Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Consumer Law Consumer protection laws are normally designed to make sure that fair competition exists and that truthful information is available in the marketplace. They are formed by the government to guarantee the rights of consumers. Such laws are always established to prevent businesses from engaging in fraud and other specified unfair practices which allows them to gain advantage over competitors in the market (Boya 1987, 279).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Australian Competition and Consumer Commission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are also designed to protect the weak and who are not able to take care of themselves (Department of Trade and Industry 2006, 3). The Australian Consumer Law is mostly derived from the provisions that had been previously provided in the Trade Practices Act of 1974 (Australasian Legal Information Institute2011). The Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010 which bec ame operational in January 2011 replaced the 20 different consumer laws which had existed in the various territories and states within Australia. The Australian government aims to ensure fair trading legislation and consumer protection across all the jurisdictions in the country (Kelly 2010). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as well as the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) are charged with the responsibility of enforcing the Australian Consumer Law (Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2007(a)). They are considered to be a sovereign power in Australia. When considering whether o not to begin enforcement action against a trader the provisions of the Trade Practices Act of 1974, the enforcement body has to consider instances of unfair trade practices or contract terms as provided for in the Act (Consumer Affairs Victoria 2007(b), 3). Defining goods and services The enforcement body which may be the national or the local enforcement body has to consi der whether or not the good or service in question is covered under the regulated goods and services in line with the Australian Consumer Law. According to the Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010, a person is accorded the right to file for a complaint if he or she had obtained service(s) or good(s) as a consumer provided that the sum paid (payable) for the service(s) or good(s) is below $40,000 or as laid down in the agreement (Brody 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One is also taken to be a consumer if the good(s) or service(s) obtained are generally for consumption, personal or domestic use. Finally, one is considered to be a consumer if the good(s) comprise a vehicle or trailer that had been obtained primarily for use in the transportation of goods on public roads. Establishing whether the person is a consumer A consumer in this case is a person who obtains a good or service for the purpose of ownership or direct consumption, but not for other reasons such as resale, further manufacturing or production. On the other hand, according to the Act, a person is not considered to be a consumer if he or she obtained in order to re-supply. In addition, any person who acquires good(s) for the purpose of transforming it/them or for use in trade is not considered as a consumer (Averitt Lande 1997, 713). Transformation may mean production or manufacture process. Transforming could also mean repairing or treating some other good(s) or fixture on land. Thus, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to establish that the person is a consumer before it enforces any proceeding. It has to determine whether according to the terms of the contract, the good(s) or service acquired was for direct consumption, was below $ 40,000 or if it is a vehicle, then its purpose was for doing transportation along public roads. This helps to determ ine whether the person is a consumer or not. However, the commission cannot enforce any proceedings in case the contract in question was an insurance cover or policy (Gans 2005, 40). According to Brody (2011) insurance contracts are exempted from the relief under the Australian Consumer laws. The Australian Commission Laws part 3, section 2 exempts some gas, electricity and telecommunication services from coverage (Brody 2010). These are covered by the Electricity Act of 2000 Gas Industry Act of 2001. General Protections Determining deceptive and misleading conducts The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also has to establish whether or not the trader was engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct. Section 18 of the Australian Consumer Laws prohibits a business person or company involved in trade or commerce from engaging in any misleading or deceptive act (Consumer Action Law Centre 2008, 18).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Australian Competit ion and Consumer Commission specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although misleading and deceptive acts have not been defined in this Act or in other Acts that apply the same provisions, the general meaning is any conduct or act that comprises misrepresentation of any kind. The commission not only establishes that the business person, corporation or organization had set to deceive or mislead the consumer/buyer, but also investigates whether the person, business or corporation could have engaged in deceptive or misleading acts despite having acted reasonably or honestly (O’Shea Rickett 2006, 139). Since the deceptive and misleading conducts have not been defined by the courts, an objective test has to be conducted by the court or tribunal. This is done to come to a decision on whether the act was deceptive or misleading. This court or tribunal has to decide whether the action or behavior was likely to deceive or mislead the general public or a specific group of people whom the conduct was targeted at. The commission and the tribunal/court may consider silence as act of deceit or misleading conduct in certain circumstances. For example, the tribunal or court may hold that failure to disclose information to the general public or certain demographic population was misleading if it was deliberately withheld for the benefit of the trader or corporation. Establishing misrepresentations The Competition and Consumer Commission may also open up a case against a person or trader who makes unfounded claims about the future. The Commonwealth Competition and Consumer Act of 2010 prohibit any act of misrepresentation regarding future matters (Brody 2010). According to the Fair Trading Act of 1999, any person who makes claims regarding the future must provide reasonable basis for doing so; otherwise, it is considered as misleading (Victoria Consolidated Legislation 2011). This means that before the commission institutes a legal ac tion against such a person or organization, it has to inquire the validity of the source of the claim. It can only commence a legal action against the individual, organization or institution if the information or projection is not likely to mislead or deceive the general public or a section of the public.Advertising Looking for essay on consumer law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before the commission institutes a legal proceeding against a person, organization or corporation accused of deceptive and misleading act based on exclusion clause, the commission, tribunal or court has to investigate and find out whether the allegations made express disclaimer, and exclude liability on the person or organization for making deceptive and misleading statements in the particular advertisement. If an advertisement which contains the disclaimer is found not to have originated from the trader or company, then the person or organization is not liable for the misleading information found in the advertisement. However, if claims are made against a person or organization concerning disclaimers which do not prevent the act from being deceptive or misleading, then legal proceedings are instituted for communicating misleading information to prospective customers (Brody 2010). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission does not initiate an enforcement action against a tr ader if it is found out that the trader had engaged in puffery. Puffery is defined in the Australian Consumer Laws as claims which could be exaggerated or are enthusiastically expressed in advertisement made by a trader, organization or corporation to promote their products and services, even though it is obvious that what is claimed in the advertisement cannot be taken seriously. The courts have often held that puffery cannot be considered as deceptive or misleading act. A statement is taken as mere puffery if any logical or sound person would not take the message seriously or even consider acting upon it. Brody (2010) presents an example of â€Å"best ever† as among the advertisement sentences which are considered as puffery. This means that the commission has to establish whether the statement used by the trader to make the advertisement constitutes puffery or was misleading and deceptive. It is assumed that consumers have the common sense to judge statements which have be en exaggerated and does not represent the reality. As such, the commission does not enforce any action against a trader who applies such tactics in an advertisement; unless there is other instances in the advertisement which constitute deceptive or misleading conduct (Jenkin Sylvan 2007). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider whether the provisions of section 29 of the Act have been abused by the person, trader, organization or corporation before instituting a legal proceeding against the accused. Section 29 of the Act prohibits any individual, person or corporation from making false representation concerning various aspects of goods and services (Brody 2010). It is illegal according to the law to make any false representation as regards price, need, quality, standard, value, and desirability (Katy 2002, 277). It is also unlawful to provide false information regarding approval or affiliation of the product, service or company. False assurance on warranty , guarantee and the right to remedy or availability also constitute misrepresentation as defined in section 29 of the Act. The person, organization or corporation making the sales or production is prohibited from lying on the sponsorship details of the product, services or company, performance characteristics as well as uses of benefits that potential customers are to gain from the good(s) or service(s) (Consumer Action Law Centre 2008). Finally, a company or trader is not allowed to provide false information concerning the place of origin, history or the age of the product or that of the company manufacturing the product or providing the service. Section 30 of this Act further prohibits any misrepresentation concerning the sale or award of an interest in land. According to the provisions in the Australian Competition and Consumer Act, a person, organization or company should not make representation about a sponsorship or affiliation to a land that he/she does not own. The section f urther states that a person, organization or company is not allowed to make misleading or false representation as regards the location, price, and the details of interest in land, its characteristics and potential use, as well as, availability of facilities on it. Thus, the commission has to determine whether the allegations made constitute misrepresentation as defined in the Act or not, before instituting legal proceedings against the person or organization. Establishing unconscionable conducts The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to determine whether the transaction constituted what is defined in the Act or interpreted by the courts as unconscionable conduct. The Act defines two types of acts which are considered as unconscionable. The first type is the unconscionable conduct as provided for in the â€Å"unwritten law† (Brody 2010). The Act prohibits a person, organization or company involved in trade or commerce from engaging in unconscionable conduct as described in the unwritten law. Such dealing may occur when unfair transaction or contract is made with a person with special disability. In that case therefore, the party that takes charge of the transaction or contract is not allowed to take unfair advantage of the disability of the person due to his or her disability or assume the disability situation (Consumer Action Law Centre 2004, 4). The commission institutes a legal proceeding against the trader or company if it is found that transaction or contract is very disadvantageous to the person with the disability. Unconscionable conduct consists of taking advantage of a person because of his or her age, sex, illiteracy, sickness as well as infirmity of mind (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2005, 2). Failure to provide explanation or assistance where necessary while making the transaction or contract also constitutes unconscionable conduct as is defined in the unwritten law. The commission also has to determine wheth er the contract or transaction process violates statutory unconscionability. Section 21 of the Act bars anybody or company involved in trade or commerce by supplying of goods or services from providing products or services to person in circumstances which constitute unconscionable conduct (Brody 2010). The commission or court has to establish the bargaining strength of each party involved and find out whether the consumer was made to fully understand the terms of contract or details of the transaction (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2009, 17). For the commission or court to begin a legal proceeding against the trader or company, the body also has to find out whether any unfair tactics or unwarranted influence were applied on the consumer (Consumer Affairs Victoria 2006, 15). In some instances, the consumer may be required to comply with the conditions stated by the supplier or trader, but it may not disadvantage the consumer. Thus, the commission or court has to anal yze the instance to be able to conclude whether the process is unconscionable under statutory law or not. In some cases, the product or service could have been acquired from a third party provider meaning that the trader or company may not be responsible for the terms of the dealing. It has to investigate matters leading to the formalization of the contract or transaction. Establishing unfair contract terms Finally, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider whether the terms of the contract or transaction constituted unfair contract terms as defined in the constitution. A contract term is taken to be unfair if it leads to considerable imbalance in the rights of the parties involved in the contract or causes financial or non-financial disadvantage to the consumer involved in the contract (Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2008, 3; Hugh 1999, 73). It may not necessarily protect the legal interests of the company or supplier. Therefore, the commission must establish the transparency of the terms of the contract before instituting a legal proceeding against the trader, supplier or company (Geraint 1997, 257). Generally, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has to consider various factors which include whether the person (complainant) is a consumer or not, whether the good(s) or service(s) in question are covered and the consumer laws or not. After ascertaining that, it can then establish conducts in the contract or transaction process which violate consumer laws before instituting legal proceeding against the trader or company. Specific Protections False or misleading representations about goods or services When selling or advertising products, businesses should not provide misleading or false information that the good in question is of a given value, grade, standard, model, or style. For example, in 1975, Sharp Corporation made the false claim that the Standards of Australia had tested and approved every sharp microwave. According to the court’s decision, this was a false representation and as a result, a fine of $ 100,000 was imposed on Sharp (Australian Consumer Law 2011). Bait advertising A business is said to take part in bait advertising when it rues consumer to buy a certain product by offering an attractive price in full knowledge that the product in question has the likelihood of running out of stock (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In 2005, an investigation of Repco by ACCC revealed that the company had been involved in bait advertising for some products that had run out of stock. Wrongly accepting payment Businesses are prohibited from receiving payment from buyers if they have no intention of supplying them with the products within the specified time. For example, in 1981, World Travel Headquarters received a tour booking to Singapore from a client in the full knowledge that the tour had been changed form a 2-day trip to an overnight trip (Australian Consumer Law 2011). According to the deci sion made by the court, WTH had disobeyed the ban by accepting payment with the intention of supplying the service. Inertia selling Inertia selling involves spontaneously sending goods to an individual after which one coerces the individual to make payment for the goods. Businesses are prohibited from engaging in Inertia selling (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In addition, a person does not have to pay for an unsolicited good. Pyramid schemes This is a form of product distribution scheme in which participants earn a commission or profit once they have sold a product to a buyer. In addition, participants are encouraged to recruit other participants and for their efforts, they earn a commission as well. The more participants one introduces, the larger the commission. Contingent referral selling It involves giving buyers a commission, rebate or other benefits by a business so that the buyer can give the business constant details for other buyers. The ACL does not prohibit referral sell ing (Australian Consumer Law 2011). However, businesses are forbidden from participating in continent referral for later events, like referral for the purchase of products. Consumer transactions ACL intimately controls unwelcome consumer agreements, implying certain guarantee, and enforces certain minimum requirements with regard to the established agreements. Consumer guarantees The ACL endeavors to protect consumers by implying certain guarantees. In the case the consumer is being supplied with goods, the guarantees entails the ownership of the goods shall be passed on to consumers, that the consumer shall posses the goods wholly, and that the quality of such goods is acceptable (Australian Consumer Law 2011). In addition, the consumer should be guaranteed of goods that are in line with their descriptions. Unsolicited consumer agreements This agreement entails the supply of services or goods of approximately $ 100. Such an agreement is unsolicited conducted over the phone outside the business premises and over (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The consumer has also not received any invitation from the seller to negotiate over the supply of the goods or services. Evidence of transactions When a consumer orders for goods or service, he/she is at liberty to obtain evidence of the ensuing transaction. This is mandatory for transactions exceeding $ 75. The consumer can also request for proof of transaction for goods and services below this amount. Safety of consumer goods ACL Part 3-3 is charged with the responsibility of controlling consumer products. Product safety standards The ACL support the establishment of product safety standards. As a result of these standards, businesses are supposed to fulfill certain requirements regarding composition, contents, performance, design, and packaging (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The requirements also take into account testing of consumer goods, as well as the content and form of warning instructions, and markings on cons umer goods. Bans The ACL issues interim bans products and services that may cause injury to consumers. Interim bans should end after 60 days but can be extended (Australian Consumer Law 2011). The ACL prohibits businesses from selling products and services capable of injuring consumers, and which have received a permanent or interim ban. Recalls The ACL can recall goods failing to comply with the established product safety standard and which are capable of causing injury (Australian Consumer Law 2011). Once issues with a notice, businesses are required to recall products at once, and at the same time, inform the public of the defect and potential risk associated with the use of such products and services. Reference List Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 2009, Debt collection practices in Australia: Summary of stakeholder consultation, asic.gov.au/asic/pdflib.nsf/LookupByFileName/REP155-debt-collection-report.pdf/$file/REP155-debt-collection-report.pdf Australian Competi tion and Consumer Commission 2005, Don’t take advantage of disadvantage: A compliance guide for businesses dealing with disadvantaged or vulnerable consumers, accc.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=704340nodeId=a372b4f5e79 c8e75c25a6e22999bfeebfn=BS%20Dont%20take%20advantage%20.pdf Australian Consumer Law 2011, Australian Consumer Law Update, nt.gov.au/justice/consaffairs/documents/Australianconsumerlaw update 4_2011.pdf Australasian Legal Information Institute 2011, Competition and Consumer Act 2010: Schedule 2, austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/sch2.html Averitt, N W Lande, R H 1997, ‘Consumer sovereignty: A unified theory of antitrust and consumer protection law’, Antitrust Law Journal, vol. 65, pp. 713. Boya, U O 1987, ‘Consumer usage of unit pricing’, Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, vol. 13, No. 1, p. 279. Brody, G 2010, Australian consumer law. The Law Handbook, lawhandbook.org.au/handbook/ch12s03s01.php Consume r Action Law Centre 2008,The consumer protection provisions Part V of the Trade Practices Act of 1974: Keeping Australia up to date, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/PtVProjectReport.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2008, Application of unfair contract terms legislation to consumer credit contracts: Consultation paper, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/Submissiononapplicationof unfaircontracttermstocreditcardcontracts.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2007a, Preventing unfair terms in consumer contracts:  Guidelines on unfair terms in consumer contracts, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Melbourne. Consumer Action Law Centre 2007b, Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia’s Consumer Policy Framework, consumeraction.org.au/downloads/ConsumerActionSubmissionto ProductivityCommission22June07Final.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2006,The report of the consumer credit review, consumer.vic.gov.au/ca256902000fe154/lookup/cav_review_submissions3/$file/14cclsandclcvcrreportsub mission.pdf Consumer Affairs Victoria 2004, Discussion paper: What do we mean by vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers?, consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256902000FE154/Lookup/CAV_Publications _Reports_and_Guidelines/$file/vulnerabledisadvantaged.pdf Department of Trade and Industry 2006, Representative actions in consumer protection legislation: Consultation, bis.gov.uk/files/file31886.pdf Gans, J S 2005, ‘Protecting consumers by protecting competition: Does behavioural economics support this contention?’, Competition Consumer Law Journal, vol.13, No. 40. Geraint H 1997, ‘Seeking social justice for poor consumers in credit markets. In Iain Ramsay (ed).Consumer law in the global economy’, National and international dimensions, vol. 257. Hugh, C 1999, Regulating contracts, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Jenkin, M Sylvan, L 2007, Consumers and competition: Makingpolicies that work together. Presentation to the National Consumer Congress, Melbourne 15 March 2007, t reasury.gov.au/ncc/content/congress_proceedings.asp Katy, B 2002, ‘The uneasy position of unjust enrichment after Roxborough v Rothmans’, vol. 277, no. 23. Kelly, J 2010, ‘Shoppers and parents among those to benefit from law changes at midnight’, The Australian, 25 November, theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/shoppers-and-parents-among-those-to-benefit-from-law-changes-at-midnight/story-fn59niix-1225979359030 O’Shea, P Rickett, C 2006, ‘In defence of consumer law: The resolution of consumer disputes’, Sydney Law Review, vol. 28, n. 1, p. 139. Victoria Consolidated Legislation 2011,Fair Trading Act 1999, austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/fta1999117/

Life on Earth During the Precambrian Time Span

Life on Earth During the Precambrian Time Span The Precambrian Time Span is the earliest time period on the Geologic Time Scale. It stretches from the formation of the earth 4.6 billion years ago to around 600 million years ago and encompasses many Eons and Eras leading up to the Cambrian Period in the current Eon. Beginning of Earth The earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago in a violent explosion of energy and dust according to the rock record from Earth and other planets. For about a billion years, the earth was a barren place of volcanic action and a less than suitable atmosphere for most types of life. It wasnt until about 3.5 billion years ago that it is thought that the first signs of life formed. The Beginning of Life on Earth The exact way life began on Earth during the Precambrian Time is still debated in the scientific community. Some theories that have been posed over the years include the Panspermia Theory, Hydrothermal Vent Theory, and Primordial Soup. It is known, however, there was not much diversity in organism type or complexity during this extremely long period of Earths existence. Most of the life that existed during the Precambrian Time span were prokaryotic single-celled organisms. There is actually a pretty rich history of bacteria and related unicellular organisms within the fossil record. In fact, it is now thought that the first types of unicellular organisms were extremophiles in the Archaean domain. The oldest trace of these that have been found so far is around 3.5 billion years old. These earliest forms of life resembled cyanobacteria. They were photosynthetic blue-green algae that thrived in the extremely hot, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. These trace fossils were found on the Western Australia coast. Other, similar fossils have been found all over the world. Their ages span about two billion years. With so many photosynthetic organisms populating the earth, it was only a matter of time before the atmosphere started to accumulate higher levels of oxygen since oxygen gas is a waste product of photosynthesis. Once the atmosphere had more oxygen, many new species evolved that could use oxygen to create energy. More Complexity Appears The first traces of eukaryotic cells showed up about 2.1 billion years ago according to the fossil record. These seem to be single-celled eukaryotic organisms that lacked the complexity we see in most of todays eukaryotes. It took about another billion years before the more complex eukaryotes evolved, probably through endosymbiosis of prokaryotic organisms. The more complex eukaryotic organisms began living in colonies and creating stromatolites. From these colonial structures most likely came multicellular eukaryotic organisms. The first sexually reproducing organism evolved around 1.2 billion years ago. Evolution Speeds Up Towards the end of the Precambrian Time period, much more diversity evolved. The earth was undergoing somewhat rapid climate changes, going from completely frozen over to mild to tropical and back to freezing. The species that were able to adapt to these wild fluctuations in climate survived and flourished. The first protozoa appeared followed closely by worms. Soon after, arthropods, mollusks, and fungi showed up in the fossil record. The end of the Precambrian Time saw much more complex organisms like jellyfish, sponges, and organisms with shells come into existence. The end of the Precambrian Time period came at the beginning of the Cambrian Period of the Phanerozoic Eon and Paleozoic Era. This time of great biological diversity and rapid increase in organism complexity is known as the Cambrian Explosion. The end of the Precambrian Time marked the start of the more quickly progressing evolution of species over Geologic Time.

The effect of Spanglish on writers writing output Essay

The effect of Spanglish on writers writing output - Essay Example One major advantage of Spanglish is its ability to illustrate the power of the mind to play with words showing further inventive and creativity at some certain point. In other words, Spanglish could eventually make substantial touch in creative writing as in a way it could be highly viewed as creativity of the mind especially in aspects concerning words are played. In most of creative writing techniques, playing with words are normally highlighted just to help emphasize the main point of the writers and even emphasize their creative touch for more aesthetic feel. In other words, by this specific advantage, Spanglish eventually affects the way people right these days. People have creative ways and means to express themselves in writing and Spanglish eventually is a specific tool in helping them to wallow in deeper sense of creativity with words. Therefore, with Spanglish, there could be an assurance of achieving creative piece. There is eventually a market for Latino and Spanglish is remarkably accepted as an evolution of the language growth (Kevane & Heredia, 2000, p. 136). In other words, with Spanglish, it is not only on the point that creativity can be nourished, but with it also includes the fact that a writer would be able to use language freely and openly and allow it to grow or even execute the things it must necessary do. These are just some of the advantages of Spanglish, which substantially show that it has remarkable impact on the writer’s creativity to play with words in a positive way.... 240). In other words, Spanglish could eventually make substantial touch in creative writing as in a way it could be highly viewed as creativity of the mind especially in aspects concerning words are played. In most of creative writing techniques, playing with words are normally highlighted just to help emphasize the main point of the writers and even emphasize their creative touch for more aesthetic feel. In other words, by this specific advantage, Spanglish eventually affects the way people right these days. People have creative ways and means to express themselves in writing and Spanglish eventually is a specific tool in helping them to wallow in deeper sense of creativity with words. Therefore, with Spanglish there could be an assurance of achieving creative piece. There is eventually a market for Latino and Spanglish is remarkably accepted as an evolution on the language growth (Kevane & Heredia, 2000, p. 136). In other words, with Spanglish it is not only on the point that creat ivity can be nourished, but with it also includes the fact that a writer would be able to use language freely and openly and allow it to grow or even execute the things it must necessary do. These are just some of the advantages of Spanglish, which substantially show that it has remarkable impact on the writer’s creativity to play with words in a positive way. Disadvantages of Spanglish Spanglish is usually written by bilingual writers which means they also have to look out for readers who in nature are bilingual and have great affinity for combined languages (Castillo, 2005, p. 190). The problem therefore with Spanglish is finding for good markets for it. Hispanic are good market opportunities for Spanglish (Castillo, 2005, p. 190), but

Carbon Footprint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Carbon Footprint - Essay Example rpool to work, take public transportation, turn off lights, reduce waste, plant trees, use rechargeable batteries, ride bike, reduce waste, print double sided, eat low carbon diet, go organic and buy electric vehicle. By using a more efficient vehicle my emissions will reduce, plants will help in releasing oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide, bike does not have any emission unlike using a vehicle (Ham, et al. 2000). Emissions are also reduced by carpooling even though by driving we increase emission but the number of sources will have reduced. Electric vehicles are more efficient and greener. I will also ensure my engine efficiency by managing my driving speed as the faster you drive the less your engine becomes and by doing this I will level off emissions on freeways. By using public transportation, I will eliminate the emissions from my vehicle. By going organic, I will reduce the chemical toxins in the environment (Ramseur, et al 2008). A day that I chose to reduce my emissions by 50%, the specific changes that I made were, switched from T12 lights to T8 lights, eat a low carbon diet, take public transport to work, ride my bike, reduce my waste, turn off lights. By switching to T8 lights from T12 lights I was able to reduce the power consumption in my house (Pal, et al. 2014). My diet for that day was also of low carbon diet and this helped to reduce my food emission. By taking a public transport I did not have any emission from my vehicle for that day. After work I used my bike to go shopping and this was helpful because it does not have any emission, I tried very hard to recycle what I could so as to reduce my waste of the day. By turning off the lights that I did not require, I greatly reduced my power consumption of the day. I succeeded in all I had planned. I succeeded because I was determined to achieve that even though it was not easy. It only requires dedication and discipline and I had both. It was I little bit hard for me. Like I am used to driving

Experience on Taking the Test Essay Example for Free

Experience on Taking the Test Essay Taking the Jung Typology Test was a bit fun. It reinforced some of the things I already knew about myself and I also discovered a few revelations along the way. Though, if one has observed, the questions were often repeated, albeit in a different way. Some questions were also ambiguous, especially if the trait being asked was not concretely experienced by the individual. For example, the â€Å"do you trust reason rather than feelings?†Ã‚   line was quite hard to ponder, since the instances where I trust reason and the instances where I trust feelings depends on the circumstance that I am in. Personality Fit Based on the test, I am an ENTJ—slightly extraverted, moderately intuitive, distinctively thinking and moderately judging. I am quite surprised that I have a moderately judging personality. I also thought that I am largely introverted, for my desire to maintain only a few close relationships. Perhaps, being a slight extravert means that I transform into one gregarious, engaging individual if it would be opportune for me. Overall, however, I have always been aware of most of the traits I have, prior to taking the exercise. The Jung Typology test gave me a detailed description of myself. Workplace Strengths The ENTJ type, like the other types have specific strengths for the   workplace . Based on the interpretation by D. Kersey, I am a fieldmarshall, a leader that can visualize, and communicate. It also stated that I am highly organized and coordinated. Being an ENTJ also means that I am efficient   in completing tasks, yet I am also impatient of repetitive errors. In my case, I enjoy being in charge. Having a goal-oriented personality, I also urge my workmates to do the same. Thus, any assignment is sure to be completed in a timely manner. In addition, as the exam indicated, ENTJ’s are devoted to the task at hand, often at the expense of one’s personal life. In effect, the level of commitment that I put in my job usually translates to an output that exceeds the standard. Another positive aspect of an ENTJ is decisiveness. This usually comes handy when time pressure is involved. I believe that having a decision is better than having none at all. Weaknesses to be Adressed However, there are also some weaknesses that must be addressed. Since I am focused on achieving targets, based on the test and on my personal assessment, empathy usually takes a backseat. This usually spells trouble for me. I fail to connect with them in a deeper level, and thus, fall short of encouraging them to work wholeheartedly. Perhaps, it means, that I can sometimes be bullish just to realize the goal at hand. Also, my impatience with repetitive mistakes can dampen spirits of co-workers who are still learning the ropes. Another trait of an ENTJ that can sometimes be a weakness is the desire to control. Since outcomes are of utmost importance, the tendency to dominate is imminent. At times, being in charge brings positive results, especially if the group involved lacks direction and focus. However, oftentimes, it can be misinterpreted as being tyrannical and can cause subordinates to spite the boss, and thus affecting performance at work. These are just some of the things that I have to work on, since it is a well-known fact that part of being an effective leader is having people skills, or soft skills. Without the ability to encourage, inspire and motivate others, a manager or executive would create a lower morale in the workplace. Pitfalls of the Test Taking the Jung typology test has made me more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results, I now know that sometimes, my desire to accomplish much may be detrimental to my work relationships. Perhaps, I can still be goal-oriented and efficient without being brash. I can push them to work for a certain standard sans the feeling that they are doing it out of obligation or fear. I think the exam measures some aspects of basic personal managerial competence well by determining for instance the level of extravertness or intuition of the person. However, since it is a yes or no questionnaire, it has pitfalls. It puts the test-taker in a black and white situation, leaving him no room to answer, â€Å"maybe† or â€Å"sometimes†. References Butt, Joe.(2005, February 27).Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging. Retrieved May 6 , 2007 from http://typelogic.com/entj.html. Jung, Carl. Jung Typology Test. Retrieved May 6 , 2007 from    http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp Kiersey, D. .Rational Portrait of the Fieldmarshall. Retrieved May 6 , 2007   from http://keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirseyf=fourtempstab=5c=fieldmarshal

Comparing Lamb to the Slaughter and the Speckled Band :: Lamb Band Slaughter compare Contrast Essays

Comparing Lamb to the Slaughter and the Speckled Band In this essay i am going to compare two short stories, and see if they are traditional murder mystery stories. I want to see if the stories also follow the conventions of a murder mystery story. One story is called 'Lamb to the Slaughter' and the other is 'The Speckled Band'. The story 'Lamb to the Slaughter' ('LTS') was written in 1954, which is over sixty years ago. 'The Speckled Band' ('TSB') was written in 1892. Roald Dahl wrote the story 'LTS'. This story does not follow the conventions of a murder mystery story. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote 'TSB'. This is a murder mystery story. It follows the basic conventions of murder mysteries. I will try to show the differences between the two stories, and show how the stories have different genres. Genre is a type. Geenre is a french word which means Type. Many things have genres. Things we use to entertain ourselfs with, or pass time with, have a genre. For example, films, music, books, games and many other things have genres. Genre is important because it lets people know what they are doing. If someone is watching a film they would wnt to know what genre it is. It could be a horror,thriller, comedy or anything else. So this helps them to know what type of film they are watching, but it would not give away any part of the film. Genre is useful for writers, film makers or artists. They would know what area to target, and they can make money. I am trying to find out if these two stories, 'LTS' and 'TSB', are murder mysery stories. Murder mysteries have conventions. They are basic requirments and these are: -The Detective is the main focus -The reader/viewer (if a film) is set a challenge or challanges -Usually set ater the murder -Gradually builds tention -Denoment (crime is solved) Ending -Then ending has a moral Every murder mystery has a basic story line and must have most of the conventions to fit the genre. In 'LTS' Mrs Maloney is portrayed as a normal wife. She is not presented as a murderer. At the beginning of the story it said she "...glance up at the clock" and "...was waiting for her husband." When he came back home she "Took his coat." She then "Walked over and made the drinks." This is what any normal wife would do. She then asked, "Shall i get your slippers?" and she wanted to make him some dinner. She appears as though she is a loving caring wife. She does not look like a suspect for any type of

Punitive Articles of the Ucmj Article 89 Essay

â€Å"Any person subject to this chapter who behaves with disrespect toward his superior commissioned officer shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.† Context. (1) That the accused did or omitted certain acts or used certain language to or concerning a certain commissioned officer; (2) That such behavior or language was directed toward that officer; (3) That the officer toward whom the acts, omissions, or words were directed was the superior commissioned officer of the accused; (4) That the accused then knew that the commissioned officer toward whom the acts, omissions, or words were directed was the accused’s superior commissioned officer; and (5) That, under the circumstances, the behavior or language was disrespectful to that commissioned officer. Explanation. (1) Superior commissioned officer. (a) Accused and victim in same armed force. If the accused and the victim are in the same armed force, the victim is a â€Å"superior commissioned officer† of the accused when either superior in rank or command to the accused; however, the victim is not a â€Å"superior commissioned officer â€Å"of the accused if the victim is inferior in command, even though superior in rank. (b) Accused and victim in different armed forces. If the accused and the victim are in different armed forces, the victim is a â€Å"superior commissioned  officer† of the accused when the victim is a commissioned officer and superior in the chain of command over the accused or when the victim, not a medical officer or a chaplain, is senior in grade to the accused and both are detained by a hostile entity so that recourse to the normal chain of command is prevented. The victim is not a â€Å"superior commissioned officer† of the accused merely because the victim is superior in grade to the accused. (c) Execution of office. It is not necessary that the â€Å"superior commissioned officer† be in the execution of office at the time of the disrespectful behavior. (2) Knowledge. If the accused did not know that the person against whom the acts or words were directed was the accused’s superior commissioned officer, the accused may not be convicted of a violation of this article. Knowledge may be proved by circumstantial evidence. (3) Disrespect. Disrespectful behavior is that which detracts from the respect due the authority and person of a superior commissioned officer. It may consist of acts or language, however expressed, and it is immaterial whether they refer to the superior as an officer or as a private individual. Disrespect by words may be conveyed by abusive epithets or other contemptuous or denunciatory language. Truth is no defense. Disrespect by acts includes neglecting the customary salute, or showing a marked disdain, indifference, insolence, impertinence, undue familiarity, or other rudeness in the presence of the superior officer. (4) Presence. It is not essential that the disrespectful behavior be in the presence of the superior, but ordinarily one should not be held accountable under this article for what was said or done in a purely private conversation. (5) Special defense—unprotected victim. A superior commissioned officer whose conduct in relation to the accused under all the circumstances departs substantially from the required standards appropriate to that officer’s rank or position under similar circumstances loses the protection of this  article. That accused may not be convicted of being disrespectful to the officer who has so lost the entitlement to respect protected by Article 89. Nonjudicial Punishment (Article 15) Commander’s Tool for Discipline ART. 15. COMMANDING OFFICER’S NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT (a) Under such regulations as the President may prescribe, and under such additional regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, limitations may be placed on the powers granted by this article with respect to the kind and amount of punishment authorized, the categories of commanding officers and warrant officers exercising command authorized to exercise those powers, the applicability of this article to an accused who demands trial by court-martial, and the kinds of courts-martial to which the case may be referred upon such a demand. However, except in the case of a member attached to or embarked in a vessel, punishment may not be imposed upon any member of the armed forces under this article if the member has, before the imposition of such punishment, demanded trial by court-martial in lieu of such punishment. Under similar regulations, rules may be prescribed with respect to the suspension of punishments authorized by regulations of the Secretary concerned, a commanding officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction or an officer of general or flag rank in command may delegate his powers under this article to a principal assistant. (b) Subject to subsection (a) any commanding officer may, in addition to or in lieu of admonition or reprimand, impose one or more of the following disciplinary punishments for minor offenses without the intervention of a court-martial— (1) Upon officers of his command— (A) Restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty, for not more than 30 consecutive days; (B) if imposed by an officer exercising general court-martial jurisdictions or an officer of general flag rank in command— (i) arrest in quarters for not more than 30 consecutive days; (ii) forfeiture of not more than one-half of one month’s pay per month for two months; (iii) restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty, for not more than 60 consecutive days; (iv) detention of not more than one-half of one month’s pay per month for  three months; (2) upon other personnel of his command— (A) if imposed upon a person attached to or embarked in a vessel, confinement on bread and water or diminished rations for not more than three consecutive days; (B) correctional custody for not more than seven consecutive days; (C) forfeiture of not more than seven days’ pay; (D) reduction to the next inferior pay grade, if the grade from which demoted is within the promotion authority of the officer imposing the reduction or any officer subordinate to the one who imposes the reduction; (E) extra duties, including fatigue or other duties, for not more than 14 consecutive days; (F) restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty, for not more than 14 consecutive days; (G) detention of not more than 14 days’ pay; (H) if imposed by an officer of the grade of major or lieutenant commander, or above— (i) the punishment authorized under clause (A); (ii) correctional custody for not more than 30 consecutive days; (iii) forfeiture of not more than one-half of one month’s pay per month for two months; (iv) reduction to the lowest or any intermediate pay grade, if the grade from which demoted is within the promotion authority of the officer imposing the reduction or any officer subordinate to the one who imposes the reduction, by an enlisted member in a pay grade above E-4 may not be reduced more than two pay grades; (v) extra duties, including fatigue or other duties, for not more than 45 consecutive days; (vi) restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty, for not more than 60 consecutive days; (vii) detention of not more than one-half of one month’s pay per month for three months. Detention of pay shall be for a stated period of not more than one year but if the offender’s term of service expires earlier, the detention shall terminate upon that expiration. No two or more of the punishments of arrest in quarters, confinement or bread and water or diminished rations, correctional custody, extra duties, and restriction may be combined to run consecutively in the maximum amount impossible for each. Whenever any of those punishments are combined to run consecutively, there must be an apportionment. In addition, forfeiture of  pay may not be combined with detention of pay without an apportionment. For the purpose of this subsection, â€Å"correctional custody† is the physical restraint of a person during duty or non-duty hours and may include extra duties, fatigue duties, or hard labor. If practicable, correctional custody will not be served in immediate association with persons awaiting trial or held in confinement pursuant to trial by court-martial . (c) An officer in charge may impose upon enlisted members assigned to the unit of which he is in charge such of the punishment authorized under subsection (b)(2)(A)-(G) as the Secretary concerned may specifically prescribe by regulation. (d) The officer who imposes the punishment authorized in subsection (b), or his successor in command, may, at any time, suspend probationally any part or amount of the unexecuted punishment imposed and may suspend probationally a reduction in grade or forfeiture imposed under subsection (b), whether or not executed. In addition, he may, at any time, remit or mitigate any part or amount of the unexecuted punishment imposed and may set aside in whole or in part the punishment, whether executed or unexecuted, and restore all rights, privileges and property affected. He may also mitigate reduction in grade to forfeiture or detention of pay. When mitigating— (1) arrest in quarters to restriction; (2) confinement on bread and water or diminished rations to correctional custody; (3) correctional custody confinement on bread and water or diminished rations to extra duties or restriction, or both; or (4) extra duties to restriction; the mitigated punishment shall not be for a greater period than the punishment mitigated. When mitigating forfeiture of pay to detention of pay, the amount of detention shall not be greater than the amount of the forfeiture. When mitigating reduction in grade to forfeiture or detention of pay, the amount of the forfeiture or detention shall not be greater than the amount that could have been imposed initially under this article by the officer who imposed the punishment mitigated. (e) A person punished under this article who considers his punishment unjust or disproportionate to the offense may, through proper channels, appeal to the next superior authority. The appeal shall be promptly forwarded and decided, but the person punished may in the meantime be required to undergo the punishment adjudged. The superior authority may exercise the same powers  with respect to punishment imposed as may be exercised under subsection (d) by the officer who imposed the punishment. Before acting on appeal from a punishment of— (1) arrest in quarters for more than seven days; (2) correctional custody for more than seven days; (3) forfeiture of more than seven days’ pay; (4) reduction of one or more pay grades from the fourth or a higher pay grade; (5) extra duties for more than 14 days; (6) restriction for more than 14 days; or (7) detention of more than 14 days’ pay; the authority who is to act on the appeal shall refer the case to a judge advocate or a lawyer of the Department of Transportation for consideration and advice, and may so refer the case upon appeal from any punishment imposed under subsection (b). (f) The imposition and enforcement of disciplinary punishment under this article for any act or omission is not a bar to trial by court-martial for a serious crime or offense growing out of the same act or omission, and not properly punishable under this article; but the fact that a disciplinary punishment has been enforced may be shown by the accuse upon trial, and when so shown shall be considered in determining the measure of punishment to be adjudged in the event of a finding of guilty. (g) The Secretary concerned may, by regulation, prescribe the form of records to be kept under this article and may also prescribe that certain categories of those proceedings shall be in writing. CUSTOMS 4-1. The Army has its own customs, both official and social. Some have been handed down from the distant past while others are of comparatively recent origin. Those customs that endure stand on their own merits. As a long established social organization, the Army observes a number of customs that add to the interest, pleasure, and graciousness of Army life. Often it is these customs and traditions, strange to the civilian eye but solemn to the soldier, that keep the man in the uniform going in the unexciting times of peace. In war they keep him fighting at the front. The fiery regimental spirit fondly polished over decades and centuries possesses him in the face of the enemy. [The soldier] fights for the regiment, his  battalion, his company, his platoon, his section, his comrade. 4-2. A custom is an established practice. Customs include positive actions-things you do, and taboos-things you avoid. All established arts, trades, and professions, all races of people, all nations, and even different sections of the same nation have their own practices and customs by which they govern a part of their lives. 4-3. Many Army customs compliment procedures required by military courtesy, while others add to the graciousness of garrison life. The breach of some Army customs merely brands the offender as ignorant, careless, or ill bred. Violations of other Army customs, however, will bring official censure or disciplinary action. The customs of the Army are its common law. These are a few: * Never criticize the Army or a leader in public. * Never go â€Å"over the heads† of superiors-don’t jump the chain of command. * Never offer excuses. * Never â€Å"wear† a superior’s rank by saying something like, â€Å"the first sergeant wants this done now,† when in fact the first sergeant said no such thing. Speak with your own voice. * Never turn and walk away to avoid giving the hand salute. * Never run indoors or pretend you don’t hear (while driving, for example) to avoid standing reveille or retreat. * Never appear in uniform while under the influence of alcohol. * If you don’t know the answer to a superior’s question, you will never go wrong with the response, â€Å"I don’t know sir, but I’ll find out.† COURTESIES 4-4. Courtesy among members of the Armed Forces is vital to maintain discipline. Military courtesy means good manners and politeness in dealing with other people. Courteous behavior provides a basis for developing good human relations. The distinction between civilian and military courtesy is that military courtesy was developed in a military atmosphere and has become an integral part of serving in uniform. 4-5. most forms of military courtesy have some counterpart in civilian life. For example, we train soldiers to say sir or ma’am when talking to a higher ranking officer. Young men and women are sometimes taught to say sir to their fathers or ma’am to their mothers and likewise to other elders. It is often considered good manners for a younger person to say sir or ma’am when speaking to an older person. The use of the word sir is also common in the business world, such as in the salutation of a letter or in any well-ordered institution. 4-6. Military courtesy is not a one-way street. Enlisted personnel are expected to be courteous to officers and likewise officers are expected to return the courtesy. Mutual respect is a vital part of military courtesy. In the final analysis, military courtesy is the respect shown to each other by members of the same profession. Some of the Army’s more common courtesies include rendering the hand salute, standing at attention or parade rest, or even addressing others by their rank.

Environmental pollution: its effects on life and its remedies Essay

The term pollution refers to the act of contaminating ones environment by introducing certain hazardous contaminants that disturb the ecosystem and directly or indirectly affect the living organisms of that ecosystem. Pollution in general is the activity of disturbing the natural system and balance of an environment. The increase in the pollution over the years by man has caused severe damage to the earth’s ecosystem. It is responsible for global warming which is leading to the end if all the lives on earth. Over the years there is an extreme increase in the rate of human diseases, and death rate of various animals and plants on earth, and that is all because of the pollution caused by man himself. AIR POLLUTION: According to the dictionary, air pollution is the contamination of air by smoke and harmful gases, mainly oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. Some examples of air pollution include: Exhaust fumes from vehicles The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or gas Harmful off-gasing from things such as paint, plastic production and so on Radiation spills or nuclear accidents Air pollution is linked to asthma, allergies and other respiratory illnesses. You can more about how the environment affects human health here. LAND POLLUTION Land pollution is the degradation of the Earth’s surface caused by a misuse of resources and improper disposal of waste. Some examples of land pollution include: Litter found on the side of the road Illegal dumping in natural habitats Oil spills that happen inland The use of pesticides and other farming chemicals Damage and debris caused from unsustainable mining and logging practices Radiation spills or nuclear accidents Land pollution is responsible for damage done to natural habitat of animals, deforestation and damage done to natural resources, and the general ugly-ing up of our communities. Light Pollution Light pollution is the brightening of the night sky inhibiting the visibility of stars and planets by the use of improper lighting of communities. Some examples of what causes light pollution: Street lamps that shine light in all directions, instead of with a hood to point light downward toward the street. Unnecessary lights, especially around the home Light pollution uses more energy (by shining more light up instead of down), may affect human health and our sleep cycles and most importantly, corrupts our kids telescopes and their curiosity. Noise Pollution Noise pollution is any loud sounds that are either harmful or annoying to humans and animals. Some examples of noise pollution: Airplanes, helicopters and motor vehicles Construction or demolition noise Human activities such as sporting events or concerts Noise pollution is disruptive to humans’ stress levels, may be harmful to unborn babies, and drives animals away, causing nervousness and decreasing their ability to hear prey or predators. Thermal Pollution Thermal pollution is the increase of temperature caused by human activity. Warmer lake water from nearby manufacturing (using cool water to cool the plant and then pump it back into the lake) Included in thermal pollution should also be the increase in temperatures in areas with lots of concrete or vehicles, generally in cities These kinds of environmental pollution can cause aquatic life to suffer or die due to the increased temperature, can cause discomfort to communities dealing with higher temperatures and can even affect plant-life in and around the area. Visual Pollution Visual pollution is what you would call anything unattractive or visualiing damaging to the nearby landscape. This tends to be a highly subjective topic, as we all find different things attractive and unattractive. Some examples of visual pollution: Skyscrapers might block the view of a mountain Graffiti or carving on trees, rocks or other natural landscapes Billboards, litter, abandoned homes and junkyards could also be considered among three kins of environmental pollution Mostly visual kinds of environmental pollution are annoying, although some may say they are also depressing (such as when they can’t see a view through a billboard). Water Pollution Water pollution is the contamination of any body of water (lakes, groundwater, oceans, etc). Some examples of water pollution: Raw sewage running into lake or streams Industrial waste spills contaminating groundwater Radiation spills or nuclear accidents Illegal dumping of substances, or items in bodies of water Biological contamination, such as bacteria growth These kinds of environmental pollution are linked to health issues in humans, animals and plant-life. You can read more about how the environment is affecting our health here.

The First Mass Shooter Professor Ramos Blog

The First Mass Shooter Mass shooting are become increasingly more common.   Common enough that it can be looked at as a monster in and of itself. It is a monster that always escapes and keeps coming back (Cohen,2012) to haunt us. Sure the shooter may get arrested or even killed but a new one always seems to appear and commit an identical act of violence. Every time we turn on the news we hear of another school shooting or lone gunman shooting up a nightclub and kill dozens of innocent people. It is a monster that brings with it crisis (Cohen, 2012). People now have a fear to go to public even, concerts, and festivals   because they think this monster will show up wreak havoc and chaos. This monster, mass shootings, first made its appearance in August 1, 1966 at the University of Texas by one man, Charles Joseph Whitman. On that day Charles Whitman ascended the universities clock tower and for 96 minutes rained down terror and death upon the students and people of Austin, Texas (Lavergne, 2007). Because of his act, Charles Whitman forever changed the world of law enforcement. Whitmans Killing spree did not start in the clock tower. It started the night before when He went to his mother house and stabbed   her to death with a hunting knife and then shot her in the back of the head. From there he went home where he found his wife laying in bed. He pulled back the cover and stabbed her several time   in the chest, hitting her heart. In the letter Charles wrote before going on his rampage he said that he planned on killing his mother and wife so that they would not have to live with the embarrassment of what he was about to do (lavergne, 1997). Armed with a M-1 carbine,   two hunting rifle, sawed off shotgun, and a couple of pistols he made his way to the clock tower (Wallenfeldt, 2018). Hiding the guns in a footlocker and dressing in coveralls to look like a maintenance man he ascended the clock tower in the elevator. When he got to the 28th floor he bludgeoned the receptionist to death and shot and killed to other two people in the tower.   Whitman laid out his arsenal of weapons round the observation deck and took up his position. At 11:50am Charles Whitman fired the first of 150 shots (Wallenfeldt, 2018). The first bullet pierced the abdomen of a pregnant woman and killed the unborn baby instantly. The next bullet kill the womans boyfriend (Wallenfeldt, 2018). From there he began killing and wound people indiscriminately. Because of his elevation Whitman had a shooting range of five city blocks. When people finally realized what was going on the hid and ran for cover in stores and behind cars. Most of the killing and wounding happened in the first 15 to 20 minutes of the shooting. Before the rampage would end Whitman would claim the live of 14 people, not including his mother and wife, and wounding another 31 people. Once word got out over the police radios about the shooting law enforcement started to gather in great numbers. Local law enforcement, off duty police, sheriffs, and even armed citizens showed up to help. However they were not prepared for what awaited them. For over an hour law enforcement and civilians fought with Whitman to no avail. They even sent in a plain with shar pshooters to fly around the tower to try and take out Whitman but were forced to retreat due to his barrage of bullets (Lavergne, 1997). Unable to get a clear shot at Whitman and unable to help the people lying wounded in the street everything seemed hopeless.   It wasn’t until a team of two officers, Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy, along with two other civilians were able to make it to the base of the tower and use the elevator to make it to the top and finally shoot and kill Whitman (Wallenfeldt, 2018). There are several theories as to what would compel Whitman to commit such an act of violence. Some people believe that it was his troubled upbring. Whitman had a strict and abusive father that demanded perfection out of his sons.   Everything was either â€Å"yes sir† or â€Å"no Sir† (Lavergne, 1997). If not it meant a beating. His father was also very abuse to his wife, â€Å"I did on many occasions beat my wife, but I loved her† (Lavergne, 1997). But being abused isn’t enough to cause someone to want to go on a mass killing spree. If every kid that was abused by their parents went on a killing spree there would no doubly be one almost every day. Other think it was his time in the Marines that may have added fuel to the child abused fire that was already inside him that pushed him over the edge, but   that doesn’t sound quite right either. While in the Marine Whitman excelled in combat training and was even give a sharpshooter badge, but he wa s an outstanding soldier (Lavergne, 1997). He was even give a scholarship from the military to go to school and become an engineer as part of on of their leadership programs. I believe what was the final straw was the tumor growing in his brain. When an autopsy was performed on Whitman they found a tumor the size of a pecan (Wallenfeldt, 2018). Brain tumors have been known to cause mood swings, changes in personality and temper (American Brain Tumor Association). Whitman even claim to struggle with bouts of unexplainable rage and anger (Lavergne, 1997) and even visited several university doctors (Wallenfeldt, 2018). In his farewell note he asked for an autopsy to be done no him to see if there might be something wrong with him (Lavergne, 1997). It was most likely the tumor that was the precipitating cause that brought him to kill. His abusive father was a necessary cause to make him join the Marine and the Marines was the   necessary cause that made him such an effective killer. Because of Whitmans military train and clever planning, law enforcement was force to change and evolve. Something like had never happened before. The concept of an â€Å"active shooter had not yet exist (Wallenfeldt, 2018) until then and a answer was need for this new problem. Enter SWAT, Special Weapons And Tactics. The Texas Tower incident, among others, is often cited as a key impetus for the development of these new specialized teams designed for effective response to the criminal use of military style weapons, hostage taking, and increasingly organized terrorist activities (tang, et al., 2007). Small teams of military trained officers started popping up in agencies all over the country. Today annual national SWAT conferences are held so that law enforcement agencies can share their tactical knowledge so that they might be better prepared for any situation they might encounter (Carmona, 2003), even the next Charles Whitman Serial Killer Annotated Bibliography. Carmona, Richard H. â€Å"The History and Evolution of Tactical Emergency Medical Support and Its Impact on Public Safety.† Topics in Emergency, vol. 25, no. 4, 2003, pp. 277–281. This journal article talks about how the Whitman shooting had sparked a change in EMS would have to operate during a hostile mass casualty situation. Because of what Whitman had done it changed how law enforcement and EMS worked. This is from a scholarly journal so i believe it to be reliable. Lavergne, Gary M. A Sniper in the Tower: the Charles Whitman Murders. Bantam, 1998. This is a book that goes into great detail about Whitmans life before the shootings and the shootings themselfs. I will use this as a reference when explaining what happened during the clock tower shooting. The book was show on google scholar and has a detailed source sighted page so i believe it to be reliable. Tang, Nelson, and Gabor D. Kelen. â€Å"Role of Tactical EMS in Support of Public Safety and the Public Health Response to a Hostile Mass Casualty Incident.† Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, vol. 1, no. S1, 2007, doi:10.1097/dmp.0b013e3181468790 This article talks about how the Texas shoot helped shaped the new guideline for how EMS and SWAT would operate during a mass shooting or mass casualty situation. This will be used to show the effect Whitmans killings made on first responders. This article was written by medical doctors and has a good source sighted page. Wallenfeldt, Jeff. â€Å"Texas Tower Shooting of 1966.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 25 July 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Texas-Tower-shooting-of-1966. This talks about Whitman, the shooting and the aftermath of the shootings. I plan on referencing this when talking about the shooting and how it affected law enforcement and EMS. Since it is from the Encyclopedia Britannica I believe it to be reliable. Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. â€Å"Monster Culture (Seven Theses)(Extract).† Speaking of Monsters, 2012, pp. 15–18., doi:10.1057/9781137101495_2. This journal defines and breaks down what a monster really is and how to identify them. This will help me show how mass shootings have become a new form of monster. I believe this to be reliable because you said so, and your the one passing out the grades. Charles J. Whitman. 1963. Photo Whitmans Arsenal. 1966. Photo Whitmans Wife. 1 Aug. 1966. Photo Clock Tower View. 1966. Photo Clock Tower View 2. 1966. Photo SWAT. Photo

Whats a Good SAT Score for 2017

What's a Good SAT Score for 2017 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're planning on taking the SAT this year, you might be wondering how high you'll need to aim in order to get a good (or even great!) score. What is a good SAT score for 2017?More importantly, what is a good SAT score for you? In this guide, we look at different ways to define good SAT scores for 2017 and teach you how to set an SAT goal score. In addition, we examine old SAT averages and percentiles to determine whether (and how) the definition of a good SAT score has changed over time. What Is a Good SAT Score for 2017 Overall? In the simplest of terms, a good SAT score is any score that's high enough to get you into the schools you wish to attend.But to define good SAT scores for 2017 overall, we'll need to look at the SAT in a broader, more objective sense. And the easiest way to do this is to use averages and percentilesto seehow your scores compare with those of other test takers. (As a reminder, percentiles tell you what percentage of test takers you scored higher than on the SAT.) As you likely know, the SAT is scored on a scale of 400-1600. According to the College Board, theaverage SAT scorefor 2017is1083(for college-bound 11th and 12th graders), which is close to the 50th percentile. Generally speaking, good SAT scores for 2017 can be consideredanything above average (i.e., any score that places you in the top half of test takers). Likewise, a poor score can be considered anything below average. So essentially, the farther you get from average, the better (if above average) or worse (if below average) your score will be. Here is an overview of the current SAT percentiles and what they indicate about your overall test performance: Percentile EBRW Math TOTAL 90th percentile (excellent) 680* 690* 1340 75th percentile (good) 620 610* 1220* 50th percentile (average) 540** 530** 1080 25th percentile (poor) 470 470** 950 10th percentile (very poor) 410* 410 830 Source: SAT Understanding Scores 2016 *Score is 1% higher than percentile listed (i.e., 91st, 76th, or 11th percentiles). **Score is 1% lower than percentile listed (i.e., 49th or 24th percentiles). Let's start by looking at the good percentiles. As we can see from this chart, the higher your SAT percentile, the more test takers you've outperformed and the more impressive your score is. What's intriguing here, though, is thatyou don't need to get a perfect score or even break 1500 to qualify for the top 10%. As the data indicates, ascore of 1340- despite being 260 points below a perfect 1600- is in the 90th percentile! Therefore, anything at or above 1340 can be considered an extremely impressive SAT score for 2017. By contrast, a low percentile indicates that more test takers have outperformed you than you have them.According to the chart, any score in the range of 400-830- that’s a big 430-point span!- places you in the bottom 10% of test takers. Interestingly, a score of 950, which is only 130 points below average, still means you're scoring worse than a whopping 75% of test takers. So it's safe to say, then, that anything at or below 950 can be considered a rather poor SAT score. But what do all of these numbers mean for you specifically? Is a good SAT score simply defined by what percentile you're in, or is there more to it than that? What Is a Good 2017 SAT Score for YOU? Ultimately, and regardless of SAT percentiles and averages, what's important is that you're aiming for an SAT score that's good enough for you- in other words,an SAT score that's high enough to secure you admission to your schools. At PrepScholar, we call this ideal score a goal score. As you might've guessed, goal scores will vary depending on the test taker and where you're applying.For someone applying to Harvard, for example, a good SAT score would most likely be just under or even ata perfect 1600. But for someone applying to Washington State University, a solid goal score might be something closer to 1200. In the end, getting the exact SAT score you need for your schools is far more important than aimlessly trying to hit a certain percentile that might or might not actually be good enough for the colleges you're applying to. Buthow do you find your goal score? Read on to learn! How to Set a 2017 SAT Goal Score Figuring out your SAT goal score is easy if you know what you must do. Here, we walk you through the three critical steps needed to determine your goal score. Step 1: Make a Chart First things first, you'll need to make a chart. Fill in your school names in the leftmost column, and then write â€Å"25th Percentile SAT Score† and â€Å"75th Percentile SAT Score† across the top. Alternatively, you maydownload our goal score worksheet. Here is an example: School Name 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score University of Michigan Michigan State University Eastern Michigan University Step 2: Find SAT Score Info for Your Schools The next step is to start researching SAT score info for your schools. One way to do this is to look for your schools in thePrepScholar database.To find your school, search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar SAT† or â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar† on Google. Then, click the link to either your school's "Admission Requirements" or its "SAT Scores and GPA" page (both pages list SAT score info). Here’s an example of our "Admission Requirements" page for Eastern Michigan University: Once you find your school in our database, look for information about SAT scores- specifically, its 25th and 75th percentile scores. These percentiles are important because they tell you the middle 50%,oraverage range,of admitted applicants' SAT scores for your particular school. If you can't find your school in our database, try searching for â€Å"[School Name] average SAT scores† or â€Å"[School Name] 25th 75th percentile SAT† on Google to see whether any relevant pages on your school’s official website pop up. Here’s our example chart again, this time with SAT score info filled out for each school: School Name 25th Percentile SAT Score 75th Percentile SAT Score University of Michigan 1370 1530 Michigan State University 1050 1310 Eastern Michigan University 980 1260 Step 3: Calculate Your Target Score Finally, look for the highest score in your chart (in the 75th percentile column); this score will be your goal score because it’s the one most likely to get you into all of the schools you're applying to. In our example above, our goal score would be1530- that's in the 99th percentile! If your goal score feels a little too high for you (such as our example goal score), you might want to consider lowering it slightly- ideally to either the second-highest 75th percentile score in your chart or to a score between the highest and second-highest percentile scores. In our example, this means you could instead aim for something closer to 1420, the halfway point between the highest and second-highest scores. This would still be high enough for MSU and EMU, though slightly lower for UM. Once you have your total goal score, you'll likely want to know your section goal scores, too. To get these, divide your total goal score by 2.In our example, this gives us765 (which we'll round up to 770) for both Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math. How Has the Definition of a Good SAT Score Changed? Now that we understand what a good SAT score for 2017 is, both in general and for you, let's look at whether the definition of a good SAT score has changed or stayed the same over the years. To do this, we'll need some data. But here's the caveat: the SAT hada massiveredesign in March 2016.These changes didn't simply shift the SAT scoring scale but alsocompletely overhauled the content and format of the exam. As a result, it'll be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to compare 2017 SAT data with data from earlier administrations of the test. What we'll do instead is compareSAT averages and percentiles for only the old SAT.This way we'll be able to determine with more accuracy whether the SAT average has risen or fallen over time, and whether SAT percentiles, too, have changed. Let's start with the averages. The following table showcases the average SAT scores for college-bound seniors from 2006 to 2016.Note that on the old SAT, there was no EBRW score (instead, you got two separate Critical Reading and Writing scores). Additionally, theessay used to be a required component that counted toward your total Writing score (now, it's optional and graded separately). Average SAT Scores 2006-2016 Year Critical Reading Math Writing 2006 503 518 497 2007 501 514 493 2008 500 514 493 2009 499 514 492 2010 500 515 491 2011 497 514 489 2012 496 514 488 2013 496 514 488 2014 497 513 487 2015 495 511 484 2016 494 508 482 Source: The College Board Total Group Profile Report 2016 As you can see, in all SAT sections, the average scores have declined steadily over time. From 2006 to 2016, Critical Reading witnessed a 9-point drop (503 to 494), Math a 10-point drop (518 to 508), and Writing a 15-point drop (497 to 482). Since these averages changed, it seems logical to assume thatthe definition of a good SAT score has also altered slightly over time. In recent years, students have needed to score fewer points on the SAT in order to hit the average score, indicating that it was somewhat easier to exceed this average (and get what's generally considered a good SAT score)in 2016 than it was in 2006. But how do percentiles come into play? Let's find out. Below is an overview of total SAT score percentiles from2011 to 2015: SAT Score Percentiles 2011-2015 Year 90th Percentile 75th Percentile 50th Percentile 25th Percentile 10th Percentile 2011 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1110 2012 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1100-1110 2013 1930-1940 1720 1490 1280 1100 2014 1930-1940 1720 1490 1270 1090-1100 2015 1930-1940 1720 1480 1260 1080-1090 Again, we can see that for some percentiles- namely the 10th to 50th percentiles- corresponding SAT scores have declined a little over time. This means that over the years, fewer test takers have reached certain scores on the SAT, thereby lowering the scores needed to achieve different percentiles. But these changes in scores and percentiles are all fairly nominal. Of the percentiles whose scores decreased from 2011 to 2015, all dropped by a mere 10 or 20 points- changes that aren't drastic enough to point to any major trend. Even more interesting, some percentiles' corresponding scores didn't change at all over the years.From 2011 to 2015, the 90th and 75th percentiles remained remarkably steady (at 1930-1940 and 1720, respectively), meaning that the same percentages of test takers were scoring at or around these scores each year. All in all, this general consistency in SAT score percentiles suggests that what’s considered a good score hasn’t changed much in recent years, particularly if you’re defining a good SAT score by how your score compares with those of other test takers. Recap: What Is a Good SAT Score for 2017? There are many ways to define good SAT scores for 2017. Perhaps the easiest way we can define them is to use data from the College Board. According to this data, the average SAT score for 2017 is 1083 (nearly the same as the median or 50th percentile). Generally speaking, any SAT score above average (i.e., in the top half of test takers) is a good score, and any score below average (i.e., in the bottom half of test takers) is a poor one. While averages and percentiles offer us a more objective idea of what good SAT scores for 2017 are, ultimately, you determine what a good SAT score is for yourself. To do this, you must set an SAT goal score. A goal score is the SAT score most likelyto get you into all of the schools to which you're applying. By setting (and eventually hitting) your goal score, you can guarantee yourself an excellent shot at gaining admission to your schools. What’s Next? Want more information about SAT scores?Learn what constitutes a good, bad, and excellent SAT score in general, and get the rundown on how the SAT is scored. Need help hitting your SAT goal score?Try our expert tips to improve your score. And if you're willing to work extra hard, follow the road to success with our step-by-step guide on how to get a perfect 1600! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

How the media communications impacted public perception on marijuana Research Paper

How the media communications impacted public perception on marijuana - Research Paper Example Marijuana in most nations around the world is categorized as an illegal drug and its use is outlawed. However, there are alternative uses of marijuana ranging from the production of animal feeds, plastic products among other use. In the U.S.A, the use of marijuana has been prohibited to both the living and those who are dying. The most tragic of the prohibition of its use has been the denial of medicinal cannabis to millions of patients who could benefit from its therapeutic use. The use of Marijuana for medical purposes has numerous examples that cannabis is invaluable in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. It has numerous clinical applications as well. The most important of these is perhaps being used as a pain reliever especially pain suffered because of nerve damage otherwise known as neuropathic pain. It is also known to deal with movement disorders, glaucoma and nausea. Apart from medical use, there are a number of reasons given for the legalization of marijuana. One of them is that marijuana is no more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, which are legal and widely use in the US already. The other argument is that decriminalization will result in reduced criminal and gang activities that are related to the sale of Marijuana. The process of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use and other purposes has been a long one and the role played by the media cannot be ignored. It served an important role in the education of the masses as to this alternativ e method of treatment.

Low-Cost US Airline - Southwest Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Low-Cost US Airline - Southwest - Research Paper Example   This is mainly because of the fact that Southwest airline has adopted various low-cost strategies such as Website reservations and ticketless travel, employee buyout programs, low depreciation costs and administrative expenses, cancellation of flights at profitable routes due to unfilled capacity and use of similar planes at other destinations with temporary higher load factor and other practices etc. Indeed, the company has received the tremendous response in the domestic US market where sales increased considerably because of repeat customers who always enjoy the experience by travelling through Southwest Airlines. The company usually adds 1-2 new cities every year as part of an expansion and sustainable development strategy. After thoroughly reading the case, the researcher has discovered the following three managerial and strategic issues that need to be addressed for betterment and enhancement of Southwest’s business in upcoming years. The first major issue is increasing in oil prices in the international market followed by economic recession after the credit crunch and a debacle of US subprime property mortgage scheme. It is worthwhile to mention that Southwest Airlines would have to face bleak scenario and an extremely challenging business environment in upcoming quarters of 2008 – 2009 because the higher crude oil prices increased inflation followed by the decline in real purchasing power of US consumers. Obviously, this later would lead to production and consumption, thereby resulting in closures of industries. The unemployment would increase, shatter consumer confidence and adversely affect the airline industry for which survival had become the sole priority in 2008. In short, Southwest might not be able to maintain its load factor, average fare revenue per customer and current operating expense structure in 3rd quarter onwards. There is the greater probability that demand for air travel would decrease that might lead to losses to Southwest. An economic recession is an uncontrollable factor because unemployment increases and consumption falls during the recessionary cycle. For instance, the contraction in business activities also reduces the demand for business travelling followed by a steep decline in leisure travelling because of high price elasticity.  Ã‚