Moral And Ethical Role Of Government Philosophy Essay

Moral And Ethical Role Of Government Philosophy Essay Ethics and morality form a central position in the functioning of the government. Under normal circumstances, it is the role of the government to ensure a just society where order and harmony exist. As a result the government has to establish and enforce ethical and moral standards so as to ensure that the society functions well. Decision making is the governments chief role. Therefore it must make ethical and moral considerations in order to make decisions that are in line with the welfare of the society. Ethics and morality are used interchangeably. The two terms are related in several ways. Nonetheless, there is an inconsequential dissimilarity linking the two. Most commonly is the fact that morality goes deeper than ethics in defining human behavior and conduct. Ethics refer to the standards that make the society a better place of all while morality provide for more deeper considerations that amount to religion and spirituality. In order for the government to ensure that ethical standards are adhered to, ethics and aspects of morality are entrenched into the law. This makes it conveniently possible to enforce ethical standards and ensure that all people conform to the law. However, certain aspects of ethics and morality cannot be made legal. This will make the society more complicated since certain morality aspects and ethics are perceptive. This brings into perspective the facet of belief and religion which formulates different people to hold diverse views on the concept of ethics and morality. The upshot is that, the government plays a significant role in enforcing ethics and morality. As a result it is expected that the leaders ensure that the society is just and orderly for all. The aim of this paper is to critically examine the role of the government in morality an ethics. To succeed in this endeavor, the paper will discuss different aspects of morality and ethics. Role of Government One of the central purposes of the government is to enforce the law. The law represents the will of the people who have their own cultural and ethical perceptions of reality. As a result the government enforces the ethical and moral values of the people it governs. In other words it can be rightly said that the government serves to accomplish the peoples perceptions of reality as represented in their ethical and moral values. This makes the role of the government more complex not forgetting that not all values of ethical and moral consideration can be enforced by the government. However, the government remains the prime custodian of peoples values. Ethics and moral values have a great influence on the operation of the society. It is therefore true that the government exercises control over the society. This is true in light of the task of enforcing laws. In order to get a better understanding of the role of the government as far as ethics and morality is concerned; more focus should be on the law (Preston Bishop 2000). The law is the governments instrument of power. To perform its functions, the government relies majorly on the law. On the other hand the law is perceived as being representative of the ethical, cultural and moral values of the people. Therefore as much as the law might not be the perfect tool of enforcing ethical and moral values, it remains the governments chief weapon against unprincipled practices and immorality. The law describes what is right and acceptable in society and therefore provides a blue print towards an ethical and just society. In order to affirm their quest for a just society, citizens are expected to adhere to the provisions of the law. Therefore, the law binds the society together bringing harmony among different people. Failure to conform to the law is perceived as breaking ethical standards established and is thus punishable. Therefore, the law is perceived as the peoples will to be enforced by the government. There are a lot of challenges the government faces in its ethical and moral roles. First and foremost are the different perceptions of ethics and morality. This is coupled by the practical reality that the law does not fully represent ethical and moral standards. Perceptions are a great threat to the governments role. This is due to the fact that certain parameters which are legal are sometimes perceived as violating ethical and moral standards. A good example is the issue of abortion. As much as abortion might be legalized, it still remains a debatable ethical issue. This is due to the fact that it is seen by some members in society as unethical. Other issues include divorce and promiscuity. These conflicts underline the fact that the law is not a sufficient tool of enforcing ethical and moral values. It underscores the failure of the government to ensure a just society through enforcing the law. Ethical and Social Obligations Ethics and a society are inseparable, due to the fact that ethical standards are the adhesive of a healthy society. Therefore there can never be a society without standards that define behavior and conduct. A just society can only exist in line with a set of values that represent the ethical and moral values of the people. A society on the other hand is governed by a group of leaders through the institution of government (Kizza, 2010). Therefore, it is obvious that it is the role of the government to ensure that the society is just and orderly. This is what is referred to as social obligations of the government. In essence the government is a tool of the society. It is established by the society to govern it and enforce laws that are deemed to represent the wishes, values and convictions of the people. The governments social obligations are nothing but the functions of ensuring that ethical and moral standards are adhered to accordingly. This involves the task of ensuring that the laws set represent the ethical and moral values of the people. Conversely, the government needs to go beyond the institutional role of enforcing laws to more welfare operations. This is line with the fact that the law in itself is inefficient as far as ensuring the enforcement of ethical and moral obligations is concerned. Decision Making A critical look at the origin of government points at the true essence of the institution. Several theories outline the origin of politics or government. Nevertheless, the contract of social theory is much relevance to the governments decision making role. Under the social contract theory, members of the society came together and surrendered their freedoms in exchange for order. In order to achieve this objective, the people established a government which was to govern the state on their behalf. Among the principal roles given of this institution was that of making decisions on behalf of the people (Cremer 2009). Therefore the governments most significant role is that of decision making. The role of making a decision is supposed to be in line with the interests and values of the society. This underscores the big role played by the government in ensuring a just society for all. Therefore in making a decision the government plays an important part in enforcing ethical and moral standards. Apart from enforcing the law which is perceived as the will of the people, the government has the authority to make decision that affect the functioning of the society. Therefore in making these decisions the government ought to put ethical and moral obligations in prime focus. In this role the aspect of public trust emanates. The government has been given the public trust which must be reflected in every decision it makes. Therefore public officials must make decisions that not only promote ethics and morality but also represent the same. In making decisions the government needs to be guided by two principal aspects. First and foremost is respect of the law. The law is the supreme guarantor of morality, ethics and justice. Therefore due importance should be granted to the law in the process of making decisions. Decisions that are contrary to the provisions of the law should be discouraged. The law should be the common denominator of all government decisions. This will protect the people from leaders with evil intentions. Another critical aspect of consideration is that of ethical consideration beyond the law. This should be interpreted in a positive manner to mean that the law should be upheld in high esteem but should not be the end of ethics. Certain aspects of morality and ethics are not entrenched in the law but should be upheld in decision making. This regards appointments and other aspects of governance. This calls for integrity on the part of state officials in the discharge of their duties. Need For Appropriate Actions Leadership is a delicate affair which involves a lot of aspects. Since leadership involves the tasks of vision, direction and governance a lot of care must be made to ensure that ethical and moral; standards do not take a back seat. The government is bestowed with a daunting task of ensuring order and justice in the society. This is to be achieved through the enforcement of laws that represent the ethical and moral values of the society. This is also done through the making of legal and ethical decisions. The government therefore plays a primary role in the whole concept of ethics and morality. Through its actions, decisions and operations the government has a lot of impact on the functioning of the society. There is need for appropriate actions on the part of the government so as not to undermine ethics and morality (Kiel Lennick, 2007). Since the success of a society depends on the manner in which ethical standards are adhered to, the government officials ought to be careful in th eir actions so as to promote a just and orderly society. It is against this background that governments need to put several measures in place so as to ensure that the aspect of ethics and morality plays an important role in its functions. This will result in a justly moral and ethical society which is what will make life better for the people. As far as the governments role in achieving justice and order in society is concerned, a number of considerations are necessary. Caution must be exercised in the process discharging the functions of the government. State officers ought to conduct their activities in manner that does not undermine ethical and moral values. To start with, it will be necessary to vet people before appointment to such positions. This will ensure that all those who get these positions are people of integrity. This will go a long way in ensuring that the role of the government in guaranteeing ethics and justice is not undermined by the quality of personnel in its ranks. Suggestions The ethical and moral role of the government is instrumental in ensuring justice and order in the society. Therefore it is upon the officials in the government to ensure that their actions and activities go in line which fostering harmony among the people. This will be achieved if all the laws are enforced in line with the peoples ethical and moral values as envisaged in the law. On top of these, the decision making arm of the government must be fully used to enhance ethical and moral values in the society. It will be against the purpose of ethics should state officials make illegal and unethical decisions. Apart from that state officials must be men and women of integrity so as not to compromise the values of the society. In order to succeed in this endeavor it will be appropriate for the government to classify its moral obligations into two. These are institutional duties and the social responsibilities. The former refers to the use of laws and structures of governance to enforce total adherence to moral and ethical values. This will call for the enactment of laws that represent the ethical and moral values of the people (Fisher 2003). Through the law, the government will ensure that there is justice and order in the society. Those who break the law should be liable for punishment. These will dissuade offenders and make society orderly and harmonious. Social responsibilities refer to those roles that affirm ethical values in the cultural set up. Through this arm, the government will set up and fund several organizations and commissions to cultivate tolerance, orderliness and ethics among the society. This will call for equity and equality so that all sections of the society feels taken care of. On to p of this is the decision making role f the government. The government should use its authority to make decisions in promoting justice, order and ethics. Conclusion The government is the chief custodian of morality and ethical values in the society. It is the role of the government to ensure that moral and ethical standards are maintained in the society so as to assure order and justice. The political system gives government the sole responsibility of ensuring stability, harmony and conformity in the society. It is along this line that the government plays an immense role in guaranteeing ethical and moral values. This role can be performed in many ways. Most commonly the enforcement focuses on the enactment of laws that represent the cultural and ethical values of the people. These laws are enforced so as to ensure conformity. Those who break the law are liable to punishment in accordance to the law. Through exercising the provisions of the law, the government achieves its objective of creating a just and orderly society. However, since ethics and morality are relative terms, not all aspects of ethics and morality can be entrenched into the law. This poses a challenge to the governments role of fulfilling ethical obligations. Therefore, it vital for the government to come up with other means of achieving justice and orderliness through ethics. Through its social obligations the government enforces ethical and moral standards in the society. This can be through its decision making arm and also through the establishment and funding of agencies and organizations that cultivate a culture of ethical values. The government also guarantees ethical values by granting freedom to the people to exercise their spiritual and religious convictions. Moral and ethical as pects have spiritual and cultural connotations, therefore through equality and freedom the government ensures justice in the society. The government plays a central role in ensuring ethics and morality in the society.

the great gatsby Essay -- essays research papers

The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel based on Gatsby’s dream and hope. In order to enrich the story, symbols are used to emphasize what the author is saying and they create a curiosity in the reader as they are frequently used throughout the story. These three symbols – green light, valley of ashes and the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg are not connected to each other but each of them represents important things in the story. The green light which is situated at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes Gatsby’s hope to be together with Daisy. Nick noticed how Gatsby often stared at "a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock† (Fitzgerald 25). Furthermore, during the meeting between both of them in Nick’s house, Gatsby told her that â€Å"if it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay. You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock† (Fitzgerald 90). It is clear that he always observed Daisy from his house but all that he could see was the green light. He could only hope and dream about having Daisy by his side. This is before Gatsby finally met Daisy. When, at last, he met Daisy in Nick’s house, it seems that â€Å"the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever† (Fitzgerald 90). He had Daisy next by his side therefore â€Å"his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.† (Fitzgerald 90). Not only does the green light represent Gatsby...

Know It Alls :: essays research papers

Know It All’s Just because a person thinks they know it all, doesn’t mean they can teach. In America, the land of the free, gives this privilege every year to many people. They get their Masters or even a PHD degree in college and think they can mold the minds of others. This is such a farce. The degree may give you the right to become a teacher or even a doctor, but it does not mean you will be a good one. Teaching comes from the heart. If you absolutely love what you are doing it will show in class. It will show in the faces of the students. It will show with the in class discussions with the students. And finally, it will show in the test scores from the class. How the class is doing, in the subject, reflects totally on the teacher. If the whole class is failing, then the teacher has failed as well. So couldn’t we say that this kind of teacher has fallen through the cracks? Like so many illiterate people who get all the way through the twelfth grade and still don’t know how to read. People learn in different ways. We are all different. Just because I know how to play the piano, doesn’t mean that the student next to me in class can play the piano as well, and I do not expect it. We all have different levels of talent and different levels of ability to learn. Some people just get it and everything comes easy. Some people struggle with some things and some with everything. This is where the teacher has to adjust their teaching skills to fit these needs. Everyone can not be taught the same way. I had this experience in college with the worst teacher that taught Microeconomics and a Psychology class. Yes I was slammed twice. He introduced himself and bragged for an hour and a half about his vast degrees and his experience in Vietnam and all the places he had seen and basically things I did not need to know. After listening to him I felt like I was in shell shock. I kept asking myself, â€Å"What does this have to do with this class?† He would jump from one subject to another and go off on a tangent. And of course we were all expected to read his mind. He would start a sentence and expect you to finish it.

ICT and society portfolio section Essay

Microsoft word Microsoft Word is a word processor program from Microsoft. It was originally written by Richard Brodie for IBM PC computers running DOS in 1983. Later versions were created for the Apple Macintosh (1984), SCO UNIN, and Microsoft Windows (1989). It became part of the Microsoft Office. Microsoft word is a software package which can be used for school work, course work, home work or personal work such as making posters or fliers. So it is extremely useful, especially if you have untidy handwriting because Microsoft word can improve your presentation not only by improving your writing but also can improve presentation by adding pictures, this can be done using a feature called clipart which allows me too insert pictures to my work. Another good point about this is that it has a feature called spell check, which is handy if you are bad at spelling because if you spelt a word wrong then it will either automatically correct it or show you a list of words to help you. The only bad point about spell check is that it doesn’t recognise every word and that sometimes it uses the American spelling of words. Other god points include the fact that if you are doing something such as an essay or coursework which requires a lot of writing because you can easily change your w ords if you make a mistake whereas if you were writing it out by hand then you would have to rewrite everything from the beginning. Microsoft Excel Excel 2003 enables you to turn data into information with powerful tools to analyze, communicate, and share results. Excel 2003 can help you work better in teams, and help protect and control access to your work. In addition, you can work with industry-standard Extensible Mark-up Language (NML) data to make it easier to connect to business processes. Just like Microsoft word, excel is a software package which can be used for school work, course work, home work or personal work. Mostly excel is used in business’ in order to keep track of financial status and to record data required to run a business. The good points about Microsoft excel is that you can use features such as auto sum which allows you to quickly and easily count up numbers, another feature is the graph function which allows you to create graphs easily, the graphs make the figures easier to understand and improves presentation. Microsoft access Microsoft Access is a relational database management system from Microsoft, packaged with Microsoft Office Professional. Microsoft Access can use data stored in Access/Jet, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or any ODBC-compliant data container. Skilled software developers and data architects use it to develop powerful, complen application software. Relatively unskilled programmers and non-programmer â€Å"power users† can use it to build simple applications without having to deal with features they don’t understand. Microsoft Access was also the name of a communications program from Microsoft, meant to compete with ProComm and other programs. This Microsoft Access proved a failure and was dropped. Years later Microsoft reused the name for its database software. Microsoft access is normally used in areas such as hospitals in order to keep a record of all the patients. Another area where databases are used is in buissness’ in order to keep track of financial staus and contacts. Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft publisher Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing application from Microsoft. This program helps you easily create, customize, and publish materials such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, catalogs, and Web sites. It is very neat and tidy and improves presentation. People who work in the advertising industry might find publisher very useful because it is very quick and easy to use.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 7

â€Å"More Timbits?† I shook my head for the third time. If I'd learned anything about the Satanists-excuse me, the Army of Darkness-in my breakfast meeting with them two days later, it was that they really liked donuts. A lot. They kept trying to force food on me and seemed particularly fond of the aforementioned Timbits, which were like donut holes except with a cuter name. â€Å"No thanks.† After the donuts, a large part of the meeting focused on me. They all wanted to know who I was, where I'd come from, how my own group operated, etc. I spun lies out as fast as I could, rapidly building up a backstory for my Seattle Satanist group. The Army listened eagerly, and I hoped I'd be able to remember everything I was saying if quizzed afterward. â€Å"You'll just have to come visit us sometime,† I said, hoping to allay the questions. â€Å"That's the only way you'll really understand. For now, I mean, Kristin wanted me to come here to talk about you guys.† The mention of Kristin sobered them up. Evan nodded. â€Å"Georgina thinks we maybe need to expand our activities.† There were six total gathered here, the truly â€Å"active† members. They ranged from 20s to 40s in age, and like Evan, they had that same sort of pleasant demeanor that was more suited to helping you pick out a DVD player or lawn mower than sacrifice a goat. Maybe it was just a Canadian thing. One of the members, a tiny blond college student named Allison, frowned. â€Å"But why? We're already doing what the Angel wants.† They all looked at me, and I saw conflict on their faces. I'd slept with a man far more moral than Dante last night and was in the full throes of succubus charisma. I could tell it affected them. It was part of why they were so intrigued by me, and it would give me leverage here. Yet, I also realized, no matter how powerful they thought Kristin was and no matter how much they respected her endorsement of me, I was still an outsider and not necessarily to be trusted, appealing or not. Again, I marveled at the strength of their conviction. â€Å"Well, I don't want you guys to stop†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That was, of course, exactly what I wanted. â€Å"But most of what you're doing is scaring people.† That wasn't exactly true, but how else could I describe it? â€Å"It seems like now that you've established yourselves, you should use that strength to start influencing people toward the Angel's will. Surely you'll best do his- her bidding by actually leading people into darkness.† I made eye contact with each person as I spoke, smiling and putting as much coaxing charm as I could into my voice. A guy with a shaved head, whose name I'd forgotten, popped a chocolate glazed Timbit into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. â€Å"That makes sense.† Allison didn't agree. â€Å"If that's what the Angel wanted us to do, we would know. Right now, we need to keep doing just as we have. We are getting strong, and we need to make sure that strength doesn't wane in the face of our enemies.† I forced myself to keep smiling. These people didn't understand anything, let alone their so-called enemies. I turned toward Evan and looked at him through lowered lashes. â€Å"Why settle for one goal, though? Evan, I thought you of all people really wanted to make this group great. I thought you wanted to bring more souls to the Angel's side.† â€Å"That's what we're already doing,† argued Allison. She didn't seem to like me using the come-hither eyes on Evan. For his part, Evan didn't like being caught between us. He started to stammer out something but was interrupted by the shaved-head guy. â€Å"How?† he asked Allison. She frowned. â€Å"What do you mean, Blake? How what?† â€Å"How are we bringing more souls to the Angel's side?† â€Å"By striking out at those who deny her greatness.† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Blake frowned and finished eating another Timbit. â€Å"But I don't think doing that is bringing more souls to our side.† â€Å"Are you questioning what we've done?† â€Å"No, I stand by it all. It's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Blake shrugged. â€Å"It seems like the things we're doing aren't really swaying souls toward the Angel. If anything, it's just making them take a harder stand against us.† Finally! Finally someone got it. I could have kissed Blake. Maybe I would later. â€Å"I mean, I'm not really sure the Zamboni plan is really going to darken souls. It'll just make people want to defend themselves against us. Maybe it's time to do the Angel's will through more subtle means.† â€Å"Yes,† I cried. â€Å"That's exactly what I-Zamboni?† With much enthusiasm, they explained an idea they'd come up with to spray-paint a Zamboni with Satanic messages right before it came out on the ice during a hockey game. Still keeping that idiotic smile on my face, I said in a level voice, â€Å"I think maybe you should reconsider that.† Debate went on for the next hour or so. I was a bit dismayed that I hadn't swayed them all to my point of view immediately, but I'd sent enough ripples through them to make a difference. No matter what they claimed, none of them were really sure what exactly the Angel did want, of course, and while some were comfortable in their rut, others were starting to grasp my logic. I took it as a great sign of victory that when we finally got up to go, they'd decided against taking any action-say, like, the Zamboni plan-until they'd met again. As we walked out of the restaurant, I caught up with Blake. I'd decided Evan was a lost cause. Blake seemed to be the smartest of the group, and I thought it might be time for a leadership change. With a little help, it wouldn't take much to topple Evan. â€Å"Hey,† I said, beaming at Blake. â€Å"I really liked what you had to say. Are you busy right now? Maybe we could talk some more.† He smiled back at me, genuinely interested. I probably wouldn't have even needed any succubus glamour to convince him. â€Å"I wish I could†¦but I have to go to work. Are you free later tonight? Like after dinner?† â€Å"Sure.† We swapped numbers, and as we were about to part, I asked in a low voice, â€Å"You don't think they'll do something anyway, do you? Despite what they said about†¦you know, putting the Zamboni plan on hold?† His grin broadened. â€Å"No, they won't do the Zamboni plan. I'm sure of it.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"Because they're out of spray paint.† â€Å"So they'll get more.† He shook his head. â€Å"Not without me. I'm their supplier. I work at Home Depot.† I again found myself with time to kill in Vancouver. It was a beautiful day, and the temperature was unseasonably warm for April. So, I went and walked along the waterfront. The water seemed bluer than our own Puget Sound back in Seattle, but maybe that was just because the weather tended to be sunnier here. I wandered through Stanley Park afterward and then finally meandered back to my hotel. As I did, I again passed one of the T-shirt shops. They'd changed their display and now showed a shirt with a U.S. map on it that read: Dear Canada, Please Invade . Back in my room, I booted up my laptop to check my e-mail. There were a few from the bookstore's mailing list that I ignored, as well as the usual spam. Along with those messages, I had one from greygoose. com's mailing list, a picture of a cat with some nonsensical caption that Cody had forwarded me, and a letter from Maddie. It was a mass e-mail she'd sent out this morning. It read: Hey, guys! I decided to start a blog. Check it out. A link followed. Even though every instinct told me not to, I clicked it. Should have listened to those instincts. Pictures of her and Seth bombarded me. They'd gone to the Seattle Aquarium last night and taken assorted photos posing by puffins, squids, and other sea creatures. Worse, Seth's nieces were with them. That nearly killed me. Seth had five adorable blond nieces, ranging from four to fourteen. I loved them to pieces, and breaking up with him had been like breaking up with them too. The girls all looked reasonably happy, and I wondered if they even remembered me. Well, of course they did. It hadn't been that long. But I knew I'd keep fading from their minds until eventually, I was just some vague memory of their uncle's ex. I shut down the laptop and decided to head down to the hotel's bar. It wasn't quite dinnertime, so the place was fairly deserted. I took a seat at the bar near the television and promptly made friends with the bartender. Three gimlets later, I'd also made friends with an older couple visiting from San Francisco and some businessmen in town from Winnipeg. We were laughing about a recent movie when the TV suddenly changed from a curling match to static. The bartender pushed buttons on the remote ineffectually. â€Å"What's going on?† he demanded. A few moments later, the picture returned, but this time it was on a different channel, one showing a local news program. My smile faded, and my stomach sank. â€Å"No,† I breathed. The camera crew was reporting from Queen Elizabeth Park, another gorgeous area in the city that I'd briefly considered going to after Stanley Park. I wondered if I might have seen this atrocity and been able to stop it if I had visited. The Army of Darkness had staged a demonstration there late that afternoon. I counted about ten of them, so they must have recruited some of their auxiliary members. They were clothed in robes and hoods made out of cheap black and purple velvet, but I recognized two figures that looked suspiciously like Evan and Allison. Some of them held signs with pentagrams and assorted â€Å"evil† slogans while they walked around chanting something I couldn't make out. One of them had stuck a pole in the ground with a giant rubber goat mask on top of it. The mask wasn't affixed very well and kind of hung off to the side, making it look more like a mutant goat than an emblem of Hell. The footage showed a crowd gathered around and, later, police coming to break everything up. I quickly charged the drinks to my room and sprinted off, pulling out my cell phone as I did. â€Å"Blake? This is Georgina.† He groaned. â€Å"I know, I know. I just found out.† â€Å"What the hell happened? They said they weren't going to do anything. You said they weren't going to do anything.† â€Å"I didn't think they would!† He sounded sincerely upset. â€Å"I was at work until about a half-hour ago. I had no idea-honest. They did it on their own. I guess a bunch of them got arrested. Evan, Joy, and Crystal made it out, though.† I sighed and canceled our plans for tonight. I had to do damage control before Cedric or one of his associates came after me-and I knew for a fact they would. I drove over to Evan's house. He answered the door, still wearing the robe but not the hood. His face was radiant and excited. â€Å"Georgina! Did you see the news? Did you see what we did?† â€Å"Yes!† I pushed him back inside, closing the door behind me before any of the neighbors could see him. â€Å"What happened? You said you wouldn't do anything else until we met again! What happened to influencing people for the greater goo-evil?† He finally caught on that I didn't share his excitement. â€Å"You don't think we influenced people?† â€Å"I think you influenced some people to think you were freaks. A bunch of churches are probably going to have sermons tomorrow about staying pure and true or something like that.† Evan flounced onto his couch, speculative but still glowing with the rush of their stunt. â€Å"No, this was powerful. Its effects will be far reaching.† Far reaching enough to get me smote, no doubt. â€Å"What happened? What made you decide to do it? Had you been planning it all along?† â€Å"No. It was just decided-a couple of hours after we met.† â€Å"But why?† I asked, frustrated. â€Å"Because the Angel told us to.† â€Å"But you said you wouldn't!† He looked at me like I was crazy. â€Å"But the Angel told us to. We had to obey her.† I started to argue the idiocy of that and then paused to reconsider something I hadn't given credence to before. â€Å"Are you saying the Angel actually spoke to you?† â€Å"Yes, of course. How else would we know what she wants?† An uneasy feeling came over me. This whole time, when they'd spoken of doing what the Angel â€Å"wanted,† I'd assumed it was in the way so many religious zealots presumed they understood their deity's desires. Those who said their deity spoke to them were usually crazy. â€Å"Does she, like, speak to you in dreams?† â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"She appeared to me. Right here. Well, over there, actually. By the TV.† â€Å"The Angel appears to you,† I said flatly. â€Å"In the flesh. Shows up and tells you what to do?† â€Å"Of course. How else do you think we'd know?† That uneasy feeling increased. â€Å"What does she look like?† Evan sighed, a dreamy expression filling his features. â€Å"Oh, Georgina. She's beautiful. So beautiful. She glows-she's almost hard to look at. Her hair-it's like a cloak of gold, and her eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed again. â€Å"I can't describe them. Like all the colors in the rainbow.† My phone rang just then, interrupting his similes. I didn't recognize the number, but it was a Vancouver area code. â€Å"Hello?† It was Cedric. â€Å"If you are not in my office in ten minutes,† he said. â€Å"I will come and bring you here. And you won't like it.† I shoved my phone into my purse and stood up. â€Å"Evan, I've gotta run. Look, if the Angel talks to you again, can you give me a heads up next time?† He turned hesitant. â€Å"Um, maybe.† I paused at the door. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Well, you see†¦Don't take this the wrong way, but she told us not to tell you. She said to keep this to the inner circle. Probably she just needs to get to know you better.† That sent my mind reeling, but Cedric's words had a greater impact at the moment. I had no time to argue against an entity that might or might not be real. â€Å"We'll talk about this later.† I sped over to the Financial District, not bothering to count the minutes for fear of what I'd find. Nothing happened to me by the time I reached Cedric's office, so I assumed I'd made it. Kristin wasn't in the reception area, but his door was open. â€Å"Get in here,† Cedric barked. My heart pounding, I walked into his office. His face was filled with rage, and if I'd had any thoughts that his mild manner made him seem undemonlike, that idea was immediately banished. He clenched his fists as he glared at me, and I thanked whatever luck I had that he had remained sitting and didn't throw me across the room. Meekly, I slid into my usual chair. â€Å"What are you doing?† he demanded. â€Å"Or rather, what aren't you doing?† He pointed to his computer screen. It didn't have Wikipedia on it for a change. Instead, it showed pictures of the demonstration for a local paper's website. â€Å"You were supposed to stop this kind of thing! Did Jerome send you here to sabotage me and spy?† â€Å"No! They did this without telling me. I'd actually convinced them this morning not to do this other thing with a Zamboni, and then they went behind my back because their Angel of Darkness allegedly spoke to them.† As quickly as I could, I recapped the day's events and conversation. When I finished, his glower hadn't changed. He still clearly didn't believe me. â€Å"Jerome said you were good, but I had no idea you were this good. You manipulated this group right under my nose.† â€Å"No,† I repeated. â€Å"I'll swear to you by whatever you want. I tried to stop them.† He continued as though I hadn't spoken. â€Å"I am going to get shit for this from everyone. Our own people are going to come down on me-in addition to making me a laughingstock. And eventually, the other side is going to raise an eyebrow too. They don't like this kind of overt attack.† The other side. Heaven. The angels. Angels†¦ â€Å"Who's your counterpart here?† I asked. â€Å"Among the angels. There must be an archangel here too, right?† The question caught him off-guard enough that his pissed-off look momentarily lifted. â€Å"Of course. Her name's Isabelle. Why?† â€Å"Well†¦Evan and the others keep saying they're directed by an angel. All this time you thought they were just worshipping some all-purpose Satanic ideal. But what if a real angel is controlling them? I mean, Jerome's given up the fight with you. If anyone had reason to give you shit, it wouldn't be our side. It'd be theirs.† Cedric was silent for several moments. â€Å"This isn't their style. It's not Isabelle's either. I've known her for a long time.† When greater immortals said â€Å"a long time,† they usually weren't kidding. â€Å"Is she blond?† â€Å"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything. We can look like anything we want. Someone appearing to this group-and I don't think anyone is-could easily make themselves blond or bald or whatever. I think you're trying to shift the blame off yourself and Jerome.† â€Å"I'm not! Look, I don't want to get mired in any of this. I just want to finish my job and go home. And if you ask me, I think someone's trying to work you over and send you looking in the wrong places.† Good Lord. I sounded like everyone else now. Soon I'd be telling him he was â€Å"getting played.† â€Å"Isabelle wouldn't do it,† he maintained. â€Å"We're friends†¦well, kind of.† It was funny that demons lied and betrayed each other all the time, yet he somehow stood by the character of someone who was technically his enemy. I understood it, though. Jerome maintained a similarly bizarre friendship with Seattle's archangel, Carter. â€Å"Can you get me in touch with her?† Cedric regarded me in amazement. â€Å"You're really going to run with this?† â€Å"I'm not sabotaging you-but I want to find out who is.† â€Å"That's a lot of work just to take the attention off yourself.† I simply looked at him, maintaining as determined a look as I could in the hopes that he'd believed me. I also hoped the taboo demons maintained about messing with the employees of other demons would hold. Apparently it did because he said at last, â€Å"I'll show you how to contact her, as pointless as that is.† I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. â€Å"Thank you.† He shook his head. â€Å"But don't think you're in the clear. I'm still going to be watching you.†

Listing and Speaking

Skill Development: Fear of public speaking http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=a56v2PSUQy8&feature=related Proactive = controlling a situation by making things happen or by preparing for possible future problems Myth = an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true Come across = to make a particular impression Overwhelming = something that is so confusing or difficult Optimal = best or most effectiveProfound = major, significant Intimate = having a very close relationship Overcompensating = trying to make up for something that is lacking or bad by doing too much of something else Rehearse = to say or do (something) several times in order to practice Backfire = to have the opposite result of what was desired or expected Interpretation: Keys to Successful Interpreting: Consecutive Interpretation Note-taking http://www. youtube. om/watch? v=ddRk2pvzsVQ Rambling = lengthy Incomprehensible = beyond your understanding Furiously = rapidly Decipher = make sense of Scribb le = scrawl = jot down Groping around = searching blindly or uncertainly Consign = transfer Delegate = a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference Encapsulate = summarizeHindrance = obstacle Politics: Palestine http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=qANkb5hUUfo Resolution = decision |Contend = argue | |Confrontation = conflict |Negotiate = discuss | |Implicit = hidden |Accountability = responsibility | |Partition = separation |Demolish = destroy | |envisage = imagine |Get away with = escape | |Territory = area |To be held accountable = held responsible | |Disputed = undecided |swirling = twisting | Linguistics: Language acquisition http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=pmsQJfyVrr0&feature=related instinctively = intuitively |species = basic category of biological classification | |isolate = separate |defect = a shortcoming, fault, or imperfection | |multitude = large number |mutation = change or alteration | |cognitive = mental |disorder = a disturbanc e in physical or mental health or functions | |breakthrough = sudden discovery |version = a particular form or variant of something | Technology India Launches World's CheapestTablet Computer for 50$ http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=oQXQVuaJ43o;feature=related sneak peek = an opportunity to see something before it is officially available gadget = small device or machine with a particular purpose port = in computers: a data connection in a computer to which a peripheral device or a transmission line from a remote terminal can be attached. HD= high definition = a system which produces very good quality television images in greater detail than ordinary systemsDebate: How to Change http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=zSb5BmIfNhI maverick |unconventional person | |entrepreneur |capitalist | |leap |jump | |rash |reckless | |enhance |improve | |attribute |quality | |philanthropy |charity | Religion and Culture convert |change | |committed |devoted | |preach |give a sermon | |polish |improve | |by the stack |a great deal | |unequivocally |clearly | |manuscript |document | |authentic |true – original |salvation |saving | |embrace |accept | Positive Psychology How to be Happy: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ilry-1-ucnA;feature=related pursue = continue elusive = hard to find fugitive = difficult to get evolutionary = gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form ingrained = very difficult to change propensity = a strong natural tendency to do something mechanism = a process or system that is used to produce a particular result o endure = to continue going through something unpleasant sustain = to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist hedonic treadmill = the tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness genetic set point = baseline habituating = make or become accustomed or used to something. hard wired = functions that are innate and unlearned in living s ystems lottery savoring = enjoying mindfulness = being aware of fruition = realization virtues = good and moral behavior analogy = a comparison of two things sensation = a particular feeling or effect that your body experiences cultivate = to improve or develop

Auditing Chaper 2&3

Chapter 2 2-7 The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is responsible for establishing auditing standards for audits of public companies. The ASB is responsible for establishing auditing standards for private companies. 2-10 The criticism of this statement according to the ten generally accepted auditing standards that the standards should provide useful guidelines for conducting an audit to improve practitioners’ quality of their performance.Based upon ten generally accepted auditing standards, the quality control system can provide only reasonable assurance, not a guarantee, that auditing standards followed with a professional judgment of their opinion. 2-16 a. The first general standard, which states in part, that a person must perform the audit or persons having adequate technical training, requires that an auditor have education and experience in the field of auditing. . The measures of the quality of the auditor’s performance are by accepting the gene ral standards of auditing. c. The general group of the generally accepted auditing standards includes a requirement of due professional care be exercised by the auditor. d. The criteria of audit plan and evidence gathering the general character of the three generally accepted auditing standards classified as standards of fieldwork. 2-20 a.The ethical implications of Rossi and Montgomery’s accepting the engagement is having adequate training and proficiency, due professional care, proper planning and supervision, sufficient understanding of the entity, its environment, and its internal control. Since Mobile Home Manufacturing Company decided to issue stock to the public and Rossi and Montgomery’s CPA firm never had a client to go public or might not had proper training of filling necessary paperwork for SEC should not accept the engagement. b.The auditor may face some problems when filing the SEC of the following: new securities registration statement submitted for appr oval, commission examines the statements for completeness before allowing their client to sell on the securities exchange, and require the financial statements along with the opinion of the independent firm to be part of the registration statement and subsequent reports. Let us not forget the auditor must file all of the proper paperwork from the S-1 form to register new security and any other special S-forms.The 8-K form includes the sale of subsidiary, change in officer, a new product line, or change of auditors. The 10-K form must file the annual report within 60 to 90 days after the close of each fiscal year according to the size of company. The 10-Q form must be file quarterly for all public held companies that contain valuable information within the financials to be review by the auditors before filing with the commission. Chapter 3 3-23 a.The report includes additional paragraphs for the definition and limitations of internal control of the combined report on the financial st atements and internal control over financial reporting is correct. b. The date of the CPA’s opinion on the financial statements of the client should be the date of the completion of all important audit procedures. c. If a principal auditor decides to refer in his or her report to the audit of another auditor, he or she is required to disclose the portion of the financial statements audited by the other auditor. -25 a. A CPA will issue an adverse auditor’s opinion if the exception to the fairness of presentation is so material that an â€Å"except for† opinion is not justified. b. An auditor will most likely disclaim an opinion because of a client-imposed scope limitation. c. The paragraph expresses an qualified opinion â€Å"In our opinion, except for the effects of not capitalizing certain lease obligations, as discussed in the preceding paragraph, the financial statements present fairly†, in all material respects,†¦ 3-26 a.It allows immaterial erro rs to be review if the financial statements show misinformation within the transactions and balances. b. Using the phrase â€Å"In conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America† rather than â€Å"are properly stated to represent the true economic conditions† indicate the auditor followed standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Because financial statements prepared in accordance with U. S. accounting principles and audited in accordance with U. S. uditing standards are available throughout the world on the Internet, the country of origin of the accounting principles used in preparing the financial statements and auditing standards followed by the auditor identified in the audit report. c. Using the phrase â€Å"In our opinion† indicates that maybe some information risk associated with the financial statements, even though the statements been audit. Also, the first and fourth generally accepted auditin g reporting standards that require auditors to state an opinion about the financial statements taken as whole, including a conclusion about whether the company followed U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or the IFRS issued by the IASB. d. The name identifies that CPA firm or practitioner who performed the audit to ensure the quality of the audit meets professional standards of legal and responsibility. e. Using material misstatement within the audit report conveys that the auditors are responsible only to search for significant misstatements, not the minor misstatements that do not affect users’ decisions.