Hannah Gomez Farias, Ann Paskor and Walter E. Block
– The purpose of this paper is to trace the relationship between social media and socialism.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to trace the relationship between social media and socialism.
Design/methodology/approach
The design of this paper is to articulate what is socialism and social media. We trace the relationship between the two based on quotations and citations between these two separate universes of discourse.
Findings
Social media leads to socialism; this is the most unsophisticated understanding of economics, and pretty much anyone can take part in this mode of communication. The economically illiterate excoriate capitalism, but they fail, utterly, to distinguish between the crony capitalism, which really does exploit workers and the poor, from laissez-faire capitalism, which is the last best hope for humanity to prosper and even to survive.
Originality/value
There is great originality in this paper because there is no other extant study that attempts to explain social media and socialism in terms of each other.
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The purpose of this study is to explore and theorize on the motivations of a new class of whistleblowers or leakers stemming from the “abusive” cybersecurity practices of Western…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore and theorize on the motivations of a new class of whistleblowers or leakers stemming from the “abusive” cybersecurity practices of Western governments. This research primarily focuses on such practices of the US Government.
Design/methodology/approach
This work is designed as a case study research of cybersecurity whistleblowers or leakers on Western governments, involving data collection from primary and secondary sources. The method is a content analysis to determine the presence of certain themes within this primary and secondary data which this research can then make inferences about the messages within the texts.
Findings
The findings show a formation of a recent class of power brokers, with its own collective ethos, who will be known by a new term: the “New Knowledge Cyberclass” (NKC). The development of the NKC was revealed through the shocking data revelations by Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. What separates the NKC from government “protectors” (i.e. President Obama, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo), who argue that these leakers stole and leaked classified documents that endangered lives, is their definitions of what it means to be defenders of democracy, which here pertains to the rights to citizens’ online privacy and the degree of secrecy in US Government.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study directed toward connecting, Snowden, Assange and Manning, to the birth of a new class of power brokers designed to directly challenge Western government malpractices with citizens’ online privacy and secrecy in foreign operations. This research explores both the birth of this new class and a collective ethos that binds this group together despite the tensions and conflicts within this new class.
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I look forward to hearing your presentations of your papers. And, perhaps even more importantly, learning and obtaining new insights from subsequent interaction. As our Austrian…
Abstract
I look forward to hearing your presentations of your papers. And, perhaps even more importantly, learning and obtaining new insights from subsequent interaction. As our Austrian School forbears stated, our knowledge as individuals is very limited and all of us will often make mistakes. The increased expertise has not improved this – it may be harder now as each expert knows more and more but about less and less as his field becomes ever more concentrated and thereby shrinks.Yet by our interaction, usually in some form of competition, our varying expertise, differing knowledge and individual approaches will get the total closer to right over time. We’ll approach equilibrium but of course never quite get there since nothing stands still and the world itself is constantly changing.I have always been fascinated by that miracle in which competing entrepreneurs produce an outcome that is more efficient and better than most would have done individually and look forward to obtaining greater insights as you present your papers.We last met in the fall of 2008, a period of rapid financial meltdown and severity of stress none of us had ever experienced. Of course the last similar crisis took place nearly 80 years ago in the 1930s, long before any of us were born. And in that distant past, there were two main suggestions of how to fix it: the Austrian approach and that of J. M. Keynes. Part of the latter's solution was applied then, and again this time.We asked the attendees, most of whom are represented by the papers in this volume, for comments or suggestions: What would you do now?We spent an hour in this discussion and, I believe:1) recognized that the Austrian School approach would be to allow interest rates to revert to normal levels from the artificially low yields which had misled entrepreneurs in the first place, but 2) accepted the reality that today's politicians had to take action and be seen as doing so.Three weeks earlier I had attended two days of meetings of the Hayek Society in Vienna. Along with some academics, the majority of the members consisted of business men, lawyers, practicing economists, psychologists and even politicians including the two Mr. Pauls from the US (Representative Ron Paul by video call). To my surprise, the consensus appeared to be to let business work out its own problems because no person, not even an expert, can know the future and therefore a perfect solution.It appears that the massive infusions of cash by all governments really have shortened the duration of our global problems. We must be grateful, but we also still need a long-term solution. As I said then and repeat now, giving a drunk some more drinks the morning after makes his hangover more bearable, but we still need to find out how to wean him off excessive alcohol. Our governments have spent, and in most cases are continuing to spend much more money to get us past the meltdown. But this money will need to be repaid by future spending cuts. And we are still living with abnormally low interest rates which will at some point mislead entrepreneurs into risky ventures with inadequate returns. We are building the next bubble.While no one knows exactly what we should do, I expect that the insights and views on expertise presented here, may help to clarify this challenge.
States that to remain consistent, abortion can not be justified as all individuals have certain inalienable rights, including the right to life. Argues that abortion creates…
Abstract
States that to remain consistent, abortion can not be justified as all individuals have certain inalienable rights, including the right to life. Argues that abortion creates classes of people who have no rights and can therefore be killed. Compares this with property rights under which masters formerly possessed slaves and asks where these rights end.
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Stress mapping is examined as a visual technique to help counselling and management training look at causes of personal or occupational stress. Stress mapping is demonstrated as a…
Abstract
Stress mapping is examined as a visual technique to help counselling and management training look at causes of personal or occupational stress. Stress mapping is demonstrated as a rating on a scale of 0 to 10 and is shown to assist management training and organisational conflict resolution when applied by an experienced facilitator.
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Outlines the Libertarian framework of rights and obligations in abortion. Argues that abortion is homicide based upon the scientific and philosophic evidence available and…
Abstract
Outlines the Libertarian framework of rights and obligations in abortion. Argues that abortion is homicide based upon the scientific and philosophic evidence available and disputes further points believed by abortion proponents.
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In the 1960s those on the political left flattered themselves that the vast number of publications by socialists, anarchists, feminists, and other groups on that wing of the…
Abstract
In the 1960s those on the political left flattered themselves that the vast number of publications by socialists, anarchists, feminists, and other groups on that wing of the political spectrum were evidence of the rich intellectual life of the struggle to create a progressive America. Conversely, the lack of publishing by the right was evidence of a general lack of intelligence. But that was then, and this is most certainly now. The right in America has moved from margin to center over the last two decades, vindicating former Attorney General John Mitchell's boast that “the country is going so far to the right that you won't recognize it.”
The paper seeks to provide an alternative and possibly controversial examination of the contemporary anti‐money laundering regulatory phenomenon. It is intended to challenge…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to provide an alternative and possibly controversial examination of the contemporary anti‐money laundering regulatory phenomenon. It is intended to challenge existing givens and to pose an alternative and challenging view of the reasons and the motives behind the imposition of the international laws and regulations dealing with money laundering.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper contains the views of one man who has spent most of his working life examining the money laundering question and it is a single alternative view based upon personal experience.
Findings
The findings are not enunciated in the sense that there are research outcomes. It is a question for the reader to interpret and accept or reject the writer's viewpoint.
Practical implications
The paper seeks to encourage a more questioning and agnostic view of current anti‐money laundering practice, with the aim of stimulating more debate on a topic which has for too long been the captive of a small coterie of government agencies.
Originality/value
The paper is challenging in that it represents a complete counter‐blast to every accepted conventional wisdom on money laundering. It is a viewpoint piece.
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To provide an overview of the change to NHS Clinical Governance Support Team's Board Development Programme.
Abstract
Purpose
To provide an overview of the change to NHS Clinical Governance Support Team's Board Development Programme.
Design/methodology/approach
The background to the programme, the methods adopted by the Board Team and lessons learned are outlined. Commitment and active support at Board and senior levels are known to be essential for organisational change and, in order to help translate aims into strategic priorities and to implement these into improved services, the Clinical Governance Board Support Team was formed in 2000 as part of the overall NHS Clinical Governance Support Team (CGST). Its members provide advice and support to NHS personnel who are involved in improvements to health care services.
Findings
The team worked initially with Boards of acute NHS Trusts and later with Primary Care, Ambulance and Mental Health Trusts. Among the lessons learned from their own work and the increasing body of research‐based evidence is the importance of the leadership role of the Board in fostering a positive culture of change, enthusing and empowering staff. Other factors are the effectiveness of communication with external organisations, scrutiny of all points of contact with users of the services and involvement of users – patients and carers – at all stages. The Team evolved during the programme, strengthening its clinical base and introducing patients and carers as associates. In order to meet demand and increase capacity of the Team, learning materials have been developed and these and their experiences widely disseminated. An example of success is demonstrated by the progress made by a pilot cohort of Primary Care Trusts.
Originality/value
This review summarises the aims, objectives and progress of the work of the Board Development Programme.