use is rapidly declining. 1964 saw the first real public scrutiny of the tobacco industry when the U.S. Surgeon General released his first report on Smoking and Health. This comprehensive report outlined how tobacco had been shown in over 7,000 scientific studies to be linked to lung cancer, emphysema, and other diseases. This was the tipping point for many. Warning labels were mandated on packages. Advertising restrictions for radio and television were put in place. The public was put on notice that tobacco may not be all the things the industry was telling them. 18 Surgeon General reports have followed, as new findings have been proven. In 1996, cigarettes were labeled an addictive drug. The FDA sought to gain control over the industry and limit the sales and advertising of tobacco products (Brant, July 2008). With presidential support, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the industry in 2000 claiming the federal agency was never given the proper authority to regulate tobacco by Congress (Brant, July 2008). Restrictions are not new to the tobacco industry. Extremely deep pockets have allowed them the opportunity to design ways around most hurdles in the past (See Appendix). Regulation comes in many forms. State and local governments have passed laws throughout the years, most of which regard taxation. The recent passage of the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) tobacco regulation bill will give the national government much more power over the manufactures actions. This is the broadest and most comprehensive regulation over the tobacco industry ever. The FDA will be able to control product ingredients, labeling, marketing, and determine whether new products should be distributed. The budgetary impact of smoking Costs related to tobacco use can be looked at from different perspectives. There are related costs that are only seen by the individual, their family, and those close to them. Then there are the costs that are seen by society. These social costs are what drive many of the regulatory policies we have in the U.S. These costs must be balanced and weighed with the benefits associated with tobacco use. Organizations from several fronts are quick to weigh in on advantages and disadvantages of such policies. Each has their own agendas and use data to support them. High social costs justify more restrictive policies, while lower social costs support the argument against such policies. Calculating these costs is not simple. It is important not to count the same costs twice. A sick smoker that becomes dependent upon welfare payments instead of their job salary should not be seen as lost productivity and the cost of welfare payments. The first is a real cost (a real loss of resources) while the second is a pecuniary cost (a redistribution of resources from taxpayers to the smoker) (Adhikari, et al. December 30, 2008, p. 1227). Health care costs in the United States continue to account for an ever increasing percentage of personal and public expenditures. The budgetary impact of tobacco use generally is looked at as whether the tax revenues cover the costs that tobacco use imparts on government agencies. These costs are not just paid by these agencies. Personal and business costs, such as those of health insurance companies, bear massive burdens too. While we are often asked: Do smokers cover the smoking-related costs that the rest of the community bears?, the more relevant question is: Does the tobacco industry cover the communitys smoking-related costs?. The answer to this second question is almost certainly no' (Lindblom, 2010, p. 2). It has been estimated by the CDC that each pack of cigarettes sold in the United States costs the nation more than $7 in medical care and lost productivity (2010). The lifetime health costs of tobacco It is important to understand the difference between the lifetime personal health care costs of smokers compared to non-smokers. There is an argument that smoking provides benefits as well. It may be obvious that smokers have higher costs during their lifetimes, but one must consider the non-smoker lives a longer, more productive life, and therefore uses health care services for a longer period of time. Philip Morris, a major tobacco company conducted a detailed data analysis and submitted a 1999 official report to the government of the Czech Republic that they should let Philip Morris sell cigarettes in their country. They (Philip Morris) said that the government would save approximately $1,227 US per person on savings of health care for older people and increase in taxable revenue (Philip Morris, 2000). The industry is in a catch 22 situation when arguing this point. Premature death associated with tobacco use must be admitted and the economics must outweigh human life. The Center for Disease control estimates that male smokers have approximately $16,500 more lifetime health care cost and females have approximately $19,500 than those that do not smoke. (Campaign, 2010) This adds up to considerable amounts that someone must absorb. The nationwide total in 2004 was almost $98 billion(Adhikari, et al. 2008, p. 2228). Measures to reduce tobacco demand There are many different regulatory measures that can be used to significantly impact tobacco use, such as bans on direct and indirect tobacco advertising, tobacco tax and price increases, smoke-free environments in all public and workplaces, and large clear graphic health messages on tobacco packaging (Collins Lapsley, 2010). Tobacco taxation Taxation is probably the most effective (and certainly the most cost-effective) means of reducing tobacco consumption. Studies have shown that higher prices equate to less people using, especially youth. Young people have less disposable income than older people. This makes them more sensitive to changes in price. Adult tobacco use also changes in relation to price increase too, but not as much as youth. Burman notes that research has shown that a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes would reduce youth smoking by more than 10 percent (Brandt, July 31, 2008, p. 447). Taxes can be used to this benefit, along with the increase in public funds that can be focused on tobacco prevention programs. Cigarette taxes can be seen as a double edged sword. Governments can become as addicted to the tobacco tax income as smokers are to lighting up every day. The amounts of money are astronomical. The President of the United States, Barack Obama signed into law on February 4, 2009 a 62-cent federal tax increase per pack of cigarettes, along with increases in other types of tobacco too. This money is to be used to fund the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a major childrens health reform package. The federal cigarette tax is $1.01 per pack and the average state tax is just over $1.00 per pack. According to the Tax Trade Bureau, over 16 billion state tax-paid packs were sold in FY2009. The total tobacco revenue generated for government use is approximately $39 billion. This significant figure is enough to get any legislator looking for the source and wondering how to keep it. Several states have hoped to fund health care with tobacco dollars. Massachusetts, California, Oregon, and even the federal SCHIP program have come under heavy opposition from the tobacco industry. The SCHIP program was finally approved, but the other propositions ultimately failed. The primary argument used against such taxes is that a tobacco tax is a regressive tax, meaning that it affects poor people more so than others. Approximately 33 percent of those living at or below the poverty level smoke. The argument is that a greater portion of their income is spent on tobacco, and therefore the tax would be greater. Counter to this argument for the SCHIP funding is that the program is designed to disproportionately benefit those in this income level. And so, under an expanded SCHIP, low-income families would have essentially paid $164 to get $1,700 worth of coverage (Robert Wood, May 18, 2009). Theres a big difference in the cost to society and what society is getting back in tax, said Dr. Terry Pechacek, the associate director of the CDCs Office of Smoking and Health. We believe society is bearing a burden for the individual behavioral choices of the smokers. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the nations total cost of smoking at $3,391 a year for every smoker, or $157.7 billion (Curfman, Morrissey, Drazen, June 22, 2009). Poverty and tobacco are closely linked. Some studies have noticed that in some countries, the poorest households can spend up to 10 percent of their entire income on tobacco products. It is difficult to ascertain how this might have a direct impact on malnutrition, health care and longevity of life, as well as things like literacy rates. Tobacco has a wide reaching impact. Restrictions on advertising and other promotion Anti-tobacco campaigners support restrictions on advertising and promotion. It seems obvious that promotion and advertising increase the demand to use, or the industry would not spend the amounts they do. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, from 1998 to 2006, tobacco industry marketing has increased, nationwide, by more than 85 percent, with tobacco industry marketing in 2006 totaling at least $12.8 billion (or more than $35 million per day) (2010). The tobacco industry addresses these concerns with the rhetoric that advertising does not increase the market size, merely determining the market shares of individual firms. While this point is difficult to determine, a key finding from the national youth tobacco survey indicates that the three most heavily used brands of cigarettes by teens are the three most heavily advertised by the industry. Studies on the effect of these restrictions indicate that partial restrictions (i.e. location or type only) have little impact on demand. Restrictions on advertising and marketing do not change the amount the industry spends, only the location and types of activities. They simply shift to non-restricted types of marketing. This is why it is difficult to determine the effectiveness of marketing restrictions. When restrictions are imposed that affect multiple avenues, tobacco consumption goes down significantly. This supports the thought that marketing increases the market size, not just move customers from one brand to another. Health information and counter advertising Anti-tobacco campaigns use pro-health messages and counter-marketing campaigns have been show to have some effect in swaying people away from use. The premise is that the better educated users or potential users are, the better chance they will chose not to us the products. This is a difficult avenue to promote anti-tobacco messages, as it is extremely costly and directly competes with the marketing expenditures of the tobacco industry. There is no way to match, dollar for dollar. Success comes from the combination of efforts counter-marketing with the other restrictions. There is a synergistic effect. Smoking restrictions and bans on sales to youth Youth tobacco use is of utmost importance to the tobacco industry and the anti-tobacco movement organizations. From the 1950s to the present, different defendants, at different times and using different methods, have intentionally marketed to young people under the age of twenty-one in order to recruit replacement smokers to ensure the economic future of the tobacco industry (Campaign, 2010). Where someone can smoke has become a frontline issue. Restrictions of the location, such as restaurants, workplaces, and other public places, make it more difficult for the smoker to light up. This creates an incentive to quit and reduces the opportunity for others to start. These restrictions reduce the amount of tobacco people use, reduce the prevalence of smoking, and have a direct impact on the exposure of second-hand smoke to others. Other smoking cessation interventions Cessation programs have made an impact on tobacco prevalence too. Pharmacological product advancements, from nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), to newer products such as Chantix à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ have helped the tobacco user assure success. These products are heavily marketed and many health care organizations provide them with little or no costs associated to the patient. Some argue the cost benefit of public subsidy of these products is a win-win based on health care costs saved. FDA Tobacco Legislation Through the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. federal government was recently granted authority to oversee many tobacco products. Members of Congress and health organizations have worked toward this goal for many years. This new authority includes many of the items discussed above, i.e. manufacturing standards, marketing and sales practices. The legislation is a very comprehensive approach to changing tobacco use among Americans, now and for future generations. New standards for additives, flavors (other than menthol), restrictions on sales, distribution, and marketing apply. Detailed ingredients will have to be disclosed. The FDA will have the authority to require changes to products. This is the first major governmental step to protect the public from the harms of tobacco. The new law: Restricts Marketing and Sales of Tobacco Products to Children bans ads within 1000 feet of schools and playgrounds eliminates sweetened (candy flavored) cigarettes Requires Detailed Tobacco Product Disclosure Provides Access to Tobacco Manufacturers Research Strengthens Tobacco Product Warning Labels warning labels must cover 50 percent of the front and back of the pack. Allows FDA to Require Changes to Tobacco Products to Reduce Risk Where Technologically Feasible Regulates Health Claims For Scientific Accuracy And Public Health Impact Evaluates Reduced Risk Health Claims For New Products eliminates cigarettes from being labeled light or low tar Regulates Only Manufacturers, Not Farmers The Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) examination of the new law shows an expected reduction in the number of underage tobacco users of 11 percent by 2019. CBO also estimates will lead to a further decline in smoking by adults by about 2 percent after 10 years. The expected impact of the legislation on the use of tobacco products stems from a combination of regulatory and economic factors. (Congressional, 2009) Impact of FDA Regulation of Tobacco on Medicaid The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) anticipates that the new FDA tobacco rules will lead to a reduction in smoking among pregnant women. Pregnant women that do not smoke during pregnancy are less likely to have low birth weight children. Low birth weight kids cost more at birth and during childhood. As a result, state spending for Medicaid would decrease by an estimated $17 million over the 2010-2014 period, with additional savings in subsequent years (Yang Novotny, 2009). Medicaid expenditures are expected to be reduced by $100 million over 10 years. Other Medicare expenditures are positively affected by the FDA rules too. Heart attacks and stroke are less likely to occur in non-smokers, which will mean acute care services costs will decrease, but it is unclear as to by how much. Medicare costs may increase in some areas due to increased life spans and the payout associated with that. Conclusion A key aspect of tobacco prevention is that as people decide not to use tobacco products, their health will be generally better. If all Americans stopped smoking-beginning with this generation of teens-that would do more to improve the health of the nation that any other reform (Adhikari, et al. December 30, 2008, p. 1227). The economic calculations associated with tobacco use are very complicated. For every savings, there is an increase in costs in another area. Many productivity costs are subjective, while things like tax revenues are very definitive. Public and private costs have to be figured separately. However, there are situations where they overlap and care must be taken to count them in only one spot. For instance, someone that lives just below the poverty line and smokes may rely on public assistance for many things, like health care. That same person quits and their relative household revenue and productivity increases. They may not be as reliant on public assistance. The i ncrease in their revenue and productivity cannot be counted if the decrease in public assistance spending is also counted. It is certain that more regulation, like that in the new FDA program will indeed reduce tobacco use. It is certain that reduction in tobacco use equates to less money spent overall on health care compared to the smoker, but may increase health care costs long term due to extended life span. It is certain that overall productivity will increase as tobacco use decreases. The real questions occur when these issues are followed by the question of By how much?. It is almost like Newtons Law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The factor that must be considered is the value of life length and productivity. These values can sway the equation massively in one direction or the other. The latest estimates of total smoking-attributable health care costs approach $100 billion. Private insurance covers 50 percent of smoking-related medical costs for people aged 19-64 (American Academy, 2010). Education about the effects of smoking on health continues to escalate. As more is learned, the estimates increase as to the costs associated with tobacco use.

An Interview With a Korean-American on Cultural Differences Essay examp

An Interview With a Korean-American on Cultural Differences In this interview Ben Bagley asks Theresa Han about the difference between Korean and American culture. Theresa is a teenager who recently moved to the United States so she has an excellent perspective for understanding the differences and similarities between these countries. [BAGLEY] This is Ben Bagley, and I'm going to interview Theresa Han about Korea. Could you introduce yourself? [HAN] My name is Theresa Han, I'm from South Korea, I'm 18 years old, and I'm a freshman in College. [BAGLEY] How long have you lived in America? [HAN] I think a little bit less than 3 years. [BAGLEY] Where did you live in Korea? [HAN] I lived in Pyoung Tek, It's right below Oosan, where the American Air force is located. [BAGLEY] What were the people like where you lived? [HAN] They're really busy. Fathers go to their work; Mothers if they have a job go to their work, and students go to school, so they don't have enough time to communicate with each other, like time to spend together, because mostly students come home like 10:00pm-11:00pm. [BAGLEY] What did you do with your friends? [HAN] We mostly go to each other's house, rent a movie or something, watch it, and do homework usually, because we have a whole bunch of homework. On the weekends we would go downtown; it's kind of like a shopping mall. It's a street. There are small restaurants, small cloths shops and all that stuff. It was kind of fun, but nothing special I think. [BAGLEY] What did you do in your free time? [HAN] Mostly watch TV I guess. [BAGLEY] What was Korean TV like? [HAN] Like on Japanese TV they have a whole bunch of dramas, so there are Korean dramas, there is regularly a music program, like 3 music programs on 3 different channels. I mostly watched them, like almost everyday. [BAGLEY] Was American TV available in Korea? [HAN] Yeah, there's channel 2, so I know like 'Wheel of Fortune' or whatever. And 'The Simpsons' was on channel 15, it was the educational channel, but ?The Simpsons?Ewas on it in Korean, so I sometimes watched it. [BAGLEY] And was that dubbed or with subtitles? [HAN] I think it was dubbed in Korean, because I had never heard how Homer really talks. [BAGLEY] What is Korean music like? [HAN] There are a lot of kinds of music. Like rock, like f... ...uitoes. [BAGLEY] Which country has a greater temperature difference throughout the year? [HAN] In Korea the summer is so hot, and the winter is so cold. Really cold, so they are so different. In America the temperatures stay closer together, it?s way better. [BAGLEY] Are there any other big differences between Korea and America? [HAN] I think the school system, because basically you go there, I went to school usually by 7:30am and came home 7:00pm. But some students stay longer, like even 10:00pm if you are a senior and about to go to college because there is kind of, like parents and teacher think their kids or students should go to college. Like have to go to college. They?re gonna pressure them to study a lot, so when you?re a senior you start to study a lot and you don?t sleep that much. Usually I think some people sleep 3 or 4 hours per day and just study. No free time. [BAGLEY] And they stay at school and study? [HAN] ?Till like 10:00pm but after school ends they come home and study like until 2:00am or 3:00am [BAGLEY] Would it be ok if I publish this interview on the internet? [HAN] Sure [BAGLEY] Well, Thank you very much for your time.