A Walk On The Beach Essays - , Term Papers

A Walk On The Beach one day i wrote her name upon the Beach but came the waves and washed it away again i wrote it with second hand but came the tide, and made mt pains his prey vain man said she, that dost in assay A mortal thing so to immortalize For myself shall like to this decay and also my name be wiped out likewise not so, Said I. let baser things devise to die in dust, but you shall live by fame My verse you virtues rare shall eternize and in the heavens write your glorious name Where whenas death shall all the world subdue our love shall live, and later life renew Poetry and Poets

Repercussion of Great Depression

Repercussion of Great Depression Introduction The recent recession triggered by the housing market, bubble bust in the United States cases a negative ripple effect in the world’s financial markets. It triggered a recession that led to loss of millions of jobs in the world. Many governments had to institute bail out to save companies from collapsing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Repercussion of Great Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The governments also instituted austerity measures that necessitated the slashing of national budgets effectively laying off millions of government workers globally. The US mortgage crisis that was the genesis of the financial crisis is blamed on the laxity of law enforcers or failure of the laws that have governed the financial market in the US. After the great depression in 1933, the US enacted laws that aimed to stem another crisis of the Great Depression’s magnitude. Though the great recess ion was not as serious as the Depression, it cased major financial imbalances that will take years to recover. It’s therefore safe to assume that the laws that have been crafted over time since the Great depression to guard financial markets against such crises have failed to work, or so it seems. The administrations of both Presidents Obama and Bush ensured the enactment of laws that stemmed the crises and stopped the bleeding of jobs. This action by the two administrations is reminiscent of the many that have characterized the formation and adoption of public policies especially those that are business oriented. The motivations behind the laws of this nature is the perceived gap created by business practices that are likely to result in uncouth business practices or complications in the financial system that lead to such crises. The laws are also crafted to protect investors from losing their money when these transactions are not carried out within the law. One such act is the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLB), also referred to as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, (Pub.L. 106-102, 113 Stat. 1338). The paper will focus its analysis on this law, its history, the rationale behind its enactment, its implementation, its impacts and the policy analysis. Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLB) (Pub.L. 106-102, 113 Stat. 1338) History of the Act This a federal act of the United State enacted in the year 1999 and signed to law by President Bill Clinton. The law sought to regulate the dealings of financial institutions regarding the private information of their clients (Ingersoll et al. 1999, p. 48). To effectively work, the law included three parts i.e. The Financial Privacy Rule that governs the collection and use of private information, the Safeguards rule that governs the implementation of security programs by financial institutions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get yo ur first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On that bit, the law requires the financial institutions to implement security systems that ensure effective security of clients’ private information. The last component of the law is the Pretexting provisions, which aims to curb access to client information through false pretence and /or impersonation. Additionally, the law makes it mandatory for financial institutions to serve to customer written notices that explain in detail their institutional practices about sharing information (Rezaee, 2001, p. 106). The above however was not the main reason why this act was passed. The main reason for the enactment of the law was to facilitate the opening up of the market among companies in the larger financial sector mainly; banking companies, securities companies and insurance companies. Through the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLB), curbs imposed by the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 prohibiting companies to offer b anking, insurance and brokerage services were removed.. The act in effect opened the gate for the merger of the companies operating in the three sections described above. The removal of the regulations however presented major gaps that potentially put customer private information at risk. Because of the mergers that were anticipated, there was a feeling that the companies may access, consolidate the customer information they had and sell it for other purposes other than for business. For instance, insurance companies were largely in control of most health records while banks maintained a huge database of financial information. Brokerage firms on the other hand had significant information on investment activities of their clients. A merger of the three of even two of them will have therefore exposed the customers to greater risks of illegal access and use of information. That is why the act contained the privacy provisions that regulate the use and sharing of private information of c ustomer of companies that needed to merge. Need for Enactment The need to enact the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLB) act was due to both business and government failures (Biegelman, 2009, p. 76). The US lawmakers referred to the law as a modernization law that meant to unlock the potential that financial companies had. Through that argument, Congress passed the law that repealed sections of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 and the Bank Holding Company Act that forbade banking companies from carrying out activities deemed to belong to the insurance sector. Congress therefore felt some potential for economic growth was inhibited by the absence of such a law. Through the GLBA act, banks were eligible to engage in a variety of financial services.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Repercussion of Great Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the same time, mergers taking place at the time in other ind ustries apart from the financial sector in Europe especially led to the inclusion of the privacy elements of the law (Axelrod, 2009, p. 59). The European Union enacted the Data Protection Directive that required non-EU companies that dealt with EU citizens’ data to provide the same protection that these citizens were afforded in the EU zone. The self-regulatory system in the US was especially not favored by the EU hence the need to enact legislation in the US that provided the same protection as the EU. At the same time, there was overwhelming public opinion in the US that demonstrated dissatisfaction on the way banks and other financial institutions handled private information. Furthermore, there were scandals that served to highlights the risks involved in the breach of privacy. For instance, there was a scandal involving the Charter Pacific Bank of Agoura Hills, California and an adult website company. The bank illegally sold private credit card information of its clients to the company. The company then debited the accounts of the clients for services not rendered. In 1998, NationsBank was charged and fined millions for selling customer information to an affiliate investment company. The affiliate used the information to market its high-risk products to low risk borrower who in turn lost millions of dollars. Another case involved U.S. Bankcorp and the Minnesota Attorney General when he sued it for selling customer private information with third party marketers. The increasing private information violations and the expected avalanche of merger needed to be controlled. The GLBA provided the solution. Implementation The GLBA is a federal act and therefore it’s enforced by federal agencies (Dunham, 2000, p. 98). The various federal agencies are in charge of enforcing the GLBA law. The agencies are those that are involved directly overseeing regulation of financial institutions and other companies deemed to be financial institutions as specified b y the GLBA act. The most important institution that is involved in the implementation is the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Other are the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, both of who should work together with the comptroller of currency.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other agencies tasked with implementing the law include the Office of Thrift Supervision, The Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Credit Union Administration. Additionally, the individual State Insurance authorities and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also have a hand in enforcing the GLBA act. According to the GLBA, financial institutions are companies that avail financial services to individuals. These services may include and not limited to loans, financial and/or investment advice, and insurance services. According to the act, all institutions that meet the definition of a â€Å"financial institution† directly or by incident fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission. Non-bank mortgage lenders, real estate settlement service providers, banks, debt collectors, financial and/or investment advisors, loans brokers and real estate appraisers fall under this category that is directly administered by the FTC. For the enforcing institutions me ntioned above to effectively exercise their jurisdiction, it’s important that the financial institutions must be significantly be engaged in financial services or production that clearly makes them financial institutions. In the insurance sector, the GLBA states that jurisdiction is first enforced by the state so long as the law of the state minimally complies with the Act. Further, the state law can only enact provision for stricter compliance and not less than what the GLBA requires. It is important to note that the law sets the floor and ceiling that state laws can reach. It therefore means that the states can pass laws stricter than the federal version but not less. Impact on Business and Society/Successes Since its passage, the GBLA law has registered mixed success. Many companies have taken the advantage to merge while client’s private information is safer than it used to be. At least the occurrence of scandals involving divulging of client information has been m inimal. There is a feeling however that these success have not been realized optimally. It’s therefore important that the hurdles that are preventing more companies merging be eliminated before considerable success id realized. The Department of treasury says that the reaction to the GLB act has been evolutionary rather than radical. In 2003, the Department of treasury reported that out of the 6415 banking institutions in the US at the time, only a handful-633 had taken advantage of the act to transform to financial holding companies (Moeller, 2005, p. 76). Moeller (2005, p.76) says that consolidation took place but not in the scale and speed that nay analysts has predicted. This was due to a number of factors. According to (Winston Winston, 2009, p. 64) retail, banks have difficulty in buying insurance underwriters as opposed to brokerage of insurance services. Lack of experience in these banks that would have wanted to engage in wide financial services contributed to the l ack of enthusiasm form these financial players. Similarly, there was slow venturing into banking by brokerage firms owing to their diminished branch network, and lack of back shop footprint. There have been some mergers since the enactment of this law, for instance the 2004 merger of Bank of America with Fleet Boston. Despite the merger however, the conglomerates have experienced problems concerning difficulty in integrating investiments and insurance services. Additionally many other banks have had trouble with packaging of investiments and banking services to an extent that some of them have had to engage in questionable arrangements that have caused scandals. Despite the look warm reception, the treasury reported that the financial sector that has experienced the most significant change since the introduction of the Act is the securities, underwriting and dealing sectors. In these sectors, Department of Treasury says that banks have increased their ownership and as well as activi ties. Similarly, banking involvement in the insurance industry has experienced significant changes as a direct result of the enactment of this law. According to Moeller (2005, p.85), the GLBA legislation introduced significant alteration to the legal framework that governs activities of financial organizations and their affiliates in the United States. The alterations were chiefly brought by the repeal of the some sections of the Galss-Steagall Act as well as the Bank Holding Company act of 1956. (Rezaee, 2001, p. 120), states that the law has had limited impact on the Federal Home Loan Bank provisions. The act had provisions whose aim was to expand the FHLBank system for the smaller depository institutions in the US. Under the law, eligibility of several collaterals was extended for the advancement of loans to small businesses. The provisions collectively are thought to have positively impacted small businesses. Policy analysis The enactment of the GLBA act opened the markets for m ergers and acquisitions in the financial sector (Winston Winston, 2009, p. 64). Many companies in the industry favored the passage of the act at the time. One argument that they put forwards was that after the passage individuals will be able to carry out their financial transactions at one go instead of doing savings and investiments at different institutions. One of the earliest beneficiaries of the passage of the act was CitiGroup, which had merged with traveler insurance. However since the law at the time could not allow, the new entity had to be issued with a forbearance until the act was passed hence acquiring full legal status (Mayer et al 1999). Weaknesses There has been a lot of analysis on the effects and effectiveness of the GLBA act. However, the law is criticized by as having a number of flaws that contribute to its weaknesses (Schell, 1999, p. 56). The Act according to (Schell, 1999, p. 60), GLBA does not protect consumers. The opt out standards has been cited as one of the many provisions so GLBA that unfairly places on an individual to protect privacy. The opt-out standard effectively puts the customer on weaker position to control their financial information that they may consider private. The provision assumes that the financial institutions will share the customer information unless they are told not to. Additionally it assumes that financials institutions are free to share the customer information incase of non-response from customers when the institution communicates to them. The enforcement mechanisms of the GLBA have also come under attack.. (Rezaee, 2001, p. 130) asserts that enforcement and compensation mechanism laid out in the act are quite weak. He says that the mechanisms are weak to a point that they cannot assure compliance even in the face of the existing weak privacy protection mechanisms. The fact that enforcement largely rests with federal agencies leaving the individual with virtually no right of protection is a weak point that does not adequately address the problem at hand. Another weakness of the GLBA is the fact that it leaves a gap under the service provider/ joint marketing exemption. Under this exemption, the financial institutions can freely share private customer information with third parties even if the customer has opted out. This gap can easily be exploited by companies who may misuse customer information under the pretext of joint marketing. Customer control of affiliate marketing information sharing is severely hampered. Customers who may be engaged in affiliate marketing have little control over sharing or their information since they have not been considered under the opt out provision. (Benson et al. 1999, p. 79) says that financial institutions can easily amass hundreds of affiliates, which may not be dealing in financial services. They can then share customer information since customers will not be having an opt out right. The notices that will be issued under the third provision o f the privacy section are written in legal jargon, that most ordinary people won’t understand. The law assumes that companies will assists customers by explaining the complex legal information that will help a customer make an informed choice. There is also the concern over the convoluted and confiding opt out notices and policies. The confusion that more often misleads clients is purposely done to serve the issuing entity’s interests. The act provides little room for maneuver of customers in the cases where the notices lack transparency. Additionally, the notices that GLBA demand be issued state the companies inform customers of their intention to share the information. However, they do not provide for a provision that requires the companies to reveal with whom they are sharing the information (Schell, 1999, p. 99). Many financial sector critics including President Obama have hit out at the law as the main cause of the 2007 financial crisis that almost led to the coll apse of the global financial system. According to the critics, the law led to the deregulation of the financial industry. Deregulation facilitated the formation of gigantic companies that were obsessed with the â€Å"too big to fail† attitude. Furthermore, the law necessitated less oversight on sensitive financial dealings such as derivatives that were later taken advantage of by unethical financial dealers. Recommendations In the face of the above weaknesses, there is a need for the amendment of the GLBA act to institute changes that will ensure better protection of consumers and security of the financial system. There is need for financial institutions to implement an opt out approach that defines the use of personal information. That way, accidental, unwanted or disclosure through negligence will be avoided besides placing the burden on the actors who will be receive and gain from the disclosed information. This way the financial institutions will be protecting themselves and the privacy of their customers. Failure to implement and use of the opt out provision for advancement of corporate interests is likely to adversely affect the companies (Benson et al. 1999, p. 47). Additionally, financial institution should consider availing and accept alternative opt out methods in cases where an opt out framework is maintained by the institution. An amendment requiring the financial institutions to avail the opt out process through local branch offices or through the internet needs to be done. This will help customers make an informed decision when opting out. On the same note, the financial institutions should be required to provide simple and coherent privacy policies. The law should ensure these policies follow universal standards of readability for the enhancement of transparency (Benson et al. 1999, p. 47). It’s important that the amendments to the GLBA law require financial institutions ton disclose that the information that they collect will be u sed for. This can be availed in the privacy reports and will greatly enhance transparency and accountability in these institutions. Furthermore, the amendments should require financial institutions to grant customers rights to statutory access to be enlightened about industry practices. As a result customers will be informed on the information collecting process as well as their uses. It will come in hand in making decisions. One of the most glaring omissions by the GLBA is the failure to give state authorities power to oversee the transactions carried out by these financial institutions. It is therefore important for any amendments to include provisions that will grant state authorities concurrent jurisdiction for the effective enforcement of the law. Given that all companies are situated in individual states, the states’ law enforcement agencies will be better placed to implement the law’s provisions (Schell, 1999, p. 101). The law will also need to have provisions t hat will make it easier for offended clients to seek redress when privacy rights have been violated. Currently the law does not give a private right of action, which greatly hampers individuals in seeking redress especially if there are issues with opting out. Additionally, the amendments should consider giving the individual the right to access and review the information so that he/she can help in correction in cases of inaccuracies and/ or incomplete data. There needs to amendments that help in the regulation of sensitive financial market practices such as trading in derivatives. Former president Clinton admitted that he was wrong and probably he may have been misled to accept the provisions of the law on the matter such as derivatives. The law as it is gives too much autonomy to financial companies. The autonomy has been unethically used and contributed to the fall of the housing market in 2008. Many analysts believe the law should have been implemented in bits. The provisions co ntained in the law gave too much freedom to the financial sector in a sudden manner that clearly overwhelmed many institutions. They also contend that the scope of operation given to these financial institutions should be reduced probably to more or less, to what it was under the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. Its safe to assume that the provisions of this law that were repealed when the GLBA came to law played a crucial role in stemming a crisis of similar to the great depression and the 2008 financial crisis. References Axelrod, W. et al. (2009). Enterprise information security and privacy. New York: Thomson learning. Benson et al. (1999). Financial services modernization: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999. Washington: Routledge. Biegelman, T. M. (2009). Identity Theft Handbook: Detection, Prevention, and Security. New York: Cengage Learning. Dunham, B. W. (2000). After the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: a road map for insurance companies. Burlington: Thomsons Learning. Ingersoll et al. (1999). Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. New York: Routledge. Mayer et al. (1999). The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: executive summary review and analysis. New York: Sage. Moeller, R. R. (2005). Brinks modern internal auditing. Los Angeles: Routledge. Rezaee, Z. (2001). Financial institutions, valuations, mergers, and acquisitions. New Jersey: Cengage Learning. Schell,J.M. (1999). Private equity funds: business structure and operations. New York: Infobase Publishers. Winston,J. Winston, A. (2009). Complete Guide to Credit and Collection Law. New York: Sage Publishers.

Vermiculture Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vermiculture Technology - Essay Example However, a collection of warms with different feeding styles is preferred. This may include column feeders, burrowing feeders and surface feeders, which do not pose a competition for nutrients, but in the process compliments each other in the feeding process. The worms work in a similar way as in natural decomposition pits; they disintegrate organic matter into small fragments. In the process, they breathe and promote fermentation of the nutrient content. A vermicompost also contains microbes, which aid in the decomposition process. In the event that the materials are depleted, the worm poop and the content are ready for harvesting. The technology is generally cheap and easy to practice for both large and small-scale farmers. The farmer needs to rear the worms in pits, about 3m deep. Broken bricks and earthwork are placed at the bottom to provide for good drainage, the base materials be then covered with a thin layer of cow dung. The materials to be decomposed are then introduced into the pit and water sprinkled to create a conducive environment for the worms. Finally, the worms are introduced to initiate the process (Graft, 2001). Non-continuous- this type of bin involves placing the bedding materials at the base of the bin the adding materials to be decomposed in layers above each other. The worms will then feed on the materials uniformly up the bin. Its major disadvantage in that the entire content of the bin have to be emptied for harvesting. Continuous vertical bin- A series of trays arranged vertically are used in this process. Materials in the order of bedding-worms-organic matter is placed in the bottom tray and finally sealed with a layer of rich bedding. When the worms are through with the content of the lower tray, they move upwards and the lower tray can be harvested. Continuous horizontal bins- the trays are arranged in a horizontal manner, the materials

Ethics Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethics Audit - Essay Example Hence, they are under intense pressures to ensure their own wellbeing, if not survival. Ends and activities not directly tied to their own survival or well-being, and not protected by other supportive conditions, naturally come under pressures for reduction or elimination. "Ethics is a moving target. Social values shift over time, influenced by a complex web of factors. Employers must keep a close eye on those values and, when possible, proactively address ethical dilemmas emerging in their companies" (Vickers 2005, p. 26). Fo P&G, business ethics is much more than an expression of taste, however strongly felt. Properly understood, business ethics is in fact about moral principles; indeed, it is the application of ethics to, or in, specifically business situations and activities. For P&G, ethics refers to moral codes and the actions enjoined by them as well as to the study of either or both. Indeed, when dealing with received opinion, such common usages will be observed, both with respect to "ethics" and to "business ethics." When strictly used, however, the term "ethics" refers properly to a subsection of philosophy, that which seeks to identify and clarify the presuppositions of human conduct having to do with good and evil (International Business E thics Institutive 2008). In a work on business ethics, the grounds of ethical activity, like the existence of business, must be taken as given. Certain implications of the philosophical nature of ethics are, however, crucial to the question of universality. "At Procter & Gamble, we have maintained strong Corporate Governance polices and practices for many years. These core values set a tone of integrity for the entire company-one that is reinforced consistently at all levels and in all countries" (P & G Home Page 2008). The most important, is that as a purely theoretical discipline, ethics has no necessary connection to any existing system of religious belief, or any specific legal framework, or any particular moral code. As a result, the commonly cited variations of actual practice are simply irrelevant to the question of whether there are universal truths of business ethics--cultural diversity, even cultural relativism, does not and cannot justify ethical relativism (Swanson, 2005 ). Nevertheless, although ethics is essentially theoretical, there is a metaphorical sense in which the techniques and principles of ethics proper can still be helpful in dealing with real life problems--the clarity of thought and awareness of key concepts developed in philosophical study may well inform action. It is in this extended sense that one may properly speak of "applied ethics," or the "application" of ethics to business, or of ethics "enjoining" specific courses of action. Business ethics is simply the application of general moral principles to specifically business situations and activities Husted et al 1996). The Function of Business Ethics P&G customizes its ethical culture to match unique needs and values of the company to global business demands. The function of business ethics is to resolve or at least to clarify the moral issues which typically arise in commerce. Starting from an analysis of the nature and

Atheism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Atheism - Essay Example Quoting Julian Baggini, â€Å"Atheism †¦ it is the belief that there is no God or gods† (3). For others, those words are enough to distinguish an atheist from not. However, there are still those people who would dig deeper into the topic as there are broader and more profound understandings of the subject at hand. The above mentioned meaning or understanding of atheism can be referred as a childhood analogy or comprehension. Just by the mere acknowledgement of the word atheism brings out a very negative thought and conception. Nevertheless, there are always 2 sides in a story. This is a truth in all aspects even in the world of atheism. There is always the good and the bad, the positive and the negative, one cannot exist without the other. One needs the other to exist and it goes either way (7-8). Organized religion often set standards as to what one should and should not believe. This is often where the problem or misunderstanding starts. Though there are Sunday Schools and Bible camps where scriptures are explained, it is not enough that when people say that a person should believe it then it is the truth. A person still has a right to question things that concerns them. One can even say that an atheist is more inquisitive towards their faith as they would further divulge into information that conservatives would perceive as taboo since they are questioning the existence of a higher power or divine intervention. In this concept, there is a broader and untold fact which is accompanied in their refusal to believe in God. One can assume that atheists believe in the â€Å"what can be seen† (4-5). Also according to Baggani, â€Å"This brand of physicalism asserts that the only kind of stuff is physical stuff: there are no non-physical souls, spirits, or ideas. This is a version of physicalism that many, probably most, atheists can sign up to† (5). There is a thought or question that arises with this statement. Because there are still thin gs which are intangible yet believed to true, an example of which is a thought or an idea that is still not expressed or enacted by a person. This is where Science enters the picture of spiritual belief. Two worlds are colliding within the vicinity of an atheist. In more than 2,000 years of documented principles, Science and Religion have never agreed in a singular idea. There would always be an argument between these 2 aspects. It is like what is fore mentioned, there are always 2 sides in a story. Throughout the years, there are still debates as to which is true and which is false between these 2 worlds. These debates are still on-going between their scholars even as this paper is being written. The difference between the two is that Science gives a more breathable room for scientists to explain their theories without the fear of being ex-communicated from the society or their church. Here, one can presume that Science has the broader mind between the two. Yet it does not mean tha t Science is better than Religion. This cannot be proven even in a million years. One can debate his whole life and dedicate his whole being trying to prove which is which yet in the end; there will always be questions that would end up in the vast space of blankness. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a person believes in theories or principles being presented by both worlds yet the idea that something that starts in Science may

Samsung Galaxy Smartphones Decreased Demand

Samsung Galaxy Smartphones Decreased Demand Samsung Electronics is one of the Koreas top electronics company which was founded in 1938. It has grown from small business to be one of top leading electronics and Technology in the world. It makes many kinds of consumer devices, including DVD players, digital TVs, and digital still cameras; computers, color monitors, LCD panels, and printers; semiconductors such as DRAMs, static RAMs, flash memory, and display drivers; and communications devices ranging from wireless handsets and smartphones to networking gear. However, they are mostly popular for their Smartphones (Galaxy), which is considered as one of its mains products. Samsung Galaxy includes categories such as Galaxy Note series, Galaxy Tab Series and Galaxy S series. Samsung from several years are relaying mostly on its smartphones sale to maximizing its profit, as other products sales are showing decline such examples include home appliances and LCD TV. Unfortunately, currently Samsung are struggling to sustain their sales and profit from Galaxy smartphones. Samsung profits have been on declining demand since 2013. Despite the company being the greatest in the world when it comes to production of smart phones, the pressure that it continues to receive from the market can no longer be denied. In this year second quarter Samsung Galaxy smartphones have shown even huge profit and demand drop for its smartphones. As you can see below the chart clearly shows the Samsung profit have been going down from year 2013 and was worst in the second quarter of this year. http://www.statista.com/statistics/237093/samsungs-operating-profit-quarterly-figures/ There are various reasons for this downfall, Samsung has always used a huge marketing budget. Nevertheless, in the last quarter, its budget was far larger in ways that were not favored by the company. The company has been compelled to use huge amounts of money on promoting the older and lower-end gadgets that have been congesting its warehouses because of weak demand† . This fall in trade, together with the extra money spent on publicity has catalyzed the firm’s dwindling fortunes. Actually having, fewer shipments of high end phones, has also resulted in having and investing to market the old models has helped demand decreasing for Samsung’s. More importantly the market competition that Samsung is facing from its main rival Apple IPhone smartphones and other competitors has also contributed in weakening the demand. Decline in demand also can be attributed to their exorbitant price of smart phones. Because the Price elasticity of demand for Samsung is high, increased prices has result in less demand for its smartphones. Also, Samsung’s competitors, which are mostly based in china, are producing phones that have features that are essentially similar to those of Samsung. They are however, offering these phones at prices that are much cheaper and affordable. This has, therefore, beat the purpose of purchasing Samsung phones that are unnecessarily expensive and shifted people demand from its smartphones to their rivals’ cheaper smartphones. The decline of the sale and the demand of smart phones is caused by inability of Samsung to be more creative. For example, when it comes to the features that are contained in their many smart phones. Their S series smart phones are the typical. The cheaper ones have fewer features though. The difference in the ones that are more expensive is their size. Since the release of the S3, the subsequent ones S4 and the recently released S5 are similar in several ways. Consumers are starting to feel that these S phones are overrated and over advertised, which coincidentally has been said of the reasons Samsung is investing a lot in over advertising. This strategy is geared towards trying to get their products out of the warehouses and into the market to be purchased by the consumers. Unfortunately, this have resulted not only in having a negative impact on the sales, it’s also reduced their profit margin due to overspending and less demand. As an economic consultant observing Samsung Galaxy smartphone declining demand, I will try to recommend solutions to fix this economic problem by analyzing the root reasons. Searching and analyzing the market it was found out that there was a lot of factors that influenced Samsung smartphone sales which made it gone down in the third quarter of the year. First of all consumer taste and preference for better improved technology products. The fact of the new technology, and the willing to adapt new features and devises that made Samsung to be the second choice of its customers. In addition to that, the strong rival competition and all consumers being aware that there are other substitute smartphones that have similar even better featured, such as the IPhone, which gives negative impact on demand. For example, when Apple IPhone 6 has launched in the market, it has made major shift in demand from Galaxy to IPhone smartphones. How Samsung’s Demand could be increased In order for Samsung to recover from its decreasing demand, it should do several things such as offering prices that are competitive in the international market. Whereas the number of clients obtaining smartphones is still raising, it is growing harder for the company to tap new market for its high-end devices. This therefore suggests that the firm will have to minimize its prices in order to sell these gadgets. However, this will still reduce its profit margins. Samsung should focus its attention on shifting its product mix towards low and middle iced handsets. Under the prevailing situations, the company will have to wait and observe how it will uphold its profitability in the future. Additionally, Samsung needs to rollout new products that will stave off gains made by Apple on the larger-screen iPhones; especialty the Galaxy developer has dominated (Sakr, 2014). According to the firm, the rollout of fresh mobile models will embrace new technology that will assist to scale down production cost and comparatively that will assist to give cheaper price products. Moreover, the firm should utilize an assessment on the prices of the smartphones and come up with figures at which demand will rise for their smartphones (Sakr, 2014). By offering incentives such as headsets and phone covers, the company will be able to improve its sales. Finally, Samsung can increase its demand by offering competitive prices and embrace new technology that will assist to scale down production costs. Alternatively, if Samsung was not able to compete in market against it rival IPhone and will give up to invest any more in Smartphone. We highly recommend that it should invest more in developing and improving its tablets as it score to have a higher demand than the smart phones. Obviously by improving Samsung Smartphones quality and increasing its decreased demand, will help in raising the reduced turnover for its third quarter. Samsung makes about two third of its profit from its smartphones sales. Which means any drop in smartphones sales will have a huge impact on the company’s turnover. If Samsung was able cope with shifting market preferences that will help them stand out among competitors like Apple. Samsung deals mainly with Technology which is one of fast moving and updating things and to survive in the market, Samsung should be always ready to offer fast new technology features in their Smartphones. It mainly include keeping an eye on it main competitor â€Å"Apple IPhone† and try to offer features that are unique or at least which are offered by Apple IPhone to be able to compete in the market. This idea has been successful with IPhone when they have took over Samsung’s advantage of having big size screens which was one of reasons of people smartphone shifting demand to Samsung. IPhone has been successful to offer that feature in its IPhone 6 Plus by which it attacked Samsung’s main unique feature over IPhone. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/18/in-the-battle-for-best-smartphone-apple-still-beats-samsung/?_php=true_type=blogs_r=0 http://www.mobileworldlive.com/slowing-demand-reported-for-samsungs-galaxy-s4 http://recode.net/2014/07/07/samsung-says-second-quarter-tablet-sales-sluggish-as-smartphone-growth-slowed/ http://maps.yankeegroup.com/ygapp/content/10fed569fe2f4661ba2b7f2d01df77e6/50/DAILYINSIGHT/0

Where Are The Americans?

In spite of the fact that the American Government Led NATO against Serbia and that the American military is here, and their largest military base outside the United States is in Kosova, Kosovars are still asking: â€Å"Where Are The Americans? † Of course, a more complete elaboration on the basic question is: â€Å"Where Are The Americans? Why aren't Americans supporting our full Independence? Why hasn't their government recognized the full Independence of Kosova? Why aren't the big American corporations coming to Kosova? Why do they let the EU run everything in Kosova? Why isn't an American the Special Representative to the Secretary-General of the UN in Kosova? They went against European opposition and convinced NATO to go to war against Serbia and liberate us from oppression, but where are the Americans now? † Certainly the Americans are here, but the answer to many of the questions rests with the Kosova people, and the politics of Europe. Kosova is in Europe, and it is only natural that the European Community has the central concern and input regarding the status of Kosova. Under the current circumstances, any proclamations by the United States would be viewed as interfering with the European Union, and this would be diplomatically improper. Currently, the official communications regarding the situation in Kosova, and the issue of â€Å"final status† is limited to UNMIK and the European Union, as these are the entities that have UN delegated responsibilities regarding Kosova. The Americans are stronger in their influence within KFOR, which is separate from UNMIK Administration. However, when Kosovars clearly declare their Independence from Serbia, and demand that the UN fulfill its obligations in accordance with 1244(1999) for Kosova to have: â€Å".. provisional democratic self-governing institutions to ensure conditions for a peaceful and normal life for all inhabitants of Kosovo. † Then, and only then, can the United States and other nations respond to a direct request by Kosovars for support in the establishment of an independent democratic process within Kosova! The Americans and others would then be able to question the EU more directly, as to why the European Union is against the full Independence of Kosova, when the history of the Serbians has been one of repeated aggressions, and an absence of any remorse. It is a logical question to ask, why after so many conflicts and so many losses by the Serbs, does the European Union continue to appease Serbia, rather than imposing harsh consequences? We must learn the process of politics and diplomacy. We have been great leaders and warriors, but we must not forget that we have never had a leader in peace. We are physically and morally strong, we are intelligent but we are not experienced in politics and diplomacy. However, we cannot let this situation continue, and we must now use any and all means to become as effective in Politics and Diplomacy as we have been in war. Kosova's political leaders have been active, but we must accept the reality of Kosovar limitations and ensure that all leaders quickly become truly adept in politics and diplomacy. Another response to â€Å"Where Are The Americans† is that the American people are at home in the United States, working, playing, studying, watching Television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers; and all of these things are being done in English. It is true that there are a few thousand Americans who speak Albanian, but how many are in positions of authority and how many are actually doing anything effective to bring the â€Å"message† the â€Å"truth† about Kosova to the American people? How can the average American care about Kosova, if they know nothing about Kosova? Americans are paying close attention to world events, such as the terror threats and the issue with Iraq, and they are paying attention because they are being communicated to in English. Why should American journalists pay attention to Kosova when anything of importance has to be translated from Albanian to English by them? We speak out, and demonstrate, but nothing is said or written in English. If we want to get Americans interested in Kosova, we must speak and publish in the English language in addition to Albanian. Every key speech given; every key event; every meeting attended must be also presented in English. Our daily newspapers should have at least one page in English presenting all the headlines and a brief about the story, and our television news and key presentations must also be done in English. If we want people to listen to us, then we better speak their language! Our periodicals should contain English features, and every major press release by any organization of influence should be prepared in good English. This last statement is important, for if we present English copy that is poorly done, we will look uneducated in the eyes of those reading the material. In the few instances when our business and/or government organizations have provided English versions, they appear to the reader as having been done by a child just learning to speak and write in English. We must utilize the skills of professional translators in any and all areas that affect our future, especially if we wish to reach and involve the American people. We certainly do not provide a good image if we cannot express crucial issues in good English to the world. In business and politics, it is the English language that predominates, and we better catch up fast! Just about every adult Kosovar knows that the European Union is â€Å"concerned† about the unification of ethnic Albanians; the development of a Kosovar military; and the potential for a significant American business, monetary and political influence in the Balkans. But as long as We Kosovars remain silent in English, and the citizens of America remain ignorant of the truth, the EU has nothing to worry about. In the eyes and minds of Americans, it appears that â€Å"everything is OK† in Kosova, and they believe that if everything is going well, why should Americans continue to support the American Military being in Kosova? Americans believe: If â€Å"everything is OK,† let Europe bear the costs of taking care of Kosova and we can move our troops to where they are needed! American politicians respond to the will of the American people, and Kosova politicians and the Kosovar people need to recognize this fact and reach out to the Heart of the United States, the American people! We must have the courage to make strong and timely Diplomatic moves, such as the publicly restating our Independence, and request direct assistance from particular nations in order to counter the current negative intent and actions of the European Union and Serbia to keep us within and under Serbian Dominance. We Kosovars need to â€Å"wake up, and stand up† and speak out, in a loud, firm, clear and unified English Speaking voice, against the effective Serbian Propaganda, The Manipulation of The Hague, and the Appeasement efforts of the European Union. They are making their propaganda in English, and it must be countered in English!

George Orwell

In the George Rowel's short story, A Hanging, Orwell is a British police officer who witness an inmate, who is Hindu, being hung to death. While the officers are marching the prisoner to the hanging site, the prisoner comes to a puddle and side steps it. Orwell and some other officers are following behind them and that's when he realize how healthy the prisoner is and disgusted he was of the decision to hang a healthy man.In the story he was scared to speak up for the prisoner, so that's why he dog was put In the story, the dog was Orwell voice. The dark mood at the beginning shows how Orwell felt during the hanging. The major conflict of the story is Orwell watching a healthy man die right in front of him. After the hanging was done the warders returned to feed the convicts. Everyone was relieved that the hanging was done, even Orwell. Then they started telling each other stories related to hangings. They all laughed at each other, Orwell even found his self laughing at some of the stones.After everyone finished they went out and had a drink together, forgetting about the dead man. Orwell just needed to get the hanging out of his mind, so he did that by laughing and having a good time. The theme of Orwell story is that the life of any healthy man should never be taken. Today similar things are happening in this world, police officers think that they have power and control over us, they think they can do anything to us, For example, an eighteen year old young man named Michael Brown was shot for no apparent season Michael was Just walking down the street. N a Saturday afternoon, to his grandmother house, when an officer stopped him trying to arrest him just because he was a black male walking and the officer assumed he was some thug carrying a weapon. When the officer tried to arrest him, Michael started running with his hands up in the air, when Michael reached ten yards, the officer shot him. The body was not moved for hours. The officer claimed that he only shot him a couple of times but when they viewed the body It was more than a couple. Police are getting out of control, they are taking Innocent young black male lives.That's not the only thing that has happened where a healthy young man done lost his life. This young man was a seventeen year old black male, his name was Adoration Martin. On February 26, 2012, Tyranny was walking back from the store wearing a hooded and carrying a drink and some skittles. The neighborhood watch, George Zimmerman, assumed that he was some bad guy Just because he Is black. Just before the shooting happened George Zimmerman was on the phone with the police saying hat Tyranny looked suspicious and that he was following him, the police told him to stop following him and that they was going to handle it but he didn't listen.At the time Tyranny was on the phone with his girl friend, and he said that he was being followed so his girlfriend told him to run, before he could do so George Zimmerman got out his t ruck to confront him. When the cops arrived George Zimmerman told the cops that Tyranny attacked him but most people TLD believe that. Most people thinking that he was up to no good but he was Just trying to get home. Throughout the story Orwell shows how the prisoners are treated. They were treated like animals. The cells they had the prisoners in were like small animal cages.The prisoners are treated so badly, when they were escorting the man to the hanging spot, it took six guards to escort him but in the story he was described as a puny wisp of a man, which means he was really weak. The officers were being really rough, Orwell said that it was like men handling a fish that is still alive and trying to Jump jack in the water, they were being super aggressive with a weak man. This story also reminds me of when the concentration camps were open in 1940. The Jews were sent their to work at the camps.The families were split up boys and the men had to go to one side and the girls and women went to the other side. When they split them up they had to take all of their clothes off, get disinfected, after that they were giving new clothes, then they had to get their heads shaved both men and women, last they were assigned to a camp, some people didn't make it if they were eek or sick they got killed with the gas, they would put up to a hundred people in a small little room and kill them all, after that they would cremate the bodies.They fed them bread and soup, the bread was stale and the soup was old and thick, sometimes the didn't even give them food. They were treated way worse than the prisoners in A Hanging. In conclusion, George Orwell wrote A Hanging to express his feelings. This really happened to him in reality. He poured out his feelings through the dog and the rain. He feels like no individual life should be taken away from them.

Debt Example

Debt Example Debt – Coursework Example Debt The restrictions placed on and local government debt in North Carolina In North Carolina, there are limitations or restrictions on the amount of outstanding debt for the local government in relation to the state’s property tax base. The second major restriction is on property tax rates that the local government can levy for debt service requirements. This restriction is important as it limits the power of the local government to borrow carelessly with an aim of imposing the resultant burden on the citizens. The third restriction is the need for the approval of the bond issues that the government has proposed and this is done through a specific referendum. This constitution applies only to debts that the local government wants to acquire for a particular purpose. The state government is required to provide a balanced budget that does not have any carryover. This reduces the chances of having huge deficits that prompt the acquisition of loans. If a deficit occurs during a f inancial year, then it must be eliminated by increasing taxes or reducing spending instead of getting loans. Methods needed to avoid restriction limitsThe local government should utilize every of its money prudently. Any borrowing by the local government should also be done responsibly, prudently and in a locally responsive manner. The national debt should be reduced and the federal income tax should be replaced with tax from national retail sales. There should be fiscal discipline mechanisms or budgetary rules that will ensure that the local and state government does not spend more that it has. These include expenditure and tax limits. This means the budget size has to fit to the existing resources to the most practical extend possible. ReferencesBane, F. Et al. (1961). State Constitutional and Statutory Restrictions on Local Government Debt. Retrieved on 1st August, 2011. www.library.unt.edu/gpo/acir/Reports/policy/A-10.pdf

10 Geographic Facts About Easter Island

10 Geographic Facts About Easter Island Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui, is a small island located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean and is considered a special territory of Chile. Easter Island is most famous for its large moai statues that were carved by native peoples between 1250 and 1500. The island is also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site and much of the islands land belongs to the Rapa Nui National Park. Easter Island has been in the news because many scientists and writers have used it as a metaphor for our planet. Easter Islands native population is believed to have overused its natural resources and collapsed. Some scientists and writers claim that global climate change and resource exploitation may lead to the planet collapsing as did the population on Easter Island. These claims, however, are highly disputed. Interesting Facts The following is a list of the 10 most important geographic facts to know about Easter Island: Although scientists do not know for sure, many claim that human habitation of Easter Island began around 700-1100 C.E. Almost immediately upon its initial settlement, the population of Easter Island began to grow and the islands inhabitants (Rapanui) began to build houses and moai statues. The moai are believed to represent status symbols of the different Easter Island tribes.Because of Easter Islands small size of only 63 square miles (164 sq km), it quickly became overpopulated and its resources were rapidly depleted. When Europeans arrived on Easter Island between the late 1700s and early 1800s, it was reported that the moai were knocked down and the island seemed to have been a recent war site.Constant warfare between tribes, a lack of supplies and resources, disease, invasive species and the opening of the island to foreign slave trade eventually led to Easter Islands collapse by the 1860s.In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile. Use of the island by Chile varied, but during the 1900s it was a sheep farm and was managed by the Chilean Navy. In 1966, the entire island was opened to the public and the remaining Rapanui people became citizens of Chile. As of 2009, Easter Island had a population of 4,781. The official languages of the island are Spanish and Rapa Nui, while the main ethnic groups are Rapanui, European and Amerindian.Because of its archaeological remains and its ability to help scientists study early human societies, Easter Island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.Although it is still inhabited by humans, Easter Island is one of the worlds most isolated islands. It is approximately 2,180 miles (3,510 km) west of Chile. Easter Island is also relatively small and has a maximum altitude of only 1,663 feet (507 meters). Easter Island also has no permanent source of freshwater.Easter Islands climate is considered subtropical maritime. It has mild winters and year-round cool temperatures and abundant precipitation. The lowest average July temperature on Easter Island is around 64 F (18 C) while its highest temperatures are in February and average about 82 F (28 C).Like many Pacific Islands, the physical landscape of Easter Island is dominated by volcanic topography and it was formed geologically by three extinct volcanoes. Easter Island is considered a distinct eco-region by ecologists. At the time of its initial colonization, the island is believed to have been dominated by large broadleaf forests and palm. Today, however, Easter Island has very few trees and is mainly covered with grasses and shrubs. Sources Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Penguin Books: New York, New York.Easter Island. (March 13, 2010). Wikipedia.Rapa Nui National Park. (March 14, 2010). UNESCO World Heritage.

Desktop and Laptops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Desktop and Laptops - Essay Example Input devices include keyboards, mouse and camera etc. while output devices consist of a display, speakers and printer etc. Even the components inside laptops and the central processing unit (CPU) of desktops are similar; both make use of a motherboard, which is the main circuit board to which the other components for e.g. the processor, RAM (random-access memory) are connected. Apart from the above mentioned fact, laptops and desktops can run any program equally well provided that they both are using the same operating system. It is important to note here that the majority of the present day laptops and desktops are run on a select number of operating systems for e.g. 92.4% of desktops are run on Windows followed by Mac (6.5%) while the most commonly used operating system for mobile systems (which include tablets and mobiles too) is Mac (54.7%). This goes on to show that from a general perspective, majority of the computing systems used presently have a similar functional capacity i n respect of the programs available for use although the specific upgrades of these operating system (e.g. Windows 7 or Vista) and a processors ability (if it is 64-bit or 32-bit etc) to support these upgrades does stratify computers according to their capacity to run a program. Now despite the similar assembly of laptops and desktops, they both cater to different populations of computer users. This is because of many reasons the most obvious of which is that laptops are mobile. There are a variety of shapes and sizes that laptops come in but all of them are lighter than desktops thus making the former much more portable than the latter. This portability allows a lot of flexibility in usage which is evident in the case of Thomas Friedman who once quoted â€Å"Sometimes,  when my wife and I were going out to dinner, I would take my  laptop  with me and work in the car, so as to take advantage of the half hour going and coming.† Had Mr. Friedman owned a desktop instead of his laptop then he would certainly not be able to take advantage of his travel time, which underscores the fact that laptops have a huge advantage over desktops because they provide much much more mobility as compared to desktops, especially for a person living a fast-paced life. Along with this the small and thin size of laptops make them better looking too and provide the owner many more opportunities to show it off. Also in contrast to desktops, laptops run on battery too thus one can use a laptop even if there is no power. Despite all the above mentioned advantages laptops have their own downside when compared to a desktop. First of all although the size of laptops is very preferable one cannot ignore the fact that this makes it that much easier to be stolen or damaged when compared to a desktop. Secondly laptops are much more expensive than desktops and the latter gives the consumer more value for the money spent than laptops do. This can be appreciated when comparing an $1199 iMac and the same company’s MacBook Pro. Although both machines are of the same price, the iMac has much better specs (21.5 inch display, 2.7GHz quad-core Intel i5 processor and 1TB hard drive) than the MacBook Pro (13.3 inch screen, 2.7GHz dual-core intel i7 processor and 500GB hard drive). Keeping in line with the argument of cost, desktop are better for storage for e.g.

Ives-Alain Bois on Matisse Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ives-Alain Bois on Matisse - Term Paper Example The paper "Ives-Alain Bois on Matisse" analyzes Yves-Alain Bois essay On Matisse. Firstly, time’s density becomes to disappear as a singular unity within Matisse own pictorial system. Each from these paintings has its own dispersed time in its own world, he has its own understanding of temporality depicted, and each of beholders must be aware of their own time’s â€Å"persistence.† Similar to an ambivalent visibility of his works, time of his works disappear, constructing its temporality of a higher order, impersonal and spiritual – †¦like a â€Å"good armchair.† Then, composition itself must be treated as one of the most inevitable factors, with its Arabian abstract ornament, but circulating patterns. Matisse transferred its role to an invisible object of total presence, supported by his status quo understanding of means of art. However, second layer have to obtain depth and plural emotionality, with its completely non-imitating naturalism of spiritual order. My pictorial space was being completely eternalized. Avoiding a fixation of natural image in its faster passing by, Matisse’s art belongs not to â€Å"easel† painting, but to â€Å"memory† painting. Trying to achieve better and long-term fixations, artist focused himself on â€Å"pictorial fields of irresistible meanings,† which could be considered as being persuasive enough for both beholders and creator. Color and light will be presented in our focus a bit further; however, we should state that Matisse’s colors have a powerful compositional impact.... m fixations, artist focused himself on â€Å"pictorial fields of irresistible meanings,† which could be considered as being persuasive enough for both beholders and creator. Moreover, color and light will be presented in our focus a bit further; however, we should state that Matisse’s colors have a powerful compositional impact, created accordance or cordial of visual forms. Colors are pretended to be treated as the conditions in which visual code of lines can be perceived by the spectators, so colors as a container for both semantic parallels and compositional importance. Finally, circulation, expansion, and tension regarded by the author as visible functions in Matisse’s creativity. Factually, circulation may be understood as a compositional unity with that turnabout character of its movement; then, expansion marks a constant intention of the spatial expanding in Matisse’s early paintings, which used to be presented mainly without â€Å"holes;† te nsion is a â€Å"corporeal density,† which Matisse avoided lately, it can be understood through an imperative of sensitive expressions instead of peripheral incorporating of the beholder in terms of his late theories of art. Visual devices and strategies: producing effects Supposedly, being influenced by such optical strategies as those discussed previously, spectators can feel themselves â€Å"discharged† from not only singular forms of time and space, but from dictatorship of visibility itself, due to Matisse concerns on at least two-fold nature of each artistic gesture. Painting itself constructs an overall effect, being an instrument for the deconstruction, insisting not on its visibility, but rather non-visible order of eternal noumenas. His friends were used to discuss his works as sunlight imitations, colorful, pure