Female Genital Mutilation Essays (1241 words) -

Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) is referred to as the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia. The most severe form is infibulation, otherwise known as pharaonic circumcision. It is estimated that 15% of all FGMs performed in Africa are infibulations. The procedure consists of clitoridectomy (all, or part of, the clitoris is removed), excision (removing all, or part of, the labia minora), and cutting of the labia majora to make raw surfaces, which are stitched together to form a cover over the vagina as they heal. A small hole is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to get out. The majority (85%) of genital mutilations performed in Africa involve a clitoridectomy or excision. The type of mutilation practiced, the age at which it is done, and the way in which it is done differs according to a variety of factors, including the woman or girl's ethnic group, what country they are living in, and their socio-economic status. Female genital mutilation is performed at a variety of ages, ranging from immediately after birth to some time during the first pregnancy, but, most likely, it will be done between the ages of four and eight. According to the World Health Organization, the average age ids declining. This tells us that the practice is no longer associated with the initiation into adulthood. Some girls go through FGM alone, but mutilation is often experienced as a group of, sisters, other close female relatives, or neighbors. When genital mutilation is performed as part of an initiation ceremony, as it is in societies in eastern, central, and western Africa, it is likely to be done on all of the girls in the community who belong to a certain age group. The procedure is done in the girl's home, or the home of a relative or neighbor, in a health center, or, if done as an initiation, at a specially designated spot, such as a tree or river. Performing the procedure is an older woman, a midwife or healer, a barber, or a qualified doctor. Girls going through FGM have different degrees of knowledge about what will happen to them. Sometimes this event is associated with parties and gifts. Usually only women are allowed to attend; girls are urged to be brave. On occasion, a midwife will be around to give a local anesthetic. In some cultures, girls are told to sit in cold water before the procedure, to numb the area and lessen the likelihood of bleeding. However, the most common way to perform this is to use nothing to take away or lessen the pain. The girl is held down, by an older woman, with her legs open. Genital mutilation is performed by using broken glass, a tin lid, scissors, a razor blade, or some other cutting instrument. When infibulation has taken place, thorns or stitches are used to hold the two sides of the labia majora together, and the legs may be held together for up to 40 days. Pates containing herbs, milk, eggs, ashes, or dung may be applied to help with the healing process. The girl may be taken to a special place to recover where, at times, traditional teaching is passed on. It is estimated that 135 million of the world's female population have underdone FGM, and two million girls a year are at risk?about 6,000 a day. It is practice significantly in Africa and is common in some countries in the Middle East; it also occurs in parts of Asia and the Pacific, North and Latin America and Europe, mainly among immigrant communities. Genital mutilation is practiced in more than 28 countries in Africa. There are no figures to date to tell us how common it is in Asia. It has been reported among Muslims in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia, however, not much is known about the practice in these countries. In India, a small Muslim sect performs clitoridectomies. In the Middle East, mutilation is practiced in Egypt, Oman, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates. There have also been reports of FGM being performed among certain indigenous groups in central and South America. In industrialized countries, female genital mutilation takes place most commonly among immigrants from countries where

American Political system

Not to long ago the American Political system under went a major transition. One of the many controversies that are still shadowing this transition is the acts or misacts of the former President. Just recently he announced that he had chosen a location in Harlem to be used as his post-presidential office. Most people reacted to this decision by saying hes deceiving African-Americans in Harlem to cover up his burdens when he left the White House... the pardons or the gifts that were taken from Whitehouse. The article I will be analyzing is by Jay Nordlinger about the recent move to Harlem by Ex-President Clinton. Nordlinger is an editor for the National Review whos been covering the Clintons for a couple of years. Published by The Weekly Standard: a very conservative magazine, Nordlinger tries to explain the recent move as an attempt to put out the fire that have erupted the Clintons since leaving the White House. From what I perceived reading this article the main issue Nordlings is trying to prove is that whether our former president is using African-Americans to talk to White people? Meaning does Clinton do what he does because he wants to help the African-American society or just to improve Americans impression about him? Nordlinger undoubtedly states that the ex-president misleads the African-American society and he does everything for a purpose: to get out the many controversies that follow him day to day. He says Clinton does it over and over: runs to black people when he gets into a jam. According to Nordlinger the former President knows his relationship with black people is terrific, so he has a habit of using black people as props. The article even relates Clintons with Fidel Castro. Sometime in 1960 Fidel Castro publicly changed his expensive midtown hotel a hotel in Harlem to show commonality with the people there. So when Castro came back to New York for the U.N. gathering he was ...

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 10

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Similarly the work life balance in the organizations will also be affected in the future such that the employee’s attitudes towards work and also leisure could also change. On the other hand there would also be more flexible obligations in balancing the demands of the employees in the organizations. Another sociological aspect that would affect the organizations in the near future is in the distribution of income whereby the organizations managements will want more people to highly invest in their organizations. On the other hand the consumerisms will also affect the organizations in the sociological aspect such that there will be more competition between the various organizations for more consumers. The market lace will also become more competitive since the levels of education for the consumers will be higher. The consumers will therefore be able to make more informed choices in their consumer choices and behavior. The organizations will also be affected by the sociological factors in such a way that they will invest more in the people who are in their organizations and equip them with adequate skills which will make them more competent in the organizations market place. The technological factors which are likely to affect the organizations in the near future could be classified in terms of the emerging new technology. In the near future the technological innovations will be very high and also very innovative. For instance the organizations will be affected by the new communication models which include the telecommunications and transportation of goods and services from one place to another. Similarly technologically the governments will spend more on research programs so as to ensure that the consumers are provided with the best quality of goods and services. The governments will also tend to focus more on the technological effort. The

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Globalization - Essay Example In addition, technology facilitates constant connectivity, which has led to establishment of a current generation living in a globalized world. Therefore, tracking communication and interaction with technology through my Smartphone for a period of four-hours depicts that there are numerous features offered by these device. After tracking use of my technological devices such as Smartphone and laptop, I acquired understanding of the way people use technology to communicate. In this case, people are able to connect through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In fact, accessibility to these social networking sites has been facilitated by the internet. Therefore, through my Smartphone, I was able to access information and services that I was interested in. Nonetheless, the internet plays a significant role in processes of reducing traditional barriers of communication across different parts of the world. During this period, I was using my laptop, and this made me realize that there are numerous software that have been developed along with protocols and standards aimed at enabling computers to interact through the internet. In fact, I was interacting with students from different parts of the world, thereby discussing issues regarding school projects. Therefore, collaboration platform has been developed in order to enable people share digital content (Friedman, 3). In fact, these collaboration platforms are referred to as flatteners, which expand opportunity through which people communicate and interact. These technological devices integrate internet functions, thereby making people’s lives more enjoyable. In fact, during this assessment period, I was able to watch new videos and play a game. Moreover, there are other emotional experiences, which are thrilling and exciting such watching a movie. Internet has become a social club since people have managed to develop and maintain friendships. For instance, during the assessment period, I had a g ood feeling of being socially connect with friends living in different parts of the world. In this case, we were able to interact and share some ideas, while making new friends. People have acquired ability to multitask, while using the internet and other technological devices. For instance, during the assessment period, I was logged into my Facebook account, whereby I was chatting with my friends; I was also logged into my tweeter account at the same time. Moreover, I was listening to Smartphone’s music, and I was still receiving calls from friends. In addition, during the same period, I got a chance to check my e-mail and play and online game. Therefore, use of technological devices among people in different parts of the world is increasing gradually with increases in levels of innovativeness and technological advancement. In addition, technology is used in order to achieve certain tasks in peoples’ lives such as learning and offering health care services. Part Two: Living Without Technology In order to understand the condition of living without technology, I conducted an assessment for a period of one hour. In this case, during this assessment, I refrained from using technological devices such as my laptop and Smartphone. On the other hand, I focused on using pens, paper and face-to-face conversation. Nevertheless, during this period, I was tempted to look at the messages and incoming calls from my friends on my Smartphone.

Essay about a Poem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

About a Poem - Essay Example emplation as young, Black student in the midst of a relatively Caucasian educational institution and the contention of the equality between him and his professor. The persona of the poem speaks of how he perceives himself as the same as of any other individual his age or otherwise. He starts with the fact of his cognizance of his aesthetic difference and how he is apart from all the others around him, being the only Black student in his class. It paints of the picture of the school and its close proximity but otherwise vague disconnect with Harlem. But with the college’s discord amplifying his intimacy with the place and how it represents him, and how he must represent it. It ropes in the simple intricacies that add up and defines us as who we are as human beings. Mundane things the poetic persona expresses like ‘to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love’ How these are the same for him as it is for all the others around him, including his professor, this in his mind makes all of them equal, regardless of the color of their skin. The perception of the polar opposition between the white paper and the black ink gives much of the vivid detail that makes the poem as refine in the rendering of the underlying tone that it extends. He is what and who he is, and being so, the negation of what his paper will not be leads to his realization of what it is. In the course of his reflection he discerned the reality of being. The veritable connections that make the student and the professor equal, that constitutes why they are one and the same. And that is the fact that they are both Americans. Known for his political dynamism through his literary works, Hughes wrote the poem during a time when American history was at the threshold of a landmark revolution that ultimately led to the realization of the Civil Rights Movement. A developmental change that he has in many ways has become an integral part of. His works include contentious political tones that articulate race

Managing Globalization at Sony

Managing Globalization at Sony Executive Summary As a consequence of economic liberalization, free trade is rapidly becoming a reality within regional blocks, such as the EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, and Mercosur. Furthermore, the World Trade Organization is continuously reducing the remaining barriers to the free flow of capital, goods, services, and technology among countries and regional blocks. The barriers to trade and investment among countries continue to decline rapidly and are making globalization increasingly more feasible and less expensive. Secondly, technological advances continue their onward march. There has been a sharp decline in the costs of air transportation, telecommunication, and computers since 1950. The decline in transportation costs has radically shrunk the cost of shipping goods across countries. These developments in information technology have dramatically reduced the operative distance between companies, their customers, and their suppliers and made coordination of far-flung operations not only more feasible but also more reliable and efficient. Owing to the development of the global economy, most of the firms are now expanding their operations across nations. Companies are not only located in their home countries, but the production centers, warehouses, distribution centers are also built up in different countries as well. This has been done increasingly to reap the benefits of cost and advantageous resources. This research mainly focuses on certain important strategies adopted by multinational enterprises. These strategic areas of discussion are strategy for globalization, achieving global coordination and operations, building global RD networks and improving corporate governance. The main focus will be on strategies adopted for the mentioned key issues by two multinationals: SONY and SAMSUNG. A qualitative research of these two companies is undertaken and a comparison of the strategies adopted for various key issues has been made in this paper. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Background and Motives In its simplest form, strategy is about getting from A to B as cost-effectively as possible. Implicit in this process are: assessing a firm’s existing situation (A), both external and internal; clarifying strategic objectives (B) and the opportunities they encompass; and determining the pathway of long-term activities (strategies) that most effectively lead from A to B. The strategic pathway must reflect not only the changing environment, but also changes called for in a firm’s capabilities. As such, strategy necessarily combines both internal and external aspects of a firm. When the environment is complex and at times volatile, as is true for the global economy, these two aspects are continuously in play and shaping each other. Firms vary considerably in the motivations and paths that guide them toward their global agendas. They begin at different points in their development, pursue different visions, and operate under different industry conditions. Firms also have a broad choice of the strategic path they take to achieve their global agendas. Some firms in the medical, biotech, and computer software fields may be viewed as â€Å"born global,† because their products have immediate widespread acceptance in an identifiable market niche around the world. But even then, like most firms, they must traverse one or more of three broadly different paths to globalize their operations-through growth, extension, or transformation. Thus, it is the foreign entry strategy that decides the mode of expanding business across nations. The research paper will focus on these strategies as adopted by Sony along with the strategy adopted for global coordination, global RD networks and corporate governance. These strategies of Sony will be compared with those of Samsung to present a contrasting image between the two companies. 1.2 Research Methods The purpose of qualitative research methods is to discover and explain the actual business phenomenon of operations, and CASE STUDY is one of the most popular methods of conducting such a research. This research is mainly focused on two multinational enterprises-SONY and SAMSUNG and the strategies adopted by these firms to enter foreign markets, strategies for attaining coordination in global operations and corporate governance strategies. In order to understand the strategies adopted by these two enterprises is studies. These sources include publications, annual reports and public release of case study companies and a case study provided on globalization of Sony Corporation. Afterwards, the data and information among these corporations will be compared and analyzed. Finally, the results of the case study will be tested and verified with the literature and certain recommendations for further strategies to be followed will be provided.Certain important concepts will be considered whi le making the analysis. These concepts are Multinational Enterprise, Globalization, Corporate Governance and Competitive advantage. The purpose of this research is to explore various strategies adopted while going global and for managing global operations efficiently. The research will aim at discussing and comparing two multinational companies Sony and Samsung on issues relevant to global operations of any organization. The research will also analyze the impact of current economic crisis on the global strategies adopted by companies. While analyzing such impact special consideration will be given to the views of Rhodes and Stetler provided in an article Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review (2009) 2 MANAGING A GLOBAL CORPORATION: SONY Sony is uniquely characterized with its relatively outgoing nature, flambount leadership and global mindset of its top executives. The company was founded on May 7, 1946, in Japan under the name of Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. In 1958, the company changed its name officially to Sony Corporation. Its major products include Audio, Video, Televisions, Information and Communication, Semiconductors and Electronic Components. Sony was the first Japanese company to set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. In 1980s Sony decided to diversify beyond consumer electronic goods and began to move production to other countries. Various strategies adopted by Sony while globalizing its operations are discussed in following topics. 2.1 Going Global In 1980s Japan had an image of a producer of poor quality goods. When Sony decided to go global the very first decision taken by Morita, (then chairman of Sony Corporation) was to change the companys name from a Japanese name to Sony, which was a combination of a Latin word sonus meaning sound, and a British word sonny meaning, little man. Sony initiated in its global operations in a properly planned way and used Transnational-market strategy to go global. Instead of just starting off the operations in all major countries, the company emphasized on setting up operations in one particular region at a time. For globalizing its operations, Sony followed a approach to understand the market and learn to sell before making any heavy investments. The very first effort towards globalization was setting up of a sales subsidiary in U.S. This was done in 1960 and a decision to set up a manufacturing unit was taken up only in 1971 when the company became well aware of the market trends and consumers choice in U.S. Also Morita decided to stay in America so as to understand the mentality and consumer behavior of the market. Such a bold decision helped Sony to better place its products in U.S. markets. Next market which Sony decided to tap was Europe. In order to be successful in European markets, Sony decided to customize its products as per the consumers choice. Sony had to design a Television set that would accept any of the four prevailing standards of Europe. Although, there was strong resistance for Sonys designs in European markets, company totally refused to leave its philosophy of being different and not an imitator. In London also company followed the policy of starting with only sales office and that too on a small scale. This helped the company to deeply analyze and understand the market the consumer choice before going for great investments in the country. In Germany Sonys strategy was to concentrate on projecting an image of quality. It started selling its product sonly through some best electronic shops and this created a strong awareness about the products of the company. However, to sustain in German markets, Sony continued to persist with its expensive, high quality image even after gaining a considerable awareness and flow of orders. Another challenge which Sony faced while globalizing was expanding operations in several Scandinavian countries. Here Sony first appointed local competing manufacturers, as its agents to enter the market. These manufacturers were those enjoying a good reputation in market and had strong sales capabilities. A worldwide economic recession of 1981-82 acted as a dampener on Sonys sales. At this time a new strategy of setting up Strategic Business Units (SBU) was undertaken so as to manage operations on global basis. 2.2 Building a Global RD Network Sony had developed several breakthrough products since its inception in 1946. The company had always followed the strategy of identifying customer needs and developing products to satisfy those needs and also which can stand the ever-changing market trends. Sony has several RD labs established in different parts of the world. These labs participate in annual meetings every year so as to set priorities and promote collaboration among different regions. The company looked at RD facilities as a means to tap foreign technology, provide technological support to foreign plants and to modify products to suit the needs of overseas markets. The global RD network is controlled centrally by CTO at the Japanese headquarters of the company and the system represents a Matrix system. The RD offices of US and Europe have CTOs who coordinates their own regional RD activities and formulate regional technology strategies. However, overseas labs are given sufficient autonomy to plan and implement their projects and local labs are managed by local subsidiary and also by the CTO. Sony aims at non-duplication of research activities across the system and for this company organizes Annual Technology Exchange Convention where executives from all over the world are able to exchange information and appreciate companys research capabilities. 2.3 Global Coordination Sony used decentralization and delegation in managing its global operations. The need for a good communication between Japanese headquarters and local businesses was also realized. To foster this Sony emphasized on relating its marketing groups with engineering, manufacturing and other headquarter functions. Also, product divisions were allotted the responsibility of participating in design, promotion and advertising along with distribution and various operational issues. Sony does have separate business units with independent management committees but all these are linked with headquarters to ensure coordination and cooperation in various functions. Along with a fair deal of decentralization of functions Sony established a Strategic Group Headquarters to oversee group operations and allocate resources efficiently. Also, there is an integration of design, production, customer service and logistics functions of factories to streamline supply chain management. Through greater use of i nformation technology Sony aims at coordinating administrative, sales and marketing operations of Japan, U.S and Europe. The strategy is to provide a wide range of authority to business units, but with the retention of the cohesive power of headquarters. The goal of this strategy is to create an environment of strong leadership of top management and increased corporate worth. 2.4 Corporate Governance While designing a corporate governance system at Sony, it was aimed that the ability of Board to oversee operations be strengthened. Proper care was taken for delegation of greater authority and responsibility for the extension of business activities and company planned to adopt the Company with Committees system. Such a system comprised of three committees each of which consists of a majority of outside directors. The appointment of outside directors ensures greater soundness, transparency and speed in corporate governance matters. The strategy here is was recognize the importance of a management system that believes in importance of shareholders of the company. The base of such a system of corporate governance is considered to be the innovation of Board of Directors of the company. 3 COMPARISON OF SONYS STRATEGIES WITH THAT OF SAMSUNG. Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-Chull as a small trading company in 1938. Today Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. The globalization efforts started in Samsung in late 1980s. When Samsung decided to go global the main problem which aroused was companys image of being bargain junk. CEO and management personnel of the company travelled to the US to understand the market and realized that there is a strong need to change this perception about Samsung. Like Sony, Samsung also started with setting up of sales subsidiaries mainly in developed countries but unlike Sony, Samsung did not emphasized in tapping one country at a time. Rather Samsung started with its global operations in 1980s with setting up of production facilities in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe with an aim of gaining the benefits from roundabout export. Samsung also took the path of mergers and acquisitions to go global during the initial years of globalizati on. This was not the case with Sony which entered new markets independently to acquire new markets with its existing competencies and image. Despite of a strong resistance for its products design in European markets, Sony refused to compromise on companys corporate philosophy. However in 1990s Samsung did follow th strategies that included manufacturing components for better known global brands and selling copycat products of microwaves or televisions such as Sanyo to consumers. On the part of Global Coordination, Sony followed a policy of decentralization along with a tight control from headquarters so as to ensure proper functioning, accountability, transparency, cooperation and increased corporate worth. At Samsung, global operations are managed region wise. U.S market is considered as a centre for local marketing and introduction of new technologies whereas Mexico is the base for roundabout export. While Southeast Asia and Europe are the production sites, Japan is the new export market centre for introducing new technologies and China is the second most fundamental market. All these markets are given adequate authority to perform their individual functions but are closely linked with each other as well as with Global Strategy Control Headquarters in Korea. There is an exchange of technology between US and Mexico where low to medium class products are manufactured. Also there is a supply of products from Europe to U.S and of product design and new develo pments from U.S to Europe. At the same time there is a constant flow of information regarding RD initiatives, and high value-added products from the headquarters to these global business units. Thus, there is a coordination of operations among all the markets which are working as per their specializations. Sony has set up several RD units in various different countries to absorb the customers expectations from all the markets and convert this information into new innovative products to suit the needs of each specific market and its customers. Samsung also invested heavily on RD and applied the concept of innovation within the organization. According to Steers, Richard (1997) Innovation for Samsung means, develop through globalization to globalize Samsung. However, Samsung adopted a strategy to make each and every staff member of the organization capable enough to innovate. Ungson, Gerardo (1997) explained that a review of Samsungs operations from 1990 to 1992 demonstrated the need to train employees as international experts, to manage difficulties, experienced with foreign local employees, and to recruit excellent employees. Company created an atmosphere that can make each employee confident to create innovation. For this Samsung revised the concept of Samsung man that emphasized on the creative individual who is characterized with a wide view and high moral standards. Samsung recruited qualified people and there were a third of companys directors aged in 40 years or younger. The company aimed at getting people with good vision about future and considered human capital as the most important element for a successful innovation leading to efficient globalization. On account of corporate Governance, Sony has a clear structure consisting of board of directors which are mainly from external sources of the company. In Samsung there is a cross shareholdings pattern representing a web of dubious cross-shareholdings among scholars, bureaucrats and NGOs. Chairman of the company, Lee Kun-hee and his family maintain a control over the group. The Samsung Everland, Samsung Life insurance, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Card are the main pillars to sustain corporate governance structure and form a ring of shareholdings in the company and exhibit an intricately entangled shareholding system. 4 CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS AND GLOBAL STRATEGIES In the words of Landefeld, J.Steven (2009) Globalization is an economic process that has been going on since the earliest days of trade and investment across regions and countries. It has helped in significantly raising the standards of living, health and improvement in environment through a rise in world-wide production and income. As it is always believed that globalization is largely driven by economic gain; a common question during the situations of economic crisis is whether a company should focus on its current geographies rather than venture into expanding its global operations. In current financial crisis it has been seen that markets are good at pricing marginal risks so as to achieve short-term gains. However, Landefeld (2009) argued that markets are not good in evaluating bubbles and long-term systematic risk. The current financial crisis definitely affects the global strategies of companies. Most of the companies view the global economic downturn as the biggest challenge partnerships to be dealt with. Also, most of the agencies report that their corporate partners are finding it difficult to initiate new partnerships in current economic crisis. Despite such difficulties the current economic crisis has a positive side-effect also. It provides an opportunity of an extra incentive for finding more and more creative ways of partnerships and global engagements. The crisis also has a positive effect of encouraging innovation. According to Rhodes, D., and Stelter, D., 2009, Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review, Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis. But rash or scattershot action can be nearly damaging. In the above mentioned article Rhodes pointed out that a planned approach towards global strategies need to be followed in times of economic crisis. The very first step in this approach is that the company should assess its own vulnerabilities, at the company level and by business unit. Company should be aware of various ways in which the current scenario can affect its business in terms of reduced demand for its products, companys ability to secure short-term financing, effect on cost of capital, etc. Once such affects are known the impact can be quantified to closely assess the exposure. Then it is possible to determine the ways to reduce the exposure and survive and maximize the companys performance during the downturn. Dr, Suder, Gabriele, Professor of International Business at CERAM Business School, France clarifies that while the reduction-of-cost argument is one of the main motivations for internationalization in times of crisis, when it comes to location decisions, decision-makers will always also opt for convenient labor conditions, market opener effects and access to resources not obtainable elsewhere. Therefore, a crisis as we know it today is unlikely to alter internationalization strategies, and it shouldnt. Simply because this would alter the firms strength. Rhodes explained that a company can capitalize on the opportunities presented by a recession. There is a need to assess and minimize the vulnerability of ones firm. This will position a company to seize future resources of competitive advantage, whether through bold investments in product development or transformative acquisitions. As per the plan suggested by Rhodes, liquidity is considered as the key to survive any economic crisis. A company should monitor and maximize its cash position. This can be done through tightly managing customer credit and aggressively managing working capital. Also, there is a need to optimize ones financial structure by reducing debt and other liabilities and securing access to lines of credit. Further, there is a need to inform investors and analysts about the companys recession preparedness. This will help in maintaining a strong share price for the company. A company should reduce costs and increase efficiency during economic crisis. This is to be done through rooting out long-standing activities, centralize key functions, and analyze current suppliers and reviving earlier efficiency initiatives to implement them fully in better times. Next level is to revitalize customer retention initiatives during recession. There is a need to realign sales force utilization and incentives, reallocate marketing spending towards immediate revenue generation, and consider more-generous financial terms for customers. Also, during recession a company should reconsider its product mix and pricing strategies so as to offer lower-price versions of existing products, considering creative strategies such as result-based or subscription pricing, etc. Naim, Moises (2009) Globalization cannot be derailed by the world financial crisis until and unless we believe that globalization is mainly about international trade and investment. James (2009) argued that present economic crisis is temporary and globalization will continue and the entire world is tied up due to increase in volume of business. Through a proper mechanism a company can very well expand during recession also. The best companies make an extra effort to not only survive in downturn but position themselves to thrive during subsequent upturn. A company should consider the fact that investments made today in areas such as product development and technology will give good results only once the recession is past. The cost of such initiatives will be lower during recession and will give huge benefits in times of growth. Also, an economic crisis like that of today is good time to invest in human capital also. Downturns can also be viewed as an opportunity to rethink the business models. More and more analysts and practitioners are emphasizing on recognizing the importance of sustainable business practices, comprehensive risk-management, long-term performance and ethics. The current economic crisis has lead to recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility in every organization. This crisis has lead companies to pay more attention on environmental, social and governance issues which have a positive effect on companys performance and long-term corporate value. Also, financial investors have learned to consider these key issues while making any investment decisions. Steets, Julia (2009) argued that the global economic crisis will most likely not have a negative impact on business partnerships. In the words of Thomsen, Kristina (2009) While the crisis leads to a reduction of philanthropic giving, it also triggers innovative partnerships and may have a cathartic effect on more conventional ones, eliminating those that would not have been sustainable anyway. Thus, compan ies adopting a comprehensive approach towards handling economic crisis can be better placed and be able to seize the opportunities emerging from the turbulence and will also be able to head start on the competition once the crisis is over. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS From the above discussion it can be concluded that current financial downturn supports the recognition of sustainable business practices for long-term success of an organization and its businesses. At a time when global competition is intensifying, Sony and Samsung, using different set of strategies, remain internationally competitive. Sony has continued to supply innovative products all over the world. On the other hand Samsung has emphasized on process enrichment and innovation along with good RD investment. Samsung has concentrated on its core competency of manufacturing. Despite their different approached towards globalization and various other key issues related with the concept, both Sony and Samsung have successfully met the challenges of global competition. Sony has been characterized with an unrelated diversification. Samsung is focused on its core competency of manufacturing but Sony seems to have stuck up in multiple businesses and such unrelated businesses can be more detrimental rather than being helpful for the company. It is recommended for Sony to regain focus and investing in enhancing the companys core competencies. Further to survive competition from firms like Samsung and LG, the top management teams at Sony should evaluate the identity of the Sony brand to its customers and adopt a brand oriented leadership. These steps are necessary to rejuvenate Sony in the long run. REFERENCES Caves R.E. (1986), Multinational enterprise and economic analysis, Cambridge University Press, pp.1-30 Dunning J.H. (1993), Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy, Addision-Wesley Publishing Lindsay M. (1992), Developing Capital Markets in Eastern Europe-A Business Reference, New York University Press Landefeld, J.Steven (2009), Un High- Level Forum on Globalization and Global Crisis: The Role of Official Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division, ECOSOC Chamber. Kim, Samuel S. (2000), Korean Globalization, Cambridge University Press. Parker, Barbara (2005), Introduction to Globalization Business, Sage Publishing. Pak Y.S. and Park Y.R. (2004), Global Ownership Strategy of Japanese Multinational Enterprises: A Test of Internalization Theory, Management International Review, Vol.44, No.1, pp.3-21 Steers, Richard M Park, Seung-Ho (1997), Korean Enterprise, Harvard Business School Press. Websites Samsung Corporation http://www.samsung.com Samsung in Hungary http://www.samsung.com/hu/index.htm Samsung in Russia http://www.samsung.ru/about/ Samsung RD expenses in 2003 http://www.samsung.com/AboutSAMSUNG/ELECTRONICSGLOBAL/CompanyProfile/InvestmentinRD/ Samsung’s Governance Remains Problematic (2009), Ohmy News http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400no=274927rel_no=1 Accessed 18 November 2009 Sony Corporation http://www.sony.net Will globalization be derailed by the world financial crisis? (2009), McKinsey Company http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/the_debate_zone/will-globalization-be-derailed-by-the-world-financial-crisis Accessed 18 November 2009

The Great Depression Essay -- essays research papers

The Great Depression not only affected the United States but the world in general. In my estimation some the reasons for the depression was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920’s and the debts not paid back from WWI.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The distribution of wealth in the 1920’s, â€Å"roaring twenties,† was done with despair between the very wealthy and the lower classes, between industry and agriculture within the United States, between the U.S. and Europe. This imbalance of wealth created an unstable economy. The excessive assumption in the late 20’s kept the stock markets artificially high, which eventually lead the large market crashes and the American economy to turn over.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"roaring twenties† was an era when the U.S. prospered immensely. The nation’s total income was rose tremendously, but not equally. The â€Å"Coolidge Prosperity† of the 1920’s was not evenly shared among Americans, which led the rich to become richer, by not having to pay such high taxes, and the poor to not prosper. This widened the gap of disparity even more. In this period of time there was an increased manufacturing output, which made more money for the manufacturing plants and the people who invested in it, but not for the workers. There came to be an oversupply of goods and not enough buyers. During this time credit sales became a big thing for people to use to buy products. The government made it easier to just put i...

49 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth Essay

Some of them, with their complicated timers and instant start-up features, constantly consume small amounts of electricity. (â€Å"Even the TV?† my wife asks. â€Å"Good thinking,† I tell her.) 3. SEPARATE YOUR GARBAGE. At our house we have separate garbage cans for glass, paper, plastic, aluminum, wood, organic matter, natural fabrics, synthetic fabrics, and rubber. (We split the work—my wife does the separating, I drop everything off at the recycling center.) 4. USE LESS WATER. We have two bricks in our toilet tank. But there’s a much simpler way to save water: Don’t flush every time! (â€Å"Don’t take the sports section in there with you!† is my wife’s tip. A sense of humor isso important.) 5. DON’T MOW THE LAWN. Let it grow. Naturally. Like a meadow. (â€Å"Like a dump!† jokes my wife.) See more:  Perseverance essay 6. DON’T SHAVE AS OFTEN. I shave once a week. (â€Å"If it’s good enough for Don Johnson,† I quip. â€Å"That was passà © years ago,† my wife informs me.) 7. DRIVE SLOWER. I try to maintain a nice, steady 40 miles per hour, the legal minimum on most highways. Also, I roll up the windows. It reduces wind resistance — and noise. (â€Å"You can’t hear those horns?† my wife asks, incredulous.) 8. SHOP WITH A RE-USABLE SHOPPING BAG. And, if you can, walk to the store. (â€Å"It’ll do wonders for your figure,† I mention casually to the missus.) 9. BOYCOTT! Boycott polluters, or anyone who sells any product that can cause pollution, or any product that might contain an ingredient that can cause pollution. (â€Å"What does that leave?† my wife asks. â€Å"Just the good stuff,† I reply.) 1 0. DO YOUR LAUNDRY BY HAND. It may be drudgery of the lowest order to have to hand-launder your clothes and hang them on a clothesline, but it saves water and energy. (â€Å"Whistle while you work,† I kid my wife. â€Å"Hitler is a jerk,† she continues. I’d forgotten that verse!) 11. TURN DOWN THE HEAT. Especially the water heater. (â€Å"They take cold showers in Sweden,† I like to hint. â€Å"Go to Sweden!†Ã¢â‚¬â€my wife.) 12. TAKE FEWER SHOWERS. But don’t share them, even if it’s been touted, albeit humorously, in other â€Å"x-number-of-simple-things-you-can-do-to-save-the-earth† books. Why? It uses more water. Figure it out for yourself. Better would be to take a bath in â€Å"recycled† bath water. Best: An occasional sponge bath. (â€Å"No, I’m not kidding,† I tell the wife.) 13. REPLACE METAL DOORKNOBS. During the winter, when it’s very dry, touch a metal doorknob and you get a little shock from the static electricity. That’s wasted electricity, I figure. We’ve replaced all our metal doorknobs with ones made of non-conducting rubber, wood or glass. (â€Å"You’ve got a screw loose,† my wife points out. And she’s right!) 14. GO SOLAR. For a small investment of about ten thousand dollars you can convert your house to solar energy. It’ll pay for itself in twenty years, I estimate. (â€Å"What next?† my wife wonders, as we all do.) 15. MOUNT A WINDMILL ON YOUR ROOF. It’s cheap—about eight hundred dollars—and easy to install. (â€Å"A little more to the right,† I yell up to her.) 16. MAKE YOUR OWN HONEY. In addition to producing delicious honey, our beehive is a real conversation starter. (â€Å"We have to talk,† my wife says. See?) 17. WORK AT HOME. Recently, I quit my job of twenty years to become a full-time writer. I write at home, on a computer. I’m not using up any gasoline or motor oil, I’m not wearing out any clothing or shoes. To put it simply: I’m not a drain on the environment. (â€Å"You don’t move,† my wife observes, exaggerating slightly.) 18. BOARD UP THE WINDOWS. Windows are nice, but they either let in too much heat, or let out too much, or vice versa. (â€Å"This is better than mini-blinds!† I shout to the wife, who can barely hear me over her own hammering.) 1 9. GET RID OF THE TELEPHONE. Think you can’t live without a telephone? Think again. We’ve done fine. (â€Å"Who would call us?† my wife rationalizes.) 20. GET RID OF THE BED. Many leading chiropractors say that sleeping on the floor, with no mattress or cushion, is the best way to sleep. (â€Å"We certainly haven’t needed a bed much lately,† my wife confides to a mutual friend.) 21. GET OUT AND ORGANIZE. At my wife’s suggestion, I got out of the house and into the community—to organize. Now I work with a diverse group of community activists and we meet four times a week—at our house. (â€Å"Whoare these people?† my wife asks. â€Å"They are the people,† I tell her proudly.) 22. BAN ALL CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS. Not just spray cans, but the refrigerator and the air conditioner. Get rid of them! We now have ice delivered to our house every day. (â€Å"You’re crazy!† my wife shouts from the kitchen. â€Å"So was Van Gogh!† I shout back.) 23. TREAT WOUNDS NATURALLY. If you’re injured, cut on the head, above the eyebrow—from a sharp piece of ice, let’s say—treat it naturally. Salt and lemon juice is the combination my wife favors. (â€Å"I want a divorce,† she says, pouring salt on my wound. â€Å"Ouch!† I say.) 24. KNOW THE LAW. And know a good lawyer. (My wife does.) 25. WHEN YOU MOVE, BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. Having recently relocated to a smaller environment—an apartment—I can empathize with anyone who has had to go through a â€Å"moving experience† as I call it. Remember, along with a new habitat come new co-inhabitants. Get to know them. They are your neighbors and, as simplistic as this sounds, they are the keys to your survival. (When I explain this simplistic theory to one of my new neighbors, she’s fascinated. Maybe the beard works!) 26. CARPOOL. At my new part-time job I carpool with a couple of the ladies from the office. We’re saving gas, money, and we’re getting to know each other better. (â€Å"He used to have a fear of intimacy,† my wife tells the judge. On the advice of Barry, my lawyer, I can say nothing.) 27. MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR. I know, I know. But, if I could just use one earth-saving tip to draw your attention to the beautiful and cosmic experience of making love with a truly giving and understanding sexual partner. (Takethat, you lying, blood-sucking witch!) 28. SHARE YOUR SHOWERS. I’ve done a complete one-eighty on this one. Use a kitchen timer. (Or Ravel’s Bolero!) 29. WOMEN! Or should I say, women judges! (This just in: She gets the car, the house—everything except the profits from this book, Dear Reader.) 30. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. When someone (especially someone much younger and less experienced than yourself that you only met two weeks ago) tells you that one person can’t make a difference—that no matter how much shouting and yelling and â€Å"whining and complaining† one person does nothing will change, that â€Å"you’re too old to be acting that way,† that â€Å"you should settle down and focus on one thing and do that well†Ã¢â‚¬â€when someone lays that trip on you, it’s time to split. (â€Å"I can make a difference!† I tell her, gathering my things.) 31. BUNDLE AND RECYCLE NEWSPAPERS. Sorry, I lost sight of what we’re trying to do here, which is save the earth. Take all your old newspapers, bundle them together, and bring them to a recycling center. They’ll give you a few bucks, which is nothing to sneeze at. (What happened?) 32. BUY A â€Å"RECYCLED† CAR. There are some good deals in used cars—if you take the time to look. (I didn’t, and boy am I sorry.) 33. DON’T LITTER THE HIGHWAYS. Be considerate. There are laws, but they’re rarely enforced. (Except in my case, of course. I told the officer I wasn’t living in my car—it had broken down, I was tired—but: A $100 fine for vagrancy, a night in jail, a towing charge of $75, and a ticket—I’m getting rid of this damn car!) 34. KEEP FIGHTING. That’s right. No matter how tough it gets, the fight to save the earth will go on, with or without you. (Right now it’s without. I’m back to my old habits again—smoking, drinking, and hanging out with a bunch of losers. One of them is a real nut, calls himself â€Å"The Master.†) 35. DONATE OLD CLOTHING. There are people out there who can get some good use out of your old moth-eaten sweater or sports jacket or worn-out pair of shoes. (I’m a 41 short.) 36. FOLLOW THE MASTER. The Master has forged an â€Å"alliance with the human spirit† that allows him to speak directly and simultaneously to every living thing on this planet. (Follow The Master.) 37. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Take it from someone who, after having his self-esteem obliterated by a persuasive con man and his gang of sycophants, escaped on foot—with nothing to eat for nine days but wild berries and mushrooms—and lived to talk about it! (You might have seen the story in the papers—†DAZED FOLLOWER OF DIZZY GURU FOUND ON FREEWAY†) 38. HI, HOW ARE YOU? I knew it was her before I picked up the phone. (The cobwebs that covered the receiver were now sticking to my face. â€Å"Fine,† I said.) 39. DON’T BE FOOLED. A wise consumer is a protected consumer. (I told my ex this when we got together for some Irish coffee at the mini-mall, near the old house. She ended up selling that barn for—get this—$650,000! â€Å"Honey, it seems like old times!† I whooped.) 40. RECYCLE! REVIVE! RERUN! Excuse my exuberance, but something is finally happening out there—something positive, something good. People are separating their garbage. They’re using biodegradable, ecologically safe, recyclable and reusable materials. Everything old is new again! (When my ex-wife and I decided to re-marry, I suggested a â€Å"Save the Earth† clause be added to our pre-nuptial agreement. â€Å"We have to talk,† she said, showing great interest at the time.) 41. MOVE TO THE COUNTRY. Inherit the land again. That’s what we did. Bought forty-three acres in Upstate New York. It’s a working farm, where my wife can go out to the barn and milk the cows, pick out the freshest eggs and knit our clothes from the wool she shears from our very own sheep. (And I can finish this book!)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows †Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part2 is the final release of the eight Harry Potter series. This second part completes the much anticipated adventurous two full length motion film picture. The final epic â€Å"shows a battle between the good and the evil forces of using magic in the wizard world† (Schilling np). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This part continues from the fist Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows series where Harry seeks to find and ensure he destroys Lord Voldemort Horcruxes who killed Harry’s parents and also has for a very long time planned to kill Harry and gain control of the wizard world. Its first release on Friday 15th July recorded massive revenue returns of $ 92.1 million. According to McClintock, this collection is the biggest day gross time of all time. From overseas, the first day of the film’s opening collected $75 million in sales. Harry Potter becomes the only movie series to record the highest opening weekend record world wide with a total of $314 million breaking the record set by the Dark night series for three years internationally. Before its release, advance tickets to watch the film had recorded $32M in sales marking a new preopening record. At the beginning of March, a series of interviews were carried out after the fist preview of the movie was done. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows first poster was released on 28th march with an interesting caption â€Å"IT ALL ENDS 7.15†depicting the last series of the movie to be produced and also the first day of its first release to the theaters. In April the movie’s theatrical trailer was released showing footages of the much anticipated movie. A lot of efforts were put into consideration to market the movie. During the June MTV Awards Emma Watson gave a sneak preview of t he movie (Silvester 50). Harry Potter movies are based on the novels written by J.K Rowling, a renowned fiction writer. Records show that over 450 million books have been sold to children and hundreds have been borrowed from the libraries. Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The movie is rated 13 making it a family genre fit to be watched by all people. The reason why the movie works is because its series has been consistent in the output or the end results from each Harry Potter movie for over a decade since its creation. Feedback From the loyal fans of Harry Potter, the scale efforts used to produce the movies has not changed. More so the producers have tried to add more special effects making the movies even more interesting especially putting into consideration that the lead characters encounter ordinary situations have fears and their prejudices bringing out the fant asy world close to reality. The better part of this movie is the conversion made from 2D-3D a conversion the producers noted to have used in order to make the end result a satisfying experience to its audience and to also serve as the reason why the story becomes real. The movies production excelles in the photography techniques used (Gray np). Harry potter is a film production of the Warner Brothers Pictures. This film was produced in a number of studios including; Heyday Films, Moving Picture Company (MPC), Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. and the sets were directed from Leavesden studios, Pinewood Studios. There were several distributors who were involved but the Warner Bros was the main distributor. It has been directed by David Yates, an English filmmaker and the director of the last four series of the Harry Potter movie. His film efforts have been recognized by the BAFTA awards where he was awarded for his excellence film directing. He has also directed a number of movies i ncluding, Harry Potter Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, the girl in the cafà ©, Sex Traffic, Yong visitors and the Minnie TV series, the way we live now, among others. Harry Potter films makes Yates become the most influential director of the series according to the end result of the movie which has a unique sense in terms of the visual look and the style of the movie. Besides that the director, David Yates, is known to focus on character development and bringing out the emotion felt by the audience. The actors in this series include Daniel Radcliffe , Ralph Fiennes, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman and others who have been actors of the series since its first production in 2001. By the start of the movie series, the actors were simple ordinary actors but after the 8th movie these actors have become stars (White np) .Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the box office, the film has garnered $214,887,891 around the United States and Canada by July 20th 2011 while the international markets recorded $425,300,000 making a total of $ 640,187,891 worldwide. Its first open day was recorded as the biggest open day in terms of gross revenues in several countries. In Australia, it recorded $7.5 million, in United Kingdom $14.8 million Belgium $1.4 million, Japan $5.7 million and so forth. Deathly Hallows – Part 2 also surpassed the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 record ($1.5M) for the largest IMAX midnight launch earning approximately $2M (Lemire np). Gray, Brandon. Weekend Report: Harry Makes History. Box Office Mojo. 18 July 2011. Web. Lemire, Christy. Review: Final Potter film is sad and satisfying. Sify. 2011-07-21. Web. McClintock, Pamela. Box Office Report: ‘Harry Potter’ Grosses All-Time Domestic Best of $168.6 Million. The Hollywood Reporter. 17 July 2011. Web. Schilling, Chris. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – review†. The Observer. 17 July 2011. Web. Silvester, William. Harry Potter Collectors Handbook. NY: Krause, 2010. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More White, Michael. â€Å"‘Captain America’ Opens at No. 1, Knocks ‘Potter’ From Top Spot†. Bloomberg. 2011. Web.

Introduction of Marijuana Essay Example

Introduction of Marijuana Essay Example Introduction of Marijuana Essay Introduction of Marijuana Essay The use of marijuana has been an active past time for thousands of years, however, it did not reach the United States until around 1912. A wave of Mexican immigrants was entering the country in the effort to find work; with them came marijuana. The use of marijuana was a normal custom among the Mexican people, but the White Americans in towns bordering Mexico saw the use of this particular plant in a different light. Fueled with racism and frustration associated with the lack of work for the American people, whites proclaimed that the smoking of marijuana gave the Mexicans super-human strength and transformed those who smoked it into violent murderers. With the increase in rumors of bloodshed and mayhem brought about by Mexicans on marijuana-rampages, the city council of El, Paso, Texas passed a law, the El Paso Ordinance of 1914, banning the possession of marijuana (Grass: The History of Marijuana). As a result, the regulation not only provided a way to control marijuana, but Mexicans as well. THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF NARCOTICS AND UNIFROM STATE NARCOTIC LAW Meanwhile, those Americans who did not reside in states bordering Mexico were quite unfamiliar with the use of marijuana, and were much more concerned with the then current war on opium, morphine, cocaine, and heroin addiction plaguing society. In the early 1930’s the United States government decided that these public health issues of addiction could be handled by the United States Department of Treasury, who in turn established the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). Harry J. Anslinger was assigned as the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger was an alcohol prohibitionist who believed that â€Å"progress can only be achieved by controlling the deprived impulses of the masses†; he believed that if laws implemented in society were strict enough and if enough people were punished for partaking in prohibited acts, the public would steer away from wrongdoing. Anslinger believed this same philosophy would work in America’s war against dope. However, Anslinger found it hard to regulate drug use in all 48 states; he was only one man and during the Depression, it was difficult to find financial backing for such a feat. Anslinger sought the solution to his problem among the forty-eight states of America; he aimed to influence each state to individually control drug use and trafficking among its citizens. Anslinger planned to do this by getting each state to sign a joint agreement that would commit a portion of each state’s resources to the drug control, the Uniform State Narcotic Law. However, only nine states agreed (New York, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Indiana), the other states believed that the agreement allowed the federal government to interfere with state affairs (Grass, 1999). Meanwhile, New Orleans was a major port city that trafficked marijuana into the United States by way of West Indian sailors. It was known as muggles, tea, or reefer on the streets of New Orleans, and grew extremely popular among the jazz crowd in the city due to the proclamation that music sounded notably better after a â€Å"reefer stick†. Musicians began to bring marijuana from New Orleans to cities farther north up the Mississippi River, increasing the drug’s popularity in larger cities of America. With this growing popularity and awareness, Anslinger saw targeting marijuana as the means to his end; he concluded that if he could convince white America that marijuana was an absolute menace, the frightened voters would push their state legislature to agree to his Uniform State Narcotic Law (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). The media was Anslinger’s primary weapon in leading all Americans to believe that marijuana was the most dangerous social issue that had ever faced the country; the use of marijuana was tied to the likes of murder, insanity and death; mothers were told to protect their children from becoming slaves to the drug and movies were made linking the smoking of marijuana with immediate insanity, murderous rage or committing suicide (Grass, 1999). The negative propaganda eventually obtained a firm grasp on the minds of the American people, one by one, each state signed the Uniform State Narcotic Law; Anslinger’s method of exaggeration and manipulation went according plan. THE MARIJUANA STAMP ACT A frightened America demanded that society be protected by the threat of marijuana, and sought relief within the power of the federal government. On June 14, 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt without any â€Å"public debate, scientific inquiry, or political objection† (Grass, 1999). The act prohibited the possession of any marijuana unless one also possessed a marijuana tax stamp which was provided by the Department of Treasury, however, in order to obtain a stamp act, one had to present to authorities his or her amount of marijuana, which was illegal in and of itself. Through this extremely misleading form of legislation, the Department of Treasury effectively made marijuana possession illegal, and subsequently lead to hundreds of arrests. LA GUARDIA VERSUS ANSLINGER The enactment of the Marijuana Stamp Act brought with it skepticism from many white Americans, especially in the northeast region of the country. Those who opposed the Stamp Act believed that its implementation brought with it the return of prohibition, an aspect of legislation they did not want to see in existence again (R. Dietch, 2003). Fiorello La Guardia was the mayor of New York during Anslinger’s relentless crusade against marijuana’s use and possession, and he too was against prohibition and the criminalization of marijuana. La Guardia was skeptical of the claims that were made by the federal government in relation to the effects the use has on the mind, and consequently lead a committee of 31 impartial scientists in the investigation of the physical and mental effects marijuana use has on a human being. The La Guardia Committee Report was conducted for five years (1939 – 1944) in which it concluded that the effects of marijuana use did not agree with the perception of the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics; a perception forced upon and used to frighten the people of America. The report stated that the use of marijuana did not â€Å"lead to violent or antisocial behavior, did not cause uncontrollable sexual urges, and did not alter a person’s basic personality structure† (Grass, 1999). Also, unlike the claims made by the federal government, the information provided by the La Guardia Committee Report, entitled The Marihuana Problem in the City of New York, was supported by scientific evidence and testimony from marijuana users (R. Deitch, 2003). In response to the threat of his credibility, Anslinger had the report discredited and destroyed all copies that he was able to obtain; he labeled the authors as â€Å"dangerous men† and referred to the evidence in the report as â€Å"giddy sociology and medical mumbo-jumbo† (M. Booth, 2005). The determined Anslinger did not allow the plights of science to diverge from him from his course; he targeted the degenerate moral influence of actors and musician in the entertainment industry, â€Å"the missionaries carrying its evil gospel to the world† (M. Booth, 2005). Anslinger obtained control not only over movie contracts, but pilot and book contracts as well; he gained control over the film industry and spent $220 million in the production of films that supported his views in relation to the dangerous effects marijuana could have on one’s life. Musicians were also targeted, especially black jazz musicians; he believed black jazz musicians were the source of this reefer evil, and white marijuana smokers were merely corrupted by black influence through their mainstream music (M. Booth, 2005). RED CHINA AND THE NARCOTIC CONTROL ACT OF 1956 With the approach of the 1950s, the number of heroin addicts was increasing, especially among young teens. Crimes of theft were high among these strung out teenagers who turned to illegal acts in an effort to support their drug habit. Anslinger and the federal government saw an opportunity in this new heroin craze, and deemed marijuana use the reason for the increase in heroin addicts; â€Å"if you smoke it, you will become a heroin addict† (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). With the new fabricated association between marijuana and heroin, tougher laws and greater penalties were demanded by the public for all drug offenses. Anslinger was quick to play on the growing fear of communism among the American people; he began to proclaim that behind every narcotics drug peddler was a communist â€Å"ready to overthrow the government† (Grass, 1999). Anslinger cleverly linked China as the direct source of the opiates that so many American people were becoming addicted to; it was believed by the public that â€Å"Red China† was trying to infiltrate America via the heroin needle (L. Sloman, 1998). In an effort not to appear nationally weak in the midst of a cold war and during the threat of the Red Menace, and without any physical proof that the Chinese were behind the rise of opiates in the United States, Truman signed the Boggs Act of 1951 which implemented mandatory minimum sentences for all drug offenses. THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA The passing of the Boggs act was followed by the passage of the Narcotic Control Act of 1956, which placed marijuana in the same category as heroin; the mandatory minimum sentence for possession of marijuana could result in 2 – 10 years in prison (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). Some states placed even harsher punishments for the possession of narcotics; in Missouri a 2nd conviction could place the defendant in prison for life. Anslinger’s ruthless campaign against the criminalization of marijuana finally came to an end in 1961 under the administration of former President John F. Kennedy in which he warned his successor that â€Å"the impending drug revolution is an assault on the foundation of western civilization†. Between the years of 1941 and 1963, the federal government spent $1. 5 billion on the â€Å"war against marijuana†. The use of marijuana was a new craze among college campuses in the mid 1960s, many of those who smoked marijuana no longer held the view depicting it as a dangerous substance, but as a way of declaring their independence. The new commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Henry Giordano, began to publicize that the use of marijuana will make one an â€Å"unmotivated, dysfunctional loser† (Grass, 1999). Nixon continued to focus on drug crimes by pouring significant amounts of money into the training, equipping, and educating local policemen in recognizing evidence related to marijuana use. Minorities were not the only individuals being convicted for the possession of marijuana; those who were being arrested for marijuana charges consisted mainly of middle-class, white, American teenagers. As a matter of fact, the number of convicted young people was so high that the public began wonder if the legislation against marijuana was too strict; the laws were then seen as the problem in society, not marijuana. The passage of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 officially reduced the penalty for possession of marijuana (L. Sloman, 1998). Between 1964 and 1969 the amount of money used in the control of marijuana use and possession was estimated to be $9 billion. As Nixon continued spend millions of dollars in the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Agency, many American citizens began to seek the decriminalization of private use and possession of marijuana. This sudden public desire for the decriminalization of marijuana could be tied to its use no longer being a youth phenomenon; middle class adults had begun smoking marijuana during social activities and the push for the legalization of marijuana began. The Ann Arbor City Ordinance of 1972 placed marijuana possession to a minor offense, comparable to a traffic ticket. The control of marijuana use is still significant today, though the laws and regulations for the possession and use of marijuana have become notably less strict in comparison to the laws that were implemented during the 1920s. Between the Jimmy Carter Administration and throughout the Regan Administration, the United States of America spent approximately $290 billion in its efforts to control the drugs on the streets of the country (Grass, 1999). THE WAR ON DRUGS America’s need to abolish the use of marijuana stemmed from the racial prejudice against Mexican immigrants and African Americans, and was fueled by false proclamations and loosely associated consequences. The War on Drugs resulted in a grand total of over $300 billion spent; this battle is surely to go down in history as one of the most lengthy and costly wars this nation has ever experienced with no end in sight.

Occupational Health and Safety College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Occupational Health and Safety College - Essay Example The paper highlights possible legal ‘loopholes’ which culpable ‘officers’ may exploit to evade personal prosecution, and it concludes by making some recommendations on what additional reforms may be introduced to augment the effectiveness of the bill. For purposes of this discussion, the five main objectives of the Model Bill can be further condensed into only three key outcomes. Firstly, the bill seeks to establish a harmonised and nationwide framework for defining O H & S criteria in Australia, and to continually strengthen this framework through regular education and training. Secondly, the bill seeks to identify all stakeholders involved in the implementation of O H & S regulations, and to specify the duties and obligations of these stakeholders. Finally, the bill seeks to clarify the enforcement measures provided by the bill and to specify the penalties imposed on organisations or individuals who shirk their O H & S responsibilities. The Model Bill distinguishes between two broad categories of ‘officers’. One category comprises of public officers working for regulatory bodies such as government departments or local authorities. As stated in the bill: â€Å"A person who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the business or undertaking of a Government department, public authority or local authority is taken to be an officer of the Crown†¦Ã¢â‚¬  " (S. 244). As further stated in the appendix of the bill, "A jurisdiction will need to include local provisions to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the appointment as an inspector or a person who is an inspector under a

Skip navigation links BFS 3430-09D, PRINCIPLES OF FIRE BEHAVIOR Essay - 2

Skip navigation links BFS 3430-09D, PRINCIPLES OF FIRE BEHAVIOR (BFS3430-09D) - Essay Example Moisture is necessary in order to make the wild lands less vulnerable to fire (International Association of Fire Chiefs, 2008). With lacking moisture, there are more chances of spread of fire. Less moisture is there when the weather is dry and hot. With higher humidity, the chances of fire spread are less and with low humidity, the chances of fire spread are more. Therefore, it can be said that hot and dry weather in which the humidity ratio is less is more vulnerable for wild land fires and fire fighters are required to cool down the fuel in order to extinguish the fire. Like moisture, winds are also such weather conditions that can add to the wild land fires. Windy weather usually becomes a reason for the spread of fire in wild lands. The windy weather will help the fuel to burn more and will also spread the burning fire. Fire is spread with great speed because of the windy weather (International Association of Fire Chiefs, 2008). Windy weather is very dangerous for the conditions where there are wild land fires. Fire fighting also becomes difficult with weathers that help in ignition. The fire fighters should be trained in order to fight the fire with differing weather conditions. International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of fire Chiefs (COR) and National Fire Protection Association. (2008). Fundamentals of Fire Fighting Skills. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Also Available at