Poor Customer Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Poor Customer Service - Essay Example They are after all paid for working for the primary stakeholder, the shareholder to create value and profit for him. It is incidental that for earning this profit, they have to be equally mindful of befitting the secondary stakeholders. Contrary to common belief, there are many stakeholders in the business apart from the shareholder or the stockholder. They are the employees, customers, suppliers, bankers and even the society at large who look for some benefit from the company, and in turn are also its well-wishers. The question is how to determine that the managers are acting in the best interest of the shareholders? One way is to read the annual financial results that reveal the results of their efforts in realizing profit and value for the owners of the company. But this does not reveal their competency level. The various audits and financial data only show that these are results of activities that have been checked for correctness but they do not reflect on what level of competence was exercised. The better and more comprehensive method is through Corporate Governance. The company is a legal entity and therefore has to enter into commercial transactions all the time for carrying on its business activities. These transactions are concluded by the managers on behalf of the company since the legal entity is not a person and needs agents to carry out these duties for it. This ability of the managers to enter into legal contracts and agreements makes them the agent of the company with the liability resting with the company. This situation gives rise to irresponsible behavior on the part of managers who do not carry the burden of any wrongdoing on their part. It is to control this likely misuse of power that Corporate Governance assumes importance. Business strategies and processes have to be tailor-made to serve every stakeholder. Similarly, Corporate Governance rules and processes have to encompass all activities that have a direct or indirect bearing on different stakeholders. It will not be far from the truth to say that the agency theory has little relevance on Corporate Governance. Â  

Awareness of Identity Theft among Mature Students Essay - 1

Awareness of Identity Theft among Mature Students - Essay Example Identity theft has been a serious issue. It has become one of the fastest-growing crimes in the US and in the UK. A 2007 report shows that in the UK, GBP 1.7 billion is lost annually and about 10,000 fell victims in 2006 (Staff Writer, 2007). In the US, though the figure has decreased, still about 8.4 adult Americans are victims of identity fraud (Javelin, 2007). Serious and rampant as it is, awareness of this type of crime was not immediately high. Identity awareness drives had to be conducted to inform more people of the danger of falling victim to the frauds. It is important that we become aware of their existence before they steal who we are. It is important, most especially for students, to know when and when not to give away certain personal information. But before giving precautions as to how to avoid identity thieves, it is necessary to have a figure as to what fraction of the population is actually aware that frauds like these exist. A look at the history of fraud cases migh t help measure the level of awareness that has come to arise throughout the years. The number of identity fraud cases in the UK has continued to rise since eight years ago. From a mere 9,000 cases in 1999, the number increased to 24,000 in the 2001, 46,000 in 2003, and almost doubled to 80,000 in 2006. As recorded, dealing with this crime has cost the UK government GBP1.5 billion in 2005 (CIFAS). In other parts of the world, particularly the US, fraudulent activities are more rampant and damaging. For instance, US lenders were reported to have lost about USD 1 billion. In Canada, a loss of about CAND 21.8 million was recorded in 2003 because of the 14,526 cases (Report on identity theft). Looking back at a 2005 investigation by the Which! Magazine, results showed that about one-fourth of UK adults had been victims of identity fraud. This has cost the UK government about GBP1.3 billion annually. The same investigation found out that awareness of the crime has increased, with two-thirds of the individuals now concerned with the crime. "Which found that 33 per cent of adults don't take any precautions to beat the ID thieves, while 18 per cent shred their documents but still use a single password for all online banking; a similar number don't shred documents but make use of several different passwords, while 31 per cent take both precautions" (Best, 2005). After looking at statistics of how the number of identity fraud cases has continued to rise, it is then important to take a look at how people usually fall victim to frauds, and how personal information are given away. There are several ways by which a fraudster can acquire information needed to steal your identity. For one, phishing occurs over the internet. This is an easy way for thieves to get away with important account numbers and such. This may be obtained through online dating services and even job applications online. Phishing scams happen when thieves pose as employees of legitimate companies verifying information over the phone or online. And as a study shows, 92 per cent of people in London will give information to a stranger (Thomson, 2005). Another way is by engaging in casual conversations. It may

The Benefits of Cooperative Learning for ELL Students

The Benefits of Cooperative Learning for ELL Students The first thing to consider is the fact that cooperative learning is beneficial to all students, regardless of their classification or primary language. In fact, activities where the teacher uses conceptual strategies that promote learning together or group investigation are statistically proven to be superior to instructional design focused on working alone or working in a competitive environment. Essentially, helping each other is better than competing or working alone. Three highly effective conceptual models have been determined to be those cooperative activities which can be labeled as learning together, academic controversy, or group investigation. Basically, if the cooperative learning technique you are using involves one of these three modes, then your lesson should be more effective than students working alone or in a competitive style (Johnson, D., Johnson R., Stanne, 2000). There are many examples of instructional strategies with a learning together style. Numbered Heads Together is one such activity; it is a strategy that promotes discussion, individual accountability, as well as group accountability. It is especially effective for reviewing and integrating subject matter (Numbered Heads Together, 2010). Academic controversy, another effective style of cooperative learning mentioned in the previous paragraph, is essentially informed and educated debate, with one important twist: the students argue both sides of the issue or contentious theory. One example of this type of cooperative learning strategy involves six steps: create the best case for a position on the controversy, present this best case, engage in open discussion, reverse perspectives, synthesize and come to consensus, and prepare a report (Academic Controversy, 2010). The last highly-effective type of cooperative learning noted above in the research is called group investigation. One school district website describes group investigation as an activity where à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦students collaborate to produce a group product for presentation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [in] an open-ended investigationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦structured to promote higher-order thinking skills. (Regina Public Schools, 2003). This type of group activity is probably best known as the very popular WebQuest design where students surf the internet in a guided, but self-directed, group investigation into a topic which ultimately leads to a finalized presentation or product. (Dodge, 2007). There are many more types of cooperative learning possibilities and conceptual categories to consider than learning together, academic controversy, and group investigation, however the conceptual types mentioned above are noted to be especially easy to learn, easy to implement, and easy to maintain once put into use (Johnson et al., 2000). Not only are cooperative learning strategies effective for all learners, but they are especially effective for ELL students specifically. Language learners tend to pick up social language much faster than academic language. ELL students basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) are practiced in a meaningful context in a variety of social settings, but CALP is not normally practiced outside of the classroom. Rather, CALP is the language used in subject area content material; CALP is essential for success in school. While BICS will develop in as little as six months, CALP may take as long as seven years (Haynes, 1998). So we can see that the faster CALP is developed, the sooner our ELL students will succeed in content curricular areas. One way that cooperative learning helps CALP to be developed is through comprehensible input and comprehensible output. ELL students will often fail to understand a lecture, but if they are assisted by classmates it can be made more comprehensible to them. Comprehensive output means that the student has the opportunity to practice at whatever level of English fluency they have attained. CL helps to develop comprehensible input and comprehensible output in several ways. First, small groups make it possible for the teacher or group members to adapt the message to the ELL student. Second, feedback, correction, and checking of comprehension are easier in small groups and are non-judgmental. Also, ELL students have the opportunity to practice their oral language skills, get repetition, and peer assistance related to the current task at hand (Haynes, 1998). Another way that cooperative learning is helpful to ELL students is by lowering their anxiety level so that they feel more at ease and are able to comfortably focus on learning the language. Wang Qiangs work on cooperative learning (Qiang, 2007, as cited in Yang, 2008) shows us that speaking in small groups is natural, because in real life, this is how spontaneous communication occurs. If they speak in front of a large group of people it is usually a more formal situation where they have a prepared speech (Yang, 2009). Furthermore, according to Krashens Affective Filter hypothesis, anxiety is a negative factor in second language acquisition whereby the ELL student will retain less language under stress than in a relaxed state (Schutz, 2007). Since cooperative learning lowers the affective filter (Willis, 2007), it is logical that cooperative learning would make second language learning less threatening and therefore more effective. Consider this powerful quote about neuroimaging of t he anxious brain: In MRI scans of adolescents in states of affective, emotional anxiety, when the amygdala is metabolically hyperactive, the pathways that normally conduct information in and out of the amygdala show greatly reduced activity. Thus, new information is blocked from entering the memory banks (Toga Thompson, 2003, as stated in Willis, 2007). Two early studies done by Pica and Doughty in 1984 and 1985 (as stated in Liang, Mohan, and Early, 1998) compared the efficacy of teacher-fronted classes to small-group interactive classes. They found that in small groups students were able to practice more, receive more feedback, and produce more examples of the target language. This suggests that in small groups the ELL students have more opportunity to work on those specific curricular words, or academic language, that TESL instructors strive to develop. Pica and Doughtys study also found that in group work over 65% of students were engaged in negotiation for meaning versus 45% of the students in teacher-fronted classes. This statistic seems to suggest that ELL students will talk more freely and frequently in group settings about what unfamiliar language terms and structures mean. Thus, CALP is likely developed faster in CL groups than in teacher-fronted classes (Liang et al, 1998). Two interesting handbooks may help teachers improve their ability to foster CALP in the ELL classroom. One is the very popular Calla Handbook and the other is titled Building Academic Language, by Jeff Zweirs. The CALLA handbook: Implementing the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach, was written by Anna Uhl Chamot, and was presented in workshop format, by the author, in Wyoming in February of 2007. In her presentation on her popular book, Dr. Chamot stresses several key aspects of the CALLA approach. CALLA instruction is based on educational research and focuses on those language skills needed in school for academic success. Students are encouraged to value their prior knowledge and to relate it to new academic learning, a new culture, and a new language. Students are also tasked with learning to work cooperatively and socially, as well as internalizing learning strategies and applying them to new situations. Teachers are advised to use interesting topics and content which is linked to prior experiences and knowledge as well as presenting content through hands-on, investigative, or cooperative activities (Chamot Robbins, 2007). A book review of Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms illuminates its value for building CALP in ELL education. This handbook is described as being very practical, full of strategies for the classroom, and focused on academic literacy. Important concepts in the book include using in-depth conversation as a scaffolding technique for building academic language, using metacognition to help students analyze classroom interactions, as well as the use of visual aids to help develop academic thought processes. The book stresses the need to think about the quality of student discourse, as well as the quantity, whereby the style of academic verbal interactions is guided by teaching processes, is modeled by the teacher, and ultimately leads to a deeper academic vocabulary and a deeper comprehension. (Huerta-Macias, 2007). In conclusion, this paper has reviewed and discussed how certain styles of cooperative learning are particularly valuable for all learners, including ELL students. Cooperative learning research and scholarly writings have been reviewed which demonstrate further that CL facilitates second language acquisition, in particular, because it lowers anxiety, makes input and output more comprehensible, and leads to more frequent use of the target language being studied. Finally, two respected TESL handbooks were reviewed for their merits in helping ELL teachers develop CALP.

Nathaniel Hawthorne :: essays research papers

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE: THE AUTHOR AND HIS TIMES It was a brash, bustling, energetic country in which Hawthorne grew up and carved out his writing career. The covered wagons were rolling West, with signs that bravely declared "California or bust!" The first passenger railroad opened, and the trains went huffing and puffing along at the (then) incredible speed of 20 miles an hour. Jackson was elected president, throwing the conservative statesmen out of office and ushering in the age of democracy and the common man. It was an age between wars, when America, having beaten England for the second time--in the War of 1812--was flexing its adolescent muscles. Hope was in the air, and also a feeling of impatience with the imported, second-hand, European way of doing things. "Down with the past" might have been the slogan of the time. Americans sensed a fresh, creative task at hand in the building of a new country. It was a task that called for strong backs, clear eyes, and open minds. There were experiments in living going on to match the experiments in politics and technology. Starry-eyed intellectuals gathered outside Boston to thrive on a vegetarian diet at Alcott's Fruitlands. Thoreau conducted his own private experiments in a life close to nature at Walden Pond. Horace Mann planned to change the world by changing education. Where was Hawthorne while all this excitement was going on? In his bedroom in Salem, reading a book. You get the distinct feeling about this man that, so far as the great adventures of his time were concerned, he simply wasn't paying attention. Hawthorne was gazing intelligently off in another direction. Most of his generation looked expectantly toward the future. Hawthorne kept his eyes on the past. He was an introvert, almost a recluse, this native son of

Electromagnetic research Essay

We can relate the density to the scattering of radiation in the X-ray region by using the mass attenuation coefficient,  µ/? , and the mass energy-absorption coefficient,  µen/?. In the X-ray region (10-100 KeV), we will find that as the electron density increases, the x-ray signal also increases1. X-ray scattering is considered to be due to the electron density of the atoms in a sample2. J. J. Thomson derived a formula relating the intensity of coherent scattering from a particle. If the incident radiation is not polarized, then his relation takes the form: I(2? ) = Io [(e4)/(r2 m2 c4)] [(1 + cos2 2? )/2] where e is the charge of the particle, r is the distance from the â€Å"scatterer†, m is the mass of the â€Å"scatterer†, c is the velocity of light, and [(1 + cos22? )/2] represents the partial polarization of the scattered photon. An electron is 2000 times lighter than a proton. Most nuclei are made up of many nucleons that have an even greater mass than the mass of a proton. Because the scattered intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the mass of the particle emitting the X-ray photon, scattering of X rays from the nucleus is considered negligible compared to the scattering from the electrons of an atoms. We can conclude that X-ray scattering is due to the density of the electron. The probability for coherent scattering decreases with increasing photon energy and increases with increasing atomic number (increasing number of interfering electrons). As a fraction of the total mass attenuation coefficient, ? coh/? is maximal at atomic numbers around Z=10 and photon energies in the interval 30-50 keV. At higher atomic numbers, the relative fraction decreases due to the strong increase of photoelectric absorption with increasing atomic number3. In silicon, for example, the relative probability for coherent scattering is 14% at 50 keV. Let us refer to table 1, where the densities of elements could be found, and figures 2. 1, 2. 3 and 2. 4, the Absorption of Electromagnetic Radiation by Gold, Silicon, and Iron respectively. The density of silicon is 2. 330, iron is 7. 874 and gold is 19. 32. In the graphs, as the radiation increases we will notice that the absorption decreases. For gold, this will continue until it reaches 200 eV where a discontinuity takes place. In terms of the densities of the elements, as the density of the element decreases, the coherent scattering also decreases. For example, gold, which has an atomic number of 79, contains a higher electron density than an element such as silicon and iron (of lower atomic number 14 and 26 respectively); therefore the photon-absorption processes are stronger (higher  µ) making gold suitable as a radiation-shielding material. However, the decrease in ( µ) with increasing photon energy (below 1 MeV) means that relatively thick sheets are needed to absorb hard (short-wavelength) x-rays or gamma -rays, compared to soft (long-wavelength) x-rays for example. Photon absorption in the visible region of the spectrum depends on the atomic arrangement of the atoms and their bonding. Pure silicon (Si) is strongly absorbing but silicon combined with oxygen is transparent. For the energetic photons in the x-ray regime, photon absorption is much easier to predict and is independent of the details of atomic arrangement. It depends primarily on the electron concentration per unit volume. Since the concentration of atoms per unit volume only differ by factors of 2 or 3 from each other, the electron concentration in two materials can be estimated from the atomic number, Z. Gold (Z=79) absorbs x-rays much more efficiently than silicon (Z=14) or iron (Z=26). X-ray absorption does depend on the energy of the x-rays and decreases with increasing x-ray energy, E. Absorption decreases nearly proportional to the cube of the energy (i. e. absorption proportional to (1/E3). The eventual rise in  µ indicates that a third process occurs at high photon energy; this is pair production, in which a pair of elementary particles (a particle and its antiparticle of the same mass but opposite electrostatic charge) is created from the energy (hf) of the original photon4. In this case, the two particles are an electron and an anti-electron (more commonly known as a positron, whose rest mass m0 is the same as that of an electron but whose charge is +e). Pair production can be represented by an equation, which represents the conservation of total energy (or mass-energy): hf = 2(m0 c2) + K(-e) + K(+e) Here, (m0 c2) = 0. 511 MeV is the rest energy of an electron, which is equal to that of the positron, so the factor of 2 represents the fact that two particles of identical rest mass are created. K(-e) and K(+e) represent the kinetic energy of the electron and positron, immediately after their creation. If the photon energy were exactly 2m0c2 = 1. 02 MeV, the two particles would be created at rest (with zero kinetic energy) and this would be an example of the complete conversion of energy into mass. For photon energies below 2m0c2, the process cannot occur; in other words, 1. 02 MeV is the threshold energy for pair production. For photon energies above the threshold, a photon has more than enough energy to create a particle pair and the surplus energy appears as kinetic energy of the two particles. BIBLIOGRAPHY Giacovazzo, Carmelo. Crystallography. Retrieved 9 June 2008, . McAlister, B. C. and Grady, B. P. The Use of Monte-Carlo Simulations to Calculate Small-Angle Scattering Patterns. Macromolecular Symposia, 2003. The American Physical Society. X-Ray Radiation from Non-linear Thomson Scattering. Vol. 91, No. 19, 13 November 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2008, . Weidner, R. T. and Sells, R. L. Pair Production and Annihilation. Retrieved 9 June 2008, .

John Augustus Roebling, Builder of the Brooklyn Bridge

John Augustus Roebling, Builder of the Brooklyn Bridge John Roebling (born June 12, 1806, Mà ¼hlhausen, Saxony, Germany) didnt invent the suspension bridge, yet he is well-known for building the Brooklyn Bridge. Roebling didnt invent spun wire roping, either, yet he became wealthy by patenting processes and manufacturing cables for bridges and aqueducts. He was called a man of iron, says historian David McCullough. Roebling died July 22, 1869, at age 63, from a tetanus infection after crushing his foot on the construction site of the Brooklyn Bridge. From Germany to Pennsylvania 1824 - 1826, Polytechnic Institute, Berlin, Germany, studying architecture, engineering, bridge construction, hydraulics, and philosopy. After graduating, Roebling built roads for the Prussian government. During this period, he reportedly experienced his first suspension bridge, Die Kettenbrà ¼cke (chain bridge) over the Regnitz in Bamberg, Bavaria.1831, sailed to Philadelphia, PA with his brother Karl. They planned to migrate to western Pennsylvania and develop a farming community, although they knew nothing about farming. The brothers bought land in Butler County and developed a town eventually called Saxonburg.May 1936, married Johanna Herting, the town tailors daughter1837, Roebling became a citizen and a father. After his brother died of heatstroke while farming, Roebling began working for the State of Pennsylvania as a surveyor and engineer, where he built dams, locks, and surveyed railroad routes. Building Projects 1842, Roebling proposed that the Allegheny Portage Railroad replace their continually breaking hemp coil ropes with steel coil ropes, a method he had read about in a German magazine. Wilhelm Albert had been using wire rope for German mining companies since 1834. Roebling modified the process and received a patent.1844, Roebling won a commission to engineer a suspension aqueduct to carry canal water over the Allegheny River near Pittsburgh. The aqueduct bridge was successful from its opening in 1845 until 1861 when replaced by the railroad.1846, Smithfield Street Bridge, Pittsburgh (replaced in 1883)1847 - 1848, the Delaware Aqueduct, the oldest surviving suspension bridge in the U.S. Between 1847 and 1851 Roebling built four DH Canal aqueducts.1855, Bridge at Niagara Falls (removed 1897)1860, Sixth Street Bridge, Pittsburgh (removed 1893)1867, Cincinnati Bridge1867, Plans the Brooklyn Bridge (Roebling died during its construction)1883, Brooklyn Bridge completed under the direction of his oldest son, Washington Roebling, and his sons wife, Emily Elements of a Suspension Bridge (e.g., Delaware Aqueduct) Cables are attached to stone piersCast iron saddles sit on the cablesWrought-iron suspender rods sit on the saddles, with both ends hanging vertically from the saddleSuspenders attach to hanger plates to support part of the aqueduct or bridge deck flooring Cast iron and wrought iron were new, popular materials in the 1800s. Restoration of the Delaware Aqueduct 1980, bought by the National Park Service to be preserved as part of Upper Delaware Scenic Recreational RiverAlmost all of the existing ironwork (cables, saddles, and suspenders) are the same materials installed when the structure was built.The two suspension cables encased in red piping are made of wrought iron strands, spun on site under the direction of John Roebling in 1847.Each 8 1/2-inch diameter suspension cable carries 2,150 wires bunched into seven strands. Laboratory tests in 1983 concluded that the cable was still functional.Wrapping wires holding the cable strands in place were replaced in 1985.In 1986, the white pine wooden superstructure was reconstructed using Roeblings original plans, drawings, notes, and specifications Roeblings Wire Company In 1848, Roebling moved his family to Trenton, New Jersey to start his own business and take advantage of his patents. 1850, established John A. Roeblings Sons Company to manufacture wire rope. Of Roeblings seven adult children, three sons (Washington Augustus, Ferdinand William, and Charles Gustavus) would eventually work for the compnay1935 - 1936, oversaw the cable construction (spinning) for the Golden Gate Bridge1945, provided the flat wire to the inventor of the toy1952, business sold to the Colorado Fuel and Iron (CFI) Company of Pueblo, Colorado1968, the Crane Company purchased the CFI Wire rope cabling has been used in a variety of situations including suspension bridges, elevators, cable cars, ski lifts, pulleys and cranes, and mining and shipping. Roeblings U.S. Patents Patent Number 2,720, dated July 16, 1842, Method of and Machine for Manufacturing Wire RopesWhat I claim as my original invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. The process of giving to the wires and strands a uniform tension, by attaching them to equal weights which are freely suspended over pulleys during the manufacture, as described above. 2. The attaching of swivels or of pieces of annealed wire to the ends of the single wires or to the several strands, during the manufacture of a rope, for the purpose of preventing the twist of the fibers, as described above. 3. The manner of constructing the wrapping machine....and the respective parts of which are combined and arranged, as above described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, so as to adapt it to the particular purpose of winding wire upon wire ropes.Patent Number 4,710, dated August 26, 1846, Anchoring Suspension-Chains for BridgesMy improvement consists in a new mode of anchorage applicable to wire br idges as well as chain bridges...What I claim as my original invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent is The application of a timber foundation, in place of stone, in connection with anchor plates, to support the pressure of the anchor chains or cables against the anchor masonry of a suspension bridge for the purpose of increasing the base of that masonry, to increase the surface exposed to pressure, and to substitute wood as an elastic material in place of stone, for the bedding of the anchor plates, the timber foundation either to occupy an inclined position, where the anchor cables or chains are continued in a straight line below ground, or to be placed horizontally, when the anchor cables are curved, as exhibited in the accompanying drawing, the whole to be in substance and in its main features constructed as fully described above and exhibited in the drawing. Patent Number 4,945, dated January 26, 1847, Apparatus for Passing Suspension-Wires for Bridges Across RiversWhat I claim as my original invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is The application of traveling wheels, suspended and worked, either by a double endless rope, or by a single rope, across a river or valley, for the purpose of traversing the wires for the formation of wire cables, the whole to be in substance and in its main features, constructed and worked, as above described, and illustrated by the drawings. Archives and Collections for Further Research John A. Roebling Collection, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian InstitutionThe Roebling Museum, Roebling, New JerseyThe Delaware and Hudson Canal Slide Show, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior Sources The Great Bridge by David McCullough, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972, Chapter 2John Roebling, Upper Delaware, National Park ServiceRoeblings Delaware Aqueduct, National Park ServiceAllegheny Portage Railroad, History and Culture, National Park ServiceRoebling and the Brooklyn Bridge, The Library of CongressModern History of Wire Rope by Donald SayengaUnited States Patent and Trademarks Office, Department of CommerceAdditional inline photo  ©Jackie CravenAll websites accessed June 11, 2012

Privacy Rights of Individuals Essays

Privacy Rights of Individuals Essays Privacy Rights of Individuals Essay Privacy Rights of Individuals Essay Privacy can be defined in many ways, depending on one’s perspective, including the right to be left alone, free from intrusion or disturbance in one’s private life. Although everyone agrees that this is an important right that should be protected by governmental laws, the extent of one’s right to privacy has often been a matter of debate in the court system of the United States. There is vast disagreement concerning how far the government should go to protect an individual’s right to privacy. The United States is a large melting pot of cultures, races and ideas, which often lead to a differing of opinions in term of what should be the norm due to ethical and moral difference between individuals. This paper will present court cases that deal with the privacy rights of individuals as they relate to the areas of homosexuality, drug testing, birth control and the right to die. An individual’s right to sexual privacy, including homosexuality, is an issue that has been brought before the courts repeatedly. Bowers v. Hardwick is a landmark case fought in 1986 that tested the boundaries of sexual rights. Hardwick was charged with committing consensual sodomy in the privacy of his bedroom with another adult male. He had violated the Georgia statute that criminalized sodomy. Hardwick brought a suit in Federal District Court challenging the constitutionality of a law that criminalized a sexual act between consenting adults. The court held that the United States Constitution does not grant the fundamental right to homosexuals to commit sodomy, even in the privacy of their homes. They concluded that the Georgia statute was, in fact, constitutional. This decision was later reversed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals stating that Hardwick’s homosexual practices were private and beyond the jurisdiction of the state. The Georgia statute was, therefore, unconstitutional and violated the fundamental rights granted by the Ninth Amendment and the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000) is a more recent case concerning homosexual privacy issues. Dale, an assistant scoutmaster in New Jersey, was fired when the Boy Scouts learned that he was a homosexual and gay rights advocate. The Boy Scouts organization asserted that homosexuality was inconsistent with the values that they represent. Dale filed a suit in New Jersey Superior Court, claiming that the state statute that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in places of public accommodation was violated. After much deliberation, the court sided with the Boy Scouts insisting that the First Amendment guaranteed private organizations the right to define their mission and exclude members that significantly affect their ability to carry out their purpose. Although homosexuality is a legitimate lifestyle, it is inconsistent with the values taught by the Boy Scouts of America. Therefore, the intrusion into a private group’s personal affairs by forcing it to accept members was ruled unconstitutional. Drug testing is another issue that has been fiercely debated in the courts. With the increase of illegal drug use across the United States, many institutions have tried to institute a policy of random testing in order to combat the problem. Opponents of this policy claim that these random drug tests are an invasion of privacy rights and violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches. A group of parents challenged the Oklahoma school district’s policy of random drug testing in front of the Supreme Court. The school district established a policy of random urine tests for students who want to join the marching band, academic team or any competitive extracurricular activity (Biscupic, 2002). In previous cases, the court had ruled that general urine testing required a warrant or some evidence of drug use. However, in a school setting, there is a lower expectation to privacy and in Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that drug testing for student athletes did not violate their privacy rights, since these students were the most at risk and could choose whether or not to participate in sporting activities. They also stated that the Fourth Amendment does not protect all expectations of privacy, only those recognized by the society as legitimate. In the Oklahoma case, however, the court distinguished competitive athletics from other extracurricular activities and ruled that schools cannot force students to give urine samples unless there is evidence of drug use. As far as the workplace is concerned, most states sanction but do not regulate drug testing. The ACLU has argued that workplace drug testing violates privacy rights and reveals other conditions such as pregnancy or genetic predispositions to disease, a clear violation of those rights. In cases such as Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives’ Association and Chandler v. Miller, the Supreme Court has upheld the right of employers to conduct routine drug testing of employees in â€Å"safety-sensitive† positions where public safety is an issue, such as transportation employees and candidates for office. The right to privacy in matters of sexuality and contraception was first discussed in the landmark case of Griswold vs. Connecticut in 1965. At this time it was illegal to disseminate material regarding birth control. Griswold, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood in Connecticut, was charged with giving information, instruction and medical advice to married couples regarding pregnancy prevention. The Court decided that Connecticut’s birth-control law infringes upon the right of marital privacy and is unconstitutional. It also violates the First Amendment right that protects the freedom to associate and privacy in one’s associations. In a later case Baird v. Eisenstandt, the Supreme Court overturned the statutes of 26 states that denied unmarried people the right to birth control devices and information (Baird, 1997). They based this decision on the individual’s right to privacy in their private affairs including the decision whether or not to have children. In recent years, the issue of privacy rights has included the right to control one’s body including the right to die. A recent controversy exists over assisted suicide and a person’s decision to terminate his own life. The United States Supreme Court has established that, to some extent, an individual does have a limited right to die. The Court does cite the previously mentioned case of Griswold v. Connecticut, and even Roe v. Wade stating that if the right to privacy is broad enough to include a woman’ decision to terminate her pregnancy, it also provides a basis for the right to die (Powell, J. Cowen, A. , 1994). Of course, cases involving the right to die are usually extremely complicated and the court must consider many issues including the competency of the individual and the steps necessary for the cessation of life. In the case of Washington v. Glucksberg (1997), four physicians who treat terminally ill patients wanted to end the law that banned assisted suicide in the state of Washington. Similarly, in Vacco v. Quills (1997), New York doctors argued for the right to prescribe lethal medication to mentally competent patients who are terminally ill and suffering great pain. In both cases, the Supreme Court denied the constitutionality of the right to die by assisted suicide and, instead, left it to individual state legislatures to examine on a case-by-case basis. In Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, the court denied the right of the parents to withhold nutrition and hydration to their incompetent daughter in a vegetative state. They concluded that such choices couldn’t be made in the absence of a living will or clear evidence of the patient’s wishes. Although the Court recognizes the right to die at a limited level, they are aware of the complexity of the issue and do not wish to make general assertions concerning this matter. They do uphold that although it is a crime to assist suicide, an individual does have the right to refuse medical treatment to prolong his life. This decision, however, should be documented in the form of a living will, or a Do Not Resuscitate Order. References Baird, B. (1997). The people versus Bill Baird: struggling for your rights to privacy. Humanist, 57(2), 39-40. Biscupic, J. (March, 2002). Drug-testing case generates sparks. USA Today, pp. 2a. (EBSCO Document Reproduction Services No. J0E030212649602). Powell, J. , Cohen, A. (1994). The right to die. Issues in Law and Medicine, 10(2), 169-183. Supreme Court Collection. Boy Scouts of America v. Dale. [On-line] available at megalaw. com (April 18, 2002). Ibid. Bowers v. Hardwick. Ibid. Chandler v. Miller. Ibid. Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. Ibid. Griswold v. Connecticut. Ibid. Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives Association. Ibid. Veronica School District v. Acton. Ibid. Vacco v. Quills. Ibid. Washington v. Glucksberg. Van Biema, D. , Lafferty, E. (1997, January). Is there a right to die? Time Canada, 149 (2), 42-44.