Friday, December 27, 2019

Edward Snowden and The Government Data Collection Program

Lon Snowden, as well as others have compared Edward Snowden to â€Å"Paul Revere† and have called him a â€Å"Hero† while others vilify him (Gidda 3). Technically what he has done is a crime, yet many people rally to his defence. â€Å"There is every reason to believe the federal government has been collecting every bit of information about every American’s phone calls†(Hertzberg 2). Through Edward Snowden’s actions we have learned of the governments data collecting program: Prism. This has provoked the public to question the credibility of the government. It has also stirred politicians and citizens alike into a frenzy, debating over the legality, constitutionality, and necessity of these covert operations. Edward Snowdens revelations on the NSA data†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Anyone who has made a call, sent a text, or done anything on the internet has their information filed into a database†(Hertzburg 1). With all this archivation and collection of data from average American citizens, the question has been asked, â€Å"is this constitutional?† In 2012 FISA was renewed again and it will expire in 2017. The White House says until then, Prism and its data harvesting are still legal. The government though, has reacted in many different ways. General Keith Alexander, director of the NSA, says, â€Å"it’s completely legal and says it keeps Americans safe†(Bucci). Other political groups, like Florida based activist group Freedom Watch have said, â€Å"The NSA’s actions are illegal and Prism violates the constitution†(Kelion 3). The 4th amendment of the constitution prohibits â€Å"unreasonable searches and seizures†. If you believe the average American citizen is a probable suspect for terrorism then Prism is constitutional. The group has filed a lawsuit against president Obama and several high ranking officials of the NSA(Savage). Obama initially su pported the NSA’s actions 100% but recently has changed his stance. He has announced that he has come up with a proposal that will â€Å"end the aspect that most alarmed Americans†, the collection of calling data and habits. This reform gives the implication that it will stop the â€Å"NSA’s largest area of dataShow MoreRelatedPreserving Liberty1743 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny† stands for all to see. Beneath Jefferson’s wise words, the artist has declared Edward Snowden and Julian Assange heroes. While plenty government officials condemn the actions of these demonized â€Å"hacktivists,† reconsider the summer of 2013, when Americans sat aghast in their living rooms as reporters broke stories of the mass surveillance of American citizens through the collection of phoneRead MoreEdward Snowden and the NSA Leaks Essay1727 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Edward Snowden and the NSA Leaks Part 1: Objective Summary On June 6th of 2013 The Guardian reported on a classified U.S. surveillance network called PRISM. This information was given to them by former Booz Allen Hamilton employee Edward Snowden. Snowden obtained this information by secretly gathering files and documents regarding the program and others while working for the government contracted Booz Allen Hamilton in Hawaii. On May 20 2013, Snowden had traveled to Hong Kong to meet with GlennRead MoreEdward Snowden: An American Hero691 Words   |  3 PagesEdward Snowden, the former National Security Agency (N.S.A) subcontractor turned whistle-blower is nothing short of a hero. His controversial decision to release information detailing the highly illegal ‘data mining’ practices of the N.S.A have caused shockwaves throughout the world and have raised important questions concerning how much the government actually monitors its people without their consent or knowledge. Comparable to Mark Felt in the Watergate scandals, Daniel Ellsberg with the PentagonRead MoreArgumentative Essay On Edward Snowden882 Words   |  4 Pages Edward Snowden is considered by many to be a criminal, but there are others who firmly believe that Edward Snowden is a patriot, and rightfully so Edward Snowden is a hero to the American people and many abroad. The United States government has the responsibility to serve, protect and aid the American people, but sometimes the government and some of its classified documents every now and then get published and criticized. Edward Snowden had worked for multiple government agencies such as the CIARead MoreGovernment Espionage Has A Natural Part Of The Competition Between Countries1438 Words   |  6 PagesGovernment espionage has been a natural part of the competition between countries. America like every other country had its own intelligence system, but it was not unit Edward Snowden’s leak of America’s surveillance program that the world saw the elaborate and extensive program running worldwide. Edward Snowden’s leak of NSA Surveillance Programs not only destroyed years of Government planning and espionage, but also tarnished the reputation of the American government, damaged relationships withRead MoreEdward Snowden LAUSD essay730 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Edward Snowden, a twenty-nine-year-old former C.I.A. technical assist ant, has disclosed information concerning the National Security Agency programs and their surveillance practices. It has been revealed that the FBI and NSA are allowed to spy on hundreds of millions of innocent Americans, that the NSA can keep information on a U.S. citizen for up to five years without a warrant, and that the NSA watches and surveils other countries and global leaders clandestinely. Edward Snowden, albeit he mayRead MoreMonitoring And Collection Of Phone Data1521 Words   |  7 Pagesthe monitoring and collection of phone data. It is a matter of privacy versus security; in order for the country to be more secure against terrorism, the public must give up some privacy in the form of phone data. Phone data should only be collected when it comes to serious threats to national security using a warrant provided by the judicial system to collect a specific person’s or group of people’s phone data. 9/11 was the largest attack ever on U.S. soil and prompted a government reaction. Not onlyRead MoreThe United States Will Fight Foreign And Domestic Terrorism907 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States will fight foreign and domestic terrorism. The implementation of â€Å"The Program† starting on October 4th, was set out to collect massive amounts of data via Internet and telephone records to ensure national security. Many people within the NSA didn t even know about this program because it was so classified. The select few that knew about this program, had several different views about how ethical this program was. But many of them viewed it as an unethical practice and a clear violationRead MoreThe Issue Of Privacy And Government Surveillance1348 Words   |  6 Pagesinformation privacy and government surveillance in the digital age. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a smart-phone has to be wary of how they use their private information for fear of that information being collec ted and used in a way contrary to their wishes. Leaky smartphone apps that transmit private information across the internet can be unethically used by government agencies. The issue of privacy is a balancing act; the public usually wants increased privacy and the government usually wants increasedRead MoreEdward Snowden Kantian Ethics1885 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Edward Snowden, Kantian Ethics Edward Snowden the Ethical Issue In early 2013 a man by the name of Edward Joseph Snowden began leaking classified National Security Agency (NSA) documents to media outlets, which in turn ended up in public ears. These documents, mainly involving intelligence Snowden acquired while working as an NSA contractor, are mostly related to global surveillance programs run by the NSA. This has raised multiple ethical issues ranging from national security, information privacy

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Cost Of Health Insurance - 1817 Words

â€Å"In 2012, the United States of America (USA) spent more than 2.8 trillion United States dollars (US$) – i.e. more than 17% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and more than the entire GDP of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland – on its health-care system† (Rice et al., 2014, page #). This outrageous number in the quote shows to what extent the United States government is really going to in order to provide coverage for its citizens. The cost of health is rising day by day, and the current rate of health insurance is unable to really help those in need of it, such as the poor or less fortunate. Therefore, in order to take preventive measures for people to treat their well being, health insurance agencies should provide†¦show more content†¦With a simple yet effective insurance plan that covers basic support for these poor families, they can work their way up to paying off the plan in a set number of years as becoming a client of a health insurance agency. The United States government is basically throwing money away on trying to figure out how to help everyone but not really implementing much. If affordable coverage could be provided to all, including those with families, through a plan where citizens work and then receive insurance based on their ethic and employment, this could possible help with not only health care problems but unemployment as well. Problems of Health and Cost to Cover the Problems Lots of health issues can be focused on here, but there are some evident ones that show up in impoverished homes. These mainly include asthma, obesity, diabetes, high/low blood pressure, an innumerable amount of cardiac conditions, and many mental illnesses as well. The numbers of diseases are increasing day by day and now more than ever before showing up with HIV, AIDS, and parasitic problems too. In reality, and in the eyes of the poor their problems are denied and so is their proper care, because of the lack of money and care they are provided. The poor must compensate by overlooking agencies because of all the restrictions that they fit under. As stated in Health Services Research (2014), â€Å"The exclusion of a substantial proportion

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Code Hero1 Essay Example For Students

Code Hero1 Essay Robert Jordan has been defined as a Hemingway code hero. In Hemingways books, a code hero is usually male, as Hemingways books seem to have a similarity to Hemingway himself. These code heroes may have been previously wounded or gone through some sort of an ordeal, and so they could have a drinking problem, or a problem sleeping. They seem to be disillusioned, and/or self-oriented, and are not usually loyal to a large cause, but rather a small group of people or a relatively small idea or thing. In For Whom the Bell Tolls, Robert Jordan, the code hero, most likely dies at the end. If it were not for his loyalty to a small group, the events in the novel would probably not have transpired as they did. Jordan is an American explosives expert. Being so much of an expert that he would be sent on such a mission indicates that he must have some experience in military demolitions, and he may have previously gone through a similar mission. A traumatic experience from a previous mission may very well be affecting his actions in the novel, such as how he has found himself in various situations of indecision. One such example could be the confrontation with Pablo at the beginning, and the continuing problems Pablo causes. Indecision could provide a reason for having a sleeping problem, as he does some things other than sleeping at night, one of the criteria for a code hero. Disillusionment can be seen as the main contributor to the code hero definition. Jordans disillusionment grows throughout the novel, to the point where he doesnt believe in the rebel cause whatsoever, war itself, or the killing of other human beings in the name of a cause. After Jordan kills the fascist who wanders near his sleeping bag, he is bothered by a constant feeling of guilt. It seems that Jordan experiences a change as the novel progresses, but his determination to complete the very dangerous mission never wavers, even though it becomes very clear that they will probably not escape. His code hero ethic to do what he needs to do manages to defeat his feelings for Maria, his growing negative feeling about the cause, and war itself. If Jordan had simply abandoned the mission, he would have been able to live happily ever after with Maria, but he would have let general Golz down by not doing what he was sent to do. At the end of the novel, Jordan ends being injured in the process of trying to escape. He convinces Maria to leave him and escape with the rest of the band. Agustin even offers to put him out of his misery, so he doesnt have to face the approaching fascists. Jordan, however, does not want to go out without a fight. By facing death bravely, he also aids those whose lives he has endangered. The code heros ability to show grace under pressure also becomes a factor in Robert Jordans definition. At the very end of the novel, Jordan finds himself with a broken leg. The fascists are catching up, and the band is trying to carry him to safety, even though with him, the chances of escaping become very slim. Here, Jordan goes above and beyond the call of duty by staying behind to hold off the fascists. Sacrificing himself not for the cause, but for the small group, is what gives us Hemingways definition of a code hero. Bibliography:For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest HemingwayMonkeyNotes on For Whom the Bell Tolls, www.Pinkmonkey.com

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Relative Advantage of the Firm

According to the case study, salton inc. enjoys a great advantage in relation to its suppliers placing it at a strategic advantage with its competitors. This strong relationship with suppliers places it at an upper hand in product development, innovation and branding. Further, the case illustrates that the firm has a strategic advantage due to product sourcing from the cheaper Asian markets, which provides it with the advantage of diversification.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Relative Advantage of the Firm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Afuah, a firm gains competitive advantage over its rivals by establishing strong relationship with suppliers and in this case the firm has 50 different suppliers for its products and a long-term relationship with Markpeak ltd (291). Markpeak Ltd, which supplies the firm with 38% of its products, is a reliable and competent supplier. According to Afuah, this advantage places the firm at a strategic market leadership position against its competitors and new entrants. By insisting on short-term supplier contracts, risk aversion is entrenched in sourcing for materials. In addition, the firm stresses on the importance of competitive bidding to gain an upper in sourcing for its products, placing it at an upper hand on margins position by ensuring that merchandize is of high quality. In addition, high quality standards remained a priority (Afuah 292). However, competitors had the disadvantage of slow outsourcing, low volume purchases, translating to high costs and reduced profit margins placing it at a competitive advantage against its competitors. A clear marketing strategy and marketing mix is evident from the above case. Customers on the other hand enjoyed high quality products, appropriately designed for their needs and wants. Further still, the company specialized in a wide range of quality kitchen, home, personal, and beauty care products. Thus, the company’s brand name became a household name, an important concept in marketing. In addition, to beat her competitors, the company specialized in a wide range of products such as shower radios, and espressio/cappuccino products that placed the company’s brand at strategic places in homes serving as an advertising method. Potential new entrants could find it difficulty to penetrate the market due to its strategic position in terms of branding, lowered product cost, good quality products, product differentiation, and good marketing power and unique marketing mix. The firm’s concentration in advertising and marketing, tailor-making products for its customers by addressing their needs and wants, and making the brand name common through superior marketing techniques provides it with a clear lead in the market share.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Distinct offerings of the firm According to the case, the firm offers distinct products specializing in product differentiation, tailor made to meet customer needs and wants. This included healthier and more convenient foods coupled with product diversification. With innovative ingenuity, the food products met the market demands as it were, raking the company in huge profits (Afuah 297). Further, to boost its sales, the firm produced another brand called juiceman. This brand was similar to the original product but with half the characteristics of the original brand. This made record sales. Product differentiation and flexible pricing mechanisms played an important role in gaining and maintaining a strong lead in the market share. Brown asserts that firms have to adopt a unique marketing mix, adopt a unique hard selling concepts and competitive pricing to stay ahead in the market (chapter 2). These points to product diversification, product differentiation, and ta ilor made products to meet customer needs and wants. Pricing Evident from the case study, marketers did enough research in pricing their products in relation to the value obtained by stressing on the importance of flexible pricing techniques. Pindyck asserts that, â€Å"profit-maximizing price-cost margin is inversely related to the firm’s price elasticity of demand† (Pindyck 1). Pindyck further asserts that a firm producing products with interrelated demand must use joint pricing mechanisms for profit maximization by creating a profound effect on sales (Pindyck 9). According to the above case, product diversification is evident, with innovative blending to meet customer needs with different prices and value. Afuah points out that the firm had excellent pricing techniques by creating a pricing strategy and mix, educating consumers, and providing a single price for any of its products through all its retail outlets (Pindyck 294). Works Cited Afuah Allan.Business Models: A strategic Management Approach, University of Michigan  ® McGraw-Hill Irwin Boston Burr Ridge† ,2003. Brown Alex. Working To End Horse Slaughter: 1 March 2010 http://www1.udel.edu/alex/chapt2.htmlAdvertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Relative Advantage of the Firm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pindyck s. Robert. Microeconomics. 7 ed. prentice hall june 21 2008 This critical writing on Relative Advantage of the Firm was written and submitted by user Shiny Ram to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.