Saturday, March 21, 2020

Greatest Good for the Greatest Number essays

Greatest Good for the Greatest Number essays The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number Bentham is remembered both as a pioneer of social science and as an advocate of administrative and legal reform. The reforms in which he pressed for were directed towards his four ends of good government: subsistence (a means of providing oneself with the necessities of life, bare necessities, Websters 1992), abundance, security, and equality. Benthams ideas on legislation were taught through a circle of pupils and disciples that believed in guaranteed employment, minimum wages, and a variety of social benefits (Akamac). Bentham published Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789) in which he argued that the proper objective of all conduct and legislation is the greatest happiness of the greatest number and that pain and pleasure are the sovereign masters governing mans conduct (Spartacus). Bentham, also being a proponent of utilitarianism (doctrine that states that the moral and political rightness of an action is determined by its utility, Websters 1992) believed that the determining factor of a moral action is based on whether the action contributes to the good of society. The easiest approach to take on this is that in situations where one must decide between a good for an individual and a good for society, then society should prevail, despite the wrong being done to an individual. This is because generally the utility or good derived from that action outweighs the small amount of harm done because the harm is done only to one whereas the good is multiplied by the many who benefit (Pollock, 33). Another approach to help explain this theory would be if there were an individual with a newly discovered disease that could prove to be a major threat to society. Because this individual is the only known human carrier of this disease, should this person be quarantined in order t ...

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to File Loud TV Commercial Complaints

How to File Loud TV Commercial Complaints If you, like many if not most people, had visions of the government really cracking down on TV stations and cable companies that broadcast annoyingly loud commercials after enactment of the CALM Act, you had a wrong vision. The fact is that the FCC has placed most of the burden for enforcement of the law squarely on TV viewers. The much-desired TV commercial volume control law - the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act - is now in effect, but you can bet your eardrums there will be violations. Heres when and how to report CALM Act violations. Taking full effect on December 13, 2012, the CALM Act requires TV stations, cable operators, satellite TV operators, and other pay-TV providers to limit a commercials average volume to that of the programming that it accompanies. It May Not be a Violation The CALM Act is enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the FCC does provide a simple way to report violations. However, the FCC also advises that not all loud commercials are violations. According to the FCC), while the overall or average volume of the commercial should be no louder than the regular programming, it may still have louder and quieter moments. As a result, says the FCC, some commercials may sound too loud to some viewers, but still comply with the law. Basically, if all or most of the commercial sounds louder to you that the regular program, report it. Broadcasters who fail to comply with the CALM Act regulations face significant financial penalties imposed by the FCC. How to Report a CALM Act Violation The easiest way to file a loud commercial complaint is by using the FCCs online complaint form at www.fcc.gov/complaints. To use the form, click on the Complaint Type button Broadcast (TV and Radio), Cable, and Satellite Issues, and then click on the Category button Loud Commercials. This will take you to the Form 2000G - Loud Commercial Complaint form. Fill out the form and click on Complete the form to submit your complaint to the FCC. The Loud Commercial Complaint form asks for information, including the date and time you saw the commercial, the name of the program you were watching and which TV station or pay-TV provider transmitted the commercial. Its a lot of information, but it is necessary to help the FCC correctly identify the offending commercial from among the tens-of-thousands of commercials aired every day. Complaints can also be filed by fax to 1-866-418-0232 or by filling out a 2000G - Loud Commercial Complaint form (.pdf) and mailing it to: The Federal Communications CommissionConsumer and Governmental Affairs BureauConsumer Inquiries and Complaints Division445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554 If you need assistance in filing your complaint, you may contact the FCCs Consumer Call Center by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) (voice) or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) (TTY).