Iron Crowned Chapter 16

Kiyo asked no questions when I called Enrique back and told him I'd be out of town and out of contact for a while – but that I trusted him to carry on. Really, Kiyo said little at all as we hurried back to my house. Within minutes, I had a small satchel packed, and then we were off to the Otherworldly crossing. No matter what ups and downs had occurred in our relationship, he knew me well. He knew I had to act on this immediately. The questions began once I reached my castle. â€Å"How the hell,† I began, â€Å"did this happen?† I was in one of the receiving rooms, Kiyo by my side as I stared down Shaya and some of the soldiers who manned the grounds. Rurik was with them, which gave me mixed feelings. I was glad he was back from Dorian's. I trusted him more than any other military guy around here. That being said, there was a petty part of me that held him responsible. How could someone as capable as him have let this happen? He grimaced, as though guessing my thoughts. â€Å"A small group sneaked onto our grounds, overpowered her guards †¦ and took her.† He hesitated. â€Å"She only had two with her, Your Majesty. As you'll recall, her escort was lightened. Still. There is no excuse.† I hadn't witnessed this kind of diplomacy and respect from Rurik since †¦ well, actually, I'd never really witnessed it. With Dorian? Yes. Not with me. Jasmine's abduction had really gotten to Rurik, no question. I was pretty sure he was taking it personally. But I'd also caught the slight meaning in his carefully worded comment about her lightened guard. That had been my call. I had done it in response to her good behavior and had let her outside more. I'd known it was a potential security risk – but not one that involved her leaving against her will. â€Å"We're at war,† I said. â€Å"Regardless of her guard, this whole place should have been under lock-down.† He nodded, face growing grimmer. â€Å"As I said, there's no excuse. I take full responsibility.† I waved a hand dismissively. â€Å"It's too late now. I know you're doing your job. Don't lay yourself out for the slaughter. Volusian said there was a note?† Shaya handed me a piece of rolled parchment. Kiyo leaned over my shoulder as I read it silently to myself: To Eugenie, Usurper Queen of the Thorn Land, Daughter of Tirigan Stormi, King: As you no doubt know by now, I have your sister within my custody. If you wish her returned to you alive, you and the Oak King will surrender unconditionally to me. You will cease hostilities immediately, withdraw your armies, and cede your lands. Additionally, you will turn over the alleged Iron Crown to me. If you do not comply with these terms, your sister will be executed at noon, three days from the receipt of this letter. For now, she is alive, and I have given her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius. I await your response. Sincerely, Katrice, Queen of the Rowan Land, Beloved of the Gods I looked up at the many watching eyes. â€Å"‘Given her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius.' Does that mean what I think it does?† Shaya grimaced. â€Å"That is the nephew she wanted you to marry.† â€Å"Why execute Jasmine then?† I demanded. â€Å"Why not marry her off to Cassius? Isn't that a waste of one of Storm King's daughters?† â€Å"Katrice hates you,† said Kiyo softly. â€Å"At this point, she probably doesn't even care about the prophecy. She wants to get back at you, hurt you, and if that means killing Jasmine, then it's probably an acceptable loss – especially if she tries to then give you to Cassius after this ‘surrender.'† â€Å"So I'd get to live?† Kiyo shrugged. â€Å"Longer suffering.† â€Å"Why choose her as a hostage though?† I didn't know why I was arguing the logic here. None of it mattered. Only the outcome did. â€Å"Everyone knows we don't get along.† â€Å"Everyone also probably knows that's been changing a little,† said Kiyo. â€Å"You brought her to Dorian's.† â€Å"And,† added Shaya, â€Å"a royal family member usually makes the best hostage in these situations.† These situations. For a moment, I nearly swayed on my feet, wanting to close my eyes and pass out. It had nothing to do with the heat. It was this. All of this. This situation always repeating itself. Me and Jasmine, cursed by our blood, always to be used and captured as possessions in a greater game. I'd hated Aeson, but at least he'd lured Jasmine into some pretense of love before taking advantage of her. But what about this Cassius? He'd make no attempts at kindness. This was all about punishment and revenge, after all. Had he already raped Jasmine? Was he doing it now? A sickening memory of Leith came to mind, one sharp and clear in spite of the drugged state I'd been in during my ordeal with him. Moments later, it was replaced by an image of this faceless Cassius lowering himself over a cowering Jasmine†¦. I pushed my weakness aside, steadying myself and bringing the world back into focus. I turned to Rurik. â€Å"How far are our armies spread out? How soon could we get them together and march on her? I want to raze that bitch's lands and burn her castle to the ground! I want to have the fucking wrath of heaven rain down on her and – â€Å" I cut myself off, as startled at my words as the others were. Where had that rage come from? Well, the situation, obviously. I wouldn't want anyone thrown to Katrice's nephew before facing execution. But it occurred to me in that moment that my reaction was also †¦ personal. Somewhere, in the ups and downs of our dysfunctional family, I'd come to care about Jasmine. My anger came from the loss of her. â€Å"Easy, Eug,† said Kiyo, resting a hand on my arm. There was a nervous note in his voice, mirrored by the others' expressions. I'd once been told that when I was angry, I resembled my father. I took a deep breath and pushed back any further outbursts. â€Å"Leading a massive army in – while deserved – wouldn't be †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Rurik was still treading lightly, still choosing words carefully. â€Å"Well, Katrice was already in wartime mode, heavily guarded. After this? The lands outside her home probably have triple the guard they did before.† â€Å"But if our force was large enough †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began. Rurik nodded. â€Å"True. It's possible. Especially if †¦ especially if my lord Dorian's armies were involved.† He looked uneasy at mentioning Dorian, but I could see a considering look on Rurik's face. I had a feeling we shared the same puzzle. Would Dorian lend forces to help me? Possibly not, not if his anger overrode any devotion to me. On the other hand, Dorian was still in this war, and I knew him well enough to think he might welcome a full-out march on her castle. Rurik knew that too. â€Å"With his forces, it's possible,† Rurik said at last. â€Å"But Katrice's would be defending. It would be bloody. It would be ugly.† He didn't sound opposed to that, per se. He was a military man; ugly battles were the way of the world. But we all knew that wasn't ideal. My mind spun. Part of me wanted that large force to beat on Katrice because I thought she deserved it. This was about more than revenge, however. It was about Jasmine. I needed to go with the plan most likely to get her back, and an invading army wasn't it. It would take a smaller group, just as she'd no doubt sent here, one that could slip in. We were heavily guarded, but with the assorted petitioners and refugees always coming and going, it was no wonder Jasmine's kidnappers had slipped in. Katrice undoubtedly had a similar stream of people coming to her in these times, but she'd probably be on high alert with them too. â€Å"Imanuelle,† I said, realizing too many moments of silence had passed. â€Å"Can you get me Imanuelle?† It was this, finally, that took the group's eyes off me – because they all exchanged astonished looks. Kiyo's face grew troubled. â€Å"That's your plan?† Kiyo asked. â€Å"Assassinate Katrice? Eugenie, you're better than that.† He'd apparently heard of Imanuelle. â€Å"I am,† I agreed. â€Å"And smarter. Get her for me.† That was to Shaya, who nodded and then shot a look at a hovering servant. He gave a hasty bob of his head and darted out of the room. â€Å"Ready to repeat history?† I asked Kiyo. â€Å"It'll be like raiding Aeson's all over again.† â€Å"You're going †¦ No. Eugenie, you can't go there.† I gestured to Rurik and began moving for the exit. â€Å"You heard him. We can't get in with a large force – not easily.† â€Å"Yes, I get that,† said Kiyo, following after me. â€Å"But you can't go.† â€Å"I have to go,† I countered. Rurik had hurried along after us. â€Å"He's right. Send someone else. I'll go. We'll sneak in and take her.† I came to an abrupt halt, nearly causing both men to run into me. â€Å"I'm going. This is my responsibility. Besides, who else around here can match me magically?† I peered back and forth between their faces, daring them to challenge me. â€Å"Even so,† said Rurik, â€Å"if you're discovered, you'll be outnumbered. And you're an enemy queen. In wartime. Walking right into your enemy's stronghold. I can't allow this.† â€Å"It's not your place to allow me to do anything!† I snapped. â€Å"Or you either.† I turned to Kiyo for that, guessing his words. â€Å"We won't be discovered. Not if Imanuelle's as good as she claims.† I was so tired of men telling me what I could and couldn't do. I left them and stalked off down the hallway toward my bedroom. Neither followed me right away, but I just barely heard Rurik mutter to Kiyo, â€Å"Well, if she's caught, she will get a massive army descending on Katrice, at least. My lord Dorian wouldn't permit anything less.† The flaw in my plan, as it turned out, was waiting on Imanuelle. After our last meeting, she'd left my kingdom, and finding her wasn't easy. You couldn't just openly summon a famed assassin. Girard was at my court, however, and apparently had secret ways of sending messages to his sister. I didn't ask any questions about his means, so long as she showed up. Waiting for her gave us time to plan strategy. Once my advisors grudgingly accepted that I'd be going personally – and once Rurik accepted that he would not be accompanying me – they fell in line to pool their knowledge about Katrice's castle. I'd joked earlier to Kiyo about this being like our break-in to Aeson's †¦ but really, it was true. This time, we had no guide personally to take us in. We had to rely on anecdotal knowledge from those who had been there and could make best guesses at where Jasmine might be held. And that was presuming Katrice was actually keeping her on-hand. Perhaps the most surprising part of all of this was Kiyo's acquiescence. I'd expected protests about my safety or perhaps a diplomatic solution. But, no. He realized the importance of saving Jasmine. And he too knew this was probably our best shot – at least on such short notice. â€Å"You should know,† Rurik told us later, â€Å"that you aren't going to be able to bring Volusian.† He, Kiyo, Shaya, and I were in my bedroom, which I'd made my makeshift war headquarters. â€Å"Why not?† I asked. That was a surprise. I'd been counting on his muscle, something I had to admit I'd missed while fighting for the crown. What was the point of an undead minion if I couldn't put him to good use? â€Å"He can go in with us invisibly.† Rurik shook his head. â€Å"Everyone knows about him. Katrice does. She'll have people on-hand who can sense him. She'll also probably have those with the power to banish him. Enough of them united together could.† â€Å"You have a lot of faith in her,† I noted dryly. Volusian was hard to banish – I couldn't do it – but Rurik had a point. Get enough magic-users together, and they could eventually pull it off. He gave me a twisted smile. â€Å"She's not stupid. And she has advisors. Not as good as yours, of course, but they would have thought everything over before kidnapping Jasmine.† A knock on the door interrupted any response I might have made, and after I called entry, a servant showed Imanuelle in. â€Å"Finally,† I said. She swept in, clad in billowing red silk pants and a matching, midriff-showing top. The assassin arched an eyebrow and gave me an amused look as she put her hands on her hips. â€Å"I don't wait around on your every command, Thorn Queen. And last time we spoke, you made it pretty clear, you didn't want me around. Have you finally come to your senses? From what I hear, now's a pretty good time to get rid of Katrice.† Imanuelle paused carefully. â€Å"Although, getting rid of her before now would have been even better. Would have saved you and your sister a lot of trouble.† I bit off any snide remarks. â€Å"We can't have Katrice killed. I'm pretty sure the instant her people found her dead, Jasmine would be next. I need you to sneak in and get Jasmine out of there.† Imanuelle's cocky smile dropped. â€Å"That's not what I do. I kill. I don't rescue.† â€Å"I'll do the rescuing. You need to get me and Kiyo in. Disguise us with this so-called power you keep bragging about. Or is masking more than one person out of your skill-set?† â€Å"I can do it,† she said, narrowing her eyes. â€Å"But it'll cost you.† â€Å"We can afford it,† I said, trying to ignore the pained look crossing Shaya's face as she no doubt added up mental ledgers. Imanuelle said nothing for several moments as she pondered it all. â€Å"Just you two?† â€Å"Yes. And you, of course,† I added. â€Å"Do you have any idea where you're going in there?† she asked. Kiyo and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Kind of,† I said. â€Å"Kind of.† Imanuelle snorted. â€Å"Fine. I'll do it. But I'm only there to disguise you. I'm not fighting if you get caught.† â€Å"You don't have to,† I assured her. â€Å"We'll protect you.† This brought another scoff and a haughty curl of her lip. â€Å"If they detect us, I can get myself out of there, believe me. You'll be on your own.†

Brand Management Case Study Essay

1.0 Summary Communities across the United States are enjoying healthier food grown by local farmers; and farmers are reaping better returns and helping to revitalize rural and urban communities by selling close to home instead of through distant markets. Local marketing has expanded beyond farmers’ markets and farmlands, although these are still popular and the number of US farmers’ markets is growing rapidly. New regional supply networks are linking farmers with their customers in innovative ways and taking advantage of opportunities for marketing to institutions such as public schools, hospitals and universities. In the process, they are bringing a host of other benefits to communities within the networks. But significant barriers must be overcome to increase the potential of these new marketing mechanisms and expand them to meet the needs of underserved farmers and customers. 2.0 Different Policies To do marketing easily, there are different policies that we should adopt. Some of the key policies are given below: †¢ Identify infrastructural gaps and other barriers that prevent local and regional farmers from marketing more of their crops, livestock and value added products within the region. †¢ Give small†scale and mid†scale farmers the tools they need to meet growing consumer demand for local and regional products, such as financing and technical assistance to make the transition to crops customers want and more sustainable production methods. †¢ Expand the infrastructure needed for local agricultural production and the processing and distribution of locally grown produce, meats, dairy, and other products. †¢ Ensure that farmers and consumers who have been underserved by farm and food policy benefit from these steps. Underserved farmers, including socially disadvantaged, women, and beginning farmers, benefit particularly from local and regional markets because they can accommodate small scale producers. †¢ Support mechanisms and access to information that farmers can use to aggregate regional supply in order to access high†volume markets such as large institutions. †¢ Enforce existing restrictions against excessive concentration of buying power and tighten up legislation to allow fair competition for smaller†scale processors, distributors and retailers. †¢ Support training, resources, assistance and credit for beginning farmers and youth interested in farming and food†related careers. †¢ Accommodate needs of small†scale and mid†scale enterprises in food processing regulations. †¢ Facilitate the development of convenient local and regional retail outlets for small†scale and mid†scale farmers. †¢ Compensate farmers for protecting the environment and maintaining the cultural and aesthetic values of working farmland. †¢ Educate the public about advantages of buying locally and regionally grown food. †¢ Fund the establishment of local and regional food policy councils. 3.0 Scopes of new marketing opportunities †¢ Remove of infrastructure gap and other barriers according to the policy local and regional farmers can expand their business and can inform the broader target customers to fulfil their demands with their products. †¢ If funding is possible for small and mid level farmers they supply the accurate quantity of product during the time in the time of increasing demand which will provide trust and strong customer relationship with them. †¢ Infrastructure expansion will lead to produce better quality of agricultural production and distribution that will create a brand image of the regional farmer toward the customers. †¢ Support mechanism and access of adequate information about customer’s demand and wants will help farmers gain the satisfied and loyal customers. †¢ Training, resources, assistance and credit for beginning farmers will make them competitive and efficient to agricultural field. †¢ Improvement in food processing area will improve the quality of goods as well as the health condition of the customers. †¢ When people will learn the advantage of having regional grown food the farmers will get more opportunities to produce and serve the customers according to the demands.[pic]

Cuba’s Environmental Problems

When socialism was introduced to Cuba, the idea was that it would be more eco-friendly than capitalism. Instead, the Revolution to quickly controlled two major factors that eventually led to environmental problems in developing countries: population growth and poverty. Contributing to the issue of poverty in Cuba are the financial, economic and commercial blockades imposed by the United States. In order to preserve the environment in Cuba and combat these issues, serious action was necessary. The amount of environmental damage falls into two categories: a) small-scale environmental destruction committed by individuals through illegal hunting, deforestation, dumping of waste into aquatic ecosystems, etc. ; or b) large-scale environmental destruction resulting from major projects and industries approved by governmental agencies and owned by international companies, like hotel chains and mining companies after the Special Period, and agriculture before the Special Period†. [1] The opportunity for Cuba to protect its environment came after the fall of the Soviet Union and the strengthening of the US blockade in 1990. This period, referred to as the Special Period (1990-2000), witnessed a decrease in many environmentally damaging activities both by choice and by necessity, but also resulted in many decisions to resuscitate the Cuban economy. After the Earth Summit in 1992, following Fidel Castro’s speech regarding the condition of the environment on a global scale, Cuba designed and implemented a variety of programs, administrative structures, and public awareness activities to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development. What is most important is the damage that ahs already been done and the efforts to reverse these conditions. Currently, there are many efforts to bring the Cuban environment to a sustainable level. When the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe ended trade and financial relationships with Cuba, the island was forced to make severe adjustments. The emergency measures implemented by the Cuban government aimed at preventing the total economic collapse of the regime, have been referred to by the leadership as the â€Å"special period in peacetime. † This Special Period brought about â€Å"the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) in 1994 [which] provided an important impetus for environmental policy and management on a national scale. †[2] In 1995 the National Environmental Strategy (EAN) was designed, but was not approved by the government until 1997. Since then the EAN â€Å"is the guiding document of Cuban environmental policy, establishing the principles upon which the national environmental efforts are based. †[3] The strategy identifies the main environmental issues in Cuba and proposes ideas and various methods to prevent, solve or minimize these problems. The strategy goals are to improve environmental protection and the use of natural resources in an attempt to meet sustainable social and economic development objectives. Evaluations of Cuba's environmental record in comparison with Eastern European records shows â€Å"that environmental deterioration in Cuba over more than three decades of socialist rule responded to specific conditions not usually found in developing countries†¦ but were present in the former Soviet Union and the former Eastern European socialist countries. [4] As a result of this, Kirwin Shaffer states that: Consequently, central planning ignored local environmental concerns. Also, the absence of private ownership and the lack of citizen input in decision making meant that all decisions affecting the local level were made with regard to how they fit with the overall national plan. Results and impacts at the local level were secondary. Which leads to these conclusions: Cuban agricultural and industrial development following the Soviet models have had similar consequences for water, soil and air pollution as found in Europe. 5] The current Cuban stance that attempts to blame the USSR for these effects in Cuba benefits Cuba’s political system because it takes the blame away from the state, but it is not served by the historical record. The glorified â€Å"greening† of Cuba during the 1990s has beneficial impacts over the short term, but, according to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, economic costs and turns toward a development model based on tourism may soon erode those short-term gains. Cuba's pollution and contamination problems are widespread, and not completely the result of Soviet-style development projects. Yet, there is no doubt that many of the current environmental problems in Cuba result mainly from sovietization of the Cuban economy. Soil erosion and soil degradation are the main problems in agriculture. These problems started primarily due to the intensification of mechanized agriculture and the use of petrochemical herbicides and pesticides. [6] Agriculture is just one of the many environmental issues the island faces. In terms of the land, â€Å"the harm caused by permanent crops to these lands is primarily due to a lack of crop rotation causing soil depletion, poor agro-technical management and insufficient fertility measures. †[7] In 1970 La zafra de los diez millones, took place, in which the Cuban government attempted to break all historic sugar production records by producing a ten million ton sugar harvest. [8] The government fell short of their goal by two tons, but by this point the damage was already done. Because crops take so much nutrients from the land, farmers alternate crops each year to allow the land to recover. During la zafra de los diez millones crops were not alternated which took a heavy toll on the land. In Cuba, poorly designed and implemented agricultural development policies have been a major contributor to the degradation of the country’s soils: Soil degradation continued apace with the agricultural practices that came to prevail in Cuba during the first half of the twentieth century as more and more virgin islands were brought under sugarcane and livestock production. There is mounting evidence that the pace of soil deterioration intensified during the second half of the century, principally because of the widespread adoption of modern agricultural practices, particularly from the 1960s to the late 1980s. As in the Soviet Union and other socialist economies, the collectivization of the rural sector was regarded as necessary for achieving the goals of a centrally planned command economy. Collectivization would make possible economies of scale and bring the advantages of mechanization and modern scientific agriculture. 9] After the collectivization of land agrarian reforms were implemented to return the land to the state and to its’ citizens. But this shift in land ownership could have major environmental implications, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. After the Soviets left Cuba, Cuban farming suffered a shortage of imported agricultural goods; leaving Cuban farmers to use traditional farming practices and some more modern techniques (such as rip irrigation) that are more environmentally friendly: The post-Soviet agricultural model is less dependent on imported agricultural practices that had been abandoned for their alleged backwardness: the large-scale use of beasts of burden, increased reliance on organic fertilizers and biological pest controls, the abandonment of marginal soils that had been brought under cultivation and made productive only by the intensive use of agricultural inputs, and a shift of urban labor to the countryside. [10] According to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, more important than this change in agricultural practices, is that transferring the control of lands to farmers who are closely tied it, â€Å"and whose economic well-being will depend on the stewardship of the natural resource base, there is the expectation that the trend of soil deterioration†¦. may at least be slowed down†¦. [but] it is too early tell how successful the new agricultural policies will be. †[11] At this point, many of Cuba’s natural resources are in danger of extinction. Because Cuba has exported sugarcane as its main commodity, sugarcane has replaced natural flora and fauna. There was a time before 1959 when over 30 different kinds of bananas grew on the island, but most of the banana trees have been replaced by sugarcane. Cuba’s crops and animals have been affected by pests and diseases introduced from abroad; coastal pollution and excessive hunting also present severe threats to wildlife populations. [12] Water aquifers have been contaminated by pollutants (and saltwater on the coasts) and their levels are declining due to nearly unrestricted use. Similarly, waterflows reaching the coasts are also highly contaminated, which constantly hurts coral reefs and breeding grounds. Dam and reservoir construction has hurt coastal lagoons and mangroves: Cuba’s fresh water system (rivers/lakes/aquifers) has very serious problems. Under Castro’s policy of voluntad hidraulica, which called for not a single drop of fresh water to â€Å"be lost† to the ocean, the government has built over 1,000 large and small dams throughout the entire island, covering 1. 4% of Cuba’s territory. Although the benefits to Cuban agriculture are clear in terms of increased irrigated land (close to 1 million hectares), the ecological effect has been quite negative in terms of lowering the water’s oxygen level and increasing salinity. Dams have also blocked the dispersal of sediment and fresh water runoff over mangrove areas, contributing to a 30% average reduction of mangrove coverage and biodiversity loss[13] In fact, â€Å"the bays of Cuba are some of the most polluted in the world. Industrial, agricultural and human discharges into the sea, as well as deforestation for strip mining, have contributed to the pollution. [14] Water diversion to reservoirs is linked to the â€Å"virtual destruction of the oyster bed and major decline in the fish catch in the Casilda coastal region of southern Santa Clara Province. †[15] These factors, along with the excessive use of aquifer waters and wells used for sugar and citrus irrigation are contributing to the salinization of the water in Cuba. â€Å"Extensive water logging of coastal aquifers has lead to salinization and soil erosion. It has been estimated in 1991 that 600,000 ha have light to modest salinization levels, while the remainder show high levels of salinization. [16] The main source of water pollution lies in the industrial facilities, warehouses, and workshops and service entities located around the bay. Fifty-three industrial facilities are located in the immediate proximity of the bay, and another 84 industries produce waste that indirectly discharges into the bay through tributary streams. [17] These industrial areas include the port and the nickel industries that add to the contamination of the water supply. The port activity itself is also one of the major sources of contamination for the bay. It is estimated that the ships served in the port generate 150,000 tons of refuse per year. 18] Deforestation is also a factor contributing to the poor state of Cuba’s environment. Forests have not suffered nearly as much as the land, with conservation efforts bringing Cuba's forests back to their 1945 levels, but conservation of forests has not meant saving all woodlands. One of the main problems environmentalists have with deforestation in Cuba is the fact that many of the available estimates regarding how much of the original forest cover remained before the revolution are based on rough figures made by observers with no credible statistical information. According to Eudel Eduardo Cepero: The irrational use of forests has become common practice under the Castro regime. As no current data are available on the actual total area of cover forest, the value of Cuba’s forest resources is unknown. Most of the remaining natural forests are in poor condition from being overexploited. An average of 200 forest fires occur each year, affecting some 5,000 hectares of forest. Reforestation has been precarious, due to poor quality seeds, a low survival rate of plantings, and a narrow range of forest species utilized. 19] The National Environmental Strategy offers statistics to support Cepero’s claims by offering statistical information, but not listing sources to verify its facts; it also states that the forests in Cuba have grown over the last few years, but that there is still much work to be done with regards to improving the forest cover in Cuba: Although the forest cover has increased constantly in the recent years – in th e last 43 years increasing to a total coverage of 2, 696, 587. 9 hectares, bringing us to a forested index of 24. 54% in 2005 – after-effects still persist from years of irrational exploitation of Cuban forests which practically eradicated our most valuable woodland resources†¦. Problems persist with the quality of most native forests as a consequence of prior mismanagement and exploitation – particularly in the most important watersheds. Problems also exist in the nation’s seedbed sources, which do not meet productivity or quality expectations. In addition, a lack of updated forest management plans, insufficient silviculture of forested areas, and insufficiencies and deficiencies in management plans continue to present challenges[20] The EAN suggests that more work be done to investigate invasive plant species that re threatening the native plants. It says that the survival rate of tree plantations and the success rate of trees growing to full maturity have improved over the last few years, but that the numbers are still substantially low when compared to the anticipated numbers. Also, the range of forest species used in â€Å"forestry activities† has been inadequate. Also suffering from the effects of sovietization and the special period is the biological diversity of the island. â€Å"A substantial, unquantified loss of biodiversity exists, due, among other reasons, to improper management of certain ecosystems, the application of intensive farming, the marketing of endangered species, as well as conditions making it easy for important genetic resources to leave the countryâ€Å". 21] Coral reefs, mangroves, the original forest (which used to cover most of the island) and rainforests are ecosystems that are suffering in Cuba. According to the EAN, the leading causes of this loss of biodiversity are: [1] Changes, fragmentation, or destruction of habitat/ecosystems/landscapes due primarily to changes in land use and inadequate practices employed in fishing, harvest, and agricultural soil preparation, among others. Overexploitation of resources, for example fishing and forestry resources. [3] Degradation and contamination of soils, water, and the atmosphere. 4] Introduction of exotic invasive species that displace or affect the functioning of ecosystems and native species. [5]Insufficient regulatory and control mechanisms to prevent and punish illegal activities, including unlawful hunting and fishing, trade in threatened species and other natural resources. [6]Climate change and the resulting intensification of dry periods, the incidence of torrential rains, temperature increase, sea level rise, in addition to the intensity and frequency of extreme natural disasters such as hurricanes. [7] Forest fires. [22] The EAN lists the goals it wishes to achieve and the necessary steps that should be taken in order to achieve these goals. Among these goals are increasing the amount of forest coverage to 26. 7% of national territory; have one million hectares of forest maintained by the National System of Criterion and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management; complete National Forestry Planning in 2007; reduce amount of lands affected by forest fires; 69% of forest cover used as a buffer to protect coastal areas, soils, water and conservation forests; management program for invasive plant species. 23] Before the Special Period much of the air pollution in Cuba was the result of its’ dependence on Soviet and Eastern European vehicles and factories that were contaminating the air: Urban pollution, could be partly traced to Cuba’s extreme reliance on inefficient and highly contaminating Soviet and Eastern European-built vehicles and factories. In the agricultural sector, a practice that resulted in much environmental damage was the promotion of Sovietstyle, large-scale state farm production model based on widespread mechanization, heavy chemical inputs (e. . , fertilizers and herbicides), and extensive irrigation[24] Air pollution in Cuba has increased significantly in the years since the Soviets left the island. â€Å" The absence of mitigation measures for emissions, inadequate control measures on the levels of noise generated by different activities, scarce information about the harmful effects on health and social behavior, the poor technical state of transport, and a lack of standards for emissions are also present. [25] There are few environmental reports available to the public that are based on analytical information that is collected systematically in the field and processed in laboratories. Cuban scientists state that: The two main sources of sulfuric gases within the city limits are the old thermal power plants of Tallapiedra in the Old Havana neighborhood and the Antonio Maceo plant in Regla, across the Bay of Havana. In both of these neighborhoods they recorded the highest level of environmental pollution, measuring up to 7. milligrams of sulfides per square decimeter per day at the Tallapiedra Power Plant†¦. Three secondary sources in the metallurgic, chemical and construction ind ustries were also associated with air pollution, all of them located in the environs of Havana Bay. [26] The Ministry of Public Health, better endowed for this purpose than other branches of government, has produced or published few precise documents dealing with health conditions and environmental degradation. Sulfur oxides, undesirable residues of combustion that are produced mostly in power plants when sulfur-rich fuels are burned, create respiratory problems and cause acid rain. Cuba replaced part of the vanished Soviet fuel imports of the late 1980s with domestic crude containing roughly six percent sulfur. It is used mostly in power plants and to run cement factories. [27] Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez point out that the means of transportation in Cuba are getting old and, due to poor maintenance and inadequate resources to obtain parts, they are polluting and becoming harmful to the environment. Their conclusion is that â€Å"As long as the economic crisis continues, Cuba will not be able to modernize its fleet of cars, trucks, and buses (other than for those few vehicles serving the tourist industry)†. [28] If the Cuban government would allow media to spread environmental education to the citizens of Cuba and to the rest of the world, not only would it help efforts within Cuba to protect and improve the environment but it would also help efforts to improve the environment on a global level. The strategy points out that Article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic says: The state protects the nation’s environment and natural resources and recognizes their close relationship with sustainable economic and social development to make human life more rational and to ensure the survival, well being and security of present and future generations. It is the responsibility of proper governmental agencies to apply this policy. It is the duty of the citizens to contribute to the protection of the water, atmosphere, and the conservation of soil, wild flora and fauna and all the rich potential of nature. [29] Since Cuba has declared a national sovereignty over its natural resources and is actively working to restore and protect them, the state must also exercise rights over the country’s environment and resources. Similarly, Cuba must develop a national tendency towards â€Å"integrated natural resource management, commercial environmental management, and urban environmental management as fundamental traits of Cuban environmental management. †[30] The current embargo the United States has placed on Cuba keeps the island from growing economically. Which means that , since the economy is not changing or being stimulated, the people of Cuba are suffering. Meaning, because man poor, urban people cannot afford daily necessities, they resort to alternate ways to get everyday goods; even if it means depleting the natural resources. With the current government in Cuba and the restrictions caused by the embargo, it is hard to think that the Cuban environment will improve much in the next decade or two; but the National Environmental Strategy offers hope to the idea that Cuba’s environment will improve. The â€Å"National Environment Strategy 2007-2010† is dedicated to improving the environmental conditions of Cuba and finding a way to meet sustainable social and economic development goals. The eradication of extreme poverty is an achievement rooted in the very foundations of the revolutionary process. Achieving this is essential to the pursuit of environmental sustainability, first and foremost because extreme poverty cannot coexist with a healthy environment. The solution to this challenge is one of the principal achievements that Cuba can effectively show to the world. 31] The future of environmental reforms in Cuba will be influenced by a variety of cultural, economic, social, and political factors. Ultimate success or failure, however, will likely depend more on thorough laws, money, human capital, public involvement in environmental decision making, use of incentive-based tools, and international support. Strong environmental laws are a necessary foundation for sustaina ble development, but success will only occur with the continuing political will to implement and enforce them.

Personal Development Planning (PDP) Assignmant Essay - 3

Personal Development Planning (PDP) Assignmant - Essay Example Individuals who can use personal time management techniques may lead richer lives than others both in terms of what they achieve and how much time they have for leisure activities with their families or on their own. Time management skills also teach an individual to work better under pressure, mitigate the effects of stress generated by time pressures and to function at full capacity when there is a time crunch placed on them (Cook, 1998). In this way, through planning, organization, forecasting and time allotment for various tasks, a person can come to terms with how they are going to spend time achieving certain goals. These goals can be work related whereby a person can break up a given task into smaller segments linked with time based deadlines which can let a person know if they need to work faster or if they can slow down a little to review and try and improve their quality. By balancing work with the given time, a person can overcome the problem of procrastination and handle intense workloads without breaking a sweat (Cook, 1998). The fundamental guidelines of time management focus on getting a certain level of results within a given time. Mismanagement of time would be spending time on quite a few different activities where none of the given tasks are completed and no results can be shown. There is a rule of time management known as the eighty-twenty rule which suggests that most of the unfocused energy (80%) towards a given task only produces minor (20%) of the results. On the other hand, a little (20%) focused time and energy can produce a lot (80%) of the results (Cook, 1998). Planning and completing tasks with time management skills in mind can help individuals focus their energies so they can handle more work in less time. Instead of waiting mental and physical effort on needless tasks a person can focus on things which are urgent, important and need to

Paul Garrett Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paul Garrett - Essay Example and the economic devastation caused by the world wars set the industrial giants thinking and they felt the necessity to prove to the consumers that their existence is no threat to democracy and the American dreams. â€Å"In 1923, General Motors, although eager to have its employees ‘look upon our organization as a human rather than a corporate institution,’ had to recognize that it is one of the limitations of a large organization that the men charged with guiding its destiny cannot maintain a direct personal contact with all of its employees.†(Marchand, p.8) Industrial magnets began to ponder as to how to rejuvenate the plights of their soulless corporations. The top ones strongly felt that something was lacking somewhere. There was no bridge between the top management and the employees on the one hand and the consumers on the other, and if there was one, it had big gaps and lacked continuity. â€Å"Reports of an apparent dwindling of employee morale, sometimes voiced by corporate leaders themselves, revealed lack of individual vitality within these large-scale operations, an absence of a recognized, animating people.†(Marchand, p.8) â€Å"PAUL GARRETT in 1931 became the first person to direct public relations at General Motors. During his 25 years at GM, he emphasized quality performance, public interest, and honesty as corporate public relations principles. His effectiveness inspired other corporations to establish public relations departments.† (Public†¦.)The process of soul search in the organizations began. Perhaps, Paul Garrett was born for the cause of public relations. He was quick to act and soon realized the tremendous potential of this exercise in the cause of the betterment of the organization on all fronts. â€Å"By the end of 1931, Garnett reported, the company was receiving more than five thousand letters of appreciation a week. He distributed multiple anthologies of â€Å"typical excerpt† from these letters to a long list of

Chipotle in Morocco Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Chipotle in Morocco - Research Paper Example The company will to borrow best practice of Mexican grills in US, Canada, France and England which have had longstanding performance and reputation. It is a demand for chipotle dishes that will be determined by the level of advertising and the quality of the service compared to its sale price. The government of Mexico, US and Morocco are in good working relationship hence no trade barriers will be expected to challenge the entry process. The brand should move to the coastal towns in northern morocco like Casablanca which have big clientele and bargaining power. This will raise the income streams and quickly move the breakeven sales to a shorter duration than was expected. The company should not overlook the role and impact of other competitors as they may be misjudged and consequently the firm closes shop due to myopic marketing intelligence. The concept of chipotle emanates from  chilpoctli  word  which is a  smoke-dried  jalapeà ±o referring to "smoked chili pepper". The chili  is principally  Mexican  going alongside other Mexican-inspired cuisines like Tex-Mex and Mexican-American (Anderson 123). Jalapeà ±o in  Mexico is also referred as the  gordo and  cuaresmeà ±o. Until lately, chipotles were mainly found in the central and southern Mexican markets. These Mexican foods became more admired abroad, particularly in North America, production and processing of jalapeà ±o started to extend to northern Mexico to supply the southwestern United States, and ultimately processing took place in the United States (US) and other countries like Morocco and Morocco. The purpose of this study is to find out whether it is economically viable to establish a Chipotle franchise in Morocco. These involves finding out the situational or feasibility studies of the host country, strengths and weaknesses of the co mpany and suitability of the culinary supplier to customers in Morocco. 3 The ordinary chipotle restaurant is known for

The history of lynchings in the united states between 1882 and 1930 Research Paper

The history of lynchings in the united states between 1882 and 1930 - Research Paper Example This traditional narrative, for all its tragedy, excluded the White males, White females, and black females who were also lynching victims and took for granted the dynamic part of White women in supporting or opposing mob violence. Moreover, Black women were completely absent in the mainstream lynching narrative (Logan, 1999). However, as this paper argues, Black women belonging to the middle class, headed by Ida B. Wells, became the most expressive and bold detractors of lynching. The work of Ida Wells against lynching provokes a re-evaluation of the extraordinary influence of Black women on structured campaign against lynching. Ida’s revolutionary analysis of the politics of race and gender and her worldwide exposure crusade signified a radical deviation to the public role of Black women. It initiated the presence of feminization within American reform that oriented its critical tendencies into a more cultivated type of women’s position (Logan, 1999). The campaign of Black women against lynching by the 1920s, even though remained public, was influenced more powerfully by sexuality and gendered practices of women’s society, evangelicalism, charity, and the expression of motherhood and womanhood (Loewenberg & Bogin, 1976), all uniquely dissimilar from the prior campaign of Ida. The lynchings of Will Stewart, Calvin McDowell, and Thomas Moss in 1892 were not an issue for their uncommonness: in 1892, hundreds of Blacks were murdered by furious mobs for suspected crimes against White people (Brundage, 1997, 295). The site of the lynchings in Tennessee was not noteworthy; seventeen Black people from Tennessee were lynched in 1892 and forty-six Blacks had died in a race disturbance in Memphis in 1866 (Brundage, 1997, 295). The three casualties took particular relevance mainly due to their influence on Ida Wells as a young writer. She was well acquainted with the three men. Infuriated by the death of her comrades, Ida mustered her great gifts and efforts to

Is Lakoff's analysis of the language and moral assumptions of liberals Essay

Is Lakoff's analysis of the language and moral assumptions of liberals and conservatives correct , based on what you see in this - Essay Example Boaz argues that the nation may be liberal towards giving a portion of their income but would not give the government total control of the money to use as it sees fit. Therefore, it is right to support Lakoff’s analysis of the language of liberals and conservatives on issues and ideology. â€Å"Moral Politics† by Lakoff goes out to show the language the politicians use in their different sides of thought towards the public. In this book, Lakoff analyses the unconscious and rhetorical observations of liberals and the conservatives. He asserts that there is a radical but a consistent difference between the liberals and the conservative’s origins of morality. His main agenda is to formulate a model that not only clarifies why the liberals and conservatives take the positions they do but to also join the collections of liberal and conservative political stands in public eyes. He argues that the nation is a family and liberals present a different model of the family v iew compared to the conservatives. The liberals present a nurturing parent (NP) while the conservatives take the assumption of a strict father model (SF). Together encompass decent principals nevertheless; they differ in the most important priorities making them drastically conflicting. With these morals, Lakoff agues out his models to decipher the moral construction inside the language of politics and strategy. In the article â€Å"One Bad and Eight Good Reasons to Cut Taxes† Boaz uses the patterns Lakoff analyses in his metaphorical models giving the opposite priorities in terms of tax cut at the time of Bush government. The individuals backing lofty taxes were opposed the proposition to cut taxes based on the less difference it can make on the economy. This made them hold on the high taxes the government is conducting. In Boaz’s arguments, he asserts that the people who earn money possess it and giving the government the sole control is not wise. This is a liberal a cclamation in that the family members can make a decision on the family function as opposed to the strict father who will impose strict orders in the family set up. Through the proposition of cutting taxes Lakoff’s analysis of an NP model giving the members a better angle to present their views. Lakoff affirms that people appreciate the fact that they are part of what is going on rather thinking of solutions themselves. This is a result of the fact that the society does not know what it really believes and desires to be informed of the thoughts. Boaz article is a good example of a suggestion that the government could consider. During the Bush administration, there was the strict father model and that encompasses the decisions he made without consultation like the invasion of Iraq. This provides the hypothesis that the father is the sole decision maker consequently punishing the children who wrong. Programs given to the public get scrutiny and views as things that citizens get without earning them. This makes the public assume that the government is liable for their needs making them immoral. Bush administration suggests the cut in taxes to have the people have more money in order to reduce social programs but this does not necessarily mean the stoppage of military activities. Consequently, the public is hooked to Bush ideals since they associate with the strict father model. The liberal counter to this assumption is that the

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia Essay

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia - Essay Example According to the research findings the revolution in the education sector will also result in an overall information symmetry to the residents of both countries and at large the world. The education infrastructure will also get upgraded and the funds spend on the acquisition teaching staff decline. It will become a cost cutting strategy as the education sector has over time utilized large amounts of capital that could have got utilized in developing other sectors. The overall adoption of technology in the education sector will eventually result in a declined rate of illiteracy and ignorance levels as learning shall become a progressive exercise.From the discussion it is clear that  the initiation of formal education dates back to the 19th century when people saw the need of adopting a formalized educational system as opposed to the informal. The future of the education will heavily relay on the adoption of formalized systems of impacting knowledge to the students. The development a genda of the education sector will heavily rely on the methods of overcoming the barriers that have for long hindered the development and establishment of formalized education in both US and Saudi Arabia. The aim is to ensure that learning can take place anyplace anytime so long as there learner has a willingness to learn. The idea of students going to school for classes shall change and become history. It is so as classroom learning will no longer be taking place and if it happens to be shall be made for the young generation only.

Calculus project Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Calculus project - Lab Report Example Q2. A scalar quantity can be either negative or zero or positive. This depends on choice of the reference point or zero point. Choice of reference or zero comes from convention and / or convenience. Suppose someone is conduction an experiment and observing some change with time; then he can choose zero time as per his convenience and there is nothing that can bar his choice of zero or reference point for time, if some choice of zero reference point is offering him some convenience in formulating some equation or like that he is free to choose it. Once he has assigned some zero or reference point for time, the time corresponding to all the preceding events becomes zero. In fact we write 1999 AD which is nothing but +1999 year and similarly a date like 530 BC is as good as -530 years. Similarly, another scalar quantity temperature is often measured in negative with melting point of ice being 0o Celsius and all the temperatures below it being negative temperatures. Similarly one can find many instances where scalar quantities are have negative values. Q3. A vector quantity is formed by vector addition of its components. Therefore, if any of the components has a non-zero magnitude the vector will also have a non-zero magnitude. So it is not possible to have a vector of zero magnitude if one of its components is not zero. However, under some operations, in which the magnitude of the resultant depends not only on the magnitude of the individual vectors but on the angle between the two vectors as well; one can get a resultant of zero magnitude. This is illustrated below. This means resultant of two vectors with unequal magnitude can be zero under scalar product provided the two vectors are mutually perpendicular. Physically work done by a force is zero if the displacement caused by it is normal to its direction. This means resultant of two vectors with unequal magnitude can be

Business in focus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business in focus - Essay Example However, this key environmental trend is causing many regional and international companies to rethink their existing business strategies in order to satisfy consumer demand for eco-friendly products through marketing and in areas of facilities management. This report identifies differing viewpoints on environmental consciousness along with an assessment of how this both positively and negatively impacts retail business operations and finance. Piell (2009) offers that certain regulatory entities, in international retail selling environments, are adding considerable pressure to companies to comply with energy usage reductions, which is especially noticeable in the consumer sales environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency created its Energy Star labeling system which was a regulatory effort for appliance manufacturers to clearly list the energy-efficiency rating of their products, such as dishwashers, refrigerators and microwaves (Piell). Additionally, Verizon, one of the largest international mobile communications technology companies, proudly promotes the Energy Star labeling system in over 30 of its international retail stores that are at least 5,000 square feet in order to comply with these regulations and also show interested consumers that the business takes energy consumption at its stores quite seriously (Piell). This regulatory pressure forces many appliance retailers (and other energy-consuming product manufacturers) to change the internal energy mechanisms of their products in an effort to reduce a product’s carbon footprint, the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the devices. From a manufacturing perspective, this key trend in regulatory activities related to the environment can be a costly business operation as it often involves devoting more financial resources to research and development in order to meet new standards of energy consumption. Energy

Heroism Essay Example for Free

Heroism Essay In paralyzing situations such as witnessing a crime and saving a life, ordinary people often perform heroic actions far beyond their normal capabilities. To begin with, the action doesn’t have to be the superhero stereotypical story. â€Å"When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.† – Joseph Campbell. This means that in any situation where you put another person before yourself you are being heroic in a way. Maybe you stood up for someone in the hallway that was being bullied and sacrificed how people perceived you as being â€Å"cool†. Or maybe you just performed a random act of kindness for someone for no reason at all. Additionally, heroism can be resisting temptations as well. â€Å"I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.†- Oscar Wilde. Resisting peer pressure is a good example of being heroic. Being excluded from the â€Å"cool† crowd doesn’t sound very fun, but neither does making bad decisions that you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. Staying away from drugs, and alcohol and those types of things does take courage, a quality of a hero. Therefore, someone who feels compelled to help people, is courageous, is a friend to anyone and everyone, takes time out of their day for someone else, or just does something to brighten someone’s day, is a hero. Ultimately, heroes are people like me and you, anybody with the heart and mindset of one. Whether it’s putting someone before you, defending a friend, or just being a hero to yourself by resisting peer pressure, people are often capable of more heroic action than they think.

Development of the Underclass in the 1990s

Development of the Underclass in the 1990s Critically evaluate the research evidence in support of the contention that Britain developed an underclass in the 1990s? What are the main differences between the use of underclass and the concept of social exclusion and why is the distinction important? Introduction The idea that society was stratified and inhabited by different classes of people dates back to the thought of Karl Marx. Marx saw capitalist society as exploitative and oppressive. Marx maintained that the conflicts between those who rule and those who are ruled, would eventually lead to changes in the economic system of a society (Marsh, I et al.2000). According to Marx the blame for class exploitation does not lie with individual capitalists but is inherent in capitalist systems . Conflict and tension are also evident in capitalist systems. These are especially evident between between different groups of wage earners and between the ruling classes these would intensify due to a number of developments, namely polarisation, homogenisation, and pauperisation (Marsh, I et al.2000). Polarisation, Marx believed, would occur as a result of increasing tension and hostility between the ruling class and the working class, within the groups individuals would become more like each other resulting in homogenisation, capitalists in their desire for expansion and workers in their reliance on work in factories rather than on traditional skills. The success of capitalism meant that wages need to be kept down and the gap widened between employers and workers. In this way workers are made poorer, or become unemployed and are pauperised. Marx believed that this would result in social revolution and the setting up of a new social system (Marsh, I et al.2000). This did not happen and such pauperization, it might be argued became the basis for what Charles Murray (1990) has termed the development of an underclass. This paper will evaluate evidence to assess whether and in what ways an underclass may be said to have developed in Britain during the 1990s. It will also look at the main differences between the concept of an underclass and the concept of social exclusion and why this distinction is important. Charles Murray and the Underclass Charles Murray is an American and his theory of the underclass was originally developed in over there. He saw an increase in violent crime, a rise in the number of illegitimate births and people dropping out from the labour force, it was on this basis that he formed his theory of a developing underclass. He then attempted to apply this theory to the UK where he observed similar phenomenon taking place. Some of his views led to heated debates, particularly with regard to single mothers, during the Thatcher and Major governments and under New Labour. Unlike America, Britain is more of a welfare state, or was at the time, and he believed that the over provision of welfare services encouraged welfare dependency and a decreasing desire to work for a living (Murray, 1989). Greater welfare provision, he argued encouraged young girls to have children out of wedlock because they no longer had to rely on a man to support them and their child. The culture of dependency that Murray identified, did, he argued, have a generational aspect. Young males growing up without proper role models ran wild and fathered illegitimate children themselves thus continuing a dependency culture. Debates in England His arguments were welcomed by the then Conservative Government who had already vowed to roll back the welfare state. Claiming themselves to be the party of the family (Giddens, 2001) they agreed with Murray that those who did not work should not have children. Those who did have children out of wedlock and could not support them should have their benefits stopped and be forced to give their children up for adoption. Throughout the 1990s this view was espoused by a number of British politicians who aired their views on television debating shows. Although this did not happen, successive Governments have tightened their hold on benefits purse strings and made life much harder for those who have to live on welfare benefits. This had further repercussions in policy making in the UK. The Housing Act of 1996 was seen by many as a result of these debates and deleted some groups from local authority housing lists those people e.g. single mothers, who had been a priority when it came to local authority housing allocation, thus reducing the responsibility towards the homeless for local authorities. It also brought in the Single Persons Homeless Register, thus reducing responsibility for those who would have been seen as in priority need (Bramley et al, 2005). During this time increased unemployment left large numbers dependent on benefits. The number of those who are long-term unemployed also rose. Social changes and successive government policies has widened the gap between rich and poor. Field (1996) has argued that the actions of the Conservative Government in targeting benefits through means testing, actually increased welfare dependency and put people into an inescapable poverty trap. Field further maintains that these policies were a major factor in the developm ent of an underclass in Britain. However, in Field’s view the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the Thatcher and Major governments. The Underclass and Ethnicity Some of Murray’s views might be considered racist, in that he claims that black people are less intelligent than whites and black women are more likely to have illegitimate children and live on benefits. Giddens supports Murray’s ideas of an underclass and (albeit for market reasons rather than the reasons given by Murray) also argues that a dual labour market is in operation and as a result of discrimination the underclass contains a high proportion of people from ethnic minorities. Much of what he has to say pre-empts Murray’s work as it was written in 1973. Where ethnic differences serves as a disqualifying market capacity, such that those in the category are heavily concentrated in the lowest paid occupations, or are chronically unemployed or self-employed, we may speak of the existence of and underclass (Giddens, 1973:112). Gaillie (1994) has questioned the arguments of Murray and Giddens. He disputes the idea that the underclass develops a specific culture and maintains that there is little evidence to support the existence of a dual labour market. He does however, acknowledge that the position of many people in the labour market has been weakened to the point where they are working for slave wages. While this does tend to support the existence of an underclass, Gaillie refutes the notion that such groups are forming either a class or a culture. Murray’s Later Work Writing in 1999 Murray observed that unemployment among young males was much higher than ten years earlier. He disputes the findings of others when he maintains that there was no evidence to suggest that this was the result of a shrinking market. He cites a rise in crime rates, particularly violent crime as further evidence that an underclass sin Britain is developing in the same way as in America. These figures are however disputed by other theorists who would argue that although the crime rate is high it has been on a downturn. He also refers again to the number of single parent families, but figures in Britain evidence that the majority of single parent families are that way as a result of divorce or the death of a partner, rather than the never married single mother. Some of what Murray has to say takes little account of other social problems that may contribute to people living on the margins of society. Some of the groups that Murray refers to might be said to be socially exclu ded, but this is not the same thing as an underclass. Social Exclusion Social exclusion is a term used in a variety of ways but is generally seen to refer to those people who for one reason or another are not fully included in the social life of a community. The reasons for social exclusion are connected, and are poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education. These are not only reasons however, where a person lives, their ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disabilities are also reasons why they might be regarded as excluded. Government recognises that they cannot tackle social exclusion unless they adopt an approach that deals with all these issues together (ODPM, 2004). However, much Government discourse tends to make little distinction between the socially excluded and an underclass because many of its documents refer to single parent families, anti-social behaviour and youth crime. This is wrong because people can be socially excluded without being part of a sub-culture or underclass, if such a thing exists. Social exclusion is a process that stops p eople from fully participating in society (Giddens, 2001) whereas the concept of an underclass implies that some people choose to opt out of society. Conclusion Although there are times where Murray presents a convincing argument, it is not convincing enough to be able to say that there really is an underclass in Britain. Too many different forces could account for the increase in the number of people on benefits, not least a shrinking labour market which Murray refuses to acknowledge, even though many theorist will agree that this is a global phenomenon. Some points that he makes could place people in the category of socially excluded, but as this paper has attempted to establish that is not the same thing as being a member of an underclass. It is certainly the case that some groups of people are a lot less fortunate than others. Many single parents are forced to rely on benefits because if they go to work they will be even worse off. The costs of childcare are astronomical. In conclusion I would say that the evidence does not support Murray’s theory of an underclass. It does tend to suggest that we live in a society where the gap be tween rich and poor gets wider every day. This in turn means that people are excluded from full social participation e.g. many parents cannot afford for their children to go on school trips. People who live in poorer areas go to the worst schools and so exclusion becomes a vicious circle, but that is not the same thing as saying an underclass is developing in Britain. Bibliography Bramley et al, 2005 Evaluation of English Housing Policy 1975-2002 Field, F. 1996. Stakeholder Welfare. London, IEA Gaillie, D 1994 â€Å" Are the unemployed and underclass? Some evidence from the social change and economic life initiative† Sociology 28, 3 pp737-757 Giddens A 1973 The Class Structure of the Advanced Societies London, Hutchinson Giddens A 2001 Sociology 4th ed Cambridge Polity Murray, C 1989 Underclass Sunday Times Magazine I 26th November Murray, C 2000 Underclass+10 Charles Murray and the British Underclass 1990-2000 London, Civitas in association with The Sunday Times ODPM, 2004. Theme 1: Supply, Need and Access London ODPM Walsh, I ed. 2000 Sociology: Making Sense of Society. Edinburgh, Prentice Hall.

Mandatory Second Language Learning: An Excellent Idea Essay example --

It has become common knowledge that the United States is falling behind the rest of the world. Economically, Industrially, and educationally, the rest of the world pushes forward and welcomes change while the United States clings to what it has known for decades. One of the largest gaps between the US and the rest of the world is its policy about second languages, and it puts the US at a disadvantage. Those who oppose change believe the US can better itself without making secondary language learning mandatory; they argue that it will cost more money, â€Å"turn students off† to learning a second language entirely, and that the benefits are not worth the costs. Unless a change is made in the United States’ language education, the country will continue to fall behind. Making learning a second language mandatory not only helps students, but the country as a whole by â€Å"raising the bar† and improving the country’s competitiveness with the rest of the world. Many people against second language learning argue that learning a second language is meaningless because it is never used after learning it and is soon forgotten. The problem is the country’s secondary language education methods. Rather than teaching at a young age, which they should, they make it mandatory at the high school level. Making children learn a second language at a young age is a better method because the earliest years of childhood are a critical period and at a later time, the brain’s ability to learn a new language is greatly diminished (Richards). Another problem is that most often, there isn’t enough repetition of what is learned in order for it to â€Å"sink in† to the memory of students. If taught at a young age and maintained throughout that students’ academic career, not... ...proxy.gc.maricopa.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=23&sid= ce282cb3-71e8-42b2-9fbd- 3f5cd0565bc4%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUm c2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=66695436>. Metis, Myriam. "A Cure For Monolingualism." Academic Search Premier. EBSCO, Oct. 2008. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. . Richards, J. C., R. Anderson, D. W. Carroll, and A. Radford. "Language Acquisition." Ebscohost. 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. .

Summary of Ethan Brand by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay example -- Ethan B

Summary of Ethan Brand by Nathaniel Hawthorne In the short story Ethan Brand, Ethan Brand lusts for knowledge that leads him on a quest for the unpardonable sin. The unpardonable sin, as one may interpret, is pride and self-gain. It is a loss of the brotherhood with man, and a loss of respect for God. Once this knowledge is gained, he faces alienation from all those around him. In searching for this sinful knowledge, Ethan Brand leads himself into intellectual isolation. He cannot separate his head from his heart, his intellect from his soul. After tending the kiln, in solitude for so long, his thoughts became his only company, as did the flames that danced in his eyes. Over come with the urge to seek knowledge, he falls to temptation. Adam and Eve's downfall was in knowledge, as was Ethan Brand's fall. His sin is best described as, "The sin of intellect that triumphed over the sense of brotherhood with man and reverence for God and sacrificed everything to its own mighty claims". Upon leaving for his twenty-year journey, Brand becomes deranged in the eyes ...

Web Advertising :: essays research papers

These days, you can’t sell a product or service without marketing it to the masses. And there’s no better place to start than on the web. Internet advertising is a gold mine with virtually every company in America represented. But with so many online competitors, advertisers must use special techniques and technologies to get the word out. The key to beating your competitors is by maximizing cost efficiency. The way to achieve this is by utilizing all the web has to offer for little or no money before spending on expensive technology. The first, probably the least expensive and most effective way to market your company online is by setting up enormous amounts of links to your site. For example, the Prairie State Bank in Marengo, Illinois is it’s local park district, the chamber of commerce, the state of Illinois, as well as weather sites, map sites, and online auto dealerships. So a man interested in buying a car online could click on the link to the bank to figure out the finances. (Dysart) Second, you must get listed on search engines. Many web surfers use Yahoo, Alta Vista and Excite every day to find specific information quickly. Because these engines have the incredible power to direct thousands of surfers, online companies are paying an arm and a leg to have their link be among the first links listed by the search engines. (Dysart) Third, you have to market kids who will eventually be potential customers. Many online companies directed toward adults offer children’s games and other services. The First National Bank of Milton, Illinois offers kids a homework helper and has links to toy stores and video game sites. (Dysart) Fourth, you can easily assure your credibility to prospective customers by creating a newsletter. In most cases the reader would sign up for a monthly e-mail from the company about any new business. This makes the reader feel like they’re important customers and boosts sales. (Dysart) Fifth, you must offer coupons. This technique works just as well off the net as it does on and should not be overlooked. They can be given to the customer via e-mail and printed out from their home or office computers. This makes the customer more likely to go to your site before checking out the competition. (Dysart) Sixth, nothing is more valuable than word-of-mouth. Your company’s web site isn’t complete without a â€Å"recommend this site to a friend† button.

Mountainside Industries consultant report Essay

Upon analyzing the ongoing problems facing Mountainside Industries in effort to increase efficiency and reduce production cost. Company-wide resolutions must be implemented. This report comes to the following conclusion that in efforts to rectify the proceeding situations, Mountainside Industries should implement the following; communicate to all employees a shared vision for the company’s future, reconstruct the administrative framework, encourage employees to take initiative, and planning and implementing a proper payroll system that will result in smoother operations and efficiency. Shared Vision of Company’s Future Creating a clear and effective future company vision delivers many benefits to the business. Not only does a clear, shared vision help define the values of a company and its employees, but it also helps guide the behavior of all employees. A strong vision also leads to improved productivity and efficiency, in which seems to be a growing problem for Mountainside Industries. With a clearly communicated vision, Mountainside Industries will encourage involvement from its employees and create a sense of shared vision that will enable the organization to realize the benefits associated with a strong sense of vision. It is important to create this company-wide vision in order to benefit the company. Restructuring the Administrative framework at Mountainside Industries If the company aims to resolving the occurring issues with its employees, it is important for the company to employ a proper leadership style. The improper management strategies of the Administrative System at Mountainside Industries, in conjunction with lack of proper communication has caused the financial status of the industry to become unsteady. Currently, a major issue lies between the manager’s more authoritative approach in which the workers feel obliged to respect the leader, as opposed to the more lenient  operations occurring prior to the new leadership changes that has caused productions to slow. In order to resolve these issues, the company should introduce a â€Å"Code of Ethics† that both administrative and production employees must abide by to keep from any future employee/management complications from arising. This will resolve the current resentment tissues that the employees have incurred for management, and will improve the relationship between mana gement and employee. Encourage Employees to Take Initiative In order to encourage employees to become more involved within the company, the need for employees to take initiative on their own to do what needs to be done is the best way to insure the company’s future as profitable. The problem that pertains at Mountainside Industries is that the company lacks in treating all members of the company as valuable, which remains to be a major issue. The workers are unhappy because they feel that there is unfair treatment occurring leading them feel discouraged and invaluable. Employees need to be encouraged and rewarded for being involved, as well as taking initiative, and sharing ideas. In addition to helping the organization save money by reducing costs, improving processes, and delight the company’s ethics, taking initiative makes the employee’s job much more exciting encouraging them make things happen. A company that encourages their employees to get involved in the decision making process will encourage employees to become more involved as well as increase productivity within the company. Planning and Implementing a Proper Payroll System In order to increase company efficiency, the company should implement a payroll system that compensates employees according to their productivity output and efficiency. Currently, workers complain that the wages are low, and turnover is high among the young males, which they then compensate for by taking breaks or taking home with them company materials, causing production cost to increase and efficiency levels to decrease. A proper payroll system will improve the efficiency of the workforce, and increase  production due to monetary incentives. Rewarding workers for their efforts will keep the workforce from veering off their intended duties, thereby reducing employee turnover and costs. It is vital for the company to implement a proper payroll system if they are to entourage workers cut costs and increase efficiency to insure the company’s future goals are reached.

Magwitch’s feelings about dying

I am going to die. Going to die I am. I am to die going. Five flittering little words, whirling round and round my head. Death. The Grim Reaper, Lucifer, the Great Crow, the Black Cat, Anubis, the Pale Horseman. Humanity's greatest mystery, oldest fear, the Hourglass we all try to run away from, finally to be unmasked; I am no longer afraid. Suddenly, there is so much I want to say, so much I want to do, but in my sudden rush of adrenaline I am confined to these four walls, this hard, rough mattress, eyes fixed on the blank, white ceiling. I want to move, say something, let the world know that this is it, I'm through, I'm done†¦but then again, who will care? It hits me; what are we, foolish human beasts? Did we really think we could cut the marionette strings that link us to Time's fiddling hands? Is it possible, that we once believed we were safe from the sharp edges of the Fates' scissors? Surely we didn't, couldn't, once imagine that we would be prepared to die, that we would know when our ferry through Acheron would embark. No, surely not; before you know it, the obolus is stuffed down your throat and Charon's dark paddle begins to glide through the gloomy waters of the underworld. I repeat, I am not afraid, just mystified by the mists of the Unknown that follow behind the curtain. I can see it, flimsy little thing; a roughly cut, black silk sheet, full of whispers and buzzing voices. Who's there? Can I touch it? I'm going insane. No Magwitch, there is no curtain, there's just the blank white ceiling, get some sleep. I don't want to sleep! I want to go! I want to touch the curtain! What does it feel like? It looks so soft†¦ too soft. Something isn't right. It's not beautiful anymore, in fact, as you get closer to it, you can see it really isn't silk, they're dirty rags, intertwined in each other's filth†¦I don't want to pull this curtain anymore, I don't like it. Pip! Come back! Come back and tell me of my daughter! May I know more of her before I die that the mere fact that she is alive and the woman of your dreams! Please†¦the Lord won't be merciful to me! Please†¦don't leave me†¦ I am not ready for this, but I let it happen anyways; with one last sweeping action, the curtain engulfs me in its sea of black. I am going to die. I am dead.

Both Parents Shoul Assume Equal Responsibility

Name: Olga I. Mallqui EAP 1595 April 16, 2012 Argumentative Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising child. I. Introduction Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising child because this will improve the stability and confidence in them and they can be successful people and can have benefits in childhood and adulthood. II. Opposing arguments : Single Parents environment A. More consistent. B. Peaceful atmosphere. C. Responsible child. III. Benefits in Childhood A. More stable.B. Balance between boy and girl. C. Model a good relationship. IV. Benefits in Adulthood A. Good Professionals. B. Good Parents. C. Good Spouses. V. Conclusion Name: Olga I Mallqui EAP 1595 April 4, 2012 Argumentative Essay Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising child Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising child because this will improve the stability and confidence in them and they can be successful people and can have great benefits in th eir childhood and adulthood.Some people believe that a single parent can take the responsibility in raising a child by themselves because they have the decision about the child without having the objection of the other couple so their rules are more consistent. Then the environment for the child will be so calm no fights or disagreement in front of the child, no stressful atmosphere so the child will be happy and the child is not going to compare the unhappy life that has at home. Another point that they want to show is that the child learn to be responsible and independent very early because as being a single parent they teach the child to take care of themselves.Now that the opinions to be a single parent was exposing; it is important to know the benefits that brings to share the equal responsibility raising the child. First the benefits in childhood; the child grows in a more stable environment that provides a balance by the father and the mother; they feel protect and secure. An d there are some specifics moments when the child need the support or the advice of one of them and having the support of both we learn to see and focus the live more equal and this is the consequence of having the point of view from a female and for a male.For example a boy can be more perceptive because he already has the point of view from a woman and the same can be applying for a girl. Another point is having both parents at home is a good benefit for both because when one of them is already stress and want some personal time for relax or change the environment; one can stay with the child while the other can has his own time for relax. This can give a very good result for the child because all the time the parents can be relax, positive and competent for be around the child.Then the child grows in a stable and lovely environment that gives a great stability and confidence in themselves. Beyond the wonderful benefits that the kids has in their childhood, now we can support and show the benefits on adulthood, these child will be a successful professional, because grow in a stable atmosphere gives them a personal security in their actions and decisions. And of course these children will be great parents because they have a positive base and good model of being a parent.And the last opinion they will be a great spouses, they will be more perceptive because they already has the advice and experience of both sides, they will be more understandable and greats soul mates. Therefore, it is true that the child will have great benefits having both parents sharing the responsibility in raising them. Benefits that will be apply successfully in their childhood and adulthood and the parents will be the winners.

Climate Change And Economic Policy

Climate change is defined as â€Å"Change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods†(Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Modern methods of production create greenhouse gasses as a negative externality via the market failure and government intervention is needed to rectify the situation. Climate change is an issue for the Australian government as it needs to intervene to correct the market failure caused by the free markets inability to provide property rights to mitigate damages caused by the negative externality. (Calhoun 2010) The greenhouse gas externality is a by-product of the production of goods and services via the over-production of emissions. Dr Peter John Wood argues that† climate change is an indisputable threat† and on that basis, as well as the world stage Australia has taken the reins in acting upon climate change. An externality is defined as† are the unintended consequence of one economic agent’s economic activity that affect another agent’s economic activity, but which are not adequately priced through the market (Sonia and Jeff 2011)†. This is also known as market failure and requires government intervention to be able to rectify the problem due to a lack of property rights and correct mitigation for parties involved with the transaction. In this case, one form of the market failure is because the cost of CO2 is not factored into the transaction price. The Gillard government continued a legacy that was started with the Howard government back in 2007 that saw a Carbon Emissions Trading scheme take part in the Australian government to tackle Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (Chris 2011). The Carbon tax was implemented on June 1st 2012 and has been controversial amongst politicians and economists alike according to Clive’s article â€Å"Australia's Carbon Tax: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing†. The steps taken to implement a policy should be understood first before critiquing from different viewpoints. The four major points of policymaking are: 1. Specify the goals of policy 2. Identify the targets 3. Specify the policy instruments 4. Model the economy linking the instruments to the targets Using this framework, the goal’s of the policy are to mitigate damages caused by the production of greenhouse gasses on the (global) environment on a national scale and decrease the amount of pollution via increasing the price of polluting. The targets of the policy are the agents involved (Firms producing pollution, environment and households) with the transactions. Firms are the largest creators of the pollution and the households are directly affected by price increases, therefore their welfare post-tax needs to be considered in a socially acceptable policy. The policy instruments include subsidies to the households most affected by the increases in prices of amenities as well as the Pigovian Tax on polluting (Energy 2012). Lastly, the model that directly links the economy to the instruments proposed can be shown below. Tax brings the externality into equilibrium with the social cost. The amount of gain to the social benefit is the darker area and is also the taxation revenue collected on behalf of the government. This also decreases output by the difference in Original output-New output. This can also be shown on a Supply and Demand graph. The graph to the right illustrates the effectiveness of the tax on the existing market price and therefore reducing the quantity of pollution emitted. This tax is directly placed on the top 500 polluting firms in Australia which account for the majority of the pollution via production. The Department for Climate Change and Efficient Energy published their â€Å"Forth Assessment Report† outlining that â€Å"There is clear evidence that our climate is changing, largely due to human activities†. One can infer that the government is acting morally and taking partial responsibility for these human activities, hence action for change and mitigation. Market failure is defined as the inability of the market being able to deliver an efficient level of goods and or services (Calhoun 2010). This is an important aspect when determining what aspects of a policy are vital in addressing the issue at hand, because the situation of pollution is a non-Pareto optimal situation due to the negative externalities created in the transaction between agents. The government’s intervention due to the market failing is justified by its role in the G8, Kyoto Protocol and its response to the public on the matter (â€Å"Australia to have leading role in carbon mitigation† 2007). Another reason is that property rights are not defined clearly with the environment, therefore the government intervention to make the Marginal Social Cost equal the Marginal Social Cost via a Pigovian tax, decreasing the amount of negative externality produced (greenhouse gasses).(Bruno and Mehmet 2010) Macro-economically speaking, this issue impacts both Australia’s macroeconomic goal of efficient resource allocation and sustainable economic growth. Due to high public opinion on green alternatives and clean production, changes in consumer preferences will mean that some goods and services provided using traditional fossil fuels or unsustainable methods may be boy-cotted or fall second preference to ‘green goods’(Kathleen 2012) The Efficient resource allocation goal of Australia addresses â€Å"†¦where resources are allocated in the most efficient manner†(Weng 2008). The environment is a common resource and traditionally has not been defined to any specific owner. Firms may utilise the environment (clean air, sunshine and or clean water) as a factor of production, examples may include Personal Trainers or tour guides. With a market failure existing, it renders the goal incomplete as there is an excess of pollution and undersupply of environment as it is a rival good. Either the polluters must reduce their output of pollution or they must mitigate the affected agents. This causes a problem in the regard, whom is affected by the pollution and by how much does the affected agents need to be mitigated for. Sustainable economic growth in the long term is impacted by climate change. Not only will Australia be affected by the hypothesised changes to temperature for standards of living, but the changes may affect agricultural output and goods demanded by countries importing (supporting) clean production methods. Australia, by implementing policy change enables the economy to be in a better position to respond to act with funds allocated via the policy impact (â€Å"Australia: Australia Prepares for Carbon Tax† 2012). Comparing the current Carbon Tax (Clean Energy Bill) to alternatives that have been proposed such as Carbon Trading Schemes and Subsidies for Clean Investment have both advantages and disadvantages (Calhoun 2010). Australia’s Carbon Tax initially is a fixed price of $23 per Metric Tonne of Carbon Dioxide emitted from the top 500 polluting companies in Australia(Harris 2012). This in its simplicity is a Pigovian Tax, which is used to deter consumption/production of a good or service that causes the negative externality. Simultaneously the Indirect tax signals the taxed firms that they should spend investment capital on ways to lower their output of CO2 emissions (Carrie 2011). Pigovian taxes are designed to increase the price of the good that causes the negative externality by the amount that best reflects the cost to society in the production of the good which will internalise the effects of the externality (Carrie 2011). Examples of these in Australian society include the Alco-Pop tax and tobacco tax. In the case of the Carbon Tax, the good being taxed is pollution and the parties being mitigated are the Australian government on behalf of the environment in which it is representing, in effect the environment is gaining property rights in this explanation. The Pigovian tax, when applied will cause a reduction in the level of pollution due to the cost added. This will vary from firm to firm due to the elasticity of the cost to pollute. It is safe to assume that all firms are elastic with pollution expenses; therefore the economics of the tax are sound. Pigovian taxes have been praised for their simplistic approach to combating both losses of competitiveness due to inefficient methods of production and on goods themselves which are non-essential for consumption when viable substitutes are available according to Harris’s economic survey in 2012. Examples include using solar power on mine sites instead of Gas or Coal power. Pigovian Taxes however are not ideal in the case of Carbon Leakage, whereby firms choose to produce their goods offshore in countries that are not yet or not participating in Carbon Reduction. It reduces Australia’s carbon footprint, however the loss of production in Australia mean relative to before the tax, there is a reduction in output. (Dellaware 2011). By contrasting these to alternative methods to combat climate change such as an Emissions Trading Scheme (Cap and Trade) or the Carbon Offset system. All theoretically are able to reduce the level of the negative externality, however they all have different dynamics to each other and need to be applied using the framework aforementioned in the essay. The Cap and Trade system allows for the Coasian Bargaining of the right to emit greenhouse gasses as part of production of a firm. These permits would be of a set supply, and would limit firms to a ‘cap’ of pollution. These would be traded in the open market meaning that the market subject to demand and elasticity by a firm, determines the price of the permit. This would encourage firms to innovate and reduce the number of permits needed to produce, or be more efficient with the given quota of pollution per year.(Kathleen 2012) Advantages of the Cap and Trade system mean that the total level of greenhouse gases are controlled, IE a set amount per year meaning that it is easier to attain goals from the Kyoto Protocol. International trading markets are also proposed and feasible meaning that there is greater competition for permits which leads to more efficiency domestically. Firms that are unable to compete or innovate into cleaner greener methods are either absorbed by larger more efficient and environmentally viable companies or liquidate, meaning less pollution output. Another advantage is that there is little regulation and or further government attention required to maintain the Cap and Trade system. Because the market forces determine prices between firms, the need for a middle man is removed. Comparing this to a Carbon Tax, where constant auditing, monitoring and enforcement is both time consuming and expensive from a tax payers perspective. Comparing the two graphically below show the changes in price and quantity in the strict control of either supply of increase of price. The Carbon tax is indirect, it controls the price movements, which affect the quantity, and the Cap and Trade system controls the supply, which then determines the price. The biggest disadvantage to not controlling the price of pollution as oppose to the quantity is that it does not promote efficient investment on clean alternatives to production and instead causes prices to rise of the permits, allowing larger companies to purchase the right to continue polluting and drive out smaller less profitable companies, provided they can’t sustain operation by selling excess permits to excessive polluters. Graphically, they yield the same result however; Clive argues that the amount of red tape needed to maintain the Cap and Trade System is not viable. Introducing the Carbon Offset scheme, means that carbon offsets are purchased which in turn mitigates the marginal private cost of the firm to equilibrium level. Firms can only pollute according to their offset amount and has been successful in Europe with 5.5 Billion dollars of offsets traded according to Bruno and Mehmet’s paper on Governance and the Carbon impact. Advantages exist in the offset scheme whereby it guarantee’s firms to take positive action/investment due to money spent on offsets directly in the form of buying credits from firms specific for reducing pollution and or investment on re-forestation and cleaner methods of production. Other arguments exist stating that having a Cap of pollution will force in-efficient firms to find the lowest cost method to reduce their pollution. Again, like any alternative to the Carbon Tax, much more bureaucratic procedures, monitoring costs and governing bodies are required to manage such a proposal (Oh 2007). 1. Similarities exist between the two policy options in that both require a base measured level of pollution to which caps and prices can be compared 1. Both systems will generate revenue via the increase of the Marginal Private cost which can be distributed via the governing body. 1. Both systems will require a governing body to standardise and monitor activities to be equitable (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011) Using this information, the policies will affect different groups of individuals differently. The Carbon Tax will have some impact on households, but greater on the top 500 firms. Understanding how it will affect each party will enable a better understanding of the Pareto Efficiency concept. Households under the Carbon Tax will be charged more for amenities and certain activities such as air travel. Using the graph below it is clear that electricity is the largest producer of greenhouse gases and will have the largest impact via the tax. increase of costs of using electricity, any household that earns less than 80,000 dollars a year will benefit from subsidies and household assistance packages from the Liberal Government (Energy 2012).Households will also gain in subsidies and other cleaner initiatives from the government via the revenue collected from the tax which will increase their standard of living, proposed by the new energy reforms(Energy 2012). Linking back to Figure 1, the gains in Social Benefit are the largest gains that the households have, which economically speaking should be a new Pareto optimum specific to householders. Firms on the other hand, if subjected to the tax will have an increase in costs relative to the $23 per metric tonne of CO2 emitted. There is also the added cost of administration fees and loss of investment due to higher costs. Other costs that may be included are changes in capital. Pigovian taxes are aimed to have a distortion effect, decreasing the amount of CO2 emitted, changing what firms use to produce and furthermore where future capital investment may be directed (Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Firms from the impact of a Cap and Trade system will be partaking in Coasian Bargaining. This system has been used in the European Union and has shown dramatic decreases in the levels of CO2 by firms (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011). Due to the nature of the market, firms will bid and enter a price war against each other that will drive firms to have the lowest operating cost to save on purchasing permits. Firms that do not use the entire permit’s quota are able to bid off their remaining excess to firms whom can afford to pollute, or can’t afford to innovate into cleaner methods of production. Production, if the firm is pollutant dependant will be affected due to a rise in fixed and variable costs and may decrease output (Gilbert 2007). If the firm is not heavily reliant on pollution, it will see increases in its profits due to the revenue gained from trading the permits. The Cap and Trade system promotes production efficiency according to Gilbert Metcalfe’s proposal for a US Cap Swap in those methods that reduce CO2 output cost less via the tariffs placed. The Cap and Trade system from a household’s perspective will be similar to that of the carbon tax, however a time lag may be present due to firms having a time period in which they can allocate their pollution as opposed to an indirect tax. Each policy suggestion from an economic perspective has its own merits and weaknesses and need to be considered when creating a policy that affects both households and firms. The policy must be fair, equitable and efficient to all parties involved. By comparing the implemented Carbon Tax with the feasible alternative, the Cap and Trade system, the different viewpoints of firms and households are understood.