Macbeth Retold Essay

It feels strange running into something that everyone else is running out of, it’s my second time today. I can’t explain the thrill of running into the blaze, for some it’s just a career but for me it’s my passion. As I reached the top of the burning stairs I looked out the window to see Don with his back against the truck again, he was just standing there watching whilst men are in that house risking their lives to save others. It angers me so much to know that his name will be on the front page tomorrow for what I’ve done again. When we got back to the station the others applauded Don as he walked in and exclaimed â€Å"another fire stopped and 3 lives saved† me and Benji couldn’t bear to watch him take the glory for what we had done, so we went outside to take a breather and collect the post. Whilst we were out there we met the postman, he was standing there as if he was waiting for us, me and Benji exchanged a confused glance and then I said hello, he muttered â€Å"you’ll be station manager son† â€Å"sorry? † I said â€Å"and station commander† he replied â€Å"it’s as if I can tell the future! he laughed as he turned to walk away â€Å"what about me then eh? † shouted Benji shouted after the postman â€Å"it’ll be your sons and his sons and his sons and his sons† the postman sang as he skipped away. Benji and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, at least it had lightened our mood after Don’s little display inside. That night I told Beth all about what Don has been doing and how he has been taking all the credit lately, I just wanted to vent to her but she got so much angrier than I had expected and told me that I should get rid of him by killing him! I want him gone and I want the praise but is this too extreme? She went on to tell me that if I didn’t do it I’d be a coward and there’s no point in me going back to the fire station at all, I can’t imagine not going back into a fire ever again. I’ve realised I have to do this. I told Beth I agree and she had a plan already. I’m going to kill him in the old house on foster street on Tuesday night when we go there for a risk assessment, Beth told me it would be perfect and no one will know I had anything to do with it; I’ll set the place alight and blame it on the squatters there.

The Malala Debate

The Malala debate There is a groundswell of sympathy for Malala and also a strong demand for the Pakistani state to do something about the issue. Much of the discontent is directed toward the Pakistani Taliban, the extremist group that has claimed responsibility for the shooting and declared it has vowed to kill Malala if she recovers from her injuries. Also, it has issued fresh threats to another girl Hina Khan of Islamabad who is also known for her female rights activism and pro education stance.This threat comes two weeks after the Taliban shot Malala. Hina is originally from the Swat valley but was forced to move with her family to Islamabad in 2006 after she publically criticised the Taliban’s atrocities. The Malala incident has renewed the attention on the plight of women in Afghanistan. Twenty one year old Afghan activist Noorjahan Akbar, who has been leading a fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan, has articulated that Malala’s case will strengthen her and others fight for girl’s rights.Cofounder of a non profit group called Young Women for Change; she has been instrumental in organising trailblazing efforts such as the first Afghan march against street harassment, radio campaigns about gender equality and street posters against child marriage and abuse. This year, her group opened a women’s Internet cafe in Kabul, providing a forum for women to gather and share ideas. Although women in Afghanistan are for the cause of Malala and support her fight but there are many other women activists like Akbar who are fighting for the same cause and not getting the support they deserve.No doubt, Malala’s case is more horrifying as she is young and nobody would look at her as a threat as a 14-year old girl promoting education, no one has heard about Hanifa Safi women activist who was killed this summer. Fifteen girls had acid thrown on their face a couple of years ago but no public protest was held. More than 300 girls wer e poisoned in Afghan schools this summer specifically because they wanted to have access to education; unfortunately no one talks about it. Malala’s case has created a buzz which it deserves and the way its gaining popularity can help to highlight these cases which re otherwise completely ignored. The Civil Society Movements The Malala incident and eventually her cause got support from almost all parts of the World especially from the South Asian Countries where human rights activists, acedemicians, students and members of civil society took to streets to condemn the attack. From Madonna to Angelina Jolie to top Politicians like Hina Rabbani Khar and Rehman Malik, people from all walks and corners of the World are appreciating her courage and have vowed to support her mission to ensure education for girls in Pakistan.The Pakistan government has offered to provide security to Malala when she will return to Pakistan and has promised to provide all necessary help. Even the Sunni clerics in Pakistan have issued a Fatwa against the Taliban, decrying an attack on a girl as un-Islamic, which speaks volumes about Malala and her cause and how people from diverse background are in the same boat for the cause. In a message of defiance to the Taliban, authorities in Swat have decided to rename a government college after Malala. The College offers high school and undergraduate education for 2,000 girl’s and young women.Can this be sustained? Although the cause for women’s rights in Taliban affected areas has been supported by the developing countries and the western world, it has always been very hard to implement it at the grass root level. The women activists or others spreading education or fighting for women’s rights have to face the brunt of the Taliban. Malala’s cause has gained support from every corner, the blog she wrote for BBC with the pseudo name Gul Makai about the poor state of girls in Swat under the Taliban earned her innu merable sympathizers.The International Children’s peace prize in October 2011 and Pakistani first National peace prize further gave recognition to her work and the documentaries made on her added to the popularity. The Taliban feared that she is being held as a hero by the World and thus shot her which only added to more support for her cause. Thus, considering all the above factors and the debate and support she has generated, it is not wrong to say that the momentum evoked by the Malala movement is likely to sustain for a longer period of time and even more so if she returns to Swat and take the battle to its logical end.

Clean Water Act by EPA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clean Water Act by EPA - Research Paper Example In United States, nearly all manufacturing companies discharge their wastewater or storm water. Such emissions and discharges are extensively regulated by EPA in collaboration with federal and state authorities through programs of standards and permits under the Clean Water Act (CWA) (Garrett, 2003, p.1). Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Clean Water Act is the primary law that regulates pollution aspects of nation's surface waters. First enacted in 1948, it was modified by 1972 amendments. The 1972 legislation specified programs for water quality improvement. Since its enactment, the law is continuously modified and implemented by industries and municipalities. Congress made amendments in 1977, brushed up some parts in 1981, and expanded the law with further amendments in 1987 (Copeland, 2010, p.1).This paper briefly explores the Clean Water Act initiated by EPA. Background During late 1950s and 1960s, water pollution control programs were based on four laws that modified the 1 948 statute. Primarily, these laws addressed federal assistance to municipal dischargers and federal enforcement programs. Within this time period, federal role and jurisdiction was expanded to navigable interstate and intrastate waters. In 1965, water quality standards were incorporated in the law, requiring states to establish interstate water standards which would be utilized to assess pollution levels and control requirements. By the late 1960s, it was a common perception that not only enforcement procedures were time-consuming but water quality standard approach was also defective. Moreover, there were increasing concerns over the slow progress of pollution cleanup and lacking implementation of increasingly developed technologies. Such perceptions and increasing public interest in environmental protection led to the 1972 amendments. The 1972 statute established new laws rather than building on basic elements of prior laws. The statute established optimistic and promising goals: all municipal and industrial wastewater treatment before the discharge into waterways, better and restructured enforcement, and enhanced federal assistance for municipal treatment plant construction. It also extended the federal role and ensured that individual states fulfill their responsibility for day-to-day implementation of the law (Copeland, 2010, p.2). Prime Objectives The 1972 legislation announced that its prime objective is to restore and sustain the chemical, physical, and biological reliability of the nation's waters. Some other major objectives included zero emission of pollutants by 1985 and, where possible, maintenance of water quality as fishable and swimmable by mid-1983. Despite the fact that these dates have passed, the goals and efforts to achieve them remain (Copeland, 2010, p.2). Overview of the Law Clean Water Act (CWA) forms the basic structure for the regulation of pollutants discharge into waters of the United States and for maintenance of surface waters q uality standards. The basic CWA was implemented in 1948 and called Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but it was widely acknowledged and expanded in 1972. EPA has implemented pollution control programs under Clean Water Act such as establishing water standards for industries and quality standard for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA has established that any kind of pollutant discharge from a certain source into passable waters is illegal, unless the discharger has a permit. National Pollutant Discharge

Compare and Contrast two Counterinsurgency campaigns Research Paper

Compare and Contrast two Counterinsurgency campaigns - Research Paper Example They used various tactics to win the support of the people; both policies of attraction and chastisement. After taking over, the Americans, set their bases in Philippines and colonized it. The Americans used the policies of attraction and chastisement to woo the support of the locals. This paper is going to highlight the application of policies of attraction and chastisement in both Cuba and Attraction. The policy of attraction was an appealing message, while the policy of chastisement was using of force. It will show how Americans were trying to bring change in a short time. Spanish were failing the economies of both Cuba and Philippines and this paper will highlight the reason Americans removed Spanish authorities in these two countries. Spain was in the war with Cuba. They had invaded the territory of the South American nation. Americans used their press called the yellow papers to spread the news of the war all over the world (Company, 1999). American policy makers felt the investments, which Americans had invested in Cuba would face destruction. Many people lost their lives. The European countries put in place the Monroe Doctrine that prohibited any form of war, whether internally or externally. European countries felt they had to react and stop the war too. There was pressure from all quarters towards Spain, so that they stopped the war. The American government sent a warship to Cuba as a warning to Spain as they wanted a lasting peace. The ship sent to deliver the warning was bombed (Archives, 2014). American press sent out rumors that the Spanish troops destroyed the ship. In reality, Cuban rebels were responsible for the ambush. This triggered American congress to declare war against the Spanish forces in Cub a (Blumenfeld, 2003). US wanted the Spanish to withdraw its troops immediately. America declared war. It was the first time for almost eighty years since US was in the war against a European country.

Sustainable Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sustainable Management - Essay Example According to Hulme, â€Å"Climate change is a scientific and a moral issue.† The process of generating scientific consensus has been largely driven by the desire to communicate climate science to policy users and to construct knowledge’ (Weingart, 1999). However, in doing so, the uncertainties have been downplayed (Van der Sluijs et al., 1998). Who are the IPCC and what is their function, and what are major findings of their report on global warming? IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is a scientific intergovernmental body and its main aim is to assess human-induced climate change, analyse its impact and provide options for adaptation and mitigation. The two major findings of its reports are --- firstly, climate change is unequivocal and secondly, the past and future anthropogenic carbon emissions will contribute to global warming resulting in rising sea levels. Global warming a consequence of the earth’s natural life cycle and has nothing to do with the emission of greenhouse gases? Discuss. Anthropogenic warming and rise in sea level would continue for centuries due to the impact of the Earth’s natural life cycle, even if the Greenhouse gas concentration stabilizes. Carter et al. (2006) suggest that climate is not driven primarily by human use of fossil fuels. Researchers believe that the perception that nature is a resource at our disposal is the factor which shapes our view towards exhaustion of resources. Further, Christiansen (1994a, 1994b, 1994c) argues that the formation of climate based institutions based on IPCC, suites the union of some political, scientific and business interests. To what extent do you agree with the Stern Report? Stern believed a rise of five to six degree of temperature may be a real possibility due to climate change. The Stern Report concludes that the benefits of early actions on climate change outweigh the cost of not acting. The report points towards the potential imp act of climate change on water, health, food production and environment. Some conclusions of the Stern Report can be justified, as not taking any steps to reduce climate change will definitely raise the cost of living. The report states the cost of not acting on climate change will be equivalent to at least 5% of the gross domestic product loss each year. What steps can organisations take reduce their carbon footprint? Organizations can reduce their carbon footprints by reducing carbon emissions through fuel combustion, transportation, process emissions and fugitive emissions. The carbon footprints can be reduced by reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, monitoring waste disposal, transportation and use of products. What are the main points in Peter Senge’s book â€Å"The Necessary Revolution†, chapters 1 and 2? Peter Senge’s book â€Å"The Necessary Revolution† (chapters 1 and 2) talks about a different kind of world where excess energy of one busines s can be used to heat another. The book imagines a world where the commercial buildings are regenerative and create more energy than they are using. The book imagines a world of sound products and processes where products are cost effective rather than wasteful. Corporations such as Cosco, Nike and BP,

Cinematic Comparison & Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cinematic Comparison & Analysis - Essay Example The character of Shylock is that of a Jewish money lender who has been mistreated and misunderstood by the Christian community, particularly by the character Antonio. Shylock’s character stands out because in spite of his ridiculous demand at extracting revenge from Antonio, his character appears to have a great deal of depth. As the plot unfolds, the audience cannot help but feel sad of him as Shylock is a person who has been stereotyped and hurt by his daughter’s betrayal. According to Burnett et al. although the character of Shylock appears only in five out of nineteen scenes in the play, it is his role that captures the most attention. Al Pacino’s execution of the character is as close to perfection as any actor in today’s times could possibly achieve. The character appears to be an individual with an unkempt beard, who walks with a slight limp. Shylock’s role is that of a Jew, whose character can display a variation of emotions and impeccable d ialogue delivery. Much Ado about Nothing cast comprises of a lot of big names that include Oscar winners Emma Thompson and Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, lead villain. The character of Don Pedro is that of the Prince of Aragon, of all the characters in the film, his appears to be most unpredictable. Unlike Shylock’s character that the audience ends up sympathizing with, in spite of the good intentions of Don Pedro, his character fails to attract positive attention. This character is that of a noble man who meddles in the love lives of two other characters in the film. Although the character appears to interfere with good intentions for his friend, the character ends up appearing as manipulative and one that exploits his authority. Although Denzel is a marvelous actor ad executed the lines well, in my opinion this role was not meant for him. Two Historical and Cinematic Adaptations We would consider the two different versions of the same play by Shakespeare â€Å"Merchant of Venice†. Michael Radford’s directorial eye tries to capture the Venetian setting of the sixteenth century. The film depicts the historically beautiful and watery landscape of Venice; the setting depicts brothels and courtesans as the integral part of the entertainment of the Christian society (Pittman, 2007). The film depicts a very racist society, where there are gates in the city to separate the Jews from the Christians who cannot cordially coexist. It is also noticeable that the director wants to identify Shylock as someone who is very particular about finances. He lays slight emphasis on this, when Shylock puts on his glasses while reading ledgers or calculating finances, which is does not appear to have use of in any other scenes. Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado about Nothing is focused more towards generalization, where costumes, sets and props could belong to any period from 1700 to 1900s. The director has attempted to provide a fairy-tale setting to the film, which was shot in Tuscany Italy with her magical landscape which has not been touch by the modernization for present times (Kenneth Branagh). Two points of view in the Film Michael Radford in his interview with Cynthia Fuchs promoted his movie by suggesting that â€Å"†¦ you have the capacity in movies to bring things alive in ways you just can't in the theater.† The main point of view propagated in the film is the utter mockery of the double standards of the Venetian society of the time in a humorous fashion. The stereotyping of Jews can be

Research Proposal for Larghall Leisue Ltd Assignment

Research Proposal for Larghall Leisue Ltd - Assignment Example Larghall Leisure Ltd. has a small pub chain that operates ten theme pubs within the county of Hertfordshire, England. They have retained our market research consultancy firm to formulate a research strategy proposal that will enable them to appropriately address their responsible business practices in light of the issue of underage and binge drinking. Given the limitations of Larghall Leisure Ltd.'s project in terms of budget and their urgency to receive the results in a four month timeframe, this research proposal will target only the most effective methods available and seek to maximize the expertise and personnel resources already present within the organization. The inland county of Hertfordshire lies north of the Greater London area, with much of the land contained within the London commuter belt. Not surprisingly, it has a large number of major transportation links. With a residential population in excess of one million people, over 93% of whom are white, Larghall Leisure Ltd. is conducting business in a bustling area of young to middle-aged people. This population is frequently enhanced by tourists enjoying the county's large number of historical and recreational parks, a university, and other attractions that can be expected to draw young people into its borders. Within the scope of the company's primary concern, underage and binge drinking, its area of operation presents unique challenges given the specific characteristics of the region; namely the likelihood that its pubs will be filled with youth on both an ongoing basis and on special occasions. Of particular note is the presence of two potential sources of a large number of young adults; Knebworth House and the University of Hertfordshire. Knebworth House is a 250 acre complex of parks that is a regular venue for rock and pop festivals. Given the proximity to London, it is not hard to foresee large influxes of young people coming into the area for concerts, and having easy access to the towns and villages wherein Larghall Leisure Ltd. has pubs. Further, the University of Hertfordshire, created from the Hatfield Polytechnic Institute, ensures a residential segment of young adults during the school year. Taken in combination, it is predictable that the pubs will see students throughout the year and have busy summers with concert attendees. As noted below in the discussion of the issue, it is this segment of the population which is prone to the binge drinking behavior about which the company is concerned. With the county motto of "Trust and fear not," it is clear that the cit izens expect a safe environment. (All statistical data - Wikipedia, 2006: pp. 1-5) As a responsible member of this community, Larghall Leisure Ltd. should be properly concerned about the issue of underage and bing

My Cyber Identity-Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Cyber Identity-Blog - Essay Example Edelson (2005) describes it in simple words as "just" a browser interface to web site publishing. Blogs are used by different sections of the society for different purposes. While the perceived benefits are many, so are the threats and risks to the society and its people. Mehan (2006) refers to the blogsphere world as colorful and varied as the animal world. There is an evolutionary struggle for supremacy amongst bloggers. A blog is ranked by the number of hits it receives and the number of outbound link that it has. Mehan clarifies that there are all levels of bloggers – ranging from those that have entered the world of bloggers and up to the founding fathers. To some blogging is merely a hobby but for many blogging can translate into very big business. There are some who blog almost everyday and they are able to attract advertisers or even product endorsement offers. There are different sites that offer tools to assist in meaningful blogging. For instance, Site Meter offers a free, basic hit count and link log in exchange for posting a logo-link to their website. And if this was not enough, there are software tools that boost the blog’s hit count. There is also an exchange program where people surf other blogs in exchange for others v isiting their blogs. It is now a part of the elite culture followed by the upper middle class – to read blogs. This is evident from the fact that many corporations have their own blogs. The marketing departments benefit too from such blogs. Rauchway (2007) reports in The New Republic that blogging have helped to marginalize scholarly Internet discourse. Blogging has helped a doctoral candidate Scott Eric Kaufman, to develop for himself a much higher profile. When he posted a chapter of his dissertation and sought advice, he received 66 commentaries from people of different disciplines. Blogging produces a truly better debate, opines another blogger but its practitioners do not

Black Men and Public Spaces Essay Example for Free

Black Men and Public Spaces Essay The name of the story is Black Men and Public Spaces. It was written by Brent Staples in 1986. Brent Staples is a black man who whenever in public is met with fear from others because of his races stereotype. Feeling like a potential perpetrator can be just as unnerving as feeling like a potential victim. Staples has the ability to alter public space by his physical behavior, his dress and his verbal reaction. Black men have a reputation of being rapist, murders and gang members, therefore many people get worried when a young black man is around. So Staples has learned how to change his perception or level of threat to others. He accomplishes this by his physical behavior. The way he walks or acts around others can change there mood. Now Staples notices if people are frightened by him. Brent Staples attempts to introduce people to something most all are guilty of, but pay little attention to. Using accounts from his own and others’ experiences, Staples essay portrays the racist tendency of people to assume black men are potentially violent and dangerous. Stereotypes are so common in our world today and people don’t even notice how bad they portray it. I hate seeing that a man had to force himself to change the way he acts and portrays himself in public. Why should someone change their ways? It made me think of a time when I was getting gas on Green River Road near Washington Avenue. I was almost done when a car with two black men pulled up and stepped out of their car. I was nervous so I stopped and got into my car real quick. Now that I think about it those men weren’t doing anything, just grabbing some late night food. How could I be that bad of a person? I know now that was wrong of me and I’m working on it. I hope someday society will realize what they are doing and change it. Not just for their sake but for mankind. Staples was viewed as a rapist, murder, and etcetera, all because he was a black man. But in reality he was just as uncomfortable as everyone who looked at him differently. Brent Staples tries to make people aware of what they are guilty of and someday all will realize.

Transportation Costs Essay Example for Free

Transportation Costs Essay Today, crude oil price is valued at $53. 30 per barrel, but is still in contention with other sources of energy such as biofuels. Biofuels today are getting cheaper and cheaper due to the new technologies such as the development of several other feedstocks such as jatropha and corn stover. However, in Malaysia, due to the dropping down of oil prices during the past 6 months, their proposed biofuel which is made from palm oil is suffering because presently, regular diesel prices are much cheaper than blended diesel. Prices are RM 2. 80 for blended diesel, compared to the RM 1. 70 price of regular diesel. Transportation Costs In the Philippines, transportation costs went down by a miniature amount, considering that the gas prices there have already gone down by almost 50%. Fare price for the most popular mode of transport – the jeepney is discussed in the following sentences. Transport groups in the Philippines are arguing that they are still in big deficits considering that during the peak of the oil price hike, fares are only P7. 50, only P1. 50 higher than when the diesel prices were about half of the value of the peak prices. Currently, transport costs are P7. 00 even when the price of diesel is down to P22. 60 from a high of about P54. Other modes of transport experienced increases but have already reverted back to their original prices after the costs of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (main fuel for most of the taxi cabs) have gone down. Cost of Food During the 2007 global food crisis, the world experienced inflation in the prices of basic goods such as corn. This is due to the food versus fuel debate which was sparked by the eagerness of the entire world to embrace the use of biofuels. Today, the prices of corn and other basic food crops have been stabilized thanks to the development of other materials that can be used to produce the ethanol needed for biofuel blends. Some of these new materials include plants such as jatropha as well as marine algae. Presently, governments are starting to regulate the amount of land which can be used for the planting of crops that will be used for ethanol production.

Ministerial responsibility is the cornerstone

Ministerial responsibility is the cornerstone In medieval times, the royal will was signified in documents bearing royal seal and was applied by one of the King’s ministers. Maitland has described this practice as being â€Å"the foundation for our modern doctrine of ministerial responsibility – that for every exercise of the royal power some minister is answerable†[1]. This essay will consider the modern doctrine of ministerial responsibility and examine the extent to which it forms, in modern political times, the cornerstone of accountability in the UK constitution. The convention of ministerial responsibility has been described by Loveland as â€Å"perhaps the most important non-legal rule within our constitution†[2]. The convention may be said to be concerned with regulating the conduct of government activities, both in respect of Ministers’ relations with each other, and with the two Houses of Parliament[3]. Ministerial responsibility comprises of two branches: collective responsibility and individual responsibility[4]. Collective ministerial responsibility may be further reduced into three main rules: the confidence rule; the unanimity rule, and; the confidentiality rule[5]. Through the operation of these rules, Ministers of the Government all appear to others to share the same policy opinions, whatever their own personal views. They are therefore collectively responsible for any decisions made by the Government and the Government as a whole should resign if it loses confidence. The doctrine of collective responsibility was stated in 2005 in the following form: â€Å"Collective responsibility requires that Ministers should be able to express their views frankly in the expectation that they can argue freely in private while maintaining a united front when decisions have been reached. This in turn requires that the privacy of opinions expressed in Cabinet and Ministerial Committees should be maintained.†[6] It therefore follows that where a Minister does not wish to be publicly accountable to Parliament and the electorate for a Governmental decision, he should resign from the Government. This occurred, for example, when Robin Cooke resigned over the Labour Government’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003[7]. Collective ministerial responsibility allows all members of Government to be accountable as a whole, thus avoiding arguments and blame-shifting between different Ministers and Departments. In this way, collective responsibility enhances the accountability of Government. Individual ministerial responsibility is the convention that a Minister answers to Parliament for his department, with praise and blame being addressed to the minister and not civil servants[8]. It has been said that â€Å"the fundamental purpose of the convention of individual ministerial responsibility is that it provides an important means of drawing information into the public domain†[9] The principle has often been associated with the idea that ministers must resign in cases of official wrongdoing[10] but it also encompasses Ministers’ on-going obligations to account to Parliament for their departments’ work[11]. However, in 2000, Jowell and Oliver suggested that ministerial responsibility to Parliament had been â€Å"significantly weakened over the last ten years or so†¦ so that it can no longer be said, in our view, that it is a fundamental doctrine of the constitution†[12]. Their opinion may have been influenced by the structural changes in government. During the 20th century tasks of the state expanded and vast Whitehall departments were created, with the effect that ministers could not oversee all aspects of the departments’ work[13]. Executive ‘Next Steps’ agencies created since 1988 had the specific purpose of delegating managerial power. Indeed, as Turner states: â€Å"Ministerial responsibility, however, is a different matter in the modern era. It has shrunk, it seems, almost to nothing, thanks, in no small part, to the creation of â€Å"independent† agencies to undertake the work of government.†[14] Where civil servants have great authority, the question arises as to what extent a Minister is responsible for any acts of maladministration, and whether maladministration results in a duty to resign. Is it fair to hold the Minister responsible? If not, who should be and how does this affect accountability? As Tomkins notes, during the Major Government’s office from 1990 to 1997 â€Å"Ministers and senior civil servants†¦ proposed a number of initiatives that sought significantly to undermine the tenets of individual responsibility†[15]. It was claimed that Ministers were responsible only for those decisions in which they were directly and personally involved. Michael Howard claimed, after serious failings leading to Prison escapes, that Ministers were responsible to Parliament only for policy matters, with â€Å"operational† failings falling outside the scope of individual responsibility[16]. Furthermore, it was argued that where Ministers had misled Parliament, they should resign only if they had done so knowingly rather than inadvertently[17]. In this way Ministerial responsibility was weakened, with accountability becoming more prominent. A minister may be said to be accountable to Parliament for everything which occurs in a department, having a duty to inform Parliament about the policies and decision of the department and to announce when something has gone wrong. However, this does not bring with it responsibility in the sense that the Minister takes the blame. In 1997 the Ministerial Code reformulated ministerial responsibility to the effect that: Ministers must uphold the principle of collective responsibility; (b) Ministers have a duty to Parliament to account, and be held to account, for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies; (c) it is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister; (d) Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest†¦; (e) Ministers should similarly require civil servants who give evidence before Parliamentary Committees on their behalf and under their direction to be as helpful as possible in providing accurate, truthful and full information†¦[18] This new formulation would suggest that it is now ministerial accountability rather than responsibility which forms the cornerstone of accountability in the UK constitution. Unless there is fully open Government, there may be situations which arise where no person will take responsibility for actions and Ministers’ relationship with the Civil Service will be fundamentally changed. As Hennessy points out: â€Å"For the Civil Service the buck-stopping question is of crucial importance. Under the doctrine of ministerial responsibility, ministers are the ultimate can-carriers for everything done by the civil service in their name†[19]. This will no longer be the case where a Minister’s responsibility ends with alerting Parliament to a problem. Bibliography Allen, M. Thompson, B., Cases and Materials on Constitutional and Administrative Law, 9th Edition, (2008), OUP Bamforth, N., â€Å"Political accountability in play: the Budd Inquiry and David Blunkett’s resignation†, (2005), Public Law, 229 Bradley, A.W. Ewing, K.D., Constitutional and Administrative Law, 14th Edition (2007), Pearson Longman Brazier, R., â€Å"It is a Constitutional Issue: Fitness for Ministerial Office in the 1990s†, (1994), Public Law, 431 Cooke, R., The Point of Departure (2003), Simon and Schuster Hansard, HC cols 31-46 (January 10, 1995) Hennessy, P., Whitehall, (1989), Secker Warburg Hough, B., â€Å"Ministerial responses to parliamentary questions: some recent concerns†, (2003), Public Law, 211 Jowell, J. Oliver, D., The Changing Constitution, 4th Edition, (2000), OUP Lewis, N. Longley, D., â€Å"Ministerial Responsibility: The Next Steps†, (1996), Public Law, 490 Loveland, I., Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Human Rights: A Critical Introduction, 4th Edition, (2006), OUP, Maitland, Constitutional History, Marshall, G., Constitutional Conventions, (1984) Ministerial Code: a Code of Ethics and Procedural Guidance for Ministers (reissued, July 2005) Tomkins, A., The Constitution after Scott: Government Unwrapped, (1998), Clarendon Tomkins, A., Public Law, (2003), OUP Turner, A., â€Å"Losing heads over the lost data†, (2007), 171, Justice of the Peace, 841 1 Footnotes [1] Maitland, Constitutional History, pg 203 [2] Loveland, I., Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Human Rights: A Critical Introduction, 4th Edition, (2006), OUP, pg 306 [3] Loveland, ibid, pg 306 [4] Allen, M. Thompson, B., Cases and Materials on Constitutional and Administrative Law, 9th Edition, (2008), OUP, pg 251 [5] Marshall, G., Constitutional Conventions, (1984), pg 55-56 [6] Ministerial Code: a Code of Ethics and Procedural Guidance for Ministers (reissued, July 2005), para 6.17 [7] Cooke, R., The Point of Departure, pg 115 [8] Bradley, A.W. Ewing, K.D., Constitutional and Administrative Law, 14th Edition (2007), Pearson Longman, pg 114 [9] Hough, B., â€Å"Ministerial responses to parliamentary questions: some recent concerns†, (2003), Public Law, 211 [10] See e.g. Lewis, N. Longley, D., â€Å"Ministerial Responsibility: The Next Steps†, (1996), Public Law, 490; Brazier, R., â€Å"It is a Constitutional Issue: Fitness for Ministerial Office in the 1990s†, (1994), Public Law, 431 [11] Bamforth, N., â€Å"Political accountability in play: the Budd Inquiry and David Blunkett’s resignation†, (2005), Public Law, 229 [12] Jowell, J. Oliver, D., The Changing Constitution, 4th Edition, (2000), OUP, p. viii [13] Bradley Ewing, ibid, pg 114 [14] Turner, A., â€Å"Losing heads over the lost data†, (2007), 171, Justice of the Peace, 841 [15] Tomkins, A., Public Law, (2003), OUP, pg 140-141 [16] Hansard, HC cols 31-46 (January 10, 1995) [17] Tomkins, A., The Constitution after Scott: Government Unwrapped, (1998), Clarendon, pg 41-45 [18] HC Deb, 19 March 1997, col 1046 [19] Hennessy, P., Whitehall, (1989), Secker Warburg, pg 502

The Pet Food Market :: Business Marketing Studies

4. Draw a perceptual map for the pet food market as a whole to be included as an appendix of the final report. The perceptual map shows us the spending on advertising of different brands against the average sale price of their products. It can be seen that although some brands have very high advertisement expenses, their products aren?t classified in the super-premium price class. Whiskas products are priced averagely whereas IAMS charges a high price for its products, although it doesn?t promote its image in such a way. Whiskas is surely more well-known than the rest, having a advertisement expenditure far greater than any other brand. This is mainly due to the multinational position of Mars Incorporation, its products being retailed all over the world. 5. Produce a fully referenced macro-environmental analysis for the national pet food market. Approx. 250 words On the political side, the UK has a great number of legislation governing the pet food market. Though the pet food market is subject to the same legislation as human food, there are a number of individual parts of legislation for that particular market as well: The Animal By-Products has guidelines on what ingredients are permitted for the production of pet food, as well as the processing procedures of these products. (Great Britain. Statutory Instruments, 2001) The Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 include regulations about appropriate labelling of the advertised product and criteria for the use of additives and contaminants. (Great Britain. Statutory Instruments, 2000) To ensure that the customer is properly informed about the product, the Packaging Goods Regulations requires that the net weight of pre-packed foods is displayed properly on each pack. There?s the problem with the VAT on pet food varying widely across Europe. Some countries apply the same tax rate on pet food as on human food, whereas others impose a higher rate on pet food. As for the UK, human food is zero-rated, but pet food is charged at the standard rate of 17.5%. This causes discontent amongst people in the industry, seeing themselves in a competitive disadvantage. (PFMA) Economic factors don?t have a large impact on the pet food market, because it is a necessity rather than a luxury. A decline in the economy would probably enable owners to move away from premium brands to low-cost supermarket pet food. Social benefits are explained thoroughly in the ?pets are good for you? report by the petcare trust (2003). According to the statistics pets make their owners feel happier and reduce health problems like The Pet Food Market :: Business Marketing Studies 4. Draw a perceptual map for the pet food market as a whole to be included as an appendix of the final report. The perceptual map shows us the spending on advertising of different brands against the average sale price of their products. It can be seen that although some brands have very high advertisement expenses, their products aren?t classified in the super-premium price class. Whiskas products are priced averagely whereas IAMS charges a high price for its products, although it doesn?t promote its image in such a way. Whiskas is surely more well-known than the rest, having a advertisement expenditure far greater than any other brand. This is mainly due to the multinational position of Mars Incorporation, its products being retailed all over the world. 5. Produce a fully referenced macro-environmental analysis for the national pet food market. Approx. 250 words On the political side, the UK has a great number of legislation governing the pet food market. Though the pet food market is subject to the same legislation as human food, there are a number of individual parts of legislation for that particular market as well: The Animal By-Products has guidelines on what ingredients are permitted for the production of pet food, as well as the processing procedures of these products. (Great Britain. Statutory Instruments, 2001) The Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 include regulations about appropriate labelling of the advertised product and criteria for the use of additives and contaminants. (Great Britain. Statutory Instruments, 2000) To ensure that the customer is properly informed about the product, the Packaging Goods Regulations requires that the net weight of pre-packed foods is displayed properly on each pack. There?s the problem with the VAT on pet food varying widely across Europe. Some countries apply the same tax rate on pet food as on human food, whereas others impose a higher rate on pet food. As for the UK, human food is zero-rated, but pet food is charged at the standard rate of 17.5%. This causes discontent amongst people in the industry, seeing themselves in a competitive disadvantage. (PFMA) Economic factors don?t have a large impact on the pet food market, because it is a necessity rather than a luxury. A decline in the economy would probably enable owners to move away from premium brands to low-cost supermarket pet food. Social benefits are explained thoroughly in the ?pets are good for you? report by the petcare trust (2003). According to the statistics pets make their owners feel happier and reduce health problems like

How to Buy Your First Home :: Process Essays

How to Buy Your First Home I answered the phone with trepidation. Would I be the one? Did I get it? No, not the new job, lottery jackpot, or the starring role in the next movie blockbuster. The one bedroom, split-level I'd put an offer in for just a few days earlier. A home. I was a single girl on the verge of owning her own home. Hey, hear me roar. According to the National Association of Realtors, single women represent the fastest-growing segment in the housing market. We buy 12% more condominiums than men, and we make up 35% of first home buyers. And due to many programs designed to encourage single women and minorities to invest in a new home, the purchasing power of the first-time home buyer is steadily rising. As terrifying as the prospect of home-ownership is, particularly for those who view plants as a commitment, there are benefits. You're building equity instead of paying rent. Interest payments on your mortgage can be tax deductible. And you could make a passel of money when you finally sell it, particularly if you've had the good sense not to buy near a nuclear waste treatment plant. Some tips from a happy home owner: Deep in your heart of hearts, you've probably always had an ideal vision of your perfect home. Sprawling lawns, cathedral ceilings, hand-carved banisters. Scratch that, and move on to what you can actually afford. You can usually qualify for a mortgage equaling about two times your annual income, and you'll need enough cash for a 5 to 10 percent down payment. Figure in the closing costs, which include percentage points tacked on to your mortgage (1 - 4% of the total mortgage) by your lender. The lower the points the better. You'll need a property appraisal (about $250) and a survey (about $200), during which strangers tromp through your new pad and determine what shape it's in - literally. Appraisers look at the condition of the property and surveyors measure the contents. You'll also need a pest inspection - which unfortunately does not mean the neighbors. Other major closing costs include a prepayment of insurance and real estate taxes into an escrow account. You pay up front and the bank takes care of the bills. Future payments into this account come out of your monthly mortgage payment. Your real estate taxes will vary based on area. Suffice it to say a sprawling villa in Beverly Hills will cost you more in taxes than say, a sprawling villa in suburban Cleveland. How to Buy Your First Home :: Process Essays How to Buy Your First Home I answered the phone with trepidation. Would I be the one? Did I get it? No, not the new job, lottery jackpot, or the starring role in the next movie blockbuster. The one bedroom, split-level I'd put an offer in for just a few days earlier. A home. I was a single girl on the verge of owning her own home. Hey, hear me roar. According to the National Association of Realtors, single women represent the fastest-growing segment in the housing market. We buy 12% more condominiums than men, and we make up 35% of first home buyers. And due to many programs designed to encourage single women and minorities to invest in a new home, the purchasing power of the first-time home buyer is steadily rising. As terrifying as the prospect of home-ownership is, particularly for those who view plants as a commitment, there are benefits. You're building equity instead of paying rent. Interest payments on your mortgage can be tax deductible. And you could make a passel of money when you finally sell it, particularly if you've had the good sense not to buy near a nuclear waste treatment plant. Some tips from a happy home owner: Deep in your heart of hearts, you've probably always had an ideal vision of your perfect home. Sprawling lawns, cathedral ceilings, hand-carved banisters. Scratch that, and move on to what you can actually afford. You can usually qualify for a mortgage equaling about two times your annual income, and you'll need enough cash for a 5 to 10 percent down payment. Figure in the closing costs, which include percentage points tacked on to your mortgage (1 - 4% of the total mortgage) by your lender. The lower the points the better. You'll need a property appraisal (about $250) and a survey (about $200), during which strangers tromp through your new pad and determine what shape it's in - literally. Appraisers look at the condition of the property and surveyors measure the contents. You'll also need a pest inspection - which unfortunately does not mean the neighbors. Other major closing costs include a prepayment of insurance and real estate taxes into an escrow account. You pay up front and the bank takes care of the bills. Future payments into this account come out of your monthly mortgage payment. Your real estate taxes will vary based on area. Suffice it to say a sprawling villa in Beverly Hills will cost you more in taxes than say, a sprawling villa in suburban Cleveland.