Critically examine the use of special measures in criminal proceedings Essay

Critically examine the use of special measures in criminal proceedings for young people in England and Wales - Essay Example justice system as an offender, Justice Authorities must make sure they protect the young individuals from the harsh effects of the criminal justice system. The future of a young person and his welfare must be the most important features considered by the justice system while handling offenders. Punishment especially incarceration should to a larger extent be aimed at correcting the antisocial behaviours of the young offender rather than obtaining a measure of revenge for the person or community offended by the individual. In contrast, Children can become involved in the criminal justice delivery process as witnesses. Unlike offenders most of the underage individuals who witness crimes are innocent. The vulnerability of children makes is more important for justice authorities to make provisions for them where their evidence is important in getting criminals convicted. From the questioning by police investigators to the final appearance in the courtroom the process of giving evidence for crime can be hallowing for young witnesses. Additionally, criminals are known to threaten those who testify against them to instil fear in them or prevent them from presenting evidence that could condemn them. Over time the governments of England and Wales have developed policy that addresses the unique challenges involved in ensuring justice prevails for youth offenders and witnesses alike. Criminal justice for juvenile offenders has managed to put the consideration of the young offenders first. The education and young life of child offenders is not significantly affected by punishment. However, concern continues to mount that the adversarial criminal justice system continues to victimise juvenile witnesses and young victims of violent crime in the search of a defendant’s convictions or proof of innocence. This paper concentrates on the need to further protect child witnesses from the negative effects of involvement in a harsh adversarial justice system. This paper discusses

Think of a song you like and compare that poem to Nezahualcoyotl Article

Think of a song you like and compare that poem to Nezahualcoyotl - Article Example Further, he asks people to wake up and see the light while Netzahualcoyotl really fears about life since he is sure about death because he believes in Theological teaching (William, 496). Netzahualcoyotl is worried and sad since he knows that everything will come to pass. Strong gold and jades fall away from each other and wear away, so will the brittle faces and heart fades, however decorous they may be (Portilla, 291). Bob Marley calls on people to stop worrying and live their lives to the maximum and fight for it aggressively since it is their right to live. The poem also depicts the state of hopelessness and fears that Netzahualcoyotl under went through as he affirm that there is no one who can befriend the Giver of life to be favored not to die or grow old (Portilla, 257). Bob urges with zeal to fight for their fundamental right and he doesn’t view life as a favor from the Giver of life. Netzahualcoyotl’s thoughts are directed by theology and philosophy about the divine powers of the Maker’s decision to give life Bob Marley doesn’t believe in any doctrines but believes in the secular world that suggests that living is a

Sherlock Holmes And Christopher Boone English Language Essay

Sherlock Holmes And Christopher Boone English Language Essay In Mark Haddons short-story, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Christopher Boone, the protagonist has suggested several times that he, doing some detective work himself, is very much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyles famous character, Sherlock Holmes. Based on the protagonists strange behaviour and thoughts, many people think that he has some kind of mental illness. And, as he is so much like Sherlock Holmes, who is a rather peculiar figure himself, we can enlist the main similarities and differences between the two fictional characters. As of Holmes character, I chose to pick the BBC adaptation of 2010 and 2012, because it is much closer in time and setting than that of the original stories. But, before starting the list, lets see what the main syndromes of Asperger are, the assumed mental illness of Christopher. The severity of Asperger can vary from mild to severe. They usually do not tolerate well any changes and often have obsessive routines. They generally have a special interest, in which they are really good. At young age, these symptoms can lead to rigidity, but later in adulthood it actually might result in a sumptuous carrier. Especially if we considerate their ability to learn social skills as others can learn how to ride a bike. But, at least at the beginning, they cannot always read body language and other non-verbal language and cannot measure proper body space and they often avoid gaze. They appear to be especially sensitive to particular sounds, touch, light, to which other people are not. This causes a very strange and odd behaviour sometimes. As a result, their mates will often see them an outsider and mock them for this. It will not help to ease this situation the fact that people who suffer from Aspergers syndrome have an innate naivety and a normal IQ, but have extraordin ary skill in a particular area. In terms of their use of language, they seem to develop like everyone else. However, they often have a larger amount of vocabulary than others of their age, and also they are really straightforward in their choice of words. In other cases, they might encounter some hardships in language usage in social environment.  [1]   Now that we have seen the main symptoms of Asperger, we can go on to the examples from Haddons work and how much they actually apply for its protagonist, Christopher. Parallelled to this, we will see the similarities and occasional differences between him and Sherlock Holmes. Some scientists even presume that Holmes has many symptoms of Asperger, thus was the first character (although fictional), who suffered from this kind of mental illness, even thought it was described first in 1944 and acknowledged only in 1994.  [2]  Others think that Doyle, due to his medical studies, may have known some of these symptoms.  [3]   First of all, as we have seen, the main characteristic of this illness is being antisocial. In the short-story, Christopher does not seem to know many people, nor does he desire to. His most important contact is with his father, with whom he lives and who understand him and is able to deal with his sons illness, on the contrary to his own mother. His mother wrote Christopher this, how she could not cope with the strange behavior of his son, but how patient was his father usually with him. After his father he mentions especially a lot Siobhan, the school-psychiatrist, who helps him and tries to teach him about social contacts. Moreover, she is one of the few who can draw Christopher out from his usual uncommunicative state. Similarly to the role of Siobhan in the boys life, Dr. Watson constantly tries to keep Holmes from hurting others feelings, and in general tries to get him to behave in a socially acceptable manner. In some way, he is the normal counterpart of Holmes abnormal life.   [4]   Lestrade: [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Weve found Rachel. Sherlock Holmes: Who is she? Lestrade: Jennifer Wilsons only daughter. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Sherlock Holmes: You need to bring Rachel in. You need to question her.  I  need to question her. Lestrade: Shes dead. Sherlock Holmes: Excellent! Sherlock Holmes: How, when and why? Is there a connection? There  has  to be. Lestrade: Well, I doubt it, since shes been dead for fourteen years. Technically she was never alive. Rachel was Jennifer Wilsons stillborn daughter, fourteen years ago. Sherlock Holmes: No, thats thats not right. How Why would she do that?  Why? [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] John Watson: You said that the victims all took the poison themselves, that he  makes  them take it. Well, maybe he I dont know, talks to them? Maybe he used the death of her daughter somehow. Sherlock Holmes: Yeah, but that was  ages  ago. Why would she still be upset? (John stares at him. Sherlock hesitates as he realises that everyone in the flat has stopped what theyre doing and has fallen silent. He glances around the room and then looks awkwardly at John.) Sherlock Holmes: Not good? John Watson: Bit  not good, yeah. When Christopher talks to other people, for example Mrs. Alexander, he states that it is difficult for him to converse with them, because he does not know them, thus does not trust them; and also because chatting with someone is not easy for them. But, interestingly, the boy occasionally can overcome his difficulties and for some time can maintain a normal conversation with the old lady. Parallelly, Sherlock does not seem to have many friends, but still is more social than Christopher, he does not have a problem with talking to anyone. Even though both of them seem to encounter difficulties at the area of social contacts, the also both try to improve their skills. In the short-story we often read that Christopher says or does something just because he is told that is the proper thing to say or do. For example, when Ed Boone, his father prepares him some meal, we read: And I said, Thank you for supper, because that is being polite.  [5]   In BBC Sherlock, in the episode Scandal in Belgravia at the Christmas party, Holmes jabbers a long and quite rude monologue about Mollys especially coquettish looks, with which she wishes to seduce a secret boyfriend. When it turns out it is actually Sherlock with whom Molly is in love with, thus humiliating Molly in front of the whole room, Holmes finally apologies. For a brief moment we can see Watsons face, which is clearly surprised by Sherlocks apology. From this scene we can see how he tries to redeem the insulting things he said out loud. In connection with this antisocial behavior, people who have this illness, tend to have some problem with emotions and their recognition. At the very beginning of his book, Christopher shows us some drawings of smileys. He says he can understand happiness and sadness, but not the other facial expressions which indicate more complex emotions.  [6]  It seems he is somehow insensitive to most kind of emotions. It especially shows in his choice of words and straightforwardness: And Mrs. Alexander said, Your mother, before she died, was very good friends with Mr. Shears. And I said, I know. And she said, No, Christopher. I m not sure that you do. I mean that they were very good friends. Very, very good friends. I thought about this for a while and said, Do you mean that they were doing sex? And Mrs. Alexander said, Yes, Christopher. That is what I mean. It seems that even death does not really bother him. This characteristic is found in Sherlock Holmes, too. In fact, this is his one of his most famous features: being the man of logic and not that of emotions. For example in the morgue, in the same episode of BBC Sherlock, the Holmes brothers see a family on Christmas Eve who probably lost a relative and they are, of course, devastated. But they just watch them, saying: Sherlock Holmes: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Look at them. They all care so much. Do you ever wonder if theres something wrong with us?   Mycroft Holmes: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾All lives end. All hearts are broken. Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock.  [7]   Moreover, in The Hounds of Baskerville where Holmes deliberately poisons his only friend, and when Watson questions him about it, he does not seem to be very bothered about the matter. John Watson: So you got it wrong. Sherlock Holmes: No. John Watson: You were wrong. It wasnt in the sugar. You got it  wrong. Sherlock Holmes: A bit. It wont happen again.  [8]   It is very important to note that on the contrary of Christopher, Sherlock can actually pretend any kind of emotion just to get some information, he easily manipulates anyone without a bit of regret. Sherlock Holmes: Mrs Monkford? (She turns to him tearfully.) Mrs. Monkford: Yes. Mrs. Monkford: Sorry, but Ive already spoken with two policemen. John Watson: No, were not from the police; were (Sherlock holds his hand out to her, his voice tearful and tremulous.) Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock Holmes. Very old friend of your husbands. We, um (As she shakes his hand, he looks down as if fighting back his tears.) Sherlock Holmes: we grew up together. Mrs. Monkford: Im sorry, who? I dont think he ever mentioned you. Sherlock Holmes (still tearful): Oh, he  must  have done. This is this is horrible, isnt it? Sherlock Holmes: I mean, I just cant believe it. I only saw him the other day. Same old Ian not a care in the world. (He smiles tearfully at her.) Mrs. Monkford: Sorry, but my husband has been depressed for months. Who  are  you? Sherlock Holmes: Really strange that he hired a car. Why would he do that? Its a bit suspicious, isnt it? (By now he has tears running down his cheeks.) Mrs. Monkford: No, it isnt. He forgot to renew the tax on the car, thats all. Sherlock Holmes: Oh, well, that was Ian! That was Ian all over! Mrs. Monkford: No it wasnt. (Instantly Sherlocks fake persona drops and he looks at her intensely.) Sherlock Holmes: Wasnt it? Interesting. In general, Holmes is quite rude to everyone, including Watson, and also, he sees himself as the only normal human being in the world. Here are two very good example of this from the first episode of the series, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾A Study in Pink: Sherlock Holmes: Took me less than an hour to find the right skip. John Watson: Pink. You got  all  that because you realised the case would be pink? Sherlock Holmes: Well, it  had  to be pink, obviously. John Watson (to himself): Why didnt  I  think of that? Sherlock Holmes: Because youre an idiot. (John looks across to him, startled) Sherlock Holmes: No, no, no, dont look like that. Practically everyone is. And elsewhere: Sherlock Holmes: Anderson, dont talk out loud. You lower the I.Q. of the whole street.  [9]  (A Study in Pink) This feature shares also Christopher, when he talks about his schoolmates and he states that he is the only normal among them. Both of them are aware of their special skills, therefore both of them are quite proud, almost arrogant. Christopher, without any trace of modesty, is a hundred per-cent sure he will get his A-level in maths. Holmes, too, is always sure he will solve the case, and when he makes an error, he is quite reluctant to admit it (see the The Hounds of Baskerville conversation above). They both has their special area of interest, although Christophers is much narrower (only maths) than Holmes, which includes everything from biology and chemistry to observation and deduction. They both tend to shut down when they occupy themselves with their work, they do not eat or speak for long hours, in some extreme cases, even for days. However, unlike Sherlock, Christopher has a range of special rules which tend to interfere with his everyday life, for example the quality of the day is based on how many red or yellow cars he sees on the way to school; or he cannot eat his meal if they touched each other on his plate. They do not only tend to shock people with their lack of emotion, but also with their actual behaviour, thus both of them being outsiders in some way. For example, at the beginning of the story, Christopher hugs the dead, bloody dog. That is surely something most normal people would not do. Similarly, at the beginning of The Hounds of Baskerville, Sherlock suddenly appears at the door, covered in blood, nearly giving poor Watson a heart attack. He explains he could not come home earlier because not a taxi would take him, so he had to travel on the metro. Also, at the beginning of The Blind Banker, Holmes meets his old acquaintance from the university. This man briefly mentions what an outsider was Sherlock even at that time, due to his extraordinary skills. Sebastian: We were at uni together. This guy here had a trick he used to do. Sherlock Holmes: Its not a trick. Sebastian: He could look at you and tell you your whole life story. John Watson: Yes, Ive seen him do it. Sebastian: Put the wind up everybody. We hated him. The description mentioned as one of them symptoms the sensitivity of touch, light or smell which others are not even aware of. Christopher does not like to be touched by anyone, even his own parents. Sherlock does not have any of this problem, but he does share the special ability to observe and remember people and characteristics which other people do not even see. When Christopher meets someone, he tends to mention the colour of his shoes, which is completely irrelevant, but still important to him. In the series, this ability of Holmes is illustrated by fancy texts which appear on the screen when he is observing someone, or he has many, rather inapprehensible monologues where he explains his deductions to the others. It is really interesting how similar is the way they both save their memories. Christopher describes it as a DVD, which he can rewatch again and again with the same accuracy, and Holmes has a mind palace where he can wander around and find the appropriate information. As a curiosity, both the short-story and the series mention the deerstalker, one of the most famous symbols of Sherlock Holmes, but in these works this hat does not seem to get as much attention as all the other adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Christopher writes: In the original Sherlock Holmes stories Sherlock Holmes is never described as wearing a deerstalker hat, which is what he is always wearing in pictures and cartoons. The deerstalker hat was invented by a ma n called Sidney Paget, who did the illustrations for the original books. And in the series, at the beginning of The Reichenbach Fall: Sherlock Holmes: Why is it always the hat photograph? [] Sherlock Holmes: What sort of hat is it anyway? [] Sherlock Holmes: Is it a cap? Why has it got two fronts? John Watson: Its a deerstalker.  [] Sherlock Holmes: You stalk a deer with a hat? What are you gonna do throw it? [] Sherlock Holmes: Some sort of death frisbee? [] Sherlock Holmes: Its got flaps ear flaps. Its an  ear  hat, John. [] John Watson: [] this isnt a deerstalker now; its a Sherlock Holmes hat.   As we can see, there are many similarities and differences between these two characters. But in general we can say that the detective is much more functional and effective than Christopher, only a little peculiar. Sources: Albrecht: Albrecht, Karl Ph. D.: Did Sherlock Holmes Have Asperger Syndrome? Published in October 13, 2011. From: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainsnacks/201110/did-sherlock-holmes-have-asperger-syndrome-0 Haddon: Haddon, Mark: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Doubleplay, London, 2003. I used the page numbers from the copy found on this site: https://sites.google.com/site/janoskenyeres/readingliterarytexts 2012-11-02 17:50 Kirby: Kirby, Barbara L.: What is Aperger Syndrome? 2001. From: http://scholar.google.hu/scholar?q=what+is+asperger+syndromebtnG=hl=huas_sdt=0 2012-11-16 09:58 Sanders: Sanders, Lisa M.D.: Hidden Clues. Published: December 6, 2009, New York. From: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/magazine/06diagnosis-t.html?pagewanted=all 2012-11-16 11:34 Sherlock. Created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. BBC, 2010 and 2012. Verhees: Verhees, Ingrid: From Hero and Zero to Butch and Sundance: On the Evolution of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Throughout a Century of Adaptation. MA thesis, 2011, Universiteit Utrecht. From:http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/student-theses/2011-0919-201519/From%20Hero%20and%20Zero%20to%20Butch%20and%20Sundance%20-%20On%20the%20Evolution%20of%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20and%20Dr.%20Watson%20Throughout%20a%20Century%20of%20Adaptation.pdf 2012-11-16 14:22 Transcription of the series: Sherlock transcription: http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/tag/transcript 2012-11-16 19:11 Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0036861/quotes 2012-11-16 17:59

Causes Animal Extinction Essay

Choose one of the following topics and write a 3-paragraph essay consisting of an Introductory Paragraph, ONE Supporting Paragraph and a Concluding Paragraph. Requirements: 1) Your introductory paragraph should not exceed 150 words, the body paragraph should not exceed 200 words, and the concluding paragraph should not exceed 150 words. 2) Your thesis statement should consist of at least 3 subdivisions and choose only ONE subdivision to develop your supporting paragraph. 3) Type your essay using Arial font, 12 pt., and spaced at 1.5 between lines. Remember to include page numbers. 4) You MUST cite works from experts. Include at least TWO (2) specific supporting details of different types (e.g. quotations or paraphrase/ statistics/ examples from various sources / references / online journals). Citation and referencing should be using the APA format. 5) Essays that are submitted after the deadline will be penalized 2 points per day unless you have prior approval/extension date, or a good and confirmable reason. If you need an extension, see your instructor. Extensions are at his/her discretion. TOPIC 1 Many foreign students are interested in studying in Malaysia for many reasons. However, some of these students do not turn up at their colleges after successfully obtaining their student visa. In some cases, those absentees were caught being involved in vice activities such as prostitution and drug dealing. Suggest some methods that can be implemented by the government and education institutions to stop foreign students from misusing their student VISA. TOPIC 2 Every 4-5 years, Malaysia undergoes the election process by which the citizens select the people to lead the government. However, many of the younger generation do not feel the need to participate in the voting process. Suggest the ways to encourage youths to register as voters. TOPIC 3 It is easy for people to forget that when they travel alone, whether via public transportation or on their own, they are actually exposed to many dangerous situations, such as crime. Hence, it is vital for all to have some basic safety guidelines to avoid or protect oneself from danger. Suggest the precautions that a person can take while travelling alone.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 7

SEVEN WHEN THE FIRST WARNING for curfew came around, the Moroi packed their things up. Adrian took off right away, but Lissa and Christian took their time walking back to the dorm. They held hands and kept their heads close together, whispering about something that I could have â€Å"spied† on if I'd gone inside Lissa's head. They were still outraged over the Victor news. I gave them their privacy and kept my distance, scouting while Eddie walked off to their side. Since there were more Moroi than dhampirs on campus, the Moroi actually had two side-by-side dorms. Lissa and Christian lived in different ones. The two of them stopped when they came to the spot outside the buildings where the path through the quad split. They kissed goodbye, and I did my best to do the guardian seeing-without-actually-seeing thing. Lissa called goodbye to me and then headed off to her dorm with Eddie. I followed Christian to his. If I'd been guarding Adrian or someone like him, I would probably have had to put up with sexual jokes about us sleeping near each other for the next six weeks. But Christian treated me in the casual, brusque way one might a sister. He cleared a spot on the floor for me, and by the time he returned from brushing his teeth, I'd made myself a cozy bed out of blankets. He flipped off the lights and climbed into his own bed. After several quiet moments, I asked, â€Å"Christian?† â€Å"This is the time when we sleep, Rose.† I yawned. â€Å"Believe me, I want that too. But I have a question.† â€Å"Is it about Victor? Because I need to sleep, and that's just going to piss me off again.† â€Å"No, it's about something else.† â€Å"Okay, shoot.† â€Å"Why didn't you make fun of me over what happened with Stan? Everyone else is trying to figure out if I messed up or did it on purpose. Lissa gave me a hard time. Adrian did a little. And the guardians †¦ well, never mind about them. But you didn't say anything. I figured you'd be the first one with a snappy comment.† More silence fell, and I hoped he was thinking about his answer and not falling asleep. â€Å"There was no point in giving you a hard time,† he said at last. â€Å"I know you didn't do it on purpose.† â€Å"Why not? I mean, not that I'm contradicting you – because I didn't do it on purpose – but why are you so sure?† â€Å"Because of our conversation in culinary science. And because of the way you are. I saw you in Spokane. Anyone who did what you did to save us †¦ well, you wouldn't do something childish like this.† â€Å"Wow. Thanks. I †¦ well, that means a lot.† Christian believed me when no one else did. â€Å"You're like the first person who actually believes I just messed up without any ulterior motives.† â€Å"Well,† he said, â€Å"I don't believe that either.† â€Å"Believe what? That I messed up? Why not?† â€Å"Weren't you just listening? I saw you in Spokane. Someone like you doesn't mess up or freeze.† I started to give him the same line I'd given the guardians, that killing Strigoi didn't make me invincible, but he cut me off: â€Å"Plus, I saw your face out there.† â€Å"Out†¦ on the quad?† â€Å"Yeah.† Several more quiet moments passed. â€Å"I don't know what happened, but the way you looked †¦ that wasn't the look of someone trying to get back at a person. It wasn't the look of someone blanking out at Alto's attack either. It was something different†¦. I don't know. But you were completely consumed by something else – and honestly? Your expression? Kind of scary.† â€Å"Yet†¦you aren't giving me a hard time over that either.† â€Å"Not my business. If it was big enough to take you over like that, then it must be serious. But if push comes to shove, I feel safe with you, Rose. I know you'd protect me if there was really a Strigoi there.† He yawned. â€Å"Okay. Now that I've bared my soul, can we please go to bed? Maybe you don't need beauty sleep, but some of us aren't that lucky.† I let him sleep and soon gave into exhaustion myself. I'd had a long day and was still short on rest from the previous night. Once heavily asleep, I began to dream. As I did, I felt the telltale signs of one of Adrian's contrived dreams. â€Å"Oh no,† I groaned. I stood in a garden in the middle of summer. The air was heavy and humid, and sunshine beat down on me in golden waves. Flowers of every color bloomed around me, and the air was heavy with the scent of lilacs and roses. Bees and butterflies danced from blossom to blossom. I wore jeans and a linen tank top. My nazar, a small blue eye made of glass that allegedly warded off evil, hung around my neck. I also wore a beaded bracelet with a cross, called a chotki, on my wrist. It was a Dragomir heirloom Lissa had given me. I rarely wore jewelry in my daily duties, but it always showed up in these dreams. â€Å"Where are you?† I called. â€Å"I know you're here.† Adrian stepped around from behind an apple tree that was thick with pink and white flowers. He wore jeans – something I'd never seen him in before. They looked good and were undoubtedly a designer brand. A dark green cotton T-shirt – also very simple – covered his upper body, and the sunlight brought out highlights of gold and chestnut in his brown hair. â€Å"I told you to stay out of my dreams,† I said, putting my hands on my hips. He gave me his lazy smile. â€Å"But how else are we supposed to talk? You didn't seem very friendly earlier.† â€Å"Maybe if you didn't use compulsion on people, you'd have more friends.† â€Å"I had to save you from yourself. Your aura was like a storm cloud.† â€Å"Okay, for once, can we please not talk about auras and my impending doom?† The look in his eyes told me he was actually really interested in that, but he let it go. â€Å"Okay. We can talk about other things.† â€Å"But I don't want to talk at all! I want to sleep.† â€Å"You are sleeping.† Adrian smiled and walked over to study a flowering vine that was winding up a post. It had orange and yellow flowers shaped like trumpets. He gently ran his fingers over one of the flowers' edges. â€Å"This was my grandmother's garden.† â€Å"Great,† I said, making myself comfortable against the apple tree. It looked like we could be here for a while. â€Å"Now I get to hear your family history.† â€Å"Hey she was a cool lady.† â€Å"I'm sure she was. Can I go yet?† His eyes were still on the vine's blossoms. â€Å"You shouldn't knock Moroi family trees. You don't know anything about your father. For all you know, we could be related.† â€Å"Would that mean you'd leave me alone?† Strolling back over to me, he switched subjects as though there'd been no interruption. â€Å"Nah, don't worry. I think we come from different trees. Isn't your dad some Turkish guy anyway?† â€Å"Yeah, according to my – Hey, are you staring at my chest?† He was studying me closely, but his eyes were no longer on my face. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared. â€Å"I'm staring at your shirt,† he said. â€Å"The color is all wrong.† Reaching out, he touched the strap. Like ink spreading across paper, the ivory fabric turned the same shade of rich indigo as the vine's blossoms. He narrowed his eyes like an expert artist studying his work. â€Å"How'd you do that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's my dream. Hmm. You're not a blue person. Well, at least not in the color sense. Let's try this.† The blue lit up into a brilliant crimson. â€Å"Yes, that's it. Red's your color. Red like a rose, like a sweet, sweet Rose.† â€Å"Oh man,† I said. â€Å"I didn't know you could kick into crazy mode even in dreams.† He never got as dark and depressed as Lissa had last year, but spirit definitely made him weird sometimes. He stepped back and threw his arms out. â€Å"I'm always crazy around you, Rose. Here, I'm going to write an impromptu poem for you.† He tipped his head back and shouted to the sky: â€Å"Rose is in red But never in blue Sharp as a thorn Fights like one too.† Adrian dropped his arms and looked at me expectantly. â€Å"How can a thorn fight?† I asked. He shook his head. â€Å"Art doesn't have to make sense, little dhampir. Besides, I'm supposed to be crazy, right?† â€Å"Not the craziest I've ever seen.† â€Å"Well,† he said, pacing over to study some hydrangeas, â€Å"I'll work on that.† I started to ask again about when I could go â€Å"back† to sleep, but our exchange brought something to my mind. â€Å"Adrian †¦ how do you know if you're crazy or not?† He turned from the flowers, a smile on his face. I could tell he was about to make a joke, but then he looked at me more closely. The smile faded, and he turned unusually serious. â€Å"Do you think you're crazy?† he asked. â€Å"I don't know,† I said, looking down at the ground. I was barefoot, and sharp blades of grass tickled my feet. â€Å"I've been †¦ seeing things.† â€Å"People who are crazy rarely question whether they're crazy,† he said wisely. I sighed and looked back up at him. â€Å"That doesn't really help me.† He walked back over to me and rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"I don't think you're crazy, Rose. I think you've been through a lot, though.† I frowned. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"It means I don't think you're crazy.† â€Å"Thanks. That clears things up. You know, these dreams are really starting to bug me.† â€Å"Lissa doesn't mind them,† he said. â€Å"You visit hers too? Do you seriously have no boundaries?† â€Å"Nah, hers are instructional. She wants to learn how to do this.† â€Å"Great. So I'm just the lucky one who gets to put up with your sexual harassment.† He actually looked hurt. â€Å"I really wish you wouldn't act like I'm evil incarnate.† â€Å"Sorry. I just haven't had much reason to believe you can do anything useful.† â€Å"Right. As opposed to your cradle-robbing mentor. I don't really see you making much progress with him.† I took a step back and narrowed my eyes. â€Å"Leave Dimitri out of this.† â€Å"I will when you stop acting like he's perfect. Correct me if I'm wrong, but he's one of the people who hid the trial from you, right?† I looked away. â€Å"That's not important right now. Besides, he had his reasons.† â€Å"Yeah, which apparently didn't involve being open with you or fighting to get you there. Whereas me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"I could get you into the trial.† â€Å"You?† I asked with a harsh laugh. â€Å"How are you going to pull that off? Have a smoke break with the judge? Use compulsion on the queen and half the royals at court?† â€Å"You shouldn't be so quick to slam people who can help you. Just wait.† He placed a light kiss on my forehead that I tried to wiggle away from. â€Å"But for now, go get some rest.† The garden faded, and I fell back into the normal blackness of sleep.

Analysis Of The Movie The Lottery - 1216 Words

There are a lot of characters that play a huge role in the outcome of the story. Tessie Hutchinson, who was thrilled about the lottery, was the one who gets the paper with a black dot. She always wanted to participate each year but this year she wasn’t so happy about it. She complained because her family’s names were also included in the lottery drawing. Bill Hutchinson, Tessie’s husband, was the one who drew the lottery, in the end. Even though Tessie complained and protested about the lottery, he acknowledged it because it was apart of the town’s tradition. Old Man Warner has partaken in 77 lotteries over the years. He is also known as the oldest person in the Town. He believes that the lottery cleans people’s sin and allows them to be kind. He feels as if there shouldn’t be a change, and the lottery ceremony should remain as apart of town tradition. Mr. Summers, has no children, is the guy who leads the lottery ceremony. 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An Overview of ABC Plc - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2355 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Table of Contents Company Overview UK operation Overview Tax Changes in UK U.S.A Operation Overview Japan Operation Overview Investment Country Analysis Regulation and Rules Tax and Licensing Cost Local Analysis Challenges: Economic Development in the region Risk Factors Economic Condition Legal un-certainty Regulatory and Tax Risk Security Concern Efficient Operation Customer Analysis Recommendations References Table of Figures Company Overview ABC Plc, a large multinational Oil and Gas Company, operates in USA, UK and Japan and its main activities are drilling, refining and distributing oil and gas. ABC Plc has not been making profits for the last 3 years in USA and Japan due to severe economic recession and management is planning to cease US and Japanese activities because of continuous loss. Current profit and loss account of the company performance reveals the following information. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "An Overview of ABC Plc" essay for you Create order  £m USA Japan UK All Total Cost 950 700 450 2100 Less: Variable Cost 750 500 250 1500 Total Fixed Cost 200 200 200 600 Sales Revenue 700 650 800 2150 Group Net Profit 500 450 600 50 Contribution cost (50) 150 550 650 Fixed Cost 200 200 200 600 Profit/Loss (250) (50) 350 50 Above calculation of ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s profit and loss shows that company is facing hurdles in U.S and Japan operations are in severe loss especially in U.S business. In order to affirm the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s decision to close the U.S and Japan operation, analysis of all countries in which company operation is required. Following is the overview of the company country based operations. UK operation Overview UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s majority Oil reserves are located offshore in the UK continental shelf (UKCS), and most of the oil production occurs in the central and northern sections of the North Sea. Even though on shore there is a diffident amount of oil produced, in 2012 more than 90 percent of total UK production were offshore. (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Although UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reservoirs are aging and infrastructure have been affected the oil production in last few years, The government of UK does not hold any direct interest in oil production, but this sector remains important to the government because Corporation Tax and Supplementary Tax income comes from the Oil sector and accounts almost 25 percent of corporate tax receipts, according to Oil and Gas UK. (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Tax Changes in UK There have been a number of tax changes from 2011 that affected the sector, which includes the change in the rate of supplementary charge (an addition to the corporate tax). Furthermore, petroleum revenue tax (PRT) is increased to 81 percent of their profits (previous 75% rate), and fields that are not subject to PRT now pay a 62% tax (50-percent rate in the past). (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Because of the increase in taxes most of the UK projects have become less competitive. Operating cost increase with higher taxes has resulted in decreased investment. Even without the increased taxes, operating costs in the UK were very high which also discourage investors. U.S.A Operation Overview U.S Oil production has boomed from last decade making U.S to less rely on oil imports and other countries. But this increase has come with the greater cost. Also it is speculated that this boom will not last more than a decade resulting in depletion of resources and maturing the reserves. Big players in the sector are profiting from the boom but increased legislation and laws including labor etc. making it difficult for the small firms to survive and continue production. Cost Inflation rate in USA is increasing making companies more to spend on operations without meeting the demand to increase activity and production volumes. Also the price changing un-certainty challenging the capital budgeting and estimated net income, large expansion and development is also on going. It will be hard to invest in new sites for small players. Figure 1 U.S Energy Information Administration Japan Operation Overview Japan is the worlds largest liquefied natural gas importer, second largest coal importer, and third largest net oil importer. Domestic oil reserves are very limited, according to theOil and Gas Journal(OGJ). Reserves amounted 44 million barrels as of January 2013. Japans domestic oil reserves are found primarily along the countrys western coastline.(Japan Analysis , 2013) Because of the deficiency in reserves and recent climate changes after Fukushima incident Japanese government and energy companies have decide to pursue active participation in investing oil and natural gas projects overseas. To meets its oil consumption demand Japan relies almost solely on imports. Government controls oil stocks to maintain the supply without any interruption. Total strategic crude oil stocks in Japan were 590 million barrels at the end of December 2012, According to the International Energy Agency. In this stock 55% were government stocks and 45% commercial stocks. Because of the reserv e declining Japans natural gas production has been low and flat for over a decade. In 2012, production was 116 Bcf, a decline from an average of 185 Bcf over the past 10 years. (Japan Analysis , 2013) Investment Country Analysis The fact of foreign direct investment was cleared for the developing countries, they knew that FDI will bring change and transform their economies, bringing more jobs and capital ensuring the economic growth of the region. Because of this realization, developing countries are strongly encouraged to privatize state-owned industries and to give priority to attract foreign. Sub Sahara region of Africa is fulfilled with resources both oil and gas and continually booming from last few years. Many of the foreign companies are taking interest to invest in the region. For ABC PLCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future investment in case of closure of U.S and Japan operation the best option to invest is Congo, a small African country with abundance of natural resources reserves. According to the latest estimates fromOil Gas Journal(OGJ) released in January 2014, Congo holds 1.6 billion barrels of proved crude oil reserves. This reserve is equivalent to 17.9 years of current production and 0.11 % of the worlds total reserves. Production is average of 295.4 thousand barrels of crude oil per day in 2011, 0.38% of the world and a change of 0.9 % compared to 2010. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 87% of the countrys export revenues and almost 80% of the governments total revenue in 2011 are coming from oil sector which shows that economy of Congo is highly dependent on its oil production. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Because of the lack of proper infrastructure small amount of natural gas has been commercialized. Despite the fact that Congo holds sizable proved natural gas reserves. Regulation and Rules Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s oil and gas reserves are managed by the Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Water Resources. Government use production sharing agreements (PSAs) for Oil and Gas exploration and production operations. Societe Nationale des Petroles du Congo (SNPC) is the Congos national hydrocarbon company, which manages government-owned shares in hydrocarbon operations. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) SNPC has an operating interest alongside international oil companies (IOCs) through PSAs, which also include tax breaks and a royalty system. There are several IOCs, such as Chevron, Perenco, Murphy Oil, and SOCO Internationals, that participate in the oil and gas industries, but the companies that dominant the industries are Total and Eni. Tax and Licensing Cost Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Licensing Laws are in accordance with Production Sharing Agreements (PSAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s) and very favorable for investors. The laws take oil production royalty of 15% from investors with transportation and processing costs, reducing the rate to 12-14% and a gas production royalty of 5%. Oil recovery cost is up to 70% of total production is negotiable while exploration costs and operating costs are recoverable. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate tax rate is 35%. (OiI and Gas Industry Regulation in Congo, 2014) Following Figure 1 shows the Oil production and Consumption in Congo: Figure 2 Local Analysis Most of the foreign companies investing and operating in Congo are utilizing the local content for human resources, selecting suppliers and involving in community activities to boost the trust of local population. This act not only providing social and economic benefits but also helpà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s to create a stable relationship with the local host communities. ABC PLC should also consider this fact as an important aspect while recruitment of human resource and vendor selection process. Challenges: The total Oil production in Congo is around 310,000 barrels/day, generating 90% of government revenue and 90% of export earnings. For ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s investment the major competitors will be The French Company Total which controls around 60% of output, Italyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ENI produces 30%, and the remaining 10 percent is divided between the smaller players Congrep, Murphy and the state company SNPC. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Economic Development in the region Congo lies in Sub-Saharan Africa and economic growth in this region has up in 2013, regionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s GDP grew to 4.7%, growth was higher at the rate of 6%. FDI are coming in the region exploiting not only oil but gas and mining sectors as well. The Net FDI calculated for the region was 4$ billion in 2013. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Following is the table showing the GDP growth of Congo in past few years. (Congo Economic Studies, 2014) Figure 3 Risk Factors Following is the risk factor analysis for ABC Plc for investment in the developing country. It must be clarified that most of these risk factors cannot control by the ABC Plc and can affect the business. These risk factors includes Economic Condition The demand for oil products are directly related to the general economic growth. Demand can be interrupted by recession or negative/low economic growth. Major changes in region including civil unrest can also harm the demand. Financial markets and institutions changes can also pose serious risk to the company. Legal un-certainty Countries in this region including Congo have no well-developed legal system. Although the regulatory authority for Oil and Gas is present and working with investors to implement changes, but still the risk is present of any unpredictable action by government can make the business difficult for company. Regulatory and Tax Risk Although the government of the region are amending the laws and providing good terms to encourage foreign investors but the risk is remain to any change in laws including the international agreements can adversely affect the business. Any increase in corporate tax or royalty fee can harm the future profits of ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s investment in Congo. Security Concern Successful operation can be disrupted by local communities in case of any civil unrest or labor union crisis making it impossible to continue operation or in worst case cause great costs for security or closing down the operation for a period of time. Efficient Operation ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance will depend on how company can perform competitively given the nature of few but big players in the sector. It will depend on the ability to manage the cost and expenses and improve production for the total term of business. This requires an efficient management with focus on utilizing right technology working with the best vendors and controlling cost. Customer Analysis Following figure shows the major customers of the Congo oil products. This ensures for ABC Plc that investing in the region is a right decision or not. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reserves are mostly un-utilized and in coming years the production will increase significantly. Also more FDI in the region will open the new markets for the oil investing companies. Figure 4 Recommendations After analyzing the U.S, UK and Japan Current situation and future investment opportunities for the ABC Plc in developing country, following recommendation has been suggested. U.S and Japan operation of company is causing a great loss and continuing it will harm the company and even cost to closing the business. ABC Plc operation in UK is profitable for the company but not in the long run, increasing cost will affect the business. It is imperative to further invest in other countries and close the U.S and Japan operation as Japanese government and oil production companies are also seeing opportunities to invest in other countries. ABC Plc can invest in any country in the African region but Congo will be the best case choice, as government is welcoming the FDIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and have less restriction and barriers to entry. For investment in any country Supply is one of the vital factors and Congo has abundant resources in reserves which needs further exploration, making it impossible to decrease in future supply. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current oil customers include big countries hence the demand is speculated to be un-interrupted or lessen in coming years. Congo has a relatively calm political situation as compared with other small developing countries. Making it a good opportunity for investors. ABC Plc planning for investments in developing region affirm by the proposed projectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital budgeting. Projects PBP, NPV and IRR (interpolation method) has been calculated in order to take the right decision. Projects life has been estimated for four years with the PBP of 3.5 Years. PBP shows that in 3 years company will recover the initial cost of investment in the region. NPV of project investment at 7% rate suggests that project is profitable and will generate good revenue. This revenue increase will also helpful to the ABC Plc for their future investment plans and the positive NPV will increase the value of firm as well. Projectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s IRR has been calculated at 7% and 14% rate which show that project is acceptable at 7% and above rate but less than 13%. IRR suggests that projects should be acceptable as far as the IRR is greater than the cost of capital rate which in this case is 7%. Conclusion It is suggested for ABC Plc to close the business in Japan and U.S. and invest in Congo to continue its profit for coming years. Although there are still risk present in investing in a developing country but time and cost make this as a best choice in this scenario. References (2014).CONGO(BRAZZAVILLE).https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=CF.%20Last%20accessed%2019th%20April%202014.%20 -. (2014).Congo Economic Studies..Available: https://www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Congo. Last accessed 19th April 2014. (2013)Japan Analysis. , from U.S Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=JA . Last Accessed April 19th, 2014 (2014) OiI and Gas Industry Regulation in Congo. from MBendi Information series: https://www.mbendi.com/indy/oilg/govo/af/co/p0005.html Last accessed on April 19, 2014 (2013) United Kingdom Analysis, from U.S Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=uk Last accessed on April Saturday 19, 2014 Table of Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 1