Black Hawk Down Analysis

In the 1990s, Somalia is undergoing a famine along with a civil war. Many civilians have died as a result of the war, and so the UN has intervened and started a peacekeeping operation there, with a base just outside Mogadishu. Unfortunately, the Somalis, distrusful of the UN, have declared war on everyone involved in the operation. In response to this, the US army deploys Delta Force to aimed at undermining the power of the president of Somalia. They plan a mission to capture Omar Salad Elmi and Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid, two of the President’s top advisers.The operation is planned out, and everything seems foolproof. Before they leave however, a lieutenant is removed from duty due to a seizure, and so a less experienced soldier must take his place and lead the crew. Delta Force is deployed to capture the two men in Mogadishu, and all goes according to plan. Helicopters are flown in over the city, and they can see tires burning, which is the Somali’s signaling that the y were coming. They then convince a taxi driver to show them where the two men will be, and they go in with helicopters and armored vehicles.They successfully capture the two advisers, and wait for the extraction team to come pull them out of the hostile territory. On the way, the extraction team takes heavy fire, and one of the helicopters is hit with an RPG. It goes into a tailspin and hits a rooftop before crashing into a street. Two of the passengers in the helicopter crawl out and away, but the other two have extensive injuries and have to stay in the helicopter. Another helicopter is told to take the place of the one that went down.This helicopter is quickly shot down as well, but lands with less injuries. At this point the armored vehicles are diverted from the path of retrieving the two captured men and told to go to the first crash site, retrieve the soldiers there, and then move to the second crash site and secure it. On the way to the crash site, one of the armored vehicl es is hit by an RPG, and men are thrown out of it. The convoy stops and retrieves the wounded, but in the process another soldier is shot. Throughout the mission, the armored convoy is being given directions by a plane overhead.At this point, the confusion is too great and the directions are inaccurate. Roadblocks are being set up by the Somalis, which makes it impossible for the convoys to reach the crash sites. Unbeknownst to the ground forces, the convoys give up trying to reach the crash sites and head back to the UN safe zone, in the stadium. Meanwhile, ground forces are also trying to reach the crash sites. A group of men reach the first crash site, and set up a defensive perimeter around it, with the base inside the house that the helicopter crashed into.They attempt to treat the wounded soldiers, and hold back Somali forces. At the second crash site, two snipers are dropped in by helicopter to try to retrieve the wounded. They find one soldier injured and alive, but as night falls, both of them are killed and the injured soldier is taken captive. Under cover of darkness, the Somalis attack the first crash site, but air support from the military holds them back until help can arrive. A relief convoy arrives and rescues the wounded, but many of the soldiers are forced to run back to the stadium.As they arrive, they are greeted with hundreds of smiling and cheering Somalis. In the end, there were 19 American, and over 1,000 Somali casualties. The injured soldier that was captured at the helicopter crash site was released almost two weeks later. The two snipers that went in to retrieve the injured soldier were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. Soon after, the president of Somalia was killed in a battle with a rival group. The following day, the general in control of the operation resigned. In terms of accuracy, most of this movie is biased toward the Americans.In the beginning, there is a scene where the Americans are flying over the UN food supply trucks that were sent in to feed Somalia, and in this scene, Aidid’s men mercilessly gun down civilians in order to take the food trucks. In reality, that event never even happened. Throughout the whole movie, director Ridley Scott added and took away events to delude the viewer into believing that the Somalis were evil people who had no motive, and just wanted to be in control. When this war actually happened, there were two phases of UN involvement.The movie mixes them together in a way that suits its purpose. Phase one was actually a benevolent move by the UN; food trucks were brought in an attempt to feed the starving citizens of Somalia. This lasted for awhile, but not forever. Then came phase two, which was the violent phase. The US Army came in to the city with a, â€Å"military campaign to to install a fresh political system in Somalia. † The Somalians resented this. Another, more blatant inaccuracy was when the movie announced onscreen that â€Å"Aididâ€℠¢s militia first killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and then began to target US troops.†The opposite of this is actually true. US troops were targeting Aidid before the Pakistanis were killed by a Somali mob. The UN interfered with Aidid’s affairs before the events of the movie even took place. This omission of information is meant to convince the viewers that the attack on the US troops was unprovoked and aggressive, to indicate that the US was in the right and Aidid’s army was in the wrong. Also, the movie makes it seem as though this is the first time US troops had engaged in any kind of action in Mogadishu.In actuality, the Delta Force had flown in over Mogadishu many times before to harrass Aidid and his supporters. US troops â€Å"rotor-washed† houses and people in downtown Mogadishu, meaning they would hover above the town in helicopters and blow down structures with the force of the wind from the rotors. The final and most glaring piece of evidence still remains. Through the entire film, it is not explained why the US troops and Delta Force were met with such violence and antagonism on the streets of Mogadishu.The movie plot and the way the characters are presented leads the viewer to believe that the Somalians are just naturally aggressive and ferocious people. The real reason is that months before, on July 12, 1993, the dominant groups in Mogadishu held a meeting to discuss a peace proposal from a main official at the UN, Jonathan Howe. Many prominent leaders of groups opposed to Aidid were also there. During the meeting, US helicopters attacked the building that the gathering was in, and slaughtered Somali religious leaders and elders.This enraged the Somalis, and so when they met the US troops in the streets of Mogadishu, they took out their full anger and ferocity on them in retaliation for what was done at the meeting. This film is skewed to favor of the US, in order to sway viewers to believe that what the UN did was entirel y justifiable, that the Somalis have short fuses and will fight, unprovoked, at the drop of a hat. The viewers of this movie would naturally be led to have a negative attitude toward Somalia, and ultimately in future engagements, be biased towards the US military as heroically on the side of justice.The US military establishment was more than pleased with this depiction of the October 3, 1993 raid on Somalia, in which 18 US soldiers lost their lives and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed. As evidence, thousands of videotapes of the film were sent to US military bases abroad and the producer of the movie, Jerry Bruckheimer was widely quoted as telling General John Keane, â€Å"General, we’re going to make a movie that you and your army will be proud of. † After seeing the film, General Keane told reporters â€Å"He did that, and we thank him. †

Suicide Bombing On The National Front Essay

Suicide bombing in Pakistan started after 9/11. Today Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism. After 9/11 incident, Pakistan supported the war on terror in Afghanistan. That war effected Pakistan very much. As border was not sealed so most of the Talibans ran away from Afghanistan to Pakistan. They were given shelter by the people of tribal areas of Pakistan because of their tradition of hospitality and clan bonding. As already Afghans were in refugee camps in Pakistan, so it was difficult to differentiate Talibans and Afghan refugees. Pakistan became a target as we found friends in Taliban’s enemy. Suicide bombing started in Pakistan. Initially, only the security forces were targeted but now even the common public is not spared. The war has spread to every nook and corner of Pakistan. First suicide attack in Pakistan was done in Islamabad in 1995. A truck full of explosives entered the Egyptian embassy and 14 people were killed. After investigation it was found out that bomber was Egyptian. Second suicide bombing was in Karachi. French engineers were attacked outside Sheraton Hotel in May 2002. In this attack 14 people were killed in which 11 were French engineers. Another attack in June 2002 was done outside American embassy. In 2003 President General Musharraf was targeted. In 2004 there were five suicide attacks including one attack on Prime Minister. In 2005 only 2 suicide attacks occurred. In 2006 suicide bombing again started to increase as there were 6 suicide attacks in which American embassy and Pakistan security forces were also targeted. In2007 these attacks were increased and total suicide attacks were done. In these attacks was on Former Prime Minister on Benazir Bhutto. In 2008 59 suicide attacks were done. In year 2009 till November 19, 70 suicide attacks were done. During Afghan jihad against Russia, America and Pakistan joined hands to fight it together. After the war, the U.S.A left the region in distress and civil war started in Afghanistan. The idea to use religion as a  tool to convince people to fight this war and organizing private militias resulted in destruction of Afghanistan after the war. It did not stop there. Pakistan continued on using religion as a tool and helped Taliban to form a government in Afghanistan. The whole episode of Al-Qaeda taking refuge in Afghanistan and 9/11 attack gave rise to a new fear. Previously, the whole world had their eyes closed to this Frankenstein they themselves created. Suddenly there was a hue and cry everywhere. Islam was said to be the threat to the whole world. Muslim bashing started happening and things got from bad to worse. America got dragged into this war and Pakistan along with it. Now after fighting it for this long, there seems no going back. There is no victory in sight and it cannot last forever. So it is a confusion which has found no solution. CAUSES OF SUICIDE BOMBING IN PAKISTAN One reason of suicide bombing in Pakistan is a tradition of Pushtoons called† badal†(revenge). This is the tradition according to which if a person of its tribe is killed by the person from other tribe then revenge is being taken from the killer tribe and that revenge is called badal. So similar to this happened in Afghanistan and tribal areas of Pakistan. People of those tribes were killed by American and Pakistani army. So reply to that they started targeting the check posts of army but later on they changed their target and now their target is innocent public of Pakistan. They considered it their right to kill the people in order to take revenge. Another reason of suicide bombing is American involvement in Pakistan. Pashtoons have got a history that they do not allow the foreign forces to occupy their land. American involvement in Pakistan is also not liked by Pushtoons and Taliban of Afghanistan and Tribal areas. Taliban has targeted Pakistan for their commitment to America. America’s drone attacks within Pakistan territory is one of the reasons for the increase in suicide attacks. Bajaur incident and Lal Masjid operation has helped Taliban by providing them new recruits for suicide bombing. In both incidents innocent students were killed. In retaliation there have been a lot of suicide  attacks in Pakistan for the last three years. American invasion of Islamic countries has contributed a lot to the common hatred in the Muslim world. Economic bondage was already there and then war was imposed on independent and sovereign countries. The feeling of resentment giving rise to Al-Qaeda and their extreme philosophies did not help the situation. Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir, Chechnya, Bosnia and Kosovo are all examples of Muslim occupied territories. Things were fine for the western world as long as there was no organized retaliation. It was bound to happen someday and it did happen. The result is that the world is very unsafe today and there is a lot of hatred which can result in a clash of civilizations. Injustice is one of the foremost factors that breed terrorism. When the grievances of the people are not redressed they resort to violent actions. So this is the case with Pakistan where timely justice has always been a far cry. Hence, the delayed justice is working as incentive for victims and dragging them to the swamp of terrorist organisations. Illiteracy is the root causes of extremism and terrorism. More than one in five men aged 15 to 24 unable to read or write, and only one in 20 is in tertiary education. such a high illiteracy rate has made Pakistan vulnerable to terrorism. furthermore, technical and vocational education, and adult literacy, are especially important but unfortunately have been neglected the most in Baluchistan, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and the Tribal Areas. Illiteracy and lack of skills provide fertile ground for those who wish to recruit young men and women to their cause, especially when significant monetary payments are attached. Regarding poverty, it is also an incubating cause of terrorism. And it is said that â€Å"a hungry man is an angry man.† Notably, majority of people in Pakistan are living below poverty line. While especially for the youngsters, unemployment has made the matter worse. In these adverse circumstances, some people go to the level of extremism and even commit suicide. These are the people whose services are hired by the terrorist  groups and they become easy prey to terrorism. Food insecurity is also linked with militancy and violence. When people remain unable to afford food and cannot meet their basic needs civil strife grows. A report by the Islamabad-based Sustainable Development Policy Institute The highest levels of food insecurity, for instance, exist in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, according to the report, where 67.7 per cent of the people are insecure. The next highest level is in Baluchistan, with food insecurity at 61.2 per cent, and then in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, 56.2 per cent. In Pakistan some extremist forces are exploiting the feelings of lower and lower middle class food insecure people. They are motivating their unemployed youth to commit heinous crimes such as suicide attacks against innocent people. REMEDIES In view of the root causes described in above paragraphs, the possible remedies could include: †¢ To begin with, a national commission needs to be set up, which identifies the fault lines and the root causes of the rise of extremism in Pakistan taking into consideration the post-Nine-Eleven developments. †¢ It should also take up the question of reforming the madrassas. The heads of all the major religious groups should be contacted and engaged to explore short-term and long-term solutions. †¢ Our universities and research institutes should take up the intellectual task of re-interpreting the Islamic injunctions in the light of modern knowledge and 21st century challenges (with emphasis on social justice). †¢ The government must improve its performance. Bad governance and corruption have lowered its credibility and clout, †¢ Parliament must debate Pakistan’s present relationship with the US, with  particular reference to the American war in Afghanistan and operations in Pakistan. †¢ Our government should make efforts to develop sector. Without any doubt, these efforts will play a crucial role not only in providing employment to the millions of people but will also eliminate poverty in the country. †¢ Pakistan’s government should particularly emphasise the need of technical education by promoting it. In this respect, more institutes should be opened in order to promote technical education. †¢ It is mentionable that there are two types of terrorists, extremists and moderates. In order to cope with terrorism, our government should neutralise the moderate terrorists through reconciliation by offering them general pardon and asking them to renounce terrorism. Even extremist insurgents can be offered mediation. Nevertheless, those militants who reject the offer could be fought through military operations. †¢ Nonetheless, for their on global and regional interests, US-led western allies must not only increase the military and economic aid of Pakistan but also provide direct market access to Pak products on zero rate duty to help stabilise the country’s bleak economy in the wake of the war against terror. †¢ As Pakistan has been successfully coping with the menace of terrorism, US-led some western countries including India should also give up their propaganda campaign against Islamabad and blame game against its intelligence agency ISI. †¢ US should help in resolving the Kashmir dispute to deal with the problem of militancy in the region. †¢ In order to fight terrorism, Pakistan’s media should play a key role. It must point out the criminal activities of the militants like hostage-taking, killing of the innocent people? torching the government buildings including girl schools and car-snatching. It should also indicate that Islam is a  religion of peace and does not allow suicide attacks. †¢ As Pakistan is already facing various crises of grave nature in wake of terrorism, so our politicians must stop manipulating the same for their own self-interests. By setting aside their differences and by showing power of tolerance, both our rulers and opposition parties need to act upon a policy of national reconciliation to cope with the problem of terrorism and to stand before external pressure. †¢ Finally, our politicians, general masses and security forces must show a strong sense of unity to fight terrorism. CONCLUSION Pakistan is a peace loving nation and playing its important role in combating terror. Recognition of efforts to fight menace of terrorism and sacrifices rendered thereof are testimony to the commitment and resolve to bring peace in the region. Unfortunately sometimes its commitment is doubted by some of its allies. Mistrust can lead to diversion of efforts, which will not be beneficial to common objective of peace in the region. Pakistan is a responsible nation; fully capable of defending its territorial integrity. Pakistan has singularly committed large forces to combat menace of terrorism more than any other country. No foreign troops are either present or deployed on Pakistan soil. All citizens of Pakistan must propagate moderate vibrant culture of Pakistan to promote good will of world community and shun misconstrued beliefs. Attacks on security forces personnel are executed at the sponsorship of hostile intelligence agencies. Such anti state elements must be singled out and brought to lime light to defeat evil agendas of our enemies. Pakistan has sacrificed the most in the ongoing war on terror; criticizing Pakistan’s efforts at national/international forum will be counter-productive to the overall objectives of war on terror.

Draw class diagram for the situation Research Paper

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International Econ Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International Econ - Article Example I’m not going to use more than what is required and avoid wasting water altogether. I believe that we in the developed world have a duty not to pollute the atmosphere as well and hence I’m going to ensure that my car is up to date with the latest emission standards. This, I think is the least we owe to the developing world i.e., cutting down our carbon footprint. Apart from this, I plan to visit some of the areas affected by water shortage and try to learn first hand what the problems are and what I can do as an individual. I can petition my congressman and senator about the legislation that would bring about changes in the way aid money from the US is spent. For this, I need to have a clear understanding on what the goals and objectives are about. In conclusion, I believe that each of us has a duty to ensure that we live in accordance with the environment and we should remember that we have merely borrowed the earth from the future generations and hence we have to ensure that they have a chance at the good

Review of Literature Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Review of Literature - Dissertation Example Even if not all of the education content is retained, exposure to the education content can lead to additional knowledge that can be useful for both the child and to the society he or she lives in. Thus, attendance is crucial and measures to improve school attendance are just as crucial as education content itself. 2. Importance of Attendance Based on the data and analysis of the National Center for Children in Poverty, around 11 percent of children in the kindergarten and about nine percent in the first grade are chronically absent (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 7). Chronic absence means that the student has at least 11 percent absences during a 180 days schooldays (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 6). Chronic absence among third grade students is about six percent (Change and Romero, 2008, p. 7). The National Center for Children in Poverty researchers even believe that the estimates are even conservative because attendance data are missing among schools serving low-income and minority stude nts At the same time, Chang and Romero (2008, p. 4) pointed out that chronic absence can be masked even when average daily attendance appears high. In their elaboration, Chang and Romero said (2008, p. 4): â€Å"Suppose, for example, a school has 200 students and an average daily attendance rate of 95%. The same 10 students, however, are not absent for all 180 days as they would be dis-enrolled. Rather, it is quite possible that the 10 students missing each day occurs because the school is serving 60 students who are taking turns being absent but when absences are added together, miss a month or more of school over the course of the school year. In summary, even in a school with 95% daily attendance, 30% of the student population could be chronically absent.† ... In summary, even in a school with 95% daily attendance, 30% of the student population could be chronically absent.† The key point of the Chang and Romero analysis (2008, p. 4) is that an absences rate of even a very small percentage like 5% can imply that a large number of students may be chronically absent from classes. Unfortunately, however, the incidence of chronic absences are high although chronic early absences from school ranged from one percent to 54.5 across schools in a district where the prevalence of chronic absences among elementary students was about 13.8 percent overall (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 7). Data from Yeide and Kobrin (2009, p. 2) proved that Chang and Romero (2008) were right about their analysis: in New York City, more than 30% of the youth were chronically absent during school year 2007-08 but the average attendance rate for each grade during the year was at least 90 percent. Yet, despite the high chronic absenteeism associated with the attendance r ate of at least 90%, many schools consider 90 percent attendance rate as an acceptable target (Yeide and Kobrin, 2009, p. 2). In addition, Yeide and Kobrin (2009, p. 2) reported that dropouts are excluded from truancy calculations. The combination of chronic absenteeism, truancy, and dropouts resulted to a situation in which only about two-thirds of ninth graders were expected to graduate in New York City during the year. Studies show that chronic absenteeism is a serious problem among elementary students in the United States. For instance, in New York City, more than 20 percent of elementary school students missed at least a month of school during school year 2007-2008. There even districts of the City where around 30 percent of

DPB Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

DPB Portfolio - Coursework Example es in International Context, Project, English Language Grade 6, Business Communication 3, International Marketing and Export Trade, International Trade: Payments and Law While studying BA (Hons) International trade and business communication at the University of Portsmouth, I describe the skills I learnt through the course as having given me a thorough grounding in various subjects I wished that I was interested in and wished to specializes or practice later in life. From, the first year I was introduced to the numerous problems or challenges faced by individuals in the business world. Moreover, the skills which were imparted through the course enabled me to develop an idea of how to solve the different challenges that came along the way. At the end of the course I was able to achieve a consolidation of my study through numerous aspects like personal studies and research. Moreover, the business skills which I learned also have opened other opportunities to study a wide range of subjects like those falling in the faculty of humanity and social sciences. I achieved the task of acquiring the skills I have today through am intense process of dedication and hard work in my studies. Being that the University of Portsmouth has entry levels, I studied heartily to pass my GSCE levels at Bay House School, Gosport with ten passes as between the grades A-B. After that I joined St. Vincent College for my A levels and passed with flying colors to be admitted at the university of Portsmouth which imparted me with the skills of accounting, marketing, business law, human resources, management dissertations, consumer led demand and other primary skills which has greatly played a significant role in my studies and career to date. At ST. Vincent College and in taking my BA (Hons) at Portsmouth University I reflect on various learning points which changed my views of what I would do when provided with another chance to pursue the same courses at the institutions. With flying

Hca Hospital Corporation of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hca Hospital Corporation of America - Essay Example Indirect competition from companies that produce cheaper substitutes also encourages the business to grow otherwise it will be pushed out of the market. The desire by organisations to enjoy economies of scale in terms of management, purchases, production, marketing among other forces them to expand which guarantees them saving due to bulk purchase of materials, spreading of overheads, higher bargaining power and expert management (Kazanjian & Drazin, 2009). Increase in demand for the products that a company manufactures also contributes to the motivation of a firm to grow in order to meet the growing demand for its products and services. Prestige and power that comes with managing big firms may also motivate the management to expand their organisations (Kumar, 2010). In addition, government policy in some countries, especially the planned economies requires business to operate under certain rules and regulations. Businesses may grow in order for them to meet these regulations and enj oy the quotas, subsidies and incentives that the government gives to businesses. With the controversies that have surrounded Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the company need to review its growth strategies to ensure it redeems its image and to put it in a constant path of growth. In coming up with the most effective strategies for growth, the company need to consider and follow the following steps. First, the company should plan about its growth strategies in order to for them to focus on meeting the customers’ needs and showing the corporations ability to meet them. Health care corporation of America manages a number of hospitals and medical centres in unites states and in united kingdom which provide general and specialised medical services to its clients. In planning, the hospital should put into consideration the various specific needs of the clients and employees in the countries and in different departments. The plan should be client focussed clearly detailing th e goals, strategies, and tactics that will be used and a specific timeline within which the goals will be achieved. The timeline should set aside time for training and mentoring employees to the organisational culture and best practises in the field of health care. The plan should also include the methods that the company intend to use in training, coaching and measuring the progress of the employees. Including staff in coming up with a strategy by allowing their input at the appropriate level will enable the management to obtain their commitment and accountability to the organisation. The employees should be engaged in customer-focussed tactics that will ensure the corporation attracts new customers and retains the old ones. Role playing and scripting among employees will also be important, as it will give the employees a chance to test their newly learned skills. The corporation should provide mentorship programs by pairing new employees with old experienced employees. As a way of boosting morale among employees, the corporation should adopt some measuring and rewarding mechanisms in its growth strategy. Compensation and reward programs, staff development and training should be aligned with activities and results of staff involved in improving customer experience in the corporation; this will be to boost the morale of the staff to offer their best to

FirstGroup plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FirstGroup plc - Essay Example As of 2009, the group earned the annualized net profit of around 6 billion pounds, which is a growth of around 31.4% from what the company earned last year. Similarly, this group has remained unaffected by current global economic backdrop, which is an amazing achievement by the company. In the future, the group also wants to maintain its market leader position and wants to expand its operation to the global market. The company wants to develop a new business plan which should not in any way ignore the aspiration of stakeholders. Stakeholders can be any group or an individual that has a stake in the organization's performance. In simple words, any one within or outside the organization who is affected by the decision taken by the business is known as stakeholder. First Group's stakeholders are its shareholders, employees, government, customers and its board of directors. According to Richard Daft, shareholders are those people who own the business and have invested the money in the business. So they would like the business to make decisions which are going to increase its profitability and lead to rapid growth of the business. Similarly, First Group's decisions are also going to affect its employees, in some way or the other. First Group PLC's decision to downsize can result in loss of job for some of these employees. First Group PLC's working policies and pay-rate is another factor that is goi ng to affect the employees. Government might be interest in the decision taken by First Group PLC because if it earns good profit, it will result in revenue for the government in the form of taxes. Similarly, government will want First Group PLC to flourish not only because it will result in revenue collection for the government, but also because it will provide employment opportunities in the economy. Customer will affected by the pricing decisions of First Group PLC. Board of Director will be interested in growth decision of the business because their salaries may be dependent on the size of the business. So they would like the owners to plough back earned profit back into the business for the purpose of expansion and this could lead to conflict of interest between various groups of Stakeholders. (Daft, 1997) Business aim is the future-vision of the business, which can be anything that the business wants to achieve in the future or the reason behind its existence. The major aim of First Group PLC is the transforming the way people travel and changing their perception about the public transport by providing people with safety and luxury and in doing so becoming the leading company of the world. In general terms, Business objective is a business strategic position that it is trying to achieve through its activities and policies. If we look at the business objective of First Group plc, we can say that it is aiming toward higher market share by offering distinct services like safety travel and other features which are not present in conventional transport companies. Another business objective of First Group PLC is rapid growth and in doing so, it is increasing the value of investments of its shareholder by increasing the market-price of the company's stock. Many businesses carry out SWOT analysis to focus on the internal strengths and

Raynauds Phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Raynauds Phenomenon - Essay Example The primary type may proceed into secondary which may in severe cases culminate in gangrene and necrosis. Raynaud’s phenomenon is thought to result from over activation of the sympathetic system, which is characterized by vasoconstriction leading to a state of lack of oxygen in the tissues. In a patient with Raynaud’s phenomenon, there may be three skin color changes; at first the skin may undergo pallor which is primarily due to constriction of arteries (Spencer, 1998). This may be followed by cyanosis which is blueness of the tissues due to hypoxia, with the final change settling in as rubor that is redness due to return of blood into the arteries of the affected parts. However, it is not obligatory that all patients have a triphasic change of colors. In fact, it is now believed that most patients present only with bluish discoloration of digits, which is known as acrocyanosis (Sharathkumar, 2011). However, some groups of thoughts negate the idea, they believe that ac rocyanosis is distinct from Raynaud’s phenomenon since it is characterized by continuous cyanosis (Wigley, 2002). Raynaud’s phenomenon in infants is a rare finding. One such finding was relegated by a research paper consisting of a case report regarding an infant presenting with unilateral cyanosis at 1 month of age, who was later diagnosed to have primary Raynaud’s phenomenon at 9 months of age (Sharathkumar, 2011).

Jesse Owens †A Legend Essay Example for Free

Jesse Owens – A Legend Essay The legendary Track and Field athlete, known to the world as Jesse Owens, was born James Cleveland Owens on September 12, 1913. It’s claimed that the nine-year-old’s accent made it difficult for his schoolteacher in Ohio to understand Owens when he gave his name as â€Å"JC. † Instead the teacher wrote his name down as â€Å"Jesse† (Gentry, 1990, p. 34). Jesse’s first brush with running was to be in the hills of Alabama, his home state. At the time though, Jesse was a sickly child given to frequent attacks of Pneumonia and other medical issues including the appearance of boils. His training for the track and field events only began when he entered Fairmont Junior High School where he was noticed by Charles Riley, an Irishman who was quick to take into account Jesse’s â€Å"potential† despite his lack of a strong physique. Riley, took the time to coach Jesse before school began each day so that Jesse would be free after school to do the part time jobs he’d taken up to contribute towards his family’s financial betterment. There’s nothing to show that Jesse’s typical workouts weren’t anything but pretty basic in terms of the equipment available and the routines followed in those early years. Practicing the various techniques of starting and running as well as long jump is what Jesse engaged in. Making the most of this humble start, Jesse soon began to draw attention to his abilities, having by this time, enrolled in East Technical High School. Owens then went on to join the Ohio State University where he continued to break records and draw attention though still failing to get a scholarship on account of his race. Owens greatest contribution to American history came in Berlin where the 1936 Summer Olympics were held. Jesse Owens went on to win four gold medals for his country – 100m sprint, 200m sprint, 4 x100m relay and long jump in the face of strong prejudices exhibited by Adolf Hitler who was intent on showing off the superiority of the Aryan race to the world. Americans greeted him with great enthusiasm on his return, and cheered his accomplishments heartily (Corrigan, 1990, p. 18). Track and Field events gained popularity in the United States. However, Jesse himself was not to benefit from all these events.

Autopsy Examination and Tracking Gun Ownership

Autopsy Examination and Tracking Gun Ownership A. Introduction â€Å"The Long Goodbye† is a film in 1973, which was critically acclaimed as a story of humans’ morality in a self-obsessed society. Not being a scientific film, it however comprises few murder scenes and forensic investigation, which provide us with very good examples to study and perform analysis with our knowledge. B. Synopsis The story consists of two concurrent story threads, which first appear to be unrelated, but generally become connected by the stories end. It began with a night when private investigator Philip Marlowe (the main character) was visited by his close friend, Terry Lennox, who asked for a drive to Mexico border at Tijuana. Philip was convinced that Terry was in a fight with his wife, Sylvia, and agreed to help. However, he later discovered that Lennox was wanted by police and being accused of murder of his wife. Having refused to co-operate and provide any information, Marlowe was arrested as an accomplice. However, three days later, he was released after it was found that Lennox had committed suicide. The case was closed with Lennox’s death. The story continued with another story thread which Eileen Wade hired Marlowe to find her missing husband. Her husband, Roger Wade, was an author with drinking problems. He had disappeared on previous occasions, usually to rehab institutions, but not this time. Marlowe took the case and surprisingly discovered the relationship between the Wade couple and Lennox couple throughout the search. The suspicious connection and clues motivated Marlowe to find out the truth behind the death of Lennox couple. He started to conduct a thorough investigation. To obtain more information and prove Lennox’s innocence, Marlowe encountered a doctor, a gangster boss and a guard. He followed the leads, but more and more signs of suspicion were disclosed. Integrating pieces and pieces of puzzles, he finally discovered that Lennox had faked his death to cover his murder and possession of dirty money. Being used and betrayed by his best friend, Marlowe shot Lennox by himself at the end of the story. C. Evidence Gathered With Lennox’s death, evidences were collected for examination and documentation by the police force. Black and white photographs of crime scene were taken to record essential information or clues, condition and position of the dead body, possible weapons and other physical evidences were recorded. Photographs of the dead body in a bathtub (Screenshot from â€Å"The Long Goodbye†) Fingerprints were also collected in the crime scene of Lennox’s death for further identification and comparison. They contain individual characteristics, the identity of the dead body and those who had access to the crime scene can be distinguished and known. Multiple fingerprints collected in the crime scene (Screenshot from â€Å"The Long Goodbye†) Meanwhile, the gun used in the Lennox’s suicidal death was claimed to be retrieved. It was found to be registered under Lennox’s name which proved a possible suicide. Further examinations can be conducted to determine whether the weapon was connected to the death of Lennox. The physical evidences were further sent to examine with different techniques. D. Techniques Moving on to the techniques, autopsy examination and gun tracing were employed to investigate Terry Lennox’s suicidal ‘death’. Results concluded that Terry’s death was instantaneous by a gunshot triggered by a gun registered under his name. Should the investigation be free from bribery and bureaucracy, a forged harmless gun wound should not fool the coroner. Subsequent specimen analysis should reveal a high degree of intoxication through Terry’s injection of drugs to fake his death. A toxicology examination should thereby be carried out to determine the kind and type of drug that caused his ‘death’. 1. Autopsy Examination An autopsy is a medical examination carried out on both external and internal surfaces of a dead body, to determine the cause of death and what caused the death. It is performed when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly while in apparently good health. Thus, Terry’s instantaneous and suspicious death would surely be subjected to further autopsy investigation by a coroner. After proving the gun wound fake, Terry’s high degree of intoxication should deem suspicious enough for a toxicological analysis by a pathologist to confirm his cause of death. External examination Fingerprinting is carried out before any autopsy analysis of the dead body, for identification and the matching of the fingerprints found on weapons and other physical evidence. The method adopted in this process depends primarily on the condition of the dead body. If the body is in poor condition, like Terry’s body which has been soaked in water, fingerprints have to be recovered through first ‘degloving’ and removing the finger skin, placing them on the fingertip of one operator. Powdering will then be applied to the prints to enable their transpose onto paper for record and future comparison. After fingerprinting the body, the coroner will carry out systematic external examination of the body in terms of these few aspects. (i)Stature determination (height, gender etc.); (ii)Description of recent or old traumatic elements and congenital abnormalities; (iii)Phenotypic characteristics (hair color, axillar description etc.) The gunshot wound found on Terry’s body will therefore lie in the second category as a recent wound that directly contributed his death. However, had the coroner be free from bribery, he should be able to distinguish it as a harmless forged wound. This abnormality should create enough suspicion for internal examination to determine his real cause of death. Internal examination To reveal Terry’s high degree of intoxication, pathologists are responsible for collecting a variety of biological specimen necessary for toxicology tests. Conventional biological specimen includes blood, vitreous humour, urine, stomach and liver contents, which will be sent to toxicology laboratories for separation, identification and quantification. Lethality and toxicity in the concentration of drug molecules will thus serve as a determinant of one’s cause of death. 2. Gun ownership registration Gun ownership tracing has also been used to determine the ownership of the gun, which is suspected to be the weapon that directly caused Terry’s ‘death’. By tracing the serial number and registration record, the police officers confirmed that the gun is registered under Terry’s name in the counter of Los Angeles, thus, rendering Terry’s case as suicidal death. E. Addressing Toxicology in Autopsy in detail a) Specimen Collection (Postmortem Specimen some of them will be discussed below) According to The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT), a forensic toxicology organization founded in London in 1963, there are some recommendations on sample collection, which are listed below: i) Blood – According to the â€Å"Laboratory Guideline† provided by the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (2006), it mentions, â€Å"in majority of the postmortem cases, blood is always the most crucial and single specimen for the toxicology analysis†. However, it also suggests that experts should collect at least 2 blood specimens if it is possible in each case. Flanagan, Connally and Evans (2005) suggests the method and procedures for blood collection that firstlyâ€Å" 30 ml of central blood (from the right atrium of the heart, inferior vena cava, or another large vessel) should be collected for qualitative analysis and secondly â€Å"10 ml peripheral blood from the left and right femoral veins should be collected by direct vascular access.† ii) Urine – Levine (2006) mentions that most of the drugs and metabolites will still remain in a relatively higher concentration and for a longer period in urine than in blood. Therefore, it is important to collect all the urine available from the specimen for analysis. iii) Vitreous Humor – According to TIAFT, vitreous humor is a biological fluid that can be collected from the lens of the eye. Drummer (2002) mentions that it has a desirable characteristic of being so stable that can be more resistant to any putrefactive changes than other specimens. Therefore, for a better analysis, if possible, it is suggested that all vitreous fluid should be collected from each eye (Levine, 2006). Apart from the above specimens, others specimens including gastric contents, bile, cerebrospinal fluid, tissues (liver, lung) are also needed to collected for further testing. Limitations: Time is a major problem. It is important that all the specimens are collected as fast as possible being put in separate containers for accurate analysis. For most specimens, Skopp (2004) suggests disposable hard plastic or glass tubes should be used for the storage of specimens. Also, Flanagan, Connally and Evans (2005) suggest that samples should be stored at a maximum of 4 ºC when being analyzed after autopsy, if not, they should be stored at -20 ºC. b) Analytical Process According to Fitzgerald, Rivera and Herold (2010), most of the drugs molecules cannot be distinguished directly through the post-mortem specimens, thus they have to be separated from the biological matrix before they undergo the toxicology analysis. For the separation, there are few steps. Firstly, the specimens need to undergo heating at 60 80 degrees in a sealed container. Secondly, it is the protein precipitation that we need to concentrate the proteins and purify them from various contaminants. Then, it is the liquid-liquid extraction. Sapkale, Patil, Surwase and Bhatbhage (2010) mention that this process is used to â€Å"separate compounds based on their relative solubility in two different immiscible liquids, usually water and an organic solvent†. After that, the analysts can be identified and quantified by techniques, such as spectrophotometry, chromatography and immunoassay. 1) Spectrophotometry According to Watson (2008), she states that color tests can able to test an unknown drug with a chemical or mixture of chemicals. Therefore, the change of the colour of the test substance can help find out the type of the drug it belongs to (See Table 1). Drugs like Heroin, Morphine, Cocaine, Barbiturates and Marijuana can be screened by the color test. Other drug tests include ultraviolet spectrophotometry is used to identify other drug classes. Wilkinson, Dale, Wayne and Martin (2002) mention that ultraviolent spectrophotometry can analyzes â€Å"how the substance reacts to ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light.† The spectrophotometry machine will emit UV and IR rays, and then it will measure how the sample reflects or absorbs these rays so as to identify what type of substance is present in it (Watson, 2008). (Table 1: Source from Westchester Department of Laboratories and Research) 2) Chromatography According to Pervez (2001), this technique is widely used because â€Å"it can distinguish the presence of a certain chemical in a highly complex mixture.† There are 2 types of chromatography, including Gas Chromatography (GC) and Liquid Chromatography (LC). GC is usually used to identify volatile toxicants and those that contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and halogen-carrying molecules. Comparing with spectrophotometry, Pervez (2001) also mentions that GC is a highly sensitive toxicology test, which is good at identifying the drug molecule. For liquid chromatography (LC), it is used to identify non-volatile and/or thermally labile toxicants. 3) Immunoassay According to ImmunoChemisty Technologies, LLC, immunoassays are â€Å"quick and accurate tests that can be used onsite and in the laboratory to detect specific molecules†. It also mentions that it is dependent on the inherent ability of an antibody to â€Å"bind to the specific structure of a molecule† so as to detect the presence of drugs in the specimen. Analysts in biological liquids like serum or urine are frequently measured using this method for medical and research purposes. F. Mismatch In the film, Lennox fakes his death by drug injection and bribing the policeman (who acts as the coroner too), who, interesting, simply takes photos of the dead body and announces his death of intoxication, without any surgical procedure to determine and evaluate the cause and manner of the Lennox’s â€Å"death†. But it is quite a mismatch in reality since: 1) bribing not only one policeman, but all the police, coroners and other all officers to fake one’s death sounds unreasonable and impossible. Moreover, according to Laws of Hong Kong, medicate practitioner shall provide certificate where cause of death of certain deceased should be clearly stated with proof. 2) Forensic toxicology for autopsy was widely used (even already available in 1970s). That means in the film, coroners should carry out drug test to further obtain and interpret the cause of death. As for tracking gun ownership, according to Laws of Hong Kong, no person shall possess any firearms or ammunition unless one holds a license for possession of such items. So we should look into the situation in other countries, for example, the U.S. where the murder case happens in the film. While the Gun laws nowadays in the United States are dependent on different states, they require owners including sellers and buyers to have specific license to possess firearms. In crime science investigation, these license for sure are used to trace the registration and ownership of guns. Instead of saying it as a ‘mismatch’, it, as similar to the ways in the movie, is still a very useful way in nowadays to solve crimes. G. Conclusion By investigating this film, we have examined the use of autopsy examination and tracking gun ownership, which are used in the movie. We address forensic toxicology in autopsy like Spectrophotometry, Chromatography and Immunoassay in detail. Finally we come to a conclusion that faked death is almost impossible to happen nowadays in reality, but tracking gun ownership is still made possible and useful nowadays. Bibliography Beauthier, J.-P., LefeÃÅ'â‚ ¬vre, P., De Valck, E. (2011). Autopsy and Identification Techniques. In N.-A. M. (Ed.), The Tsunami Threat Research and Technology. InTech. Drummer OH and Gerostamoulos J (2002) Ther. Drug Monit. Flanagan RJ, Connally G, and Evans JM (2005) Toxicol. Rev. 24:63-71. Pervez. F (2001). Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry. Bronx Science. Retrieved April 23, 2014 from http://www.bxscience.edu/publications/forensics/articles/toxicology/f-toxi01.htm Immunochemistry Technologies, LLC (2013). What is an Immunoassay? Retrieved April 23, 2014 from http://www.immunochemistry.com/what-immunoassay National Criminal Justice Information Center. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.ncjrs.org/DrugsandCrime.asp Levine B (2006) Principles of Forensic Toxicology. American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Washington, DC. Fitzgerald, Rivera and Herold (2010). Broad Spectrum Drug Identification Directly from Urine, Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Clinical Chemistry. Retrieved April 23, 2014 from http://www.clinchem.org/content/45/8/1224.long Skopp G (2004) Forensic Sci. Society of Forensic Toxicologists/American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Guidelines. (2006).Retrieved April 24, 2014, from www.soft-tox.org. The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (2010). Retrieved April 23, 2014 from http://www.tiaft.org/abouttiaft Valdes, R. (2004, August 03). How Autopsies Work, HowStuffWorks.com. Watson, S. (2008). Forensic Drug Testing. HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/forensic-lab-technique2.htm Westchester Department of Laboratories and Research. Forensic Chemistry. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://www.westchestergov.com/labsresearch/forensicandtox/forensic/ Wilkinson, Dale, Wayne and Martin, (2002). Physics and Forensics: Synchotron Radiation is helping to Identify Tiny Amounts of Paint, Drugs, and Fibers Found at Crime Scenes. Physics World. Sapkale, Patil, Surwase and Bhatbhage (2010). SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION. Sadguru Publication.

The Revolution of 1905: The First Russian Revolution Essay -- Russian

The Revolution of 1905: The First Russian Revolution We are, however, slightly ahead of our story. The short period of 1900-1906 provides an essential piece of the puzzle to make the picture of the Russian Revolution complete. Russia's Asian policy under Nicholas II took a decidedly expansionist and aggressive tone, culminating in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. A primarily naval conflict on Russia's Far Eastern frontier, this war brought back the awful memories of the Crimean defeat when Japan's newly modernized army and navy routed the out-dated, ill-equipped Russian forces. Peace negotiations, organized by United States President Theodore Roosevelt in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, allowed Russia to save face on paper; however, no one could argue with the historical fact that this marked the first time a European power lost any conflict with an Asian power. For the Russian government, it was an utter humiliation; for the Russian radicals, it was an opportunity. Even moderates radicalized their opposition to the central government by this time. The liberal constitutionalists, later called Kadets, organized their own illegal publication, called Liberation, to voice their complaints and grievances. Dissatisfaction with the inept central government--highlighted by its defeat at the hands of Asian Japan (there certainly was a racist element here)--was high atop any such list. In mid-1904, a popular Russian Orthodox priest, Georgi Gapon, organized thousands of St. Petersburg workers into his Assembly of Russian Factory Workers, an association originally financed and approved by the government to minimize the influence of radicals among the workers and bolster the credibility of the autocracy by providing an outlet for worker grievances. However, despite the government's intention, this union took a decidedly Marxist and militant bent. When, in December 1904, numerous workers at the large Putilov factory in St. Petersburg were fired for no apparent reason, the Assembly, who counted these sacked workers as members, leaped into action. The result was a citywide general strike in January 1905. On January 9, 1905 the striking workers organized a mass march on the Winter Palace of the Tsar with representatives holding a petition for "our father" Tsar Nicholas II. The petition called for higher wages, an eight-hour workday, a constitution, free elec... ... Bolshevik government went on a total war footing, known as War Communism. Under the banner of War Communism, Lenin allowed the CHEKA to conduct a Red Terror against any opposition force, whether military or civilian. CHEKA oversaw mass murders in the cities and enormous peasant deaths, all aimed to intimidate White forces in the countryside--without question, it worked. In addition, Lenin quickly nationalized all industry so he could control all revenue and production elements, outlawed private trade so the government could gain all benefit from commerce, and ordered the forced seizure of grain from all peasants to feed his constituents and deny food to the opposition. Though this probably led to a devastating famine in 1922, Lenin took any means to reach his goal of victory. By early 1921, Lenin had galvanized his supporters, defeated the Whites, and secured the success of his seizure of power in October 1917. No longer was there a question of Communist rule in Russia, by now renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Lenin and his Bolshevik party, by virtue of their victory in the civil war, were entrenched in the seat of power. The Russian Revolution was over.

The Vicious Cycle :: Sociology Sociological Essays

The Vicious Cycle â€Å"Cuanto Cuesta?† asked Dr. Catherwood as he slowly paged through the June 1, 1998 Ocixeman newspaper. â€Å"Tres pesos, Senor,† replied the smiling clerk, gold teeth sparkling in the bright sun. Dr. Catherwood casually tossed a five peso coin on the counter of the small newsstand and remarked, â€Å"Keep the change amigo.† This drew another large grin from the clerk. Dr. Catherwood strolled away, contemplating his upcoming expedition. He had just arrived in Ocixem earlier by plane. Dr. Catherwood was on sabbatical from his position as an anthropology professor from Harvard University in Acirema. He had a meeting at a local cafe in an hour with Dr. Ortiz, his Ocixeman colleague from the Mayan Institute. Just the other day, Dr. Ortiz had telephoned him in his office claiming he had made an incredible discovery. After the second Scientific Revolution, people didn’t keep scientific secrets from the world, so he was quite intrigued. It was considered high treason to keep a discovery from the World Government as a part of their anti-terrorist policy. Wondering why he would take such a risk in guarding his discovery, Dr. Catherwood promised to join his friend immediately in Ocixem. Dr. Catherwood was early, so he took a seat in the outdoor cafe and ordered a cold lemonade. The humid jungle air condensed on his glass as the beads of sweat did on his head. He suddenly appreciated the fact that he was from the colder climate of Acirema. Little did he know that Dr. Ortiz’s discovery would have wide ranging applications to his thoughts. Doctor Ortiz suddenly appeared, rushing over to sit across from Dr. Catherwood. â€Å"Sorry to keep you waiting,† he exclaimed, â€Å"but I was finalizing our travel preparations.† â€Å"Travel preparations?† asked Dr. Catherwood. Dr. Ortiz explained that for the past two years, he had been working amongst the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization and had begun to decipher many of their hieroglyphics. He was focusing on how such a large and successful society could nearly vanish from the face of the earth. Some scientists theorized that the Mayans were assimilated into other cultures and disappeared that way. Although descendants of the Mayans can be recognized in present day Ocixem by their short stature, hawk noses, and flat foreheads, Dr.

Theories addressing learning styles Essay -- essays papers

Theories addressing learning styles There are several different learning styles and theories about approaching them. Some students learn better through one or more of the learning styles than another. As Rita Dunn of St. John’s University says, â€Å"A students best â€Å"modality† for learning may be visual, auditory, or tactile, according to the speakers†(Walton,1991). An auditory learner may learn better through hearing material spoken. A visual learner learns better by reading instructions to himself. And finally, a tactile learner will usually learn most effectively when they are able to use models or things that they can touch or manipulate. Technology supports these three learning styles; auditory, visual and tactile. Animated graphics of computer software support the needs of visual learners. Not just in a regular classroom can children benefit through visual aids, but also in a music classroom. Amy Casey, a former elementary teacher in the Kansas City school district said, â€Å"My exper iences in my own classroom have proven that integrating technology into the music curriculum entices students to actively engage in learning† (2005). Setting up music centers in a classroom allows students to learn to use technology in various ways. Children are able to learn how to read music or learn the piano keys with the use of a computer. Students who excel through auditory learning may use technology so regularly they do not realize how beneficial it is to them. Auditory learners may prefer to listen to a book on tape or sing a song about numbers or multiplication facts. These are all ways to reach out to the auditory learner in a classroom. Technology in the classroom also enhances the skills of tactile learners with the use of a keyboard o... ... from the World Wide Web:http://search.epnet.com Serim, Ferdi. Building Virtual Communties for Professional Development. www.ed.gove/technology/futures/serim.html Schank, Roger. Futureperspective- A vision of Education for the 21st Century. www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A2598.cfm www.aten.scps.kl2fl.us www.nces.ed.gov/quicktables/details.asp?key1069 Fine, L. (January, 2002). Writing takes a digital turn for special-needs students. Education Weekly. Retrieved April 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/01/30/20wordte ch.h21.html?querystring=assistive%20technology Walton, S. (November, 1991). Experts urge teachers to adapt to students’ learning styles. Education Weekly. Retrieved April 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.edweek.org/ewarticles/1991/11/23/20wordtechh21.html

Response-In Search of the Emerald City Essay

â€Å"In Search of the Emerald City† is a Short story by Witi Ihimaera. It is about a Maori family who leave their whanau and roots behind to seek the opportunities of the big city. Witi Ihimaera wants the audience to understand the desire working class people have to rise above their station in life and out do the expectations that society have for them. The father wants his children to be smarter, wealthier and have a better life than he did. â€Å"I’ve got to start looking to the future and to get my kids educated.† He believes the solution is in Wellington or ‘Emerald City.’ â€Å"Wellington’s the place. Plenty of jobs, plenty of money.† Perhaps Ihimaera used the name ‘Emerald City’ to portray the idea â€Å"Grass is always greener on the other side.† Using the word emerald to describe Wellington makes it seem desirable and sought after. It makes life in Wellington look worth aspiring too much like the fantasy la nd ‘Emerald City’ in the Wizard of Oz. â€Å"The road leads to Wellington. The big city, The Emerald city!† In the first book The Wizard of Oz the walls of the city are green but the city itself is no different in colour to any other. Read more:  How to describe a fantasy city. The people in the city are made to wear green tinted glasses which affect their perception of the city. Ihimaera may have used this analogy to ‘Emerald City’ to show that the perception of Wellington being better may not have been true. Witi Ihimaera explored the idea of cultural change. As in leaving their whanau the family was also leaving their cultural roots. â€Å"Waitahi is where our bones are but we got to move. Not much room for Pa living anymore.† I think Ihimaera is showing how the Maori culture may not fit in to the modern world, that living in the traditional way can be difficult with little chance of betterment due to lack of work and educational opportunities. The father thinks he needs to adapt to the modern ways in order to get ahead in life. He wants to follow the Pakeha way of life because he thinks it is becoming the only way of life. â€Å"You’ve got to go where the money is. That’s the Pakeha way.† He feels the world is ch anging and old Maori culture and ways are falling behind. Waitahi is just one example of a traditionally Maori populated area that is losing their people to the city, the Pakeha way of life. The narrative helped me understand the great effect of the young people leaving the small, traditional Maori towns. The people who are left behind are often the ones who are older and committed to a more traditional way of life.

Credit and Debit Cards Pros and Cons

DEBIT CARD A debit card (also known as a bank card or check card) is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account(s) at a financial institution. Some cards have a stored value with which a payment is made, while most relay a message to the cardholder's bank to withdraw funds from a payee's designated bank account. The card, where accepted, can be used instead ofcash when making purchases. In some cases, the primary account number is assigned exclusively for use on the Internet and there is no physical card.In many countries, the use of debit cards has become so widespread that their volume has overtaken or entirely replaced cheques and, in some instances, cash transactions. The development of debit cards, unlike credit cards and charge cards, has generally been country specific resulting in a number of different systems around the world, which were often incompatible. Since the mid 2000s, a number of initiatives have allowed debit cards iss ued in one country to be used in other countries and allowed their use for internet and phone purchases.Unlike credit and charge cards, payments using a debit card are immediately transferred from the cardholder's designated bank account, instead of them paying the money back at a later date. Debit cards usually also allow for instant withdrawal of cash, acting as the ATM card for withdrawing cash. Merchants may also offer cashback facilities to customers, where a customer can withdraw cash along with their purchase. ORIGIN The First National Bank of Seattle issued the first debit card to business executives with large savings accounts in 1978.These cards acted like a check signature or a guarantee card, where the bank promised the funds would cover the transaction without the customer needing a check to complete the transaction. The bank only issued debit cards to those customers who had a long history with the bank and were in good standing, because like a check, the funds were no t immediately removed from the account. In 1984, Landmark implemented the first nationwide debiting system, built on the credit card infrastructure and ATM networks already in place.By 1998, debit cards outnumbered check usage around the world. Its preference over checks continues to grow every year. HISTORY The history of debit cards is an interesting one. Debit cards helped to change the way that people used money and bank accounts. Debit cards are used to pay for purchases at stores and other locations around the world. A debit card works by debiting the money from your checking account. For many people debit cards have taken the place of cash and checks. However, debit cards are still a relatively new banking tool.Credit cards paved the way for debit cards. Many people used credit cards to pay for transactions. This also put in place the infrastructure that debit cards needed to be practical as a method of payment. Seattle's First National Bank offered the first debit card to bu siness executives in 1978. Initially they were like a check signature or guarantee card, with which the bank would guarantee that the fund would be paid, but you did not need a check to do the transaction. They also required a large savings account be kept at the bank to cover the funds.These cards were only issued to people who had a long and good standing with the bank, because the funds were not directly debited from the account. These types of cards generally come with the Visa or MasterCard symbol on them. In 1984 Landmark created the first nationwide debit system, using ATMs and other networks that allowed debit cards to be used nationwide. This allowed the smaller banking systems within states to connect with banks systems outside of states. As technology improved the debit cards moved to a system that was able to directly debit the money from a checking account.When this happened the debit cards became available to more and more consumers. These types of debit cards may have the Plus symbol or other similar symbols on them. However many banks will also use the Visa or MasterCard symbol for a direct debit card because they are accepted at so many different places around the country. In 1998 debit card transactions first outnumbered the use of checks around the world. This number has continued to grow over time. Debit cards are now commonly used for most transactions at stores in the United States. Debit cards are more convenient to use than a check.Debit cards speed up transactions at stores. Additionally debit cards are safer than carrying cash, because banks can stop fraudulent purchases and consumers are not held liable for purchases made when the card is stolen. Debit cards have made banking a much easier process for many people. In the future transactions will continue to move away from cash and check. Debit cards may be left behind as well as banks move to using one card that you can quickly scan at a variety of locations. This will speed up trans actions as well as virtually eliminate the need for cash in the future.Over time the history of debit cards may be one step to moving to a completely cashless system. FUNCTION Although debit cards look like credit cards, they do not function like credit cards. Debit cards connect to the available balance contained in the holder's checking account. If the funds are not available, the debit card cannot complete the transaction. Unlike a check, the money does not float until the bank completes the funds transfer. Rather, the funds transfer from the customer's account to the seller's account in real time, providing the seller with a guaranteed exchange for their goods for money.Debit cards with the logo of a major company imprinted on them, such as Visa or MasterCard, can function like a credit card where the transaction does â€Å"float† for two to three business days after the transaction, until the bank can transfer the funds TYPES Debit cards began as a convenient method to e xchange money for goods or services in the late 1970s and early 1980s, over writing checks. There are several types of debit card available. One type of debit card is a tangible card that resembles a credit card. Historicallly, banks and credit unions only have issued these cards.Retailers now issue prepaid debit cards in specific amounts, similar to gift cards, imprinted with Visa or MasterCard. These debit cards, unlike gift cards, can be used anywhere. There are also intangible debit cards that transfer money from your bank account to a seller's bank account, like an ATM card. Advantages of debit cards * A consumer who is not credit worthy and may find it difficult or impossible to obtain a credit card can more easily obtain a debit card, allowing him/her to make plastic transactions.For example, legislation often prevents minors from taking out debt, which includes the use of a credit card, but not online debit card transactions. Research has shown that consumers with lower cred it scores use debit cards more intensively than those with higher credit scores. * For most transactions, a check card can be used to avoid check writing altogether. Check cards debit funds from the user’s account on the spot, thereby finalizing the transaction at the time of purchase, and bypassing the requirement to pay a credit card bill at a later date, or to write an insecure check, containing the account holder’s personal information. Like credit cards, debit cards are accepted by merchants with less identification and scrutiny than personal checks, thereby making transactions quicker and less intrusive. Unlike personal checks, merchants generally do not believe that a payment via a debit card may be later dishonored. * Unlike a credit card, which charges higher fees and interest rates when a cash advance is obtained, a debit card may be used to obtain cash from an ATM or a PIN-based transaction at no extra charge, other than a foreign ATM fee.Disadvantages of de bit cards * Use of a debit card is not usually limited to the existing funds in the account to which it is linked, most banks allow a certain threshold over the available bank balance which can cause overdraft fees if the user's transaction does not reflect available balance. This disadvantage has lessened in the United States with the requirement that an issuer obtain opt-in permission in advance to allow an overdraft on a debit card. Lacking this opt-in, overdrafts are not permitted for electronic transactions. Many banks are now charging over-limit fees or non-sufficient funds fees based upon pre-authorizations, and even attempted but refused transactions by the merchant (some of which may be unknown until later discovery by account holder).* Many merchants mistakenly believe that amounts owed can be â€Å"taken† from a customer's account after a debit card (or number) has been presented, without agreement as to date, payee name, amount and currency, thus causing penalty f ees for overdrafts, over-the-limit, amounts not available causing further rejections or overdrafts, and rejected transactions by some banks. In some countries debit cards offer lower levels of security protection than credit cards. Theft of a user's PIN using skimming devices can be accomplished much easier with a PIN input than with a signature-based credit transaction.However, theft of users' PIN codes using skimming devices can be equally easily accomplished with a debit transaction PIN input, as with a credit transaction PIN input, and theft using a signature-based credit transaction is equally easy as theft using a signature-based debit transaction. In many places, laws protect the consumer from fraud much less than with a credit card. While the holder of a credit card is legally responsible for only a minimal amount of a fraudulent transaction made with a credit card, which is often waived by the bank, the consumer may be held liable for hundreds of dollars, or even the entire value of fraudulent debit transactions.Because debit cards allow funds to be immediately transferred from an account when making a purchase, the consumer also has a shorter time (usually just two days) to report such fraud to the bank in order to be eligible for such a waiver with a debit card and recover the lost funds, whereas with a credit card, this time may be up to 60 days, and the transactions are removed without losing any credit. A thief who obtains or clones a debit card along with its PIN may be able to clean out the consumer's bank account, and the consumer will have no recourse. CREDIT CARDSA credit card is a payment card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows the cardholder to pay for goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for them. The issuer of the card creates a revolving account and grants a line of credit to the consumer (or the user) from which the user can borrow money for payment to a merchant or as a cash advance to the user. A cre dit card is different from a charge card: a charge card requires the balance to be paid in full each month. In contrast, credit cards allow the consumers a continuing balance of debt, subject to interest being charged.A credit card also differs from a cash card, which can be used like currency by the owner of the card. A credit card differs from a charge card also in that a credit card typically involves a third-party entity that pays the seller and is reimbursed by the buyer, whereas a charge card simply defers payment by the buyer until a later date. HISTORY The concept of using a card for purchases was described in 1887 by Edward Bellamy in his utopian novel Looking Backward. Bellamy used the term credit card eleven times in this novel, although this referred to a card for spending a citizen's dividend rather than borrowing.The modern credit card was the successor of a variety of merchant credit schemes. It was first used in the 1920s, in the United States, specifically to sell f uel to a growing number ofautomobile owners. In 1938 several companies started to accept each other's cards. Western Union had begun issuing charge cards to its frequent customers in 1921. Some charge cards were printed on paper card stock, but were easily counterfeited. The Charga-Plate, developed in 1928, was an early predecessor to the credit card and used in the U. S. from the 1930s to the late 1950s.It was a 2 ½ in Ãâ€" 1 ¼ in rectangle of sheet metal related to Addressograph and military dog tag systems. It was embossed with the customer's name, city and state. It held a small paper card for a signature. In recording a purchase, the plate was laid into a recess in the imprinter, with a paper â€Å"charge slip† positioned on top of it. The record of the transaction included an impression of the embossed information, made by the imprinter pressing an inked ribbon against the charge slip. Charga-Plate was a trademark of Farrington Manufacturing Co.Charga-Plates were i ssued by large-scale merchants to their regular customers, much like department store credit cards of today. In some cases, the plates were kept in the issuing store rather than held by customers. When an authorized user made a purchase, a clerk retrieved the plate from the store's files and then processed the purchase. Charga-Plates speeded back-office bookkeeping that was done manually in paper ledgers in each store, before computers. In 1934, American Airlines and the Air Transport Association simplified the process even more with the advent of the Air Travel Card.They created a numbering scheme that identified the issuer of card as well as the customer account. This is the reason the modern UATP cards still start with the number 1. With an Air Travel Card, passengers could â€Å"buy now, and pay later† for a ticket against their credit and receive a fifteen percent discount at any of the accepting airlines. By the 1940s, all of the major domestic airlines offered Air Trav el Cards that could be used on 17 different airlines. By 1941 about half of the airlines' revenues came through the Air Travel Card agreement.The airlines had also started offering installment plans to lure new travelers into the air. In October 1948, the Air Travel Card became the first inter-nationally valid charge card within all members of the International Air Transport Association. The concept of customers paying different merchants using the same card was expanded in 1950 by Ralph Schneider and Frank McNamara, founders of Diners Club, to consolidate multiple cards. The Diners Club, which was created partially through a merger with Dine and Sign, produced the first â€Å"general purpose† charge card, and required the entire bill to be paid with each statement.That was followed by Carte Blanche and in 1958 by American Express which created a worldwide credit card network (although these were initially charge cards that acquired credit card features after BankAmericard de monstrated the feasibility of the concept). However, until 1958, no one had been able to create a working revolving credit financial instrument issued by a third-party bank that was generally accepted by a large number of merchants (as opposed to merchant-issued revolving cards accepted by only a few merchants). A dozen experiments by small American banks had been attempted (and had failed).In September 1958, Bank of America launched the BankAmericard in Fresno, California. BankAmericard became the first successful recognizably modern credit card (although it underwent a troubled gestation during which its creator resigned), and with its overseas affiliates, eventually evolved into the Visa system. In 1966, the ancestor of MasterCard was born when a group of banks established Master Charge to compete with BankAmericard; it received a significant boost when Citibank merged its proprietary Everything Card (launched in 1967) into Master Charge in 1969. Early credit cards in the U.S. , of which BankAmericard was the most prominent example, were mass produced and mass mailed unsolicited to bank customers who were thought to be good credit risks. But, â€Å"They have been mailed off to unemployables, drunks, narcotics addicts and to compulsive debtors, a process President Johnson's Special Assistant Betty Furness found very like ‘giving sugar to diabetics'. â€Å"[8] These mass mailings were known as â€Å"drops† in banking terminology, and were outlawed in 1970 due to the financial chaos they caused, but not before 100 million credit cards had been dropped into the U.S. population. After 1970, only credit card applications could be sent unsolicited in mass mailings. The fractured nature of the U. S. banking system under the Glass–Steagall Act meant that credit cards became an effective way for those who were traveling around the country to move their credit to places where they could not directly use their banking facilities. In 1966 Barclayca rd in the UK launched the first credit card outside of the U. S.There are now countless variations on the basic concept of revolving credit for individuals (as issued by banks and honored by a network of financial institutions), including organization-branded credit cards, corporate-user credit cards, store cards and so on. Although credit cards reached very high adoption levels in the US, Canada and the UK in the mid twentieth century, many cultures were more cash-oriented, or developed alternative forms of cash-less payments, such as Carte bleue or the Eurocard (Germany, France, Switzerland, and others).In these places, adoption of credit cards was initially much slower. It took until the 1990s to reach anything like the percentage market-penetration levels achieved in the US, Canada, or UK. In some countries, acceptance still remains poor as the use of a credit card system depends on the banking system being perceived as reliable. Japan remains a very cash oriented society, with credit card adoption being limited to only the largest of merchants, although an alternative system based on RFIDs inside cellphones has seen some acceptance.Because of strict regulations regarding banking system overdrafts, some countries, France in particular, were much faster to develop and adopt chip-based credit cards which are now seen as major anti-fraud credit devices. Debit cards and online banking are used more widely than credit cards in some countries. The design of the credit card itself has become a major selling point in recent years. The value of the card to the issuer is often related to the customer's usage of the card, or to the customer's financial worth.This has led to the rise of Co-Brand and Affinity cards, where the card design is related to the â€Å"affinity† (a university or professional society, for example) leading to higher card usage. In most cases a percentage of the value of the card is returned to the affinity group. Advantages of credit card s * Purchase Power and Ease of Purchase – Credit cards can make it easier to buy things. If we don't like to carry large amounts of cash with us or if a company doesn't accept cash purchases (for example most airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies), putting purchases on a credit card can make buying things easier. Protection of Purchases – Credit cards may also offer you additional protection if something we have bought is lost, damaged, or stolen.Both our credit card statement (and the credit card company) can vouch for the fact that we have made a purchase if the original receipt is lost or stolen. In addition, some credit card companies offer insurance on large purchases. * Building a Credit Line – Having a good credit history is often important, not only when applying for credit cards, but also when applying for things such as loans, rental applications, or even some jobs.Having a credit card and using it wisely (making payments on time and in full each m onth) will help us build a good credit history. * Emergencies – Credit cards can also be useful in times of emergency. While we should avoid spending outside our budget (or money we don't have! ), sometimes emergencies (such as our car breaking down or flood or fire) may lead to a large purchase (like the need for a rental car or a motel room for several nights. * Credit Card Benefits – In addition to the benefits listed above, some credit cards offer additional benefits, such as discounts from particular stores or companies, bonuses such as free airline miles or travel discounts, and special insurances (like travel or life insurance. ) While most of these benefits are meant to encourage us to charge more money on our credit card (remember, credit card companies start making their money when we can't afford to pay off our charges! ) the benefits are real and can be helpful as long as we remember your spending limits.Disadvantages of credit cards * Blowing Your Budget à ¢â‚¬â€ The biggest disadvantage of credit cards is that they encourage people to spend money that they don't have. Most credit cards do not require us to pay off our balance each month, so even if we only have $100, we may be able to spend up to $500 or $1,000 on our credit card. While this may seem like ‘free money' at the time, we will have to pay it off — and the longer we wait, the more money we will owe since credit card companies charge us interest each month on the money we have borrowed.High Interest Rates and Increased Debt — Credit card companies charge us an enormous amount of interest on each balance that we don't pay off at the end of each month. This is how they make their money and this is how most people in the United States get into debt (and even bankruptcy. ) Consider this: If we have a $100 in savings, most banks will give us at the most 2. 0 to 2. 5% interest on our money over the course of the year. This means we earn $2. 00 – $2. 50 a year on our $100 savings. Most credit cards charge us up to 10 times that amount of interest on balances.This means that if we have $100 balance that we don't pay off, we will be charged 20-25% interest on that $100. This means that we owe almost $30 interest (plus the original $100) at the end of the year. A good way to look at this is in comparison to what we would earn in interest from a bank or owe in interest to a bank loan: Savings accounts may pay us around 2% interest; if we have a loan from a bank we may pay them around 10% interest (5 times as much as our earn off our savings); if we owe money to a credit card company, we may pay them around 20% interest (10 times as much as you earn off our savings.* Credit Card Fraud – Like cash, sometimes credit cards can be stolen. They may be physically stolen (if we lose our wallet) or someone may steal your credit card number (from a receipt, over the phone, or from a Web site) and use our card to rack up debts. The good n ews is that, unlike cash, if we realize our credit card or number has been stolen and we report it to our credit card company immediately, we will not be charged for any purchases that someone else has made.Even if we don't realize our credit card number has been stolen (sometimes we might not know until we receive our monthly statement), most credit card companies don't charge us or only charge a small fee, like $25 or $50, even if the thief has charged thousands of dollars to our card. There are several things we can do to prevent credit card fraud: * If we lose our card or wallet, report it to ur credit card company immediately. * Don't loan our credit card to anyone and only give out our credit card information to trusted companies or Web sites. * Check our statement closely at the end of each month to make sure all charges are ours. we can find out more about protecting our personal information by visiting our Personal Safety course.Credit cards can make life easier and be a gr eat tool, but if they aren't used wisely they can become a huge financial burden. If we decide to use credit cards, remember these simple rules: * Keep track of all our purchases. * Don't spend outside our budget. * Pay off our balance on all of our credit cards at the end of each month. * Don't loan our credit or give out our credit card information to anyone but reliable companies. TYPES OF CREDIT CARDS Credit cards have come to the rescue of people with hot pockets.They, nowadays, put their trust in the innovation of credit cards where they need not carry large sums of money with them; instead simply carry a credit card which is linked up with their bank account enabling them to make payments without batting an eye. It is a trend, now, to make payments at a hotel, restaurant or a departmental store/ mall using a credit card. Because of the fear of one's bank account details being swiped and stolen, more and more credit cards are made secure so that even if a credit card is stolen , the money in one's bank account stays safe.Credit cards now are of various types with different fees, interest rates and rewarding programs. When applying for a credit card, it is important to learn of their diverse types to know the one best suited to their lifestyle and financial status. Different types of credit cards available by banks and other companies/organizations are briefly described below. Standard Credit Card: This is the most commonly used. One is allowed to use money up to a certain limit. The account holder has to top up the amount once the level of the balance goes down. An outstanding balance gets a penalty charge.Premium Credit Card: This has a much higher bank account and fees. Incentives are offered in this over and above that in a standard card. Credit card holders are offered travel incentives, reward points, cask back and other rewards on the use of this card. This is also called the Reward Credit Card. Some examples are: airlines frequent flier credit card , cash back credit card, automobile manufacturers' rewards credit card. Platinum and Gold, MasterCard and Visa card fall into this category. Secured Credit Card: People without credit history or with tarnished credit can avail this card.A security deposit is required amounting to the same as the credit limit. Revolving balance is required according to the ‘buying and selling' done. Limited Purpose Credit Card: There is limitation to its use and is to be used only for particular applications. This is used for establishing small credits such as gas credits and credit at departmental stores. Minimal charges are levied. Charge Credit Card: This requires the card holder to make full payment of the balance every month and therefore there is no limit to credit.Because of the spending flexibility, the card holder is expected to have a higher income level and high credit score. Penalty is incurred if full payment of the balance is not done in time. Specialty Credit Card: is used for bu siness purposes enabling businessmen to keep their businesses transactions separately in a convenient way. Charge cards and standard cards are available for this. Also, students enrolled in an accredited 4-year college/university course can avail this benefit. Prepaid Credit Card: Here, money is loaded by the card holder on to the card. It is like a debit card except that it is not tied up with a bank account.

Different types of wastewaters Essay

Domestic wastewater Domestic effluents are generated from activities such as bathing, laundry, cleaning, cooking, washing, and other kitchen activities. This contains a large amount of organic waste with suspended solids and coliforms. Calculations made based on available data show that half the organic waste is from the domestic sector (PEM, 2003). As stated in the EMB report, domestic wastewater discharges contribute highest to the BOD load as the lack of sewage treatment system allows more than 90 percent of inadequately treated domestic sewage to be discharged into surface waters, which contain bacteria and viruses that threaten human life. Geographically, data show that one-third (30 percent) of BOD generation comes from Metro Manila and Region IV alone, at 18 and 15 percent, respectively (PEM, 2003). Industrial wastewater Reports show that the volume and characteristics of industrial effluents vary by type of industry and are influenced by different factors such as production processes and the scale of production used. Industries that are found to be water-intensive, i.e. food and dairy manufacturing, pulp, paper and paperboard products, and textile products, correspondingly discharge large amounts of wastewater (PEM, 2003). Most of the water pollution-intensive industries are in National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Region III. Food manufacturing industries, piggeries, and slaughterhouses are the main sources of organic pollution (PEM, 2004). A report from a study conducted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1999 emphasizes that the situation is even more critical with regard to hazardous wastes. In the said report, approximately 2,000 cubic meters of solvent wastes, 22,000 tons of heavy metals, infectious wastes, biological sludge, lubricants, and intractable was tes, as well as 25 million cubic meters of acid/alkaline liquid wastes are improperly disposed of annually in the Metro Manila area alone. A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted in 2001 (as cited in National Economic Development Authority’s document on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010) states that around 700 industrial establishments in the  Philippines generate about 273,000 tons of hazardous wastes per annum. It was further estimated that with 5,000 potential hazardous waste generators, about 2.41 million tons of hazardous wastes will be generated. At present, the report added, there is no integrated treatment facility for hazardous wastes in the country although there are about 95 small to mediumscale treatment facilities that treat hazardous wastes (i.e., used oil, sludge). There is approximately 50,000 tons of hazardous wastes stored on or offsite due to lack of proper treatment, recovery and recycling facilities. Sometimes they end up being recycled in backyard operations further putting at risk workers and communities hosting these informal recycling facilities. Other hazardous wastes are exported to other countries for recovery and disposal (i.e. metal bearing sludge, used solvents and electronic wastes) and treatment (e.g. PCB). Health and environmental problems Much of the surface water in urban areas is a public health risk while rural surface waters are also sources of disease. The World Bank estimates that exposure to water pollution and poor sanitation account for one-sixth of reported disease cases, and nearly 6,000 premature deaths per year. The cost of treatment and lost income from illness and death due to water pollution is pegged at PHP6.7 billion (US$134 million) per year (PEM 2006). Pollution of our water resources such as untreated wastewater discharges affect human health through the spread of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Some known examples of diseases that may be spread through wastewater discharge are gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and, recently, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) (PEM 2003). The state of water in the Philippines (Bacongui, Beau, 2007, October). Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/seasia/report/2007/10/the-state-of-wa ter-in-the-phil.pdf Hazardous and toxic waste management Republic Act 6969, implemented by DAO 29 series of 1992, regulates the range of activities associated with hazardous and toxic materials (use, transportation, storage, export, distribution, manufacture, and processing). Users or handlers of chemicals must first check with DENR whether the substances are included in the Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances (PICCS). A Chemical Control Order (CCO) prohibiting, limiting, or subjecting use to certain controls or conditions may be issued for chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to public health or the environment. Environmental Impact Management System An on-going innovation under the EIS system is the introduction of programmatic compliance. Under this program, industries sited in declared industrial development areas may be issued a single Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). This approach has the advantage of reducing the cost of document preparation and review. Furthermore, it justifies the future application of carrying capacity assessments to determine the number and types of industries that should be allowed to locate in a given area. Philippines: Country Profile. In Green Productivity Practices: In Select Industry Sectors. (Abanto, Arnel. 2001) Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.apo-tokyo.org/gp/e_publi/gpp/0302PHILIPPINESrev.pdf Water pollution creeping in – senator MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines faces a creeping water pollution problem because of rapid urbanization and industrialization, a senator warned over the weekend. Senator Pilar Juliana â€Å"Pia† S. Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, said she is worried that government has weakly-implemented programs to improve the quality of fresh water supply. Cayetano pointed out that inadequate resources, institutional fragmentation and poor statistics as the major stumbling blocks in achieving the goal of securing a sufficient future supply of clean fresh water. She said addressing this concern is in line with the Millennium Development Goal 7 for environment sustainability which is to reduce by one half, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chairman, said the issue emphasizes the importance of refo resting the country’s denuded mountains. Forests, Zubiri said, act as watersheds, storing and releasing fresh water through natural processes. In past Senate Committee hearings, testimonies on the country’s forest reserve being  denuded at a fast clip the past few decades had been presented. Citing the Philippine Environment Monitor report of the World Bank in 2003, domestic wastewater represents 48 percent of the total pollution in the entire country; the rest is due to industrial and agricultural sources. In Metro Manila alone, the share of domestic sewage is 58 percent of the total. Because of insufficient sewage treatment and disposal, more than 90 percent of the sewage generated in the Philippines is not disposed or treated in an environmentally acceptable manner, Cayetano said. The same report estimates that water pollution costs the Philippine economy an estimated P67 billion ($.3 billion) annually of which P3 billion is attributed to health, P17 billion to fisheries production and P47 billion to tourism. Cayetano pointed out that Department of Health (DoH) statistics show that approximately 18 people die each day from water-borne diseases, which accounted for 31 percent of all reported illnesses from 1996-2000. She said the Congressional Oversight Committee was created following the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 2004 and found out weaknesses in the enforcement of environmentally-related laws. â€Å"There are too many hands dipping in the broth, so to speak. Around 30 government agencies are involved in the management of our water resources. The gaps, overlaps and conflicts of responsibilities are apparent during the conduct of our (committee) hearings, making the institutional framework highly fragmented, weak and complicated,’’ she said. Water pollution creeping in – senator (Casayuran, Mario. 2011, April) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/312556/water-pollution-creeping-senator#.UO1KP-TwaSo ‘Water pollution a threat’ Gov’t not enforcing environment laws — SWS survey  MANILA, Philippines . Five of every 10 Filipinos believe water pollution is a serious threat to their health and environment, but the government is unable to enforce environmental laws. Results of a survey of the Social Weather Stations released Friday also showed that at least three of every six residents of Metro Manila did not agree that pollution was an acceptable trade-off for economic progress. The SWS survey, a first on water pollution and enforcement of environmental laws, was commissioned by  the environmental group Greenpeace as part of its Project: Clean Water program launched in September. The initiative aims to mobilize action in protecting the country’s vast fresh water sources. A recent World Bank study warned of a possible water scarcity problem in the country by 2025. The survey from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 covered 1,200 randomly chosen adult respondents divided into samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We wanted to see how Filipinos perceive the problem because it is very hard to push for the implementation of environmental laws if the public accepts water pollution as an unavoidable consequence of economic development, said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner in a press conference Friday. Half of the respondents said water pollution in the country was a very serious problem and posed great danger to their health and environment; 22 percent found it somewhat serious; nine percent, a little serious; and 19 percent, hardly serious. While growing concern for water pollution was noted among residents in urban areas, with 58 percent finding it unacceptable that economic progress should mean environmental destruction, some 48 percent said they were not aware of any laws enacted to help prevent pollution. Among the environmental policies cited in the survey were the Clean Water Act and the Solid Waste Management Act. Out of the 1,200 respondents, 26 percent said they were familiar with the Clean Water Act; 27 percent were aware of the Solid Waste Management Act while 50 percent admitted not knowing about the laws. ‘Water pollution a threat’ (Uy, Jocelyn, 2008, January) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080126-114918/Water-pollution-a-threat Dirty Water: Estimated Deaths from Water-Related Diseases 2000-2020 (Gleick, Peter, 2002, August) Retrieved from http://www.pacinst.org/reports/water_related_deaths/water_related_deaths_report.pdf