Reading for Bias How to Spot a Politically Biased Text

In the political arena today in the United States, there are two main schools of thought that comprise much of the voting population: conservative and liberal. Conservative thought is sometimes called right wing and liberal/progressive thought is called left wing. As you read or listen to textbooks, speeches, news programs, and articles, you will come across statements that feel out of line with your own beliefs. It will be up to you to determine if those statements are biased to the left or right. Keep an eye out for statements and beliefs that are commonly associated with liberal or conservative thought. Conservative Bias The dictionary definition of conservative is resistant to change. In any given society, then, the conservative view is one that is based on historical norms. Dictionary.com  defines conservative as: Disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change. Conservatives in the United States political scene are like any other group:  they come in all varieties  and they dont think uniformly. Guest writer Justin Quinn has provided a great  overview of political conservatism. In this article, he points out that conservatives tend to find the following issues most important: Traditional family values and the sanctity of marriageA small, non-invasive governmentA strong national defense focused on protection and the fight against terrorismA commitment to faith and religionThe right to life for every human being As you may know, the most familiar and influential national party for conservatives in the U.S. is the Republican Party. Reading for Conservative Bias Using the list of values stated above as a guideline, we can examine how some people might find political bias in a given article or report. Traditional Family Values and the Sanctity of Marriage Conservatives put great value in the traditional family unit, and they sanction programs that promote moral behavior. Many who consider themselves to be socially conservative believe that marriage should take place between a man and a woman. A more liberal thinker would see a  conservative bias  in a news report that talks about marriage between a man and a woman as the only proper type of union. An opinion piece or magazine article that suggests gay unions are harmful and corrosive to our culture and standing in contrast to traditional family values could be considered conservative in nature. A Limited Role for the Government Conservatives generally value individual accomplishment and  resent  too much government intervention. They do not believe that it is the job of the government to solve the problems of society by imposing intrusive or costly policies, such as affirmative action or mandatory health care programs. A progressive (liberal) leaning person would consider a piece biased if it suggested that the government unfairly implements social policies as a counter-balance for perceived social injustice. Fiscal conservatives favor a limited role for government, so they also favor a small budget for the government. They believe that individuals should retain more of their own earnings and pay less to the government. These beliefs have led critics to suggest that fiscal conservatives are selfish and uncaring. Progressive thinkers believe that taxes are a costly but necessary evil, and they would find bias in an article that is overly critical of taxation. Strong National Defense Conservatives advocate a large role for the military in providing security for society. They tend to believe that a large military presence is an essential tool for safeguarding society against acts of terrorism. Progressives take a different stance: they tend to focus on communication and understanding as a means of safeguarding society. They believe that war is to be avoided as much as possible  and prefer negotiation for safeguarding society, in lieu of amassing armaments and soldiers. Therefore, a progressive thinker would find a piece of writing or a news report to be leaning conservative if it boasted (excessively) about the strength of the US military and extolled the wartime accomplishments of the military. Commitment to Faith and Religion Christian conservatives support laws that promote ethics and morality, based on values founded in a strong Judeo-Christian heritage. Progressives do not believe that moral and ethical behavior is necessarily derived from Judeo-Christian beliefs, but instead, can be determined and discovered by each individual through self-reflection. A progressive thinker would find bias in a report or article that finds things indecent or immoral if that judgment reflected Christian beliefs. Progressives tend to believe that all religions are equal. A real-life example of this difference in viewpoints exists in the debate about  euthanasia  or assisted suicide. Christian conservatives believe that Thou shalt not kill is a pretty straightforward statement, and that it is immoral to kill a person to end his or her suffering. A more liberal view, and one that is accepted by some religions (Buddhism, for example), is that people should be able to end their own life or the life of a loved one under some circumstances, especially under extreme conditions of suffering. Anti-Abortion   Many conservatives, and especially Christian conservatives, express strong feelings about the sanctity of life. They tend to believe that life begins at conception and therefore that abortion should be illegal.   Progressives may take the stance that they also cherish human life, but they hold a different view, focusing on the lives of those who are already suffering in todays society, rather than the unborn. They generally support a womans right to control her body. Liberal Bias The most familiar and influential national party for liberals in the U.S. is the Democratic party. A few definitions from  dictionary.com  for the term  liberal  include: Favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.Favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.Favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.Free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners. Youll recall that conservatives favor tradition and generally suspect things that that fall outside traditional views of normal. You could say, then, that a liberal view (also called a progressive view) is one that is open to re-defining normal as we become more worldly and aware of other cultures. Liberals and Government Programs Liberals favor government-funded programs that address inequalities that they view as having derived from historical discrimination. Liberals believe that prejudice and stereotyping in society can hamper the opportunities for some citizens. Some people would see  liberal bias  in an article or book that seems sympathetic to and appears to lend support to government programs that assist poor and minority populations. Terms such as bleeding hearts and tax and spenders refer to progressives’ support of public policies that are designed to address perceived unfair access to health care, housing, and jobs. If you read an article that seems sympathetic to historic unfairness, there could be a liberal bias. If you read an article that seems critical of the notion of historical unfairness, there could be a conservative bias. Progressivism Today some liberal thinkers prefer to call themselves progressives. Progressive movements are those that address injustice to a group that is in the minority. Liberals would say that the Civil Rights Movement was a progressive movement, for example. However, support for Civil Rights legislation was, in fact, mixed when it came to party affiliation. As you may know, many people were not in favor of granting equal rights to African Americans during the Civil Rights demonstrations in the 60s, possibly because they feared that equal rights would bring about too much change. Resistance to that change resulted in violence. During this tumultuous time, many pro-Civil Rights Republicans were criticized for being too liberal in their views and many Democrats (like John F. Kennedy) were accused of being too conservative when it came to accepting change. Child labor laws provide another example. It may be hard to believe, but many people in industry resisted the laws and other restrictions that prevented them from putting young children to work in dangerous factories for long hours. Progressive thinkers changed those laws. In fact, the U.S. was undergoing a Progressive Era at this time of reform. This Progressive Era led to reforms in the industry  to make foods safer, to make factories safer, and to make many aspects of life more fair. The Progressive Era was one time when government played a large role in the U.S. by interfering with business on behalf of people. Today, some people think the government should play a large role as protector, while others believe that the government should refrain from taking a role. It is important to know that progressive thinking can come from either political party. Taxes Conservatives lean toward the belief that the government should stay out of the business of individuals as much as possible, and that includes staying out of the individuals pocketbook. This means they prefer to limit taxes. Liberals stress that a well-functioning government has a responsibility to maintain law and  order and that doing this is costly. Liberals tend to lean toward the opinion that taxes are necessary for providing police and courts, ensuring safe transportation by building safe roads, promoting education by providing public schools, and protecting society in general by providing protections to those being exploited by industries.

William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay - 1690 Words

William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Although the story of Romeo and Juliet is over 500 years old, it is as relevant and appealing today as it was when first performed. Although dated, the story of Romeo and Juliet still holds great appeal and relevance to today’s society, despite the differences in morals and values between William Shakespeare’s audience 500 years ago, and Baz Luhrmann’s audience today. The arising issues of order and authority, fate and love entertain/ed and appeals/ed to both viewers in different ways. Shakespeare’s original play, Romeo and Juliet reflected the important Elizabethan concerns in relation to authority, law and order, making it relevant to the audiences’ morals and values of the time, as well†¦show more content†¦The general perspective of society is represented throughout the film by panoramic shots of the city of Verona, involving violent, hectic scenes such as police raids, gun fights, speeding cars and other generally violent actions. The scenes are quick and vivid; the sequencing constantly changing and moving quickly. The violence seen is similar to the play in that it is a vital role in the morals of the plot. The panoramic shots of the city also reveal the giant religious statue of Jesus, in the centre of the city. The statue of Jesus is first seen in the opening scene, which introduces the two family households and major business owners, Montague and Capulet: the background is a panoramic shot of two large skyscrapers separated by the statue, with the foreground of two photographs of Old Montague and Old Capulet, also separated by the statue. This paves the way for continuous religious references during the film. The large skyscrapers representing Montague and Capulet businesses are symbols of wealth and power. The audience is introduced to the hatred between the two families and the statue is seen as a barrier protecting from violence and hatred. The violence is then continued when the film introduces the Montague and Capulet boys in the ‘garage’ scene. Luhrmann uses the audiences’ assumed knowledge of society to create moods about the characters. He uses preset genres created and assumed withShow MoreRelated William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet1869 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet In Romeo and Juliet, love is depicted in several ways. Both Luhrman and Shakespeare represent love in different ways in different contexts to both the Elizabethan era and the contemporary audience. Both the original and later manifestations of the text are valued because they both communicate to the audience on the values of love and society by employing a variety of devices. 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Marketing Analysis Mayo Clinic Free Essays

Marketing Analysis: Mayo Clinic December 14, 2012 Marketing Analysis: Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic: is in the business of providing patient care through their many different Clinics and hospitals. They are ranked number two as one of the top twenty hospitals for heart and heart surgery per the Forbes list of top hospitals, and they ranked seventy one out of one hundred in the top one hundred places to work (Forbes, 2012). The Mayo Clinics are a not-for-profit hospital and teaching center that is renown throughout the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Analysis: Mayo Clinic or any similar topic only for you Order Now They became known as the hospital that treats the diseases no other facility or physician want to treat. They have over thirty eight hundred physicians and scientist as well as over fifty thousand Allied health care workers on their payroll. They also have thirty six hundred medical residents, fellows and students through their medical schools. Their slogan is â€Å"We strive to turn the impossible into the possible† (Mayo Clinic Annual Report, 2011). â€Å"The Mayo Clinic cared for more than one million patients at its campuses in Minnesota, Florida, Arizona and Mayo Clinic Health System, a network of clinics, hospitals and health care facilities serving more than seventy communities in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin† (Mayo Clinic Annual Report, 2011, pg. 7, para4). From their beginning in 1863, William Worrall Mayo insisted on standards that would be considered innovative for the time. And as the demand for their services increased, they formed a team of doctors and researchers and became â€Å"the first private integrated group practice. † Initially this practice of teamwork among doctors was viewed as unconventional, but soon patients realized the advantages of the pooled resources, having doctors and scientist under the same roof with knowledge and skills, patients and student came from around the world to learn and be treated (Dickson, 2012). Mayo Clinic over one hundred years ago made it clear through its mission and vision that the patients’ interests would not be served well if doctors were competing with each other. William Mayo emphasized that making a commitment to the patient; doctors must make a commitment to each other: â€Å"Continuing interest by every member of the staff in the professional progress of every other member,† would be vital to nourishing the organization’s future. Patients are the Mayo Clinic’s first priority and they do not base care on a patient’s ability to pay. Most of the staff is not even aware of a patient’s status, which allows them to give the patients the best care possible without having to worry about being paid (Mayo Clinic, nd). The Mayo Clinic has some fierce competition, such as Johns Hopkins Hospital. Johns Hopkins is an institution with a mission to† improve the health of our community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in patient care. † They also advertise with commercials on television, radio, and in the newspaper. They have internet Social media marketing in place and through their multi-media relations staff, they are able to pierce the market of patients within the United States and abroad. (Johns Hopkins Hospital, nd). The services they offer are comparable to The Mayo Clinic and both are rated in the top 25 best hospitals to work for by HealthExecNews. com. However, Johns Hopkins did not make the top 100 list for Forbes. The four â€Å"P’s† (Product, Place, Price, Promotion) Product Brand – Mayo Clinic; the name alone is known as a leader in the medical field for their dedicated physicians, scientists and allied health staff that work together as a team to put the needs of the patient first, known as â€Å"The Mayo Effect. † There are three main hospitals and several clinics that offer medical treatments and services as well as training, residencies and fellows for medical professions (Mayo Annual Report, 2011). Product features – Patient satisfaction and quality care given to patients are some of the main reasons that patients choose the Mayo Clinic. Known as the place to go for specializing in treating complex illnesses, patients can receive uninhibited care, regardless of ability to pay (Mayo Clinic, nd). Packaging – The Mayo Clinic is well known throughout the world for their research as well as their teaching facilities for medical professions. In addition, they partner with many facilities to serve communities in five states, while maintaining three main Hospital facilities in Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida (Mayo Clinic, nd). Product lines – They have several, mainly books and CD’s on health and wellness. They also have a customer base of over 900,000 people for their Mayo Clinic Health Letter and Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource subscriptions, which are mailed monthly with a quarterly special report as part of the subscription. Having tested the market for potential internet subscriptions in 2007, they found many were not interested, but in 2008 the test showed there was more interest in that option (Fletcher, 2010). Place Channels of distribution – Most referrals are from word of mouth; people recommending the organization because of a good experience they had. Media: Mayo utilized the local media by offering their physicians the opportunity to share their expertise with the community through bi-monthly consumer health segments (Weiss, 2009) Internet: Mayo can be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Linkedin, and their new patient blog; Sharing MayoClinic (Weiss, 2009). Advertising: Mayo utilizes media through stories and partnerships with the local news as well as sponsoring health events. They do not use mass media advertising and they rely on their reputation (Weiss, 2009). Physician referrals: come from around the world, because Mayo has a reputation of caring for patients others may not want the challenge of caring for or they do not know how to (Weiss, 2009). Physical distribution – Services are administered through care givers and physicians during visits to either the hospital or office visits. The â€Å"Mayo Effect† uses strategies to achieve their goals and mission â€Å"with collaboration, expertise and compassionate commitment to the health and happiness of their patients† (Mayo Annual Report, 2011). Retailing choices – Patients have several choices to receive services, through the hospital, a clinic visit, and now the minute clinic. Mayo has two Minute clinics’ that are a walk-in center and are used to assess and treat minor conditions, and monitor chronic conditions of patients and no appointment is required. The wait time is usually less than 15 minutes. (Keckley, Ph. D. , P. H. , 2008). Inventory decisions – The minute clinics are a new way to see patients that may have less urgent needs such as; sore throat, pink eye, minor cuts and burns, or chronic diseases that may need monitoring. The clinics offer walk-in services to anyone, and they have the ability to look up patient records through Electronic medical records (EMR) leaving no paper record needing to be stored. Centers are being staffed by nurse practitioner and physician assistants with assistance of proprietary technology designed to help diagnose and treat non-serious medical conditions. These centers are now being seen in many pharmacy chain stores and even places like Wal-Mart and Target. Jumping on the band wagon so to speak, Mayo clinic sees the Minute Clinics as a source of patient referrals for their physicians as some patients that come for treatment will be referred to a Mayo Clinic doctor if there is a need for follow up or if their presenting condition needs more treatment then the Minute Clinic can provide (Keckley, Ph. D. , P. H. , 2008). Price Cost-based pricing – Most health care is based on a health insurance system making payments based on a third party payer system, so the price for care is usually set by entities outside of the doctor-patient relationship. Because of this system, providers do not need to compete for patients based on money prices. Medicare sets prices and national policies for health care services, while health insurance companies negotiate with providers for services and they offer incentives to reduce costs and reduce performing unnecessary procedures (Nelson, 2009). Value-based pricing – In comparison, Mayo is a high cost provider when compared to other Minnesota providers, and many insurance providers list Mayo in the bottom of their tiered health plans, based on cost not quality. Mayo may need to charge more to private pay patients to cover the shortfalls from uncompensated care and public payers (Medicare and Medicaid). â€Å"Because public payments rarely cover the cost of care, providers must charge private payers higher rates if they expect to stay in business† (Nelson, 2009,para 15). As we enter into new reforms being designed to cut costs and improve quality care the current system is about to change and we can only hope for the better. Competition-based pricing – The Mayo Clinic is able to keep costs down, because they pay their physicians a salary and not on a fee for services like many other health care organizations do. Being a center for excellence, they rank higher in quality of care than other organizations which gives them an advantage when negotiating with insurance companies on the price for services. Because they have an integrated approach, they perform less unnecessary procedures than other organizations, which will keep a patients overall cost down (Nelson, 2009). Promotion Communication plans – Mayo Clinic is on the cutting edge by initiating an electronic database which allows interaction with other physicians and shared information through an affiliation agreement and e-consultants. With changes coming in the health care delivery system, and payers, Mayo is aggressively expanding their affiliation with other providers. Being known as a center for excellence, they are often called to give a consultation on difficult cases. Becoming an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic gives the provider the ability to use their name in advertising as well as consult with the Mayo Physicians. The goal of Mayo Clinic is â€Å"to be the leader in efforts to get hospitals and physician groups to work together more effectively to improve quality and lower costs† (Graham, 2012). Public relations – Being a pioneer and leading the way is not new for the Mayo Clinic, being one of the first to initiate a Facebook web page that people can write on its wall and share all types of content, is a way of communicating and gaining customers. People are using the site to share stories about their own or a family members experience with the Mayo Clinic. These stories are than shared and â€Å"liked† making this a form of word of mouth. Many will visit the site which also offers information and short videos on different subjects, as well as health support issues. They also have Podcasts that are offered at the iTunes store, and it once reached 29th in the Top 100 (Rollyson, 2008). Advertising – Mayo has not spent a lot of money on advertising and relies on reputation to bring in the patients. However, when they opened the Florida clinic in 2008, patients were not banging down the doors so to speak and they realized they needed to do something to attract the patients (Weiss, 2009). They rely on word of mouth and have taken initiatives that bring awareness to the organization. Having a Facebook page, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasts, local television health segments that allow people to call with concerns or ask questions, monthly new magazine and by sponsoring community health events. Employees are also a source of advertising, many are happy to share the Mayo philosophy (â€Å"the needs of the patient come first†) with others. Sales and selling activity – Being a not for profit organization, they are more concerned with quality as this will bring quantity. The Mayo clinic offers advertising ads and sponsorships in their e-newsletters and magazines as well as community events that promote health awareness. However, their financial goals take a backseat to their mission, which is to focus on the patients and meeting the needs of the patient first. Making themselves present on social media sites as well as sponsoring community events that promote health awareness, they are able to draw attention to their name. Having a strong reputation for quality care and their desire to put the patients’ needs before the need for payment, sets a standard that many organizations could learn from. Overall the Mayo Clinic system and philosophy sets a standard that is in a class of its own. Gaining a reputation that has lasted over a hundred years as one of the best organizations to be a patient of or to work for says a lot for the way they are doing business. Offering other facilities and organizations the opportunity to be affiliated with the Mayo system will continue to bring awareness to the brand and promote their way of helping people, while bring the medical profession together working as a team. Reference: Dickson, F. (2012, May 5). The Mayo Mystique. Marketing Health Services. Retrieved From: http://www. marketingpower. com/ResourceLibrary/MarketingHealthServices/Pages/2012/Spring%202012/The-Mayo-Mystique. aspx Fletcher, H. ( 2010, August). Truth in Advertising. North American Publishing Company. Retrieved from: http://www. targetmarketingmag. com/article/mayo-clinic-puts-straightforward-direct-mail-creative-test/1 Forbes. (2012, July 17). Still the One: Cleveland Clinic Retains Top Spot On US News World Report Heart Hospital Rankings. Forbes. comLLC. Retrieved from: http://www. forbes. com/sites/larryhusten/2012/07/17/still-the-one-cleveland-clinic-retains-top-spot-on-us-news-world-report-heart-hospital-rankings/ Graham, J. , (2012, Aug. 24). Mayo Clinic Seeks to Extend it Reach with Series of Affiliations Around the Country. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from: http://www. kaiserhealthnews. org/Stories/2012/August/24/Mayo-Clinic-Extends-Reach. aspx Hathaway M. , Seltman, K. (2001, Winter). International Market Research at the Mayo Clinic. Marketing Health Services. How to cite Marketing Analysis: Mayo Clinic, Papers

Contract was formed between Marlena & John-Samples for Students

Question: Marlena offered to sell her car to John for $78,000. John said that he would need some time to think about it and would get back to her. After three days John called and said that he accepted Marlenas offer. Marlena informed John that, since she hadnt heard from him, she had sold the car to Kristin. Advise John as to whether or not he is entitled to the car. Answer: Issue Whether a contract was formed between Marlena and John? Rule A contract is an agreement between two or more persons and is enforceable in the court of law, In order to render a contract as valid it must include the following essential elements (Poole, 2016). Offer The person making a proposal to another person to enter into a contract is called an offer and the person is known as offeror as was held in Harvey v Facey [1893] UKPC 1. An offer is different from an invitation to treat where an offer leads to a binding contract after acceptance, an invitation to treat is said to be accepted only after performance as was established in Carlill v Carbolic Smoke ball co. [1893] 1 QB 256. Acceptance The person to whom an offer is made is called the offeree and acceptance to such offer is said to be made when the offeree agrees to such offer orally, either in writing or by conduct as was held in Crown v Clarke [1927] 40 CLR 227. After a valid acceptance of an offer, a contract becomes binding upon the contracting parties. Therefore, it is essential to determine the validity of an acceptance to make the parties bound by the contract. An acceptance must be communicated to the offeree as was held in Entorres v Miles Far East [1955] 2 QB 327; The terms of acceptance must match the terms of the offer and silence does not amount to an acceptance of an offer as was established in Felthouse v Bindley [1862] 142 ER 1037. Consideration Consideration is the price that the offeror stipulates to be made in exchange of the promise made. Under the Common law, an agreement becomes binding upon the contracting parties when there is a consideration (payment in some form) for the promise made as was held in Australian Woolen Mills Pty Ltd v The Common wealth [1954] HCA 20. Legal Intention In order to render a contract as valid, it is important that the parties to the contract have the legal intention to be bound the contractual terms and perform their respective contractual obligations. The burden of proof is on the party seeking to establish the contract and the party must establish the legal relationship existing between the parties (McKendrick, 2014). Capacity The parties to the contract must have the legal capacity to enter into agreements that is, the contracting parties must establish that they do not fall under the category of person who lack legal capacity to enter into the contract such as minors, persons of unsound mind etc (McKendrick, 2014). These elements must be present in order to establish that a contract has been formed between ten parties. A void contract cannot be enforceable in the court of law. Application In the given scenario, Marlena proposed to sell her car to John, which amount to an offer as she has made a proposal to form a contract with John. She further offered to sell her car in exchange of monetary value of $78000, which forms the consideration of the offer. However, in Crown v Clarke it was held that to form a contract an acceptance of the offer is mandatory to make the contract binding between the parties. In the given scenario, Marlena made an offer but John did not accept her offer neither his conduct signified any acceptance. Moreover, it is important to communicate the offer to the offeror as was ruled in Entorress case which John did not communicate when the offer was made to him and stated that he would talk about it later, thus, signifying non-acceptance of such offer. Furthermore, this also implies that John did not have any legal intention to be bound by the contract as well. Therefore, it can be stated that in this case, the essential elements like acceptance, legal intention was not present that does not render a contract as valid. Since acceptance is considered as an agreement to the offer made and signifying a binding effect of the contract upon the parties, it is mandatory to make form a contact. Although there is a valid offer and a valid consideration promised by Marlena as the offeror to John in exchange of the car, lack of a valid acceptance does not amount to a formation of a contract between the parties. Conclusion Therefore, it can be stated that no contract was formed between John and Marlena. Reference List Australian Woolen Mills Pty Ltd v The Common wealth [1954] HCA 20. Carlill v Carbolic Smoke ball co. [1893] 1 QB 256. Crown v Clarke [1927] 40 CLR 227 Entorres v Miles Far East [1955] 2 QB 327; Felthouse v Bindley [1862] 142 ER 1037. Harvey v Facey [1893] UKPC 1. McKendrick, E. (2014).Contract law: text, cases, and materials. Oxford University Press (UK). Poole, J. (2016).Textbook on contract law. Oxford University Press.