Set of laws governing public and private security agencies Essay

Set of laws governing public and private security agencies - Essay Example The rate of fatal crimes like homicides and cold blooded murders rose to an unacceptable level for the public. On the other hand the governments around the world blamed persistent economic recession, for their inability to invest in the betterment of the security setup. This above mentioned problem gave rise to the development of privately owned security companies, which worked for the last two decades to provide adequately acceptable security, with the help of latest technology. They are also fairly successful in fulfilling their promises, which compelled the general public to trust them more often. This trend led to the higher level of acceptability of these agencies in the society. According to some famous researchers, this fashion led to cause the shift of power needed to manage the security setup from federal agencies to general public and organizations, thus resulting in the decentralization of authority among civilians (Benson, 2007), who possess the money to hire their own ar my. This phenomenon caused the sense of inequity and insecurity among those who are weak. As a consequence, the prevalence of fear increased in the community. This practice also fueled the cold war for the authority among private and public security agencies, which impacted negatively on the standards of the already decaying security setup. However, the roots of these private security providers could be found in the large scale layoffs in military, after the end of cold war. This left, many highly skilled militants out of job. Due to this reason, they formed collations with each other and started robbing the government’s military facilities in the beginning (Schreier & Caparini, 2005). Thus with the passage of time these organizations formalized their existence and structure. Another important facet of this phenomenon is the consistent collaboration, between the government and private weapons producers, through which the former entity is getting war equipment from the latter one (Avant, 2003). This trend is playing a significant role in strengthening the weapon producers in terms of influence. These non-government security organizations are also used for the following purposes The employees of privately managed security companies are often sent on the harmony preserving missions of UN, because of the fact, that most of the developed nations do not deploy their military forces on these type of missions, due to their political reasons (Schreier & Caparini, 2005) These forces are also deployed in the case of large scale calamity effecting any nation, with the mission of helping humanity (Schreier & Caparini, 2005) They can also be used in support capacity in cooperation with other federal law enforcement agencies (Schreier & Caparini, 2005) Governing Laws for Public Reinforcement Agencies The major purpose of these organizations is to protect the citizens of the country from any kind of loss, due to theft, murder, fraud and other similar activities. They a re under strict monitoring of the government, which results in highly formalized chain of command structure (Glover, 2012). Following are the laws governing formal security operations in US implicated. The police officers cannot investigate any citizen without legitimate reasons They cannot arrest anyone without permission from government officials They cannot search anyone without

Video game console Essay Example for Free

Video game console Essay I got my first video game console in the summer of 1991. My parents purchased it from SEARS for my birthday and at which point I had no idea what it was. A couple of the kids and their parents knew that it was and were shocked that my parents spend $100 dollars on something like that. It was still in the box until one afternoon I came home from school. I set it up in the living room, only room with a television. Popped in Super Mario Bros, this simple 8-bit game would change the entertainment industry. I did not become a fanboy until I attend Florida AM. Besides my classes and football schedule, I usually spend my free time in my apartment. One of my friends back home told me about Microsoft’s Xbox gave gamers the ability to play against each other and they did not need to be in the same living room. Walked into a Game Stop and walked out with my first console since the Nintendo my parents got me so many birthdays ago. Once at my apartment, plugged everything in and started playing. Completely different from what I remember when I was eight years ago. Xbox became my gateway drugs, from hours of study, from the beating my body would take from football and boredom. History of Sonys gaming console. Before Sony entered into the gaming industry they establish Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) in mid-November of 1993. SCE main purpose was to handle production, RD (research and development) and the sale of both hardware and software for their video game consoles. This introduction took place a year before Sony launched their first video game console, Playstation. Playstation shipped to Japan first, in December of 94 and it was not until September 1995 when it shipped to the rest of the world. Playstation joined Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn as the fifth generation of gaming consoles. Playstation sold for over nine years and sold over 100 million units worldwide, 2004 was the last year that Sony produced a Playstation. In 2000, SCE launched their second console, Playstation 2 (PS2). A decade later PS2 would be most popular console even well into the seventh generation console like Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. At their initial launch, PS2 only competition was Sega’s Dreamcast, which made $97 million on its release date. SCE closed the gap quick with PS2, which made $250 million on launch day. What helped a lot with the PS2 success was the console’s backward compatibility, gave gamers to play a lot of their favorite Playstation on their new PS2 and it was equipped with a DVD-player. With this feature, it helped expand SCE audience beyond their target audience, from the everyday gamers to someone wanting to upgrade their home entertainment system. With PS2 initial success and continue success, Sega’s Dreamcast had no room to grow and finally discontinuation in March of 2001. PS2 remaining the only console on the market for six months until the announcement of Nintendo’s GameCube and Microsoft’s Xbox. By this time, PS2 had huge advantage over the two, so to complete with both systems. SCE marked down their prices by $100. Towards the end of 2006, Playstation 3 (PS3) hit store shelves for the holiday season. This was the only console on the market that used a Blu-ray disc drive to run their software (games). With the launched of PS3, SCE introduced an answer to Microsofts Xbox Live online gaming service, Playstation Network (PSN) and it was free everyone. This system was also backward compatible with pervious Playstation games. SCE developed PSN to help Playstation gain ground with online gaming and downloadable content (DLC). What I liked about PSN was that it allowed it’s user to download the full game and gave the gamer a trail period of 60 minutes. This was a lot better than go out and spending $60 dollars on a game that would eventually turn into a paperweight. Last year SCE introduced their fourth installation of Playstation, Playstation 4 (PS4) and released a week before Microsoft’s Xbox One. PS4 only other competition is Nintendo’s Wii U. Nintendo since GameCube focused more on younger gamers because it could not keep up with the mature rating games that both Sony and Microsoft released. With Nintendo taking a back step, PS4 only real competition was Xbox One. Playstation 4 has not looked back since their launch date. By early February 2014 they have sold over five million units, compare to Xbox One three million units. History of Microsoft’s gaming console Late 2001 Microsoft took its first steps in the gaming industry. They announced their first gaming console to the world Xbox. Not since 1996 has, an American company offered a gaming console. By early 2002, Xbox completed with all of the sixth generation console Nintendos GameCube, Segas Dreamcast and Sonys Playstation 2. In all honestly, Microsoft only real threat was Sonys Playstation 2; as both consoles were designed for the advanced gamer. With the launch of Xbox, Microsoft also ventures into the world of online gaming, with their service Xbox Live. Unlike Sonys Playstation 2 and Segas Dreamcast, Xbox Live charged a fee to play online against players across the world and gave subscribers the ability to download gaming content to gamers. Like the other two consoles, gamers were required to have their own broadband connection. Before Xbox discontinued, it has sold 24 million units worldwide. Four later after the successful launch of Xbox, Microsoft introduced Xbox 360. With the success of Xbox and the video game industry entering its seventh generation gaming console, only three major players where left in this industry; Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. Microsoft launched Xbox 360 with Xbox Live, as they did with Xbox. With the introduction of Xbox Live, not only did it change the way gamers played their game but also changed how the industry produce their games. Per Colin Moriarty, Senior Editor at IGN. com, he reported that by October of 2013 Xbox 360 has sold 80 million units and still climbing. With this success, it made Xbox 360 the seventh best gaming console, behind both Sonys Playstation and Sonys Playstation 2. This showed the video game industry that Microsoft, like Sony once before them, was a major player and was there for the long run. From its release date, Microsoft made sure to lock down exclusive titles and become the first with new downloadable content (DLC). Exclusive games like Halo and Gears of War, gamers were jumping ship and trading their Playstation consoles to purchase these titles. Then in 2009, Microsoft released and again shocked the gaming industry with the introduction of Kinect. This gave gamers a glimpse of the future for the industry. Unlike Nintendos Wii, Kinect was completely motion censored and voice commanded. This new accessory gave Xbox 360 new arsenal to complete with Nintendos Wii and Sonys Playstation 3 new Move project. Over ten years since the launch of Xbox, in late May 2013, Microsoft announced Xbox One was to follow Xbox 360. Later that year, in November, Microsoft launched their third gaming console. This is was also the beginning of the new generation of gaming consoles. Upon its conference at E3 2013, Xbox One took a lot criticized for its initial digital rights management policies (put restrictions on the resale and sharing between gamers); along with Kinect usage, requirements and a higher price tag than its competitors. Receiving a lot of criticism, Microsoft dropped all the restrictions before release November 21 2013. Microsoft’s Xbox One vs. Sony’s Playstation 4 @ E3 2013 Every year at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony hold a larger conference to display their new hardware or software. Microsoft announced that the Xbox One would launch in November 2013 and would retail at $499. They also announced the end of Microsoft Points and replaced by actual currency. Microsoft also announced a redesigned Xbox 360, available in stores immediately, which looks similar to the Xbox One. During the event did not spend any time discussing the hardware upgrades nor the policy on used games. A topic that was hurting Microsoft since they announced it earlier in the year. Priced at $499 putting Xbox One at the higher end of both consoles and this was because each console came with Microsoft’s Kinect accessory. SCE showed the world what the Playstation 4 would look like and priced at $399 in the US ($100 less than the Xbox One). SCE also discussed used games strategy and Sony announced there would be no DRM (Digital Rights Management) or protection on used PS4 games. They could also trade freely and play after initial purchase. Sony also announced that the PlayStation Plus subscription membership is now required for online gaming. 2013 let the console wars between Playstation and Xbox begin. Both consoles were release in November, giving PS4 a one-week (November 13) lead on Xbox One (November 21). At the end of 2013, the PS4 sold a little over four million units and Xbox One managed to sell over three million units. At the end of the console cycle, if Sony only managed to sell 1. 2 million more consoles than the Xbox One, Microsoft would be happy to take because it give them a tie. However, those sales come at the end of 2013 and only had about a month and a half in the shelves, and the figures would have always ended up somewhat similar due to the rush of pre-sales and limited stock. Now that the early rush is over and both consoles are easier to find, the January sales figures would be more telling regarding the popularity of the consoles. At this time, Microsoft has yet to release Xbox One in Japan and other European countries, with a release date sometime in late September 2014. What was Microsoft thinking? What is currently hurting Microsoft sells of Xbox One, are issues that they did not address at E3? The gaming community was not ready for the advance changes and radical ideas that Microsoft was trying to introduce. The public did not approve the idea of having to buy a game brand new. This idea was taking business away from a lot of video game store, big stores like GameStop and smaller privately own stores. This was also going to restrict gamers to lend games to each other. Sony just sat back and watched how Microsoft’s ideas fail. The gaming community turned away from those ideas. These ideas and plans were the cause of many people canceling their pre-order of the new system, even hardcore Xbox fans were jumping ship. Microsoft went into damage control before launch date. All the systems were to be updated before release and updated patches were uploaded on launch day. Consoles: Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox 360 w/ Kinect Xbox One Playstation Playstation 2 and Playstation 2 Slim Playstation 3 slim and Playstation 3 1st edition Playstation 4 References: Microsoft Confirms Next-Gen Xbox Announcement. IGN. April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013. Xbox One ignites a new era of games and entertainment this November. Microsoft. June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2013. Retailers Sell Out of Initial Xbox 360 Shipments. Retrieved October 14, 2008.EXCLUSIVE: Xbox One Confirmed as Name of Microsofts New Console. Retrieved May 7, 2013. Microsoft: Kinect SDK Coming In March. Gadgetsteria. com. February 21, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011. New PS3 has sold over one million. Eurogamer. Retrieved November 7, 2009. â€Å"PlayStation 2 Breaks Record as the Fastest Computer Entertainment Platform to Reach Cumulative Shipment of 100 Million Units (PDF) (Press release). Sony Computer Entertainment. November 30, 2005. Retrieved June 8, 2008. â€Å"PlayStation 2 manufacture ends after 12 years. The Guardian. January 4, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2013.

Atmosphere of Terror and Suspense in Gothic Literature Essay -- essays

1764 saw the birth of Gothic literature with the novel 'The Castle of Otranto', written by Horace Walpole. Although, this novel was based on some much earlier literature it set the standard for all the gothic novels that followed. The 18th century was a time when political power was in the hands of a few rich men. Women did not have the vote, let alone any legal rights. The majority of the population lived in poverty. However things were changing ? the Church was no longer as powerful and the social structure was being questioned. For example, in 1789 the French monarchy was overthrown by the masses starting the French revolution. People were no longer so willing to accept their ?lot in life?. It was in this background that the genre of Gothic literature was first written. It was called gothic because it placed emphasis on emotions such as awe, terror, insignificance and vulnerability. Gothic novels were fascinated with the grotesque, horrible and supernatural. They were a reaction against realistic literature of the 18th century. Some saw it as a sub-genre of romantics but others argued it was a genre in its own right. Whatever its genre, gothic novels were typically characterized by their romanticism, melodrama and dark foreboding settings. They were critical of the society of the day and fiercely anti- catholic, disliking the church?s power and brutality. Some of the main gothic writers of the time included Edgar Alan Poe, Charles Dickens, H.G.Wells, Charlotte and Emily Bronte. By the end of the19th century Mary Shelley?s famous novel of Frankenstein had been published and later on Bram Stoker?s Dracula. Of all the stories written in the gothic era, they all contain many of the typical gothic ... ...ation and descriptive language. Also, with The Tell Tale Heart the tension and suspense has great effect, making the reader wanting to read on. The building of suspense through specific language and literary devices is so firm and efficient that ?The Tell-Tale Heart? has become one of the most famous Gothic short stories in English literature. Poe?s choice of words is known to be precise and concise, and so is his writing style: no devices are used without having certain effects. The Cask of Amontillado is the least representative of the genre because it does not contain so many gothic features and the narrator has a reason for killing: revenge. I believe gothic literature has remained so popular because people like to be thrilled by horror and ghost stories and the central themes never age. The reader can empathise with the story without having to believe it.

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 10

Chapter 10 LOVE, KICKED TO THE CURB â€Å"You did what?† Lena said, then adding, â€Å"And take that bat off your head, it's unnerving to have a hat looking at you like that.† â€Å"Like what?† Tuck said. â€Å"Don't change the subject. You blackmailed Theo Crowe?† She was pacing her kitchen. Tuck sat at the counter, wearing a gold oxford-cloth shirt that complemented the bat on his head while accentuating the sea blue of his eyes. The bat, for once, wasn't wearing sunglasses. â€Å"Not really. It was only sort of implied. He'd figured out that I'd been in your ex-husband's truck. He knew. Now he'll just forget it.† â€Å"He may not. He may have some integrity, unlike some people.† â€Å"Hey, hey, hey. Let's not point the finger here, my ex is still living well in the Caymans on money that I rightfully stole from an organ-smuggling doctor, while yours, need I remind you –  » â€Å"Dale's death was an accident. Everything since then, all this craziness, has been your doing. You come into my life at the worst possible moment, like you had a plan all along, and things have gone more and more out of control. Now you're blackmailing my friends. Tucker, are you insane?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Sure? Just like that? Sure, you're insane?† â€Å"Sure, everyone is. If you think anyone is sane you just don't know enough about them. The key – and this is very relevant in our case – is to find someone whose insanity dovetails with your own. Like us.† He flashed what Lena thought was supposed to be a charming grin, which was somewhat defused by his trying to untangle one of Roberto's wing claws from his hair. Lena turned from him and leaned against the counter in front of the dishwasher, hoping to steel herself for what she had to do. Unfortunately Tuck had just run a load of dishes and the steam from the vent in front was streaming through her thin skirt and making her feel inappropriately moist for righteous indignation. She spun around with resolve and allowed the dishwasher to steam her backside as she made her pronouncement. â€Å"Look, Tucker, you are a very attractive man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a deep breath on the pause. â€Å"No way. You're breaking up with me?† â€Å"And I do like you, despite the situation –  » â€Å"Oh, right, you don't want to have anything to do with an attractive guy who you like, heaven forbid – ; â€Å"Would you shut up!† The bat barked at her tone. â€Å"You, too, fur face! Look, in another time and place, maybe. But you're too – I'm too – you just accept things too easily. I need –  » â€Å"Your anxiety?† â€Å"Would you please let me finish?† â€Å"Sure, go ahead.† He nodded. The bat, now on his shoulder, nodded as well. Lena had to look away. â€Å"And your bat is freaking me out.† â€Å"Yeah, well, you should have been around when he used to talk.† â€Å"Out! Tucker! I need you out of my life. I have too much to deal with – you are too much to deal with.† â€Å"But the sex, it was great, it was – ; â€Å"I understand if you want to go to the authorities – I may even go myself – but this just isn't right.† Tucker Case hung his head. Roberto the fruit bat hung his head. Tucker Case looked at the fruit bat, who, in turn, looked at Lena, as if to say, Well, I hope you ‘re happy, you broke his heart. â€Å"I'll get my stuff,† Tuck said. Lena was crying, and she didn't want to be crying, but she was. She watched Tuck pick up his things around the house and stuff them into a flight bag, wondering how he had spread so much crap around her house in only two days. Men, they were always marking territory. He paused at the door and looked back. â€Å"I'm not going to go to the authorities. I'm just going to go.† Lena rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache but mainly to cover her tears. â€Å"Okay, then.† â€Å"I'm going, then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Good-bye, Tucker.† â€Å"You won't have anyone to sex up under the Christmas tree†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lena looked up. â€Å"Jeez, Tuck.† â€Å"Okay. I'm going now.† And he did. Lena Marquez went into her bedroom to call her friend Molly. Maybe crying over the phone to a girlfriend would bring a sense of normalcy back into her life. Sour Nerds? Cinnamon Geeks? Or Gummy Boogers? Sam Applebaum's mom was picking out a ;nice; reasonably priced Cabernet, and Sam was allowed one item of candy from the rack at Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines. Of course the Boogers would last the longest, but they were all mundane green-apple finish, while the Nerds proffered a fruity variety and an impudent little top note of tang. Cinnamon Geeks had a rich nose and a bit of a bite up front, but their tiny certified-public-accountant shape betrayed their bourgeois origins. Sam was learning wine words. He was seven and he very much enjoyed unnerving adults with his wine-word vocabulary. Hanukkah had just ended and there had been a lot of dinners at Sam's house over the last week, with a lot of wine talk, and Sam had joyfully freaked out a whole table of his relatives by pronouncing after the blessing that the Manischewitz blackberry (the only wine he was allowed to taste) was a â€Å"tannacious little cunt of a red, but not without a certain buttery geranium charm.† (He finished dinner in his room over that one – but it was tannacious. Philistines.) â€Å"You are one of the Chosen?† said a voice up and to the right of Sam. â€Å"I destroyed the Canaanites so your people would have a homeland.† He looked up and saw a man with long blond hair wearing a long black duster. A jolt went through Sam like he'd just licked a battery. This was the guy that had scared his friend Josh so badly. He looked around and saw his mom was in the back of the store with Mr. Masterson, the owner. â€Å"Can I get these with this?† asked the man. He had three candy bars in one hand, and a small silver coin about the size of a dime in the other. The coin looked very old. â€Å"That's a foreign coin. I don't think they take it.† The man nodded thoughtfully and looked very sad at the news. â€Å"But Nestle's Crunch is a fine choice,† said Sam, trying to buy time, and keep the guy from going off on him. â€Å"A bit naive, but an undergrowth of ambergris and walnut gives it legs.† Sam looked around for his mom again. She was still talking wine with Mr. Masterson, flirting about it – Sam could be cut up in pieces and put away in freezer bags and she wouldn't notice. Maybe he could get the guy to leave. â€Å"Look, they aren't looking. Why don't you just take them?† â€Å"I can't,† said the blond man. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because no one has told me to.† Oh no. This guy looked like a grown-up, but actually he had the mind of a dumb little kid inside. Like that guy in Sling Blade, or the president. â€Å"Then I'll tell you to, okay?† Sam said. â€Å"Go ahead. Take them. You'd better get going, though. It's going to rain.† Sam couldn't remember ever talking to an adult like this before. The blond man looked at his candy bars, then at Sam. â€Å"Thank you. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men. Merry Christmas.† â€Å"I'm Jewish, remember? We don't celebrate Christmas. We celebrate Hanukkah, the miracle of the lights.† â€Å"Oh, that wasn't a miracle.† â€Å"Sure it was.† â€Å"No, I remember. Someone snuck in and put more oil in the lamp. But I will grant a Christmas miracle tomorrow. I must go.† With that, the blond man backed away, hugging his candy bars to his chest. â€Å"Shalom, child.† And in an instant he was just gone. â€Å"Great!† Sam said. â€Å"Just great. Throw that in my face!† Kendra – the Warrior Babe of the Outland, combat mistress of the hot-oil arena, slayer of monsters, menace to mutants, scourge of the sand pirates, sworn protector of the cud-beast herdsmen of Lan, and intramural Blood Champion of the Termite People (mounds seven through twelve inclusive) – enjoyed cheese. So it came to pass, on that twenty-third of December, with her noodles wet and congealing in the colander, that she did raise her well-muscled arm to the sky and call the wrath of all the Furies down upon her higher power, Nigoth the Worm God, for allowing her to leave the mozzarella at the Thrifty-Mart checkout counter. But the gods do not concern themselves in the affairs of lasagna, so the sky did not explode with vengeful fire (or at least not that she could see from the kitchen window) to incinerate the mingy god who would dare desert her in her most dire hour of cheese. What happened was nothing at all. â€Å"Curse be unto yon, Nigoth! Would that my blade was not broken, I would track you to the ends of the Outland and sever your thousand and one eyestalks, just to make sure I got your favorite. Then I would feed them raw to the most heinous –  » Then the phone rang. â€Å"Helloo,† Molly sang sweetly. â€Å"Molly?† Lena said. â€Å"You sound out of breath. Are you okay?† â€Å"Quick, think of something,† said the Narrator, â€Å"Don't tell her what you were doing.† The Narrator had been with Molly almost constantly for the last two days, mostly an irritation, except that he had remembered how much oregano and thyme to use in the red sauce. Nevertheless, she knew that he was a sign she needed to get back on her meds ASAP. â€Å"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, Lena. Just buffing the muffin. You know, gray afternoon, storm coming in, Theo's a mutant – I thought I'd cheer myself up.† There was a long silence on the line, and Molly wondered if she'd sounded convincing. â€Å"Completely convincing,† said the Narrator. â€Å"If I wasn't here, I'd swear you were still doing it.† â€Å"You're not here!† Molly said. â€Å"Pardon?† said Lena. â€Å"Molly, I can call back if this is a bad time.† â€Å"Oh, no, no, no. I'm okay. Just making lasagna.† â€Å"I've never heard it called that before.† â€Å"For the party.† â€Å"Oh, right. How's it going?† â€Å"I forgot the mozzarella. Paid for it, then left it at the check stand.† She looked at the three cartons of ricotta sitting on the counter, mocking her. Soft cheeses could be so smug. â€Å"I'll go pick it up and bring it over.† â€Å"No!† Molly felt a jolt of adrenaline at the thought that she'd have to push through a long girlfriend session with Lena. Things were getting so blurry between Pine Cove and the Outland. â€Å"I mean, it's okay. I can do it. I enjoy cheese – shopping for cheese.† Molly heard a sniffle on the other end of the line. â€Å"Mol, I really need to help you with the goddamn lasagna, okay? Really.† â€Å"Well, she sounds as nutty as you are,† said the Narrator. Molly swatted at the air to shut him up – did a finger-to-lip emphatic rocking shush mime. â€Å"She's a crisis junkie if I ever saw one.† â€Å"I need to talk to someone,† Lena said with a sniff. â€Å"I broke up with Tucker.† â€Å"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lena. Who's Tucker?† â€Å"The pilot I was seeing.† â€Å"The guy with the bat? You just met him, didn't you? Take a bath. Eat some ice cream. You've known him two days, right?† â€Å"We shared a lot.† â€Å"Cowboy up, Lena. You fucked him and kicked him to the curb. It's not like he stole your design for a coldfusion reactor. You'll be okay.† â€Å"Molly! It's Christmas. You're supposed to be my friend.† Molly nodded at the phone, then realized that Lena couldn't hear her. True, she wasn't being a very good friend. After all, she was sworn protector of the cud-beast herdsmen of Lan, as well as a member of the Screen Actors Guild, it was her duty to pretend she cared about her friend's problems. â€Å"Bring the cheese,† she said. â€Å"We'll be here.† â€Å"We?† â€Å"Me. Bring the cheese, Lena.† Theo Crowe showed up at Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines just in time to miss everything. Robert Masterson, the owner of Brine's, had called him as soon as he'd seen the mysterious blond man talking to Sam Applebaum, and Theo had rushed right over, only to find that there was nothing to find. The blond guy hadn't hurt or threatened Sam, and the boy seemed fine, except that he kept babbling about changing his religion and becoming a Rastafarian like his cousin Preston who lived on Maui. Theo realized midway through the interview that he was not the guy to enumerate the reasons why one should not spend his life smoking dope and surfing like Sam's cousin Preston because he: (A) had never learned to surf, and (B) didn't have the foggiest idea how Rastafarianism worked, and (C) would eventually have to use the argument: And look at what a complete loser I am – you don't want that for yourself, do you, Sam? He left the scene feeling even more useless than he had after the verb al bitch-slapping he'd taken from the pilot at Lena Marquez's house. When Theo pulled into his driveway at lunchtime, hoping he might be able to patch things up with Molly and get some sympathy and a sandwich, he saw Lena's truck parked in front of the cabin and his heart sank. He debated shuffling over to the commercial pot patch and smoking a sticky bud before going in, but that sounded an awful lot like the behavior of an addict, and he was simply on a little slide from grace, not a blowout. Still, he came through the door humbled, not sure at all how he was going to handle Lena, who might be a murderer, let alone Molly. â€Å"Traitor!† Molly said from over a pan of noodles she was layering into a pan with sauce, meat, and cheese. She had sauce on her hands up to her elbows and looked like she'd been engaged in some very messy surgery. The back door out of the kitchen had slammed shut as he came in. â€Å"Where's Lena?† Theo said. â€Å"She went out the back. Why, are you afraid she'll reveal your secret?† Theo shrugged and approached his wife, his arms out to the side in a â€Å"gimme a break† gesture. Why was it that when she was angry her teeth looked really sharp? He never noticed that any other time. â€Å"Mol, I was just doing it so I could get you something for Christmas – I didn't mean to – ; â€Å"Oh, I don't care about that – you're investigating Lena. My friend Lena. You just went to her house like she's a criminal or something. It's the radiation, isn't it?† â€Å"There's evidence, Molly. And it's not that I got high. I found fruit-bat hairs in Dale's truck and her boyfriend has a fruit bat. And the little Barker kid said – † Theo heard a car start up outside. â€Å"I should talk to her.† â€Å"Lena wouldn't hurt anyone. She brought me cheese for Christmas, for Christ's sake. She's a pacifist.† â€Å"I know that, Molly. I'm not saying that she hurt anyone, but I need to find out –  » â€Å"Besides, some fuckers just need killing!† â€Å"Did she tell you – ; â€Å"I think it's the pot that makes you reveal your mutant self.† She had a lasagna noodle in her hand and was waving it at him. It sort of looked like she was shaking a living creature, but then, he was still a little buzzed. â€Å"Molly, what are you talking about, ‘my mutant self'? Are you taking your meds?† â€Å"How dare you accuse me of being crazy. That's worse than if you asked me if it was my time of the month, which it isn't, by the way. But I can't believe that you'd imply that I need to be medicated. You mutant bastard!† She flung the noodle at him and he ducked. â€Å"You do need to be medicated, you crazy bitch!† Theo didn't deal well with violence, even in the form of soggy semolina, but after the initial outburst, he immediately lost the will to fight. â€Å"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. Let's just – ; â€Å"Fine!† Molly said. She wiped her hands on a dish towel, then tossed it at him. In dodging it, he felt like he was moving in blurred bullet time in the Matrix, but in truth he was just a tall guy who was a little baked and the towel would have missed him anyway. Molly stomped through the little house, into their bedroom, and dropped to the floor on the far side of the bed. â€Å"Molly, you okay?† She came up holding a package the size of a shoe box wrapped in Christmas paper with a few dust bunnies clinging to it. She held it out to him. â€Å"Here. Take it and go. I don't want to see you, traitor. Go.† Theo was stunned. Was she leaving him? Asking him to leave her? How had this gone so wrong so fast? â€Å"I don't want to go. I'm having a really bad day, Molly. I came home hoping to find a little sympathy.† â€Å"Yeah? Okay. Here you go. Aw, poor stoned Theo, I'm so sorry that you have to investigate my best friend the day before Christmas Eve when you could be out playing in an illegal pot patch that looks like the jungle plateau of the gibbon people.† She held out his present and he took it. What the hell was she talking about? â€Å"So it is about the victory garden?† â€Å"Open it,† she said. She didn't say a word more. She put a hand on her hip and fixed him with that â€Å"I am so going to kick your ass or fuck your brains out† look that excited and terrified him, as he wasn't always sure which way she would go with it, only that she was going to get satisfaction one way or the other and he was going to be sore the next day because of it. It was a Warrior Babe look, and he realized fully, then, that she was having an episode. She probably really was off her meds. This had to be handled just right. He backed away a few steps and tore the paper off the package. Inside was a white box with the silver seal of a very exclusive local glassblower, and inside that, wrapped in blue tissue, was the most beautiful bong he'd ever seen. It was like something out of the Art Nouveau era, only fashioned from modern materials, blue-green dichromatic glass with ornate silver branches running through it that gave it the appearance of walking through a forest as he turned it in his hand. The bowl and handle, which fit his hand perfectly, appeared to be cast of solid silver with the same organic tree-branch design seeming to leap right out of the glass. This had to have been made just for him, with his tastes in mind. He felt himself tearing up and blinked back the tears. â€Å"It's beautiful.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Molly said. â€Å"So you can see it's not your garden that bothers me. It's just you.† â€Å"Molly, I only want to talk to Lena. Her boyfriend threatened to blackmail me. I was only growing – ; â€Å"Take it and go,† Molly said. â€Å"Honey, you need to call Dr. Val, maybe see if she'll see you –  » â€Å"Get out, goddammit. You don't tell me to see the shrink. Get out!† It was no use. Not now, anyway. Her voice had hit the Warrior Babe frenzy pitch – he recognized it from the times he'd taken her to the county hospital before they'd become involved as lovers. When she'd just been the town's crazy lady. She'd lose it if he pressed her any more. â€Å"Fine. I'll go. But I'll call you, okay?† She just gave him that look. â€Å"It's Christmas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One last try maybe. The look. â€Å"Fine. Your present is on the top shelf in the closet. Merry Christmas.† He dug some underwear and socks out of the drawer, grabbed a few shirts out of the closet, and headed out the front door. She slammed it hard enough behind him to break one of the windows. The glass hitting the sidewalk sounded like a summary of his whole life.

Price Hike in Bangladesh

ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh| March 4 2010 | Prepared For-Kaikobad Rana Sir| Submitted By-Overcome Group| Group Members Of Overcome- * Group Leader- MD Sazzadur Rahman Chowdhury ID-082011013, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Administrator- Riad Morshed Chowdhury ID-082011012, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Researcher- A. F. M Maruf Rahman ID-082011035, Sec-A, 3rd Semester * Members- MD Rafiqul Islam ID-082011022, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Atiqur Rahman ID-082011017, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Mostafizur Rahman ID-082011282, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Rashedul Hasan ID-082011008, Sec-A, 3rd SemesterNishat Ahmed ID-082011009, Sec-A, 3rd Semester Lubna Ahmed Luna ID-082011040, Sec-A, 3rd Semester 4th March, 2010 Kaikobad Rana Lecturer Department of Fashion Design Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology Lalmatia, Dhaka. Subject: Submission of Term Paper. Sir, As the course requirement of DES-102, we were assigned to do a job regarding the topic of Price Hike. We have provided our best effort to complete our ta sks according to the requirements. We tried to complete our tasks by doing different research works and from our limited knowledge.It is a matter of great pleasure for us to present the report on time. We will very glad if the report can fulfill its purpose. Thank you, Sincerely yours MD Sazzadur Rahman Chowdhury Riad Morshed Chowdhury A. F. M Maruf Rahman MD Rafiqul Islam Atiqur Rahman Mostafizur Rahman Rashedul Hasan Nishat Ahmed Lubna Ahmed Luna ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First we want to thanks our faculty who give me this opportunity to do this research. Who helped and guided me to do this research accurately. Secondly we want to thanks Kaikobad Rana Sir for his uncondetional support.I also want to thanks all the people who participate in our survey. And my entire friend circle. And last but not lest my God. Thank you. ABSTRACT THE MAIN REASONS AND PUBLIC’S REACTION ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh We choose this topic â€Å"THE MAIN REASONS AND PUBLIC’S REACTION ABOUT RECENT PRICE HIKE IN Bangladesh† because recently the price hiking problem has become the main social problem in Bangladesh. People are suffering most in this problem now specially the poor people. There are many reasons behind this problem. But we think formation of syndicate and corruption is the main reason behind this. But international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh. And the rate of this price hike is very fast.Even the military back Government was failed to solve this problem. They were not able to find the root behind this problem due to lack of appropriate monitoring system. But just the Government can solve this problem by using his i ntelligence agency, by introducing effective monitoring system, by improving law & order and by identifying the evil syndicate groups. But it is not a very easy job. The support of general public is also needed to solve this problem. FINDING The main reasons behind this problem: The prices of commodities are almost uniform across the capital, which only implies that a group of people are fixing the prices and that they have enough clout in the market to be able to decide what the prices should be. * Corruption of so called political leaders, corruption of different Government officials and law enforcing agency is the main reason behind this problem. We can solve this problem by taking the following measures. * Identify the syndicate groups. * By improving law and order. * By framing appropriate laws by the Government to eliminate middle classes in trading. By introducing effective monitoring system. TABLE OF CONTENT TITLE| PAGE NUMBER| | | INTRODUCTION| 6| RESEARCH AREA| 7| HYPO THESIS| 13| METHODOLOGY| 14| DATA PRESENTATION| 15| DATA ANALYSIS| 16| LIMITATION| 28| CONCLUSION| 29| RECOMMENDATION| 30| PUBLIC’S RECOMMENDATION| 31| REFERENCE LIST| 32| INTRODUCTION With the price increase of essentials capturing headlines of our national newspapers and TVs almost everyday. Because this price hiking problem has become the main social problem in Bangladesh.People are suffering most in this problem specially the poor peoples. There are many reasons behind this problem. According to The finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Al-Muhit, â€Å"international price hike of essential necessities as being responsible for high domestic prices. † Of course, international market price is also responsible for domestic inflation, but only partially. The ministers’s statement simply ignored other domestic factors, many of which created by the action by the Government, and also some of which created by the previous government.According to our study we identify some supply-side factors as being responsible, such as hoarding, and loss of business confidence, administered energy price hike, international price hike of essential commodities, bribe and illegal toll collection, structural and institutional constraints etc. corruption of so called political leaders and different government officials etc are also responsible for this problem. And if the food price is not controlled, the inflation rate may reach double-digit level very soon which is currently 7. 5%. In our research paper we tried to figure out these reasons.And we tried to find some solution about this problem. we also tried to figure out the bad effects of this problem. we hope by reading this paper the readers will able to figure out the main reasons behind this problem and also able to reduce or solve this problem. RESEARCH AREA In our proposal paper our had mentioned some question at which point we did like to investigate to prove our hypothesis. Our question were > What is the main reason behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh? > Is corruption and local syndicate only responsible about this price hike? gt; What should be the role of government to reduce this price hike? > How can we solve it? Obviously formation of syndicate and hoarding by them, corruption, power failure, traffic fames and load-shading, international price hike of essential commodities, bribe and illegal toll collection, structural and institutional constraints etc. according to Ahmed. T. (2009), the oil crisis of 1973, when oil prices increased in exponential proportions, was not so much due to shortage of oil supply as it was due to the decision of the major oil exporters, Arab states, to increase the prices.It was not that oil reserves had suddenly sunk through the floor or that its demand had shot through the ceiling. In strictly economic terms, a handful of oil exporters were in collusion, which led to dramatic increases in global oil prices. The entire western world was affected and the sudden price hike resulted in a long-term recession ending decades of economic boom. It was also the first time that the United States faced an oil shortage since the Second World War. The Arab states had succeeded in their intent to use oil as a weapon against those not friendly to their cause. It is perhaps a classic example of collusive oligopoly.The situation in the current-day Dhaka markets is similar except that the collusion does not concern one item but several ~ mostly such essential food items as rice, wheat, potatoes, lentils, edible oil, onions and milk powder. According to a report in Amar Desh (May 11, 2009), prices of essential food items have increased 25 per cent on an average in the past four months. According to a report in New Age (May 11, 2009), prices rose between five and 50 per cent during the same period ~ most of it under the military-backed interim government of Fakhruddin Ahmed that assumed office after the proclamation of a state of emer gency on January 11.According to the government’s own statistics, inflation increased from just fewer than six per cent in January this year to almost 7. 5 per cent by March. While the government appears to be in denial suggesting that inflation is not really out of control and quite below the danger level, experts fear that it might, in fact, have crossed the double-digit mark driven by the soaring food prices. According to SLATE magazine (2009), about our very own mafia groups that group has come to be known, and often referred to in the media, as the syndicate.Despite the fact that academics, researchers and even politicians have acknowledged such collusion, its existence is denied upfront, both by government officials and businesspeople, in a manner that can be likened to that regarding the mafia. For the longest time, the existence of the mafia, or rather Cosa Nostra, was denied by insiders as well as government officials till misconceptions and myths were laid to rest b y, what came to be known as, the Maxi Trial in a court in Sicily over a hundred years after its existence was officially reported.As for the syndicate, it has proved to be invincible and even immune to a state of emergency, which has not been able to curb It’s potential for collusion and thereby manipulation of the prices. The tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government saw two changes of commerce ministers, each given the sack for the same reason, while the last one had utterly failed in his pledge to rein in the prices of essentials. The invincibility of the syndicate was perhaps never felt with such force as it was on July 25, 2006 at a monthly luncheon meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh.The third commerce minister of the last government, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, squarely put the responsibility of controlling the prices of essentials on other ministries and went so far as to suggest that the government should set up another ministry for the Task. „T he Consumer Protection Act is being scrutinized now and I have urged the food ministry to make anti-hoarding laws for checking unscrupulous trader’s syndicates and hoarders,†he said.He also suggested that the finance and food Ministries were better equipped to tackle the matter. It was just three months after Hafiz had taken up his new portfolio on April 26 with the pledge to reduce prices of essentials within a month. Barely a week earlier, at a meeting with businesspeople at his office, he assumed a dramatically different tone and harped on a different note, although, even then, it was obvious that his success in bringing down the prices of essentials was at the mercy of the businesspeople.On July 19, Hafiz announced to the press ~ following the meeting ~ that the intelligence agencies had identified the members of the syndicate „who were involved in manipulating prices through hoarding and other means. But he only â€Å"hoped that the relevant ministry would t ake Necessary action. His comments about the meeting betrayed his helplessness and utter Inability to hold sway over the businessmen. „They have given us assurance that they will not make any windfall profit by making the people hostage, said Hafiz about the traders present at the meeting.With hindsight it appears that the minister did his best to divert attention from the syndicates citing a marked difference of prices between wholesalers and retailers, and the producers and wholesalers that he suggested added to the woes of the people. M Saifur Rahman, then the minister for finance and planning, and perhaps the most influential cabinet member of the BNP-led government, when approached with the possibility of reducing import tariffs on essential food items, told the press, it never paid off. He said the prices would decrease for a short while but resume their rising trend soon after.Instead, he suggested, the syndicates that manipulated the prices were the main reason behind the price hike and had to be dealt with decisively. But government officials deny their existence quite categorically despite overwhelming circumstantial facts that testify exactly the opposite. The commerce secretary was quoted in January as saying they are „yet to receive any conclusive evidence on the existence of syndicates?. He went further to substantiate his claim asking, „When the prices went up everyone was blaming syndicates.But now that they are going down how come everybody is quiet? If there was a syndicate why are the prices coming down? He did partially admit to their existence since former ministers had claimed that syndicates exist. But the rebuff of a prominent businessman, quoted in New Age’s weekend supplement Xtra on January 12, smacks of the classic mafia disclaimer. â€Å"I read about this regularly in newspapers but I have never seen one or been a part of it,† says Mostafa Kamal, chairman of the Meghna Group, one of the leading impor ters of edible oil, powderedMilk and sugar. â€Å"How, where and when are questions people who accuse us of syndication should answer,† he said. It is alleged that the Meghna Group is among the leading syndicate members in the country. Hossain. E. (2009), programmed officer of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, echoed the general apprehension. â€Å"I have attended meetings at the commerce ministry where powerful and well-known businessmen have directly threatened government officials with cutting out supply if they did not accept their chosen prices,† he told Xtra.According to the Daily Star (May 18 2009), a report of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a research organization, based on records of the National Board of Revenue, found that a strong cartel accounted for a substantial share of the imports. The report says the top five importers have accounted for importing 96 per cent raw sugar, 46 per cent refined sugar, 67 per cent crude soybean oil, 60 per cent crud e palm oil, 49 per cent wheat, 37 per cent rice, 31 per cent lentil, and 31 per cent onion of national imports till March of this fiscal year.While the report did not mention any names, a number of reports in other newspapers have done so. For instance, according to a report of Amar Desh (May 11, 2009) the TK Group, the Meghna Group and the City Group account for 65 per cent of edible oil imports. The next three ~ the SA Group, the MEB Group and the Marine Group ~ account for another 25 per cent of the imports. Quoting sources, the report says traders of Dhaka and Chittagong are the major importers of lentils, ginger, garlic and other essentials that come from India.It goes on to mention the names of Shathi Enterprise, Seven Star and Banijjya Bhandar from Dhaka, Rumpa Enterprise of Bogura, Pahari Enterprise, AB Trading and Akhter Impex of Chittagong as significant market players. When the country is badly shaken by the unprecedented floods there is another alarming factor—the price hike of essentials that is slowly but very steadily engulfing the rural life of the common people. It is appalling that one kg of green chili costs you TK 200! There are no vegetables that cost you less than TK 30 per kg! It also creates shortage of foods. That also increases the price of essentials.Similarly other factors such as power failure, international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc factors are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh. By taking serious action and frame effective laws for the elimination of the middle men groups existing various trading circles and to control bribery in between law enforcing agencies and traders.By minimize the traffic jams and load shadings. By f orming a strong co-ordination efforts and monitoring system, established for the cooperation, co-ordination and exchange of information in between different Government officials entrusted to check price level. By identifying syndicate groups and taking appropriate action against them. The Government can control the price. By creating awareness against corruption and establish a price list for all kinds of goods to control price hike. And by electing an honest and stable Government, the general people can solve this problem.HYPOTHESIS There are many reasons behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh. But we think formation of syndicate and corruption is the main reason behind this. But international market price, fuel cost, power crisis, natural disaster, transportation problem, illegal toll collection, action against corruption by the caretaker Government, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces, lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers etc are also responsible for recent price hike in Bangladesh.And the rate of this price hike is very fast. Even the military back Government was failed to solve this problem. They were not able to find the root behind this problem due to lack of appropriate monitoring system. But just the Government can solve this problem by using his intelligence agency, by introducing effective monitoring system, by improving law & order and by identifying the evil syndicate groups. But it is not a very easy job. The support of general public is also needed to solve this problem. METHODOLOGY There are two types of data in my research paper. . Primary Data. & 2. Secondary Data Primary Data:- We have collected my primary data to figure out the mail reasons and public’s reaction about recent price hike in Bangladesh by conducting a survey on 30 general people. To do that survey first we had prepared some questions and some suitable answer against each question. Aft er that we went out for general people to conduct our survey. The shopkeepers, doctors, teachers, tailors, chemists, retired peoples, servants, housewives and students were the people who were participate in our survey.We have had some difficulties to conduct our survey. We had very little time to conduct this survey. Within this short period of time we had to find 30 peoples of different classes. People of all class were participating in our survey. Some of them did not know hoe to write and read. We had to read and translated my question for them. After knowing there answers we filled the answers for them. Thus we completed our survey to get our primary data. Secondary Data:- We have collected my secondary data mostly from different websites such as â€Å"www. vjel. org, www. unnayan. rg† etc, different newspaper such as â€Å"The daily star, The New Age† etc, and from different magazines. DATA PRESENTATION CAPTION: A survey has been taken of 30 people for the topic of â€Å"The main reasons and public’s reaction about recent price hike in Bangladesh. Question No. | Option A| Option B| Option C| Option D| 1| 63%| 40%| 0%| 6. 67%| 2| 48. 67%| 23. 33%| 20%| *| 3| 83. 33%| 3. 33%| 13. 33%| *| 4| 43. 33%| 43. 33%| 13. 33%| *| 5| 20%| 63. 33%| 16. 67%| *| 6| 30%| 30%| 46. 67%| *| 7| 53%| 16. 67%| 10%| *| 8| 3. 33%| 16. 67%| 46. 67%| 26. 67%| 9| 13. 33%| 26. 67%| 50%| *| 10| 36. 7%| 30%| 26. 67%| *| 11| 53%| 10%| 26. 67%| *| 12| 66. 67%| 20%| 3. 33%| *| 13| 46. 67%| 10%| 33. 33%| 16. 67%| 14| 10%| 53%| 0%| 46. 67%| 15| 36. 67%| 46. 67%| 23. 33%| *| TABLE: THE SURVEY RESULT DATA ANALYSIS Recently we have done a survey for about 30 people to find the main reasons behind this recent price hike in Bangladesh. For this survey we prepared a set of question consisting of 16 questions. According to Our survey here we analysis some of the important questions from my questioner. Question No: 1| A| B| C| D| What do you think aboutthe main reason behindt his recent price hike? Formation of Syndicates| Corruption| Extortion| Taking bribe from traders| Chart 1: The survey result of question no: 1 Question No: 2| A| B| C| Do you thinkthereis any Syndicate groupsinvolved in price hike? | Yes, because the governmentCan’t control the price. | No, there is no syndicate groups exist| May be, not sure| Chart 2: The survey result of question no: 2 According to my survey, in reply of my first question 63% people said formation of Syndicates is the main reason behind this recent price hike. While 40% people said corruption is the main reason behind this.In reply of my second question 83. 33% people said syndicate groups are involved in price hike because the government can? t control the price. In my survey most of the people think the syndicate groups are mainly responsible for this problem. These syndicate groups controlling the price by hoarding. Hoarding by businesses has been widely blamed by many as being main culprit behind the cu rrent crisis. Indeed, if we let aside moral issues, hoarding markets perfect economic sense to businesses and that is why they build up stocks to make larger profits.For example suppose the current market price of a NOKIA 1202 mobile phone is TK 1800. Now let us assume that for some unknown reasons, the price of the same brand mobile is expected or any mobile phone dealer in the market sell NOKIA 1202 at the lower price now or wait to sell at the higher price a month later? What would happen to the current market price of NOKIA 1202, if most dealers hold off selling? This is exactly how inflationary expectation, expectation about future price hike, leads to hoarding, creates shortage, raises current market price and, finally, brings larger profits for businesses. From the above analysis we conclude that the syndicate groups are nothing but a well-known business farms, run by well-known business man. But the syndicates, for all their collusion, manipulation and public denial, are not entirely responsible for the price hike. There are other related factors some of which are compelling, even more than syndication. To begin with, production costs have risen and So have the prices. But it gives an impression that the farmers are linked to the market and thereby benefit from the price rises at the consumer end. That is hardly the case.They are paid the bare minimum below which the farmers cannot afford to cultivate crops the next year. And prices at their end have increased only marginally over the years. The real value addition (pun intended) to agricultural produce begins with the middlemen who buy from farmers. Along the supply chain there are warehouses, wholesalers, retailers and micro-retailers often with several more layers of middlemen sandwiched among them. Reports in the media indicate that prices, especially those of vegetables, appreciate by up to 500 per cent between the farmer and the end-consumer.That is how the middleman also controlling the market p rice. And the Government is not able to identify them, catch them, and even control them. Even the Government has blamed international market price hike of essential commodities as being responsible for high domestic prices to cover their failure. The Government has failed to solve this problem due to the corrupted Government officers and corrupted law enforcing agencies. They are not willing to monitor the market price. They are just willing to take bribe.Again lack of communication and co-ordination in between different Government officers and lack of communication system in between different Upozela and districts head quarters with the capital is also responsible for this recent price hike. Question No: 3| A| B| C| Which political factors are responsible for price hike? | Blockade and strike| Corruption of so called political leaders| Conflict between political parties| Chart 3: The survey result of question no: 3 According to my survey, in reply of my third question, 63. 33% of people said corruption of so called political leaders is the main political factor behind this price hike.And only A B 20% of people said blockade and strike is responsible for this. Political leaders are not actually political leaders. Actually they are political business man. They invest there money to own the party nomination and also own the election. Actually they bought there place in Parliament. After wining the election they start to gain black money as much as they can. And they gain it by corruption. And that’s why the price of essential commodities is increasing day by day. This political don’t care about the general people, they just care about themselves. Even they don’t know how uch black money they have gained by corruption. The current anti-corruption drive by the Caretaker Government clearly shows the statistic how much black money they have gained through corruption. That’s why the corruption of so called political leaders also responsib le for recent price hikes. Question No: 4| A| B| C| D| What| Bribe & illegal| Traffic| Power failures| Lackof| structural&institutional constraints are mainlyresponsible for thisrecent price hike? | toll collection| congestion| | storage capacity| Chart 4: The survey result of question no: 4According to my survey, in reply of my forth question 46. 67% people said bribe and illegal toll collection is the main structural & institutional constraints that are mainly responsible for this recent price hike. And 33. 33% people said power failure is also responsible for this problem. But I think this both factors are equally responsible for this problem The illegal practices of bribes toll collections and associations greatly influence in raising the price of essential commodities. The traders has to paid toll and bribe at each entering point of a town.And this increases the transportation cost of goods. As a result the price is increases. And the Government has failed to stop t his because of the involvement of corrupted law enforcing officers. While the Scarcity increases the opportunity cost of any service and provides opportunities for corruption. The acute shortage of generation capacity and its consequent effects – frequent load-shedding, low voltage and low frequency – on different economic sectors, as well as on essential services such as water supply, hospitals, and telecommunications, have opened up doors for many types of corruption.That is also responsible for this recent price hike. Why that is happening? Because of the corruption of the employee of DESA and PDB. According to the Transparency International Bangladesh (2006), ? A Ledger Keeper in DESA, a very low level employee, became the envy of many when he purchased a house in a middle-income residential area of Dhaka for Tk 3. 8 million and an allotment in a shopping arcade. ? Many Assistant Engineers of BPDB own private cars, which they cannot afford to buy and maintain on th eir official salary. A particular Assistant Engineer, with close links with the Collective Bargaining Agent, comes to office in a luxury four-wheeler, while another mints money by making various interventions in the name of a minister. ? A meter reader who was placed under suspension joined the ruling political party, got his job bank, became a CBA leader, and is now the happy owner of two houses and a shop. ? A corrupt and overweight meter reader, who employed agents to do his job and concentrated on eating instead, was transferred from Dhaka to an outstation by an over-zealous DESA officer.Fretting and fuming, the reader came to see a very senior DESA official and told him in no uncertain terms, â€Å"Sir, I have been working for 25 years in one place and nobody dared to touch me. You have not done well by transferring me. I will see how you can move me. † Sure enough, he stayed where he was, with the help of his co-operative union leaders. And due to this corruption load s hading occurs frequently, as a result the price of essential goods is increasing rapidly. Question No: 5| A| B| C| Do you think natural disaster, street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces are also responsible for recent price hike? Yes| No| Partly responsible| | | | | | | 4 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 30 30| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chart 5: The survey result of question no: 5 According to our survey, in reply of our fifth question 46. 67% people said natural disaster; street vendors and illegal construction drive by the joint forces are partly responsible for recent price hike. And equal number of people said yes and no. But we think it is responsible and why? You will find your answer right now.When the country is badly shaken by the unprecedented floods there is another alarming factor the price hike of essentials that is slowly but very steadily engulfing the rural life of the common people. It is appalling that one kg of green chili costs you TK 200! There are no vegetables that cost you less than TK 30 per kg! It also creates shortage of foods. That also increases the price of essentials. And that’s why we think natural disaster is directly responsible for price hike, but the others are partly responsible. Question No: 6| A| B| C| D|How can the| By taking| Identifying the| By improving| By improving| Government| necessary steps| syndicate| traffic| law & order| control the price hike? | to stop cross border smuggling of fuel and fertilizer| groups| congestion| | Chart 6: The survey result of question no: 6 According to our survey, most of the people said we can able to control the price by identifying the syndicate groups and by improving law & order. If the government framed strong laws to improve the law and order we can able to identify the syndicate groups and also able to control the price of essential goods.To 4. 67 Improve this situation the persona ls of different law enforcing agencies should immediately be deployed in different trading centers, sea port, river ports, and land ports to check up and down of price level due to hoarding black marketing of essential food grains and other food items. Thus we can improve the current situation. Question No: 7| A| B| C| Which methods can be most applicable toreduce or improve this problem? | By framing appropriate law by the Government to eliminate middle classes in trading. | By introducing effectivemonitoring system. By re-introducing old rationingsystem by the Government to stable the prices| Chart 7: The survey result of question no: 7 According to our survey, in reply of my seventh question 46. 67% people said by introducing effective monitoring system we can able to reduce this problem. And 36. 67% people said we can solve this problem by framing appropriate law to eliminate middle classes in trading. We are passing through a revolutionary communication and contract system due to the introduction of most modern computer and mobile communication system in our country.It is now very easy for the Government to established scientific monitoring systems and cells to keep constant observation data collection and exchange of information? s about the causes up and down, price level of important food items and essential commodities. According to our survey most of the people said the rate of price hike is quite fast. And the general public’s can help the Government to remove this problem. Most of the people in Bangladesh can afford to meet their family essential commodities, but they said it was very tough.Surprisingly the upper class people are also by price hike. Most of the people agree to that if laws and regulation enforced properly, it is practically possible to reduce this price hike. And the general peoples can also play a big role to solve this problem. LIMITATION We had very little time to do that survey. If we had enough time we may go out of Dha ka to find the poorest people. We want to take the interview of the poorest people. We had also faced lots of obstacles, but after all of these obstacles finally We finished our research paper and we are quite satisfied about it.CONCLUSION Given the scenario in Bangladesh, any measure to control prices, barring one that addresses the syndicates, is bound to be band-aid-like ~ a bit of eyewash. That is perhaps the first area where the government should focus in its bid to reduce the prices of essential items. But it is not possible for the Government to reduce this problem alone. The general people, the mass media everybody should came forward to help the Government to reduce this problem. Other wise the price of essential commodities will increase day by day. And nobody will able to control this problem.

Technology Management Assignment The WritePass Journal

Technology Management Assignment Technology Management Assignment ). Product Description The software that will be offer to customers is similar to â€Å"Moodle,† which is the acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. Moodle is an open-source course management system (CMS) / learning management system (LMS) / virtual leaning environment (VLE). It is used as a tool for creating online dynamic websites for students (Moodle 2013). Recent surveys show that it is considered as one of best e-learning software used by educators and is used by several primary and secondary schools in the UK (The Guardian, 2008). The software is customizable and there will be some modifications depending upon the circumstances and requirements of the clients.   Using Moodle, the teacher can upload data form anywhere and student can access it instantly (The Guardian, 2008). Our aim is to introduce Moodle and to customize the software according to the needs of the higher education system in Pakistan. The software will allow tutors to manage their courses according to their requirements and students will be able to access available data from anywhere. University administration will also be able to upload news, results, and other related information using this software. There are various benefits in the application of the e-learning software in Pakistani universities. These include increase in availability of information, quick feedback, and better communication. The Moodle e-learning system provides users with an online platform for communication and sharing of content, information, and news. Communication – is the basic function of the Moodle e-learning software. Professors can post any course-related announcement for students. Students can chat with other students in real time. Discussion threads can be created. Students and teachers can participate in the discussion. Content – is the second core function of the software Teachers can post lectures, articles, assignments and other related information. Teaching calendar of the year can be included. Teachers can post quizzes and exams and allow students to access them via the internet. Students can submit their assignments online. Business Model A business model serves as a guide to help businesses create, deliver, capture and exchange value (Trott, 2005). There are main four components of a business model. Source: Trott, 2005 Core Strategy Core strategy is the first component of business model. It describes how a firm competes with its competitors. The core strategy involves customizing the software according to the needs of the organization and to set an optimum cost. Initially, we are targeting one university only, which is the Bahira University Islamabad. Other education institutions will be approached later on. Mission Statement Our mission is to provide excellent technology services to universities in Pakistan at the best cost. Product Scope   The e-learning software will be developed by focusing on the needs and requirements of the clients. E-learning software is popularly used in UK schools. Teachers and students have given positive feedback on the use of e-learning software. We are expecting the same positive response from Pakistan’s education sector. Our focus is to develop the software based on some key points. Ease of use is one of the main objectives of the e-learning software. The product is new so we will ensure that it is easy to use and manage so that our clients will not have difficulty in using it. We will also ensure administrative flexibility so that they can manage it according to their needs. Our aim is to provide maximum value and optimize institutional investments to help them reduce their overhead costs and manage their finances better. We will also develop the software so that it is easily upgraded in the future should the client require changes. Basis for Differentiation There is currently no e-learning software in Pakistan, which is customized for the education sector and has excellent communication and content features. Most universities in Pakistan are using their websites for announcement and other news but they do not have a comprehensive software similar to Moodle. Our core differentiation is that we offer a customizable, flexible and easy to use software for the education sector. Strategic Resources For the development of this software, we will hire the best software developer form Pakistan. The reasons for hiring the software developer from Pakistan are lower labor costs and familiarity with Pakistan’s education sector. This will help us to minimize our costs and be more efficient in our product development. Our strategic asset is our developers and our business plans. Technology Strategy The technology strategy is part the overall corporate strategy takes into consideration the components of the core strategy. In pharmaceutical firms and high tech equipment manufacturers, it is common for the technology strategy to be related to the corporate strategy. This concerns the management and use of technology for further expansion and development (Burgelman Doz, 2001). Our core strategy is to focus on innovation and excellent services for our clients. Our goal is also to build reliable and flexible software that is cost effective and sustainable. The product we offer is based on Moodle. Although Moodle is already available in the market, we will develop a new e-learning software based on the Moodle framework. This new e-learning software will be customized to suit Pakistan’s education sector. Our basic strategy is to understand the client’s requirements and create products that will address all their needs. The service strategy provides guidance on how to design, develop, and implement our service management plans. We will provide not only the software to our clients, but also services such as installation, customization, and post-sales support. We will also provide trainings to teachers and administrative staff on how to upload data and use communication tools. Trainings will also be provided for university students who will be using the e-learning software. Financial Strategy   The financial strategy is an important component of any business plan. Initially, we are going to finance our business using our personal savings and from investments of our family and friends. Our initial capital investment is  £3,000 to  £5,000. For future expansion plans, we will loan from a bank or other financial institutions. Partnership Networks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are going to start with one project, through the help of a partnership with a small software firm. This will help to minimize our development costs. The partnership contract will be based on profit sharing. The reason for entering into a partnership is to allow us to offer our products to other universities in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is my responsibility to secure the contract from the university. It is my task to find out the requirements and needs of the university and to negotiate with them in terms of cost and other pertinent issues. Customer Interface   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Our target market is the Pakistani education sector. The main reason for targeting this market is the lack of educational software in Pakistan. Initially our target is one university, which will be Bahria University Islamabad. The motive for choosing this organization is the fact that some of our colleagues have studied there and are very familiar with the university.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to students of Bahria University, the administrative system that their university is currently using is not user friendly compared to other well-known universities in the Pakistan. As such, it will be a great idea to offer the new e-learning software to this university. To get the contract for developing this service, we will talk to the university’s management team. We will present them our product’s features and offer our services to them. Pricing Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are new in the market and we want to compete with existing players. Our main focus is to attract a lot of customers and this can be achieved by making our products affordable. We are applying a cost leadership strategy. We will offer the best products at low cost to persuade customers to avail of our products. This is an ideal market entry strategy. maximum customers and for this out for going for cost leadership strategy. We will offer best low cost to facilitate our clients and make them comfortable to deal with us. Initially our motive is to adjust our self on low profit and gain market   share. Conclusions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Success of an organization depends on leaning, innovation, and constant change in a systematic and scientific way. Every organization will constantly have to acquire new knowledge to remain competitive. Change and uncertainty is managed by having a plan for the future. With a business plan, uncertainty ceases to be a threat and becomes an opportunity. Different models must be used to avoid uncertainty and risk. In entering a new market, we will use a business model to avoid uncertainty and carry out the innovation process in a manageable way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being management student, we admire the importance of literature on technology management and new product innovation. On the basis of that literature and examples, we can conclude that if we ignore all those theories and models, product innovation will not be achieved. Our plan is based on the review of relevant literature and carried out through a business model. References Burgelman, R.A. and Doz, Y.L. (2001). The Power of Strategic Integration.  MIT Sloan Management Review, 42(3), pp. 28-38. Cetindamar, D., Phaal,R. Probert, D (2009). Understanding technology management as a dynamic capability: A framework for technology management activities. Technovation,   29(4), pp.237-246 Christoph Zott, Raphael Amit and Lorenzo Massa, Journal of Management published. Vol No. X online 2 May 2011 Pilkington, A.  (2008 ). Engineering management or management of technology? A bibliometric study of IEEE TEM. International Journal of Management Science and Engineering Management.  3(1)  pp. 63-70. Herrington, J., and Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48. HEC, (2012) Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Available at: http://hec.gov.pk/Pages/HECMain.aspx. Jaldemark, J., Lindberg, J. O., Olofsson, A. D. (2005). Sharing the distance or a distance shared: Social and individual aspects of participation in ICT-supported distance-based teacher education. Challenging prospects. p. 142–160. Jack Kenny, (2008) Moodle takes lead in secondary, â€Å"The Guardian† Available at: guardian.co.uk/education/2007/sep/18/link.link (Accessed: 30 March 2013). Khalil, T. M. (2000). Management of Technology: The Key to Competitiveness and Wealth Creation. Boston: 18th Edition, McGraw-Hill. Liu, J.J., Qian, J.Y. Chen,J. (2006). Technological learning and firm level technological capability building: analytical framework and evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms. International Journal of Technology Management, vol.36, pp. 190-208, 2006. Levin, D.Z., Barnard, H. (2008). Technology management routines that matter technology managers. International Journal of Technology Management, 41(1-2), pp.228-237. Mortar, L.,  Ã‚  Kerr, C. I. V.,  Phaal, R.  Ã‚  Probert, D.R.  (2009).  A toolbox of elements to build technology intelligence systems.   International Journal of Technology Management, 47(4), pp. 322-345. NEFFICS, (2010 /11). Business Models and Business Model. Innovation in a Secure and Distributed Cloud Clustering (DISC) Society. p.58(1) ,  pp. 159-167. Pearson, A. (1991). Managing innovation: an uncertainty reduction process. in Henry, J. and Walker, D. (eds) Managing Innovation, Sage/Oxford University Press: London. p.18–27. Pilkington,   A.   Teichert, T. (2006). Management of Technology: Themes, Concepts and Relationships.  Technovation. 26(3), pp. 288-299. Trott, P. (2005). Innovation Management and New Product Development. 3rd Edition. Prentice Hall. Tidd, J., Bessant, J. and   Pavitt, K. (2005). Managing Innovation. Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change. John Wiley Sons Ltd.

Mr Subliminal essays

Mr Subliminal essays Two types of subliminal advertising, or at least as close to it as exists today, are stealth advertising and hidden corporate providence. Stealth advertising occurs when a company pays to have their product in a movie or TV show, and the product is then shown on camera. An example of this would be BMWs agreement with the producers of James Bond movies. The agreement is that James Bond will a BMW in each movie and that the car will be shown to be a BMW. For example, in Tomorrow Never Dies, James Bond drives a BMW 750iL and when Q gives James the car, he specifically states that the car is a new BMW 750iL. Hidden corporate providence occurs when a big corporation makes a product and tries to make the product appear to be manufactured by a small company. An example of this would be Doc Otis hard lemonade, made by the Anheiser Busch Corporation. The label depicts an old man, who it is assumed is Doc Otis, the man who makes this lemonade. This attracts customers who want to help the littl e guy. Another form of subliminal advertising is embedded messages. This is when an ad suggests some message but does not directly come out and say that message. A good example of this would be cigarette ads that depict beautiful people having a good time, while smoking. The embedded message is that smoking will make you cool and beautiful, but the ad does not directly say that. These are several types of subliminal ...

Learn About Where Polar Bears Live

Learn About Where Polar Bears Live Polar bears are the largest bear species. They can grow to from 8 feet to 11 feet tall and about 8 feet long, and they can weigh in anywhere from 500 pounds to 1,700 pounds. They are easy to recognize due to their white coat and dark eyes and nose. You may have seen polar bears in zoos, but do you know where these iconic marine mammals live in the wild? Knowing can help us help this threatened species survive. There are 19 different populations of polar bears, and all live in the Arctic region. This is the area that is north of the Arctic Circle, which lies at 66 degrees, 32 minutes North latitude. Where to Go If Youre Hoping to See a Polar Bear in the Wild United States (Alaska)Canada, including the provinces and territories of Manitoba, Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory)Greenland/DenmarkNorwayRussian Federation Polar bears are native to the countries above and occasionally are found in Iceland. A polar bear range map from the IUCN can be seen to view populations. You can see live footage of polar bears in Manitoba. If you want to see a polar bear in a completely non-native region, you can check out the polar bear camera from the San Diego Zoo. Why Polar Bears Live in Such Cold Areas Polar bears are suited to cold areas because they have thick fur and a layer of fat that is 2 inches to 4 inches thick that keeps them warm despite the frigid temperatures. But the main reason they live in these cold areas is that that is where their  prey  resides. Polar bears feed on ice-loving species, such as seals (ringed and bearded seals are their favorites), and sometimes walruses and whales. They stalk their prey by waiting patiently near holes in the ice. This is where the seals surface, and therefore where the polar bears can hunt. Sometimes they swim below the ice to hunt, directly in the freezing water. They can spend time on land and not just on ice banks, so long as there is access to food. They can also sniff out where seal dens are for another means to find food. They need the fat from the seals to survive and prefer these types of high-fat creatures. The range of polar bears is limited by the southern extent of sea ice. This is why we commonly hear about their habitats being threatened; less ice, fewer places to thrive. Ice is essential for the survival of polar bears. They are a species that is threatened by global warming. You can help polar bears in small ways by reducing your carbon footprint with activities such as walking, riding a bike or using public transportation instead of driving; combining errands so that you use your car less; conserving energy and water, and buying items locally to cut down on the environmental impacts of transportation.

Does Racism Contribute to the Over-Representation of Black African Essay

Does Racism Contribute to the Over-Representation of Black African -Caribbean Women in The Mental Health System - Essay Example This paper looks at how racism, prejudice, suppression, and psychiatric diagnostic processes develop stress that leads to the onset or the persistence of mental illness in black women. While ‘black’ is a term associated with non-whites, the focus of the study here will be from the experiences of women from African-Caribbean origin. The world that we live in is a mixture of the rich and poor, the strong and weak, the affluent and the down-trodden, and men and women. Women have never been given equal rights analogical to men. The rich and powerful countries still dominate the weaker and poor nations. The lives of the people in rich countries continue to be an illusion to those living in the poor countries. However, even in rich countries, certain section of society continues to live under constant threat and under-privileges. It’s a fact that women, whether white or black or brown, continue to suffer from discrimination, but those belonging to ethnic minorities are worst hit. This is no different in the UK, where the face of racism rises above law to suppress any move to vindicate them. The condition of the black and minority ethnic women remain appalling to such extents that represent the poorest, unhealthy, and least educated part of the society. Invariably, to say the least, they are insignificantly the worst represented in the corridors of power than both white women and the rest of the UK population. Research studies have confirmed that the situation of these black and minority ethnic women in the UK highlights the massive inequalities and over-exploitation in health, education, employment and pay. Lucy Ward, the social affairs correspondent of ‘The Guardian’ featured a report published by the Fawcett Society (a womens equality pressure group) on data on the 2.3 million BME women in the UK (2005), which made up of just under 4% of the total population and

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Research Paper

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Management - Research Paper Example In this scenario, project management processes are required to perform these operations successfully. The basic purpose of this research is to analyze project management in the context of its use in procurement and supply management. Procurement and Project Management Procurement is the most important element of a business industry. It encompasses a wide variety of aspects of project management such as acquiring material, goods, equipment, and services from external firms. However, procurement does not include other internal departments inside an organization. In view of the fact that procurement is a domain for which a project manager will be responsible for providing information and input, in various and possibly a number of firms, hence it is believed to be an area that the project manager does not own. Though, the project managers generally are not authorized to take part into contracts in support of the business organization, as well as they are not responsible for controlling t he contracts once they are prepared or in process. However, it is still a most important area which an organization must need to have knowledge of. In this scenario, the project Management Institute (PMI)’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKÂ ®) outlines six key processes that deal with certain Project Procurement Management knowledge areas (Mochal, 2007). Plan purchases and acquisitions: This process of project management is concerned with identifying and determining the resources that need to be acquired for a project and when a project needs them. This area of procurement comes directly under the control and authority of the project manager, for the reason that the top management and organization’s purchasing committee do not... This paper has presented a detailed analysis of the project management function in the context of its role in procurement and supply chain management. Project management is a set of well-organized and synchronized processes, and each process is connected with another however the basic purpose remains to achieve a common goal. The research has shown that both the project management and supply chain management are similar disciplines. The research has also shown that if both supply chain management and project management are combined effectively then it can improve the performance and efficiency of a firm. This paper has also discussed various aspects associated with procurement and purchasing. This paper has also presented recommendations on how to use project management to improve procurement and supply chain processes. In short, the survival of successful project management depends seriously on the proper execution of the supply chain process, for the reason that well-timed, accurat e, and well-organized delivery of materials, equipment, supplies and resources are critical to success of project management. In order to make the procurement process a success, there is a need for reliable aftercare and organizational record, which should be carried out by a variety of professionals from the legal and financial settlement of purchases. In addition, even a project is in progress, the performance of the suppliers should be constantly assessed and, where essential, alternatives should be adopted.

Juvenile Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Juvenile Justice - Essay Example Eras of juvenile court Juvenile justice therefore was solely created to rehabilitate minors. Its evolution can be classified into three major Eras, namely: the pre-juvenile era, the juvenile court era and the juvenile rights. The pre-juvenile court Era (1600-1898) Before the establishment of a separate juvenile justice system, minor law breakers were dealt with by the family and communities. The family and the community were charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the children behaved in the most acceptable manner in the society. There were no established juvenile justice systems by then. The juvenile court Era (1899-1966) The first juvenile court was created in United States by juvenile court Act passed by Illinois’ Legislature. These court replaced family and the community at large, who were responsible for minors rehabilitation. The juvenile court therefore began to exercising guardianship rights, so that it could discover and correct conditions that contributed to the minors’ misconduct Juvenile rights Era (1967-1979) Because every establishment must have its critics, pros and cons based on the analysis on ground, the juvenile court system attracted many critics. ... I have a personal conviction that the juvenile rights Era were the most productive, as it ensured fair system of justice and juvenile right protection. In the other hand pre-juvenile court era as far as I am concerned, was damaging, because in many cases parents do sympathize with their children, leading to their forgiveness, hence no rehabilitation could take place if it was left in the hands of the parents so the rule of Stare Decisis should hold. Problems facing juvenile courts today Nevertheless, juvenile courts have been faced with many challenges, both administrative and legal issues. These problems have risen significantly and taken different paths. Many critics have come out to claim that the court system of justice have not properly embraced the zero tolerance policies on crimes. Moreover, researches have shown that juveniles in the court system don't always receive the best defense and ironically those teens that have lawyers often are treated worse than those who donâ€⠄¢t. All juvenile under trail should receive legal representatives and that the lawyers must make their defenses based on the constitution and law. Bearing in mind that the juvenile justice system has been accused of passing unfair judgments and harsh punishment to minors, formidable solution must be established to help correct this. First of all, children need to be educated on the effects of being arraigned in the juvenile court because it can psychologically affect them. Here prevention programs are very important as they will lead to decrease juvenile crimes. Future of juvenile justice If prevention programs are not considered, youths might continue facing psychological problems, with mental problem not in exception. Mental health programs

Cosmetic industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cosmetic industry - Essay Example However, the cosmetic industry is still growing with ever-increasing sales fueled mainly by women’s obsession to look better. For such reasons the cosmetic industry has been under strict monitoring and regulations. Global Cosmetic Industry Cosmetics are being manufactured by a few dominant multinational corporations that came into existence in the early 1900s. However, the supply of cosmetics is widely distributed between both developing and developed countries. Cosmetic industry is valued at approximately US $40 billion. Those cosmetic products which have "Made in France" written on their labels are highly valued on the international market. Since cosmetics are popular among women who are fans of TV and movie actresses and women who want to be like those actresses, many cosmetic products specifically perfumes are endorsed by actors and singers. The global cosmetic industry appears to be changing rapidly. Various known companies sell cosmetics both online and in retail outlets . As far as the marketing tactics used are concerned they include sponsoring fashion shows, getting brand ambassadors to do ads and other forms of conventional advertising. As life expectancy has increased cosmetic industry has modified its products from beauty enhancing to anti-ageing or beauty sustaining products. As globalization happens more consumers are using standardized cosmetics rather than affordable and low quality local products. As a result cost of production has been minimized tremendously by the firms. Europe and North America continue to be the major markets for cosmetic products while Asian countries specifically India, China and Indonesia are growing markets due to high population growth rate and increase in media exposure. Major cosmetic companies â€Å"Names and sales in Billions of US Dollars of the top 20 cosmetic companies in the world 1. Procter & Gamble– $26.3, 2. L’Oreal - $25.8, 3. Unilever- $16, 4. Avon- $7.6, 5. Beiersdorf- $7.5, 6. Estee Lauder- $7.3, 7. Shiseido- $6.9, 8. Kao- $5.9, 9. Johnson & Johnson–$5.6, 10. Henkel- $4.4, 11. LVMH- $3.7, 12. Coty- $3.5, 13. Chanel - $3.0, 14. Limited Brands– $2.7, 15. Mary Kay– $2.6, 16. Yves Rocher– $2.5, 17. Natura- $2.1, 18. Alticor - $1.9, 19. Kose- $1.8 and 20. Oriflame - $1.7† (Perry). Ethical issues involving the cosmetic industry Before one starts discussing what is ethical or unethical one must understand the meaning of the word ethics. Ethics is the study of morality. It deals with what is the right thing to be done and what is wrong. Ethical principles can vary between groups and individuals, however, certain moral principle are universal. These include being honest in business dealings, respecting elders and respecting the laws. There are people or firms who are doing something which is legal yet unethical. Currently, the aforementioned statement is the biggest dilemma the world faces when discussing and implementing ethical behavi or. As far as the cosmetic industry is concerned it has been accused of unethical practices on multiple occasions. The reason behind unethical practices is almost always profit maximization at the expense of customers and other stakeholders. Main ethical issues are the following: 1. Animal testing: Many cosmetics are tested upon animals like mice, pigs, monkeys and rabbits. This results in noticeable suffering and pain for the innocent animals. Animal testing is done to measure the level of skin