James Madison Essay Example for Free

James Madison Essay James Madison, Federalist Paper #51, 1788 In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate governments, Hence a double security rises to the rights of the people. The different governments will each control each other, at the same ume that each will be controlled by Itself. Note: Madisons Idea of division of power between central and state governments is known as Federalism, Specific power divisions can be seen in the chart below. Document Analysis 1. A compound is something made of two or more pieces. What are the two pieces that make up Madisons compound government? The central/national government and the state governments 2. What word ending in ism is another word for this kind ot compound government? Federalism . How does this compound government provide double security to the people? The central and state governments will check each others power. Also, the branches within each level of government will provide checks and balances. 4. Using the chart above, can you see a pattern In the types of power the Constitution reserved for the State governments? States seem to have power over the more local and personal issues (school. marriages ). These personal liberties were too important for the framers to put into the hands of the national government. Governments closer to the people (the state overnments) would be more in tune with the feelings and cultures of their arem 5. How does federalism guard against tyranny? By distributing certain powers between the central government and the states neither could tyrannize (gain absolute power) over the nation or the nations people. Document

A Life of Purpose Essay -- essays research papers

When you live your life based on sentiments, trying not to hurt everyone’s feelings or doing things just because it feels good to do it, you’ll get nowhere twice as fast. Do not live by tradition either. If you do the same things the same way you have always done them, you will continue to get the same results. Do not live by tradition, it is an enemy of progress. Live by purpose. Ask yourself, â€Å"How can I do it better this year than I did last year?† Success brooks no argument. It announces itself. Every morning before you set about the day’s work, ask God for directions. He is a God of plan and productivity. He set to work for 6days and the whole of the universe came into existence. Our Lord ministered for three and a half years and the whole world changed. That is effectiveness. â€Å"Efficiency† means to do things well; â€Å"effectiveness† means to get results. Strive not only to be efficient, go for effectiveness. When you get results people will bow to you. People who are going nowhere keep waiting for the right time, or a better day. People who are going somewhere know that today is a better day. â€Å"Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat if the scornful†¦.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers if water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither: and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind dri... A Life of Purpose Essay -- essays research papers When you live your life based on sentiments, trying not to hurt everyone’s feelings or doing things just because it feels good to do it, you’ll get nowhere twice as fast. Do not live by tradition either. If you do the same things the same way you have always done them, you will continue to get the same results. Do not live by tradition, it is an enemy of progress. Live by purpose. Ask yourself, â€Å"How can I do it better this year than I did last year?† Success brooks no argument. It announces itself. Every morning before you set about the day’s work, ask God for directions. He is a God of plan and productivity. He set to work for 6days and the whole of the universe came into existence. Our Lord ministered for three and a half years and the whole world changed. That is effectiveness. â€Å"Efficiency† means to do things well; â€Å"effectiveness† means to get results. Strive not only to be efficient, go for effectiveness. When you get results people will bow to you. People who are going nowhere keep waiting for the right time, or a better day. People who are going somewhere know that today is a better day. â€Å"Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat if the scornful†¦.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers if water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither: and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind dri...

Cultural Dilemma in the US Postal Service Essay

There are numerous cultural differences in our societies as a result of the numerous diverse cultures that people belong to. Each culture has its own ways of doing things with different cultural norms, values, perceptions, as well as behaviors. People from certain cultures will practice the values, norms and perceptions that their cultures belief in and therefore will end up having difficulties when interacting with people from different cultures who will have differing cultural norms, values and perceptions. These cultural differences are manifested in the workplace as different people from different cultures come together to work together for the common goal of the institution or organization they work for. Since our cultural values and norms influence our individual understandings and perceptions, people will react differently towards events and circumstances that could occur within us and in the environment. These differences in perceptions will affect how employees within an organization will interact with each other and work in harmony so as to satisfy the needs of the organization’s stakeholders. As such, cultural differences are a major concern for managers within organizations as they could help the organization achieve its objectives or hinder it from achieving them. The objectives of an organization are set in place by its stakeholders who have invested in the organization in one way or the other and expect to gain from such an investment in future. It is therefore the responsibility of managers to find a way in which the employees within an organization can work together in a seamless manner despite their differences in culture so as to ensure the organization operates continually for the common good of all stakeholders. The United States Postal Service The Postal Service is an agency authorized by the constitution of the United States and is responsible for the provision of postal services to the whole of the United States. Established in 1775 in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin through the enactment of a decree passed by the second continental congress, it experienced minimal growth and was later transformed in to its current form as an independent organization through the signing of the postal reorganization act of 1970 by President Nixon. As an independent organization, the postal service is self sufficient and does not rely on taxpayer’s money for its operations. The Postal Service’s mission is to offer the American people with trusted wide-reaching postal services that are at affordable prices. As such, the Postal Service is the only delivery service within the United States with the responsibility of providing all of the various features of a universal postal service at reasonably priced rates. The Postal Service conveys about 660 million mails to about 142 million delivery spot around the United States. Although the postal service enjoys a monopoly as contained in Article I, (8), (7) of the Constitution that grants the Postal Service with the special right to make delivery of letters in addition to the power to restrict the access to mailbox that are exclusively meant for mail. Its major competitors are United Parcel Service and FedEx. The postal service manages 32,741 post offices within the United States with a labor force of about 656,000 employees. Cultural differences of management and how they affect the US Postal Service The United States is a country that is full of cultural diversity with different cultural practices based on the numerous ethnic groups that live in the United States. The employees working in the postal service are drawn from these different cultural groups. As such, managers at the postal service have to deal with these differences effectively so as to ensure continues success of the organization. In doing so, managers need to be aware of and understand the seven dimensions of culture developed by Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner detailed in their book Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. Below is a discussion of these seven dimensions. Universalism v/s Particularism This dimension is based on the view of how a culture perceives rules and relationships. Cultures that embrace universalism hold the belief that general rules, values, codes, norms and standards take preference over other particular needs, claims of friendship and other relations. In a society that is universalistic, the rules usually apply equally to all of the members of the universe (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Exceptions to these rules are deemed as to weaken them. Universalism is based on finding rules that take a broad and general picture. In the event that there lacks a rule that fits for accomplishing something, universalism advocates for taking the alternative of establishing the most appropriate rule. Cultures that embrace Particularism perceive the ideal culture as one that is based on human friendship, and intimate relationships . People in these cultures view the spirit of the law as being more significant than the letter of the law. This has the effect that when the rules within a culture take a perfect fit, people in such a culture will judge the case based on the advantages of the law instead of attempting to force the rule to fit. Rules and regulations within particularistic cultures merely codify how people are supposed to relate to one another. Individualism v/s Communitarianism This dimension is based on the view of how members of a culture functions, whether in groups or as individuals. Individualism has a basis on rights that appertain to an individual. This is usually experienced in communities that have loose ties connecting their members resulting in an expectation of individuals to look after themselves. Individualism is aimed at giving individuals the right to personal space as well as the freedom of doing things as per individual liking (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). It permits each individual to develop or fail on an individual basis, as well as perceiving group-focus as striping the person of their absolute rights. Individualistic cultures are more egotistical and give emphasis to their personal goals. People resulting from individualistic cultures have a propensity of thinking only on personal basis. Communitarianism or collectivism is based on rights that appertain to a group. Collective cultures usually place a lot of emphasize on groups and are more concerned with the whole rather than on the single individual. Harmony as well as loyalty within a group are very imperative and ought to be maintained always (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Confrontations of any kind are highly avoided with people using expressions and phrases that would describe an argument in less negative manner. Saying no to others is considered to be wrong and deemed as a way of destroying the harmony found within these groups. Neutral v/s Emotional Emotional or neutral perspectives are used in the description of how cultures articulate their emotions. Emotional cultures articulate their emotions in a natural way (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is witnessed in reactions that occur instantly through verbal and/or non-verbal means such as mimic as well as body signals. Members of the emotional culture unlike those in the neutral culture display a tendency of overreaction creating scenes. Emotional cultures are usually focused on the individual and rarely on the object or position of discussion. It is considered to be alright for one to use emotional intelligence when making decisions. It is also okay for people to show various forms of physical contact while in public and during the communication process. The neutral culture tends to avoid displaying emotions publically. This is based on the fact that neutral cultures do not reveal what they are thinking in a way that is more precise as well as direct (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is an aspect that has the likelihood of leading to misunderstandings. This is because emotions of a certain kind may not necessarily demonstrate a certain situation. Neutral cultures usually appear to be rather reserved, an aspect that cannot be viewed as an indication of their disinterest or boredom. This appearance of reservation is based on lack of emotional tone. On a general perspective they harbor feelings of discomfort over contact in public resulting in a mode of communication that is more subtle thus making it hard for members of another culture to understand. Specific vs. diffuse Specific cultures are those that usually have a small area reserved for privacy and its separated from the public life. People in these societies have many interactions with the outside world and are constantly involved in such activities such as socializing in various areas that involve many people. People from these cultures have a rather small amount of privacy preferring to share there interests with others who are within their groups of socialization (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from such a culture deal with specifics and will view the whole as a sum of these specific parts. The life of an individual is divided into several specific parts and one deals with one part at a time. Conversely, diffuse cultures are usually concerned with maintaining people’s privacy. People in these cultures will avoid any kind of confrontations in the public and have a high degree of privacy preferring to share just a small amount of their private life with other people especially strangers (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from diffuse cultures usually start with the whole before going down to the various parts that make it up. Each of the parts is viewed in the viewpoint of the whole total with all of these parts being related to one another. These people prefer attributes and behaviors that help build trust and honesty fostering the building of strong relationships. Achievement vs. ascription This dimension is concerned with the status accorded to individuals within cultures. In cultures that are achievement oriented, the status of an individual is based on the accomplishments that one has achieved and accomplished. Individuals from these cultures gain their status from the various things that they have accomplished on their own (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person with such a status has to show prove of what he or she is worth with the various powerful positions within the culture being accorded to people who have certain accomplishments. In cultures that are ascription oriented, the status of an individual is based on the groups that one is associated with. In ascriptive societies, individuals gain their status mainly through birth, gender, wealth, or age (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person who has an ascribed status does not necessarily have to accomplish something so as to preserve his status since his or her status is accorded based on his or her being. Sequential vs. synchronic This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards time. People who are from sequential cultures tend to carry out one thing at a time in a sequential manner . They examine time as distinct, and made up of consecutive divisions which are both tangible and divisible (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from these cultures strongly prefer to plan for their time and will keep to these plans once they made them so as to aid in implementation. Any time commitments that one might have are usually taken seriously and staying on schedule is considered an important aspect of time management. Sequential people in particular place a lot of importance on the value of completing of tasks. Conversely, people from cultures that are synchronic usually perform several tasks at a time. These cultures view time is a constant flow that allows many things and tasks to be carried out simultaneously (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Time is perceived as a force that one can not be able to contain or control. Time is also regarded as flexible as well as intangible. Time commitments are often desirable but not absolute with plans that people could be having being easily changed. Internal vs. external control This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards the environment. In internal cultures, people usually posses a mechanistic outlook of nature. They perceive nature as an intricate machine and which can be directed if one has the correct expertise needed to do so. People from these societies do not believe in the existence of luck or any form of predestination (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people are directed towards the inside as one’s personal decision is usually deemed to be the starting position for each action that they will do. They also believe that one can live the kind of life that he or she wants to live if that are in a position to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that might come on the way. In addition, they believe that man is capable of dominating nature if he wishes to do so. . In external cultures, people usually posses an organic outlook of nature. They perceive that mankind is one of the forces of nature and should therefore operate in one accord and harmoniously with the rest of the environment. These cultures hold the believe that man should subdue to nature as well as get along with the other forces existing within the environment (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people do not believe in their ability of shaping their own destiny but rather hypothesize that nature moves in rather mysterious ways hence one can not never know what is going to happen in the future. As such, their actions are directed externally to the environment and are adapted to the external circumstances surrounding them. Conclusion Based on these seven dimensions, the American culture is individualistic, achievement, emotional, internal, sequential, universalistic, and specific. These dimensions have several implications that managers need to consider in order to make sure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization as well as themselves especially in a large organization such as the postal service that employs over 600, 000 employees. In addition, due to the cultural diversity present in the United States and the growth of globalization, there are numerous citizens from different cultures in the United States that do not follow these seven dimensions of the American culture and therefore follow different aspects of the seven dimensions. With the postal service being a national agency that offers employment to all citizens irrespective of their cultural backgrounds, managers need to ensure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization. This will require the managers to build cultural understanding through: †¢ Building awareness of cultural differences. †¢ Educating the employees on the various strengths and limitations of different cultures within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on the Building skills the impact of cultural differences within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on various adaptive behaviors that could help them to realize valuable results within a setting with cultural differences. †¢ Building unity and consistency through team working †¢ Developing a shared understanding and vision between the employees †¢ Establishing effective communication channels amongst the employees to facilitate quality exchange of ideas between themselves †¢ Establishing feedback mechanisms aimed at reviewing and improving the employee’s awareness of cultural differences. In addition, the managers need to come up with strategies that will enable the postal service to compete effectively. This will require them to actively develop: †¢ A shared understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives †¢ An acknowledgment of the significance of diversity in contributing towards expertise. †¢ A clear and shared comprehension of the role of professional pooling of skills and knowledge within the organization. Reference Trompenaars, F. , & Hampden-Turner, C. (1998). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business. New York: McGraw Hill.

Colin Ferguson and the Long Island Railroad Massacre

On Dec. 7, 1993, Colin Ferguson, a man long bothered by what he considered racism, boarded a Long Island commuter train and began shooting at the passengers with a pistol. The incident, known as the Long Island Railroad Massacre, resulted in six people killed and 19 injured. Background Ferguson was born on Jan. 14, 1958, in Kingston, Jamaica, to Von Herman and May Ferguson. Herman was the managing director for Hercules Agencies, a large pharmaceutical company. He was highly regarded and one of the most prominent businessmen in Jamaica. Colin and his four brothers enjoyed many of the privileges that come with wealth in a city where extreme poverty is common. He attended Calabar High School and, from all appearances, was a good student who participated in sports. At the time of his graduation in 1974, his grade average was in the top third of his class. Fergusons idyllic life came to an abrupt halt in 1978, when his father was killed in a car crash. His mother died from cancer not long afterward. Soon after both parents died, Ferguson had to cope with the loss of the family fortune. All the losses left him deeply disturbed. Move to the United States At 23, Ferguson decided to leave Kingston and move to the U.S. on a visitors visa, hoping for a fresh start and a good job on the East Coast. It didnt take long for his excitement to turn to frustration: The only jobs he could find were low-paying and menial, and he blamed racism in America. Three years after his arrival in the U.S., he met and married Audrey Warren, an American citizen of Jamaican descent who understood the cultural differences that affected her husbands ability to get along. She was patient and understanding when he lost his temper and went into rages, expressing his racial bigotry toward white people who he felt stood in his way. The couple moved to a home in Long Island, where he continued to rage about the mistreatment and disrespect he was shown by white Americans. He had been born to one of the top families in Kingston, and government and military luminaries had attended his fathers funeral. But in America, he felt he was treated as nothing. His hatred toward white people was deepening. Married bliss didnt last long for the couple. Warren found her new husband to be hostile and aggressive. They fought regularly and more than once the police were called to their home to break up a fight. Just two years into the marriage, Warren divorced Ferguson, stating differing social views as the reason. Ferguson was emotionally crushed by the divorce. He did clerical work for Ademco Security Group until Aug. 18, 1989, when he fell from a stool on the job, injuring his head, neck, and back and losing his job. He filed a complaint with the New York State Workers Compensation Board, which took years to come to a resolution. While he waited for their decision, he attended Nassau Community College. Disciplinary Problems at College He made the deans list three times but was forced to quit a class for disciplinary reasons after a teacher filed a complaint that Ferguson was overly aggressive toward him in class. That prompted him to transfer to Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, in 1990, majoring in business administration. Ferguson became very outspoken about black power and his dislike of whites. When he wasnt calling everyone around him a racist, he called out for violence and a revolution to overthrow white America. Ferguson alleged that a white woman at the library shouted racial epithets at him when he asked about a class assignment. An investigation found that no such incident had occurred. In another incident, Ferguson interrupted a faculty member giving a presentation about her trip to South Africa, allegedly shouting, We should be talking about the revolution in South Africa and how to get rid of the white people and Kill everybody white! After fellow students tried to calm him, he chanted, The black revolution will get you.   In June 1991, as a result of the incident, Ferguson was suspended from school. He was invited to reapply after satisfying his suspension, but he never returned. Brush With the Law In 1991 Ferguson moved to Brooklyn, where he was unemployed and rented a room in the Flatbush neighborhood. At the time it was a popular area for West Indian immigrants, and Ferguson moved right into the middle, but he kept to himself, rarely saying anything to his neighbors. In 1992 his ex-wife, who had not seen Ferguson since the divorce, filed a complaint against him, claiming he had pried open the trunk of her car. Anger was boiling up inside Ferguson, and he was nearing the breaking point. In February he was taking the subway when a woman attempted to sit in an empty seat beside him. She asked him to move over, and Ferguson began screaming at her, pressing his elbow and leg against her until the police intervened. He attempted to get away, calling out, Brothers, come help me! to African-Americans on the train. He was arrested and charged with harassment. Ferguson wrote letters to the police commissioner and the NYC Transit Authority, claiming the police had brutalized him and were vicious and racist. The claims were later dismissed after an investigation. Worker's Compensation Claim Settled It took three years for his workers compensation case against Ademco Security Group to be settled. He was awarded $26,250, which he found unsatisfactory. Stating that he was still suffering from pain, he met with a Manhattan attorney, Lauren Abramson, about filing another lawsuit. Abramson later said she asked a law clerk to join the meeting because she found Ferguson to be threatening and uncomfortable to be around. When the law firm rejected the case, Ferguson accused members of the firm of discrimination. During one phone call, he referenced a massacre in California. Many at the firm began locking their inner-office doors. Ferguson then tried to get the New York State Workers Compensation Board to reopen the case but was rejected. However, Ferguson was placed on a list of potentially dangerous people because of his aggressiveness. Fed up with New York City, Ferguson moved to California in April 1993. He applied for several jobs but was never hired. Gun Purchase That same month, he spent $400 on a Ruger P-89 9 mm pistol in Long Beach. He began carrying the gun inside a paper bag after he was mugged by two African-Americans. In May 1993, Ferguson moved back to New York City because, as he explained to a friend, he didnt like competing for jobs with immigrants and Hispanics. After he returned to New York, he seemed to be deteriorating quickly. Speaking in the third person, he went on rants about blacks striking down their pompous rulers and oppressors. He showered several times a day and chanted continuously about all the black people killing all the white people. Ferguson was asked to vacate his apartment by the end of the month. The Shooting On Dec. 7, Ferguson boarded a 5:33 p.m. Long Island commuter train leaving Pennsylvania Station for Hicksville. On his lap were his gun and 160 rounds of ammunition. As the train approached the Merillon Avenue Station, Ferguson stood up and methodically began firing at passengers on both sides, pulling the trigger about every half second and repeating Im going to get you. After emptying two 15-round magazines, he was reloading a third when passengers Michael OConnor, Kevin Blum, and Mark McEntee tackled him and pinned him down until police arrived. As Ferguson lay pinned to a seat, he said, Oh God, what did I do? What did I do? I deserve whatever I get. Six passengers died: Amy Federici, a 27-year-old corporate interior designer from MineolaJames Gorycki, a 51-year-old account executive from MineolaMi Kyung Kim, a 27-year-old New Hyde Park residentMaria Theresa Tumangan Magtoto, a 30-year-old lawyer from WestburyDennis McCarthy, a 52-year-old office manager from MineolaRichard Nettleton, a 24-year-old college student from Roslyn Heights 19 passengers were injured. The Note Police searching Ferguson found several scraps of notebook paper in his pockets bearing headlines such as reasons for this,  racism by Caucasians and Uncle Tom Negroes, and a scribbled reference to his February 1992 arrest that referred to the false allegations against me by the filthy Caucasian racist female on the #1 line. Also among the notes were the names and telephone numbers of the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, and the Manhattan law firm that Ferguson had threatened, whom he referred to as those corrupt black attorneys who not only refused to help me but tried to steal my car. Based on the notes, it appeared that Ferguson planned to delay the killings until he was beyond the New York City limit out of respect for outgoing Mayor David Dinkins and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. Ferguson was arraigned on Dec. 8, 1993. He remained silent  during the arraignment and refused to enter a plea. He was ordered held without bail. As he was escorted from the courthouse, a reporter asked him if he hated whites, to which Ferguson replied, Its a lie. Investigation, Trial, and Sentencing According to trial testimony, Ferguson suffered from extreme paranoia involving many races but mostly centering on the feeling that white people were out to get him. At some point, his paranoia had pushed him into devising a plan of revenge. To avoid embarrassing Mayor Dinkins, Ferguson had selected a commuter train headed to Nassau County. Once the train entered Nassau, Ferguson had begun shooting, selecting some white people to gun down and sparing others. The reasons for his selections were never made clear. After a circus-like trial in which Ferguson represented himself and rambled on, often repeating himself,  he was found guilty and sentenced to 315  years in prison. As of November 2018, he was in the Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone, New York. Source:The Long Island Railroad Massacre, AE American Justice