Cybercrime and its impact on International Business

Cyber crime can be referred to any illegal activity that is executed with the help of a computer. Such kinds of crimes have always been executed ever since the computer technology was introduced (Cross, F 2007). With the advent of Internet, these crimes have gained an even faster pace. These thefts are not limited to enclosed vicinity. Accessing to data of an organization while sitting in another part of the world through internet has now become extremely effortless. This has drastic affects on organizations.Stealing sensitive information such as data of the stock exchange, profits of a financial institution and even identities of individuals (Cross, F 2007) to access into their personal accounts are crimes that are increasing rapidly. This has led to many connotations for businesses worldwide; taking better security measures. Cyber crimes committed are unique in such a way that no physical existence of material or equipment is needed. Everything is done through the use of a computer (Nag, D & Bajaj, K 2005). This has made these crimes even more dangerous and difficult to control. Opportunities for cyber criminalsThe increasing globalization has led to the merger of activities all over the world. Banks, stock markets, multi nationals all have become connected with each other and technology has become the life and blood for all organizations. Used for various purposes such as enhanced communication mediums and information sharing, technological advancements have also made businesses worldwide more susceptible to frauds and misuse of information (Grabosky, P 2005). Amongst all technological developments of the 20th century the internet is a widely used instrument for information sharing all over the world.Between the year 2001 and 2002 there has been an increase of $6501 billion revenue being generated from business executed online (Grabosky, P2005). This means there are greater chances for individuals to commit cyber crimes that are both dangerous and risky to t he business and also illegal in nature (ibid). Businesses worldwide make use of electronic communication means particularly those in the Western World and hence computer and cyber crimes have exploded after the 1990’s (Chamely, H 2003).The use of internet has fuelled the globalization process and hence the world has become smaller. People across the globe can now connect to each other easily though electronic means. However this advantage also carries perils to security. Issues such as fraud over the internet and piracy have been facilitated with the internet development (ibid). Multinationals have offices all over the world that are connected providing cyber criminals with the opportunity to act. It could be someone from within the employees or even a third party criminal.With the pace of technological development, e-commerce has come into existence and businesses are shifting not only their single operations online but transferring their complete business processes online ( Edin, M 2002). Bank for instances have started to offer international fund transfers from branches in two different parts of the worlds through internet which provides criminal opportunity for fund embezzlement which could mean loss of huge amounts of money for the banks. Online businesses such as Amazon. com deal in online shopping and purchasing of goods without dealing in any brick and mortar business.All such organizations function globally and hence are at a greater chance of cyber fraud then a business that only has one office in a single country and hence a smaller network and system. Impact of cyber crimes on business activities All businesses internationally have started to rely on electronic means of doing work and hence dependence on internet and technological sources has gained immense importance. Break down or illegal access to business information system and data base can have severe repercussions:†¢ Hindrance in day to day operations of a business like communicat ion with employees across the borders. Some companies function internationally with employees connected through means of video conferencing or emails etc (Grabosky, P 2005). †¢ A complete shutdown of business for instance organizations such as Wal-Mart function on a real time inventory management system and illegal access gained by a competitor means sharing of sensitive inventory data and customer preferences. †¢ E commerce business entails developing of relation online with suppliers as well.This affect is multiplied when cyber crimes not only gives access to financial data of the targeted organization but even its suppliers who may be functioning in another part of the world (Grabosky, P 2005). †¢ Another great loss that the company might face is the declining confidence level of customers. Consumer have less trust in the business functions especially online retailing like online shopping, purchases and electronic banking. And with the increasing rate of such crime s companies might lose on their customers.Thus companies must ensure that they do not loose on any important customers due lack of trust in the company’s system (Smith, A 2004). †¢ Economic losses to business resultant of frauds have also increased. These are measured in terms of declining profits or fraudulent transactions. An example could be the Russian TOC efforts to steal $10 million dollars from Citi Bank in the USA through forty unlawful fund usage (Jones, DM 2004). Another institution which has had to face the impact of cyber crimes in terms of economic losses is the stock market where traders trade online.Company information (functioning in L. A. ) available to individuals has been misused where wrong information was posted onto the internet leading to stock price increase and hence investors all over the world were affected (ibid). Types of cyber crimes and their impacts According to David Carter’s research (Grabosky, P 2005), there are three acts which can be labeled as cyber crime; entering into some one’s computer through illegal means and mishandling or damaging data, doing something illegal through means of the net or computer like piracy and thirdly, usage of computers to store some illegal information.Cyber crimes that generally take place within an organization take place through emails, viruses transferred through email or through software being used by the company, access to company database for employee or customer information (Nag, D & Bajaj, K 2005). Further detailed classifications of cyber crimes and how they affect organizations is explained below: Fraud in telecom services: Such a crime is committed by gaining access to the organizations switchboard and making use of call time.Not only does this cause the organization to be expensed with the bill worth the talk time used, is also a hassle for the individual subscribers using that particular service for instance an engineer in India was caught thieving hundre d Internet hours from a particular customer (Grabosky, P 2005). Criminals of such sort also gain access to calling card data for customers and hence they can make their calls on the expense of the customers who then have to pay larger bills and in return blame the company for poor device (ibid).Hacking into computers to gain access to data: Hacking into company data which is password protected is another form of cyber crime that is very common. This has caused the most extensive damage to organizations especially organizations which mostly deal in financial data example banks. For instance, the accountant of a bank who is computer literate can gain access to finances of the bank and transfer funds in his name causing economic losses to the his organization (Cross, F 2007)Cyber Terrorists: There work is very much similar to the terrorists that are a threat to national and international security of an individual nation and global relations. Cyber terrorists pose a threat to the nation al security of organizations by accessing into the central processing system (Cross, F 2007). This is particularly useful for business competitors to gain access to their competitors’ financial or future plans and monitor their activities to gain competitive edge (ibid).Piracy issues and counterfeiting: Reproducing products or services of various businesses without legal rights is another classic case of cyber crime. This is most extensively found in the media industry where movies are pirated without any legal rights and sold at even lower prices This has served as a problem for media producers example the movie â€Å"The world is not enough† starring James Bond was distributed over the internet even before it was available for public by the officials (Grabosky, P 2005). Implications for businesses: what businesses need to do?Cyber crime activities have caused losses of millions of dollars for companies however many companies do not prefer to report such incidents due to protection of their reputation and hence the data on cyber crimes is still incomplete (Grabosky, P 2005). The massive exploitation of these crimes has led businesses to take action. Global organization are making use of further technology to strengthen their systems of information sharing such as their data bases which contains customer information and financial data.Focus is now on IT itself to develop such products, services and solutions that do not promote the risk of cyber thefts and frauds (Edin, M 2002) Along with the governments of various nations coupled with investments from individual organizations in the corporate world, efforts are being made create more secure systems that could prevent cyber crimes (ibid). Venture in IT infrastructure and security According to a report of the Internet association Industry in Australia, on an average thirty five different cyber crime attempts are made on an individual organization’s system (Grabosky, P 2005).One of the great est actions that companies have now started to take is focus on their IT teams in order to build a strong and secure network and data base. This team must not only focus on building an internal secure system but also focus on cross border security as most businesses now function globally (ibid). Investing money in infrastructure and training related to IT development against cybercrime protection is becoming a necessity for all organizations and this investment is no longer considered to be an expense (Edin, M 2002).Such work was once and still is considered by some organizations as a function of purely IT engineers however this is not the case. As discussed how threatening the consequences of cyber frauds can be for any business, whether functioning online in a physical environment, it is important that a collaborative effort of all members of the organization is made to avoid these risks (Edin, M 2002).With this, development of a new concept has emerged; â€Å"cyber space securit y† (Smith, A 2004) which focuses on protecting not only business systems but also consumer information. Access to consumer information like their pin number and account information in a bank means risk of losing their money if their personal information is lost. Assessing financial impact of cyber frauds Another important analysis being conducted by companies across the world is the cost of security frauds being carried out within their organizations (Cashell, B et.Al. 2004). Such an analysis provides the companies with the facts of how risky such crime attacks can be for them in terms of risks of information sharing with competitors, risk of alteration of consumer perceptions (Smith, A 2004) and risk of economic losses (Miller, R 2007) being incurred by the firm I case of the system being damaged and information extracted. The fact that these frauds and thefts have led to losses in monetary terms has generated the focus of the organizations in this regard.According to survey conducted by a computer science institute, there has been an increase in financial losses reported by organizations due to cyber fraud in US in the past three consecutive years. Every year the percentage increase in frauds rises. According to that survey, corporations are not able to comprehend the danger that such frauds expose the organizations to and hence they misjudge the consequences (â€Å"Cyber crime bleeds US corporations: Financial losses from attacks climb for three years in a row† as reported in Koletar, J 2003).The increase in such acts has not only forced businesses but also government of individual nations to act to promote business especially that of e-commerce. The IT Act introduced in India in the year 2000, also incorporated certain activities related to cyber crime in e-commerce business and activities such as hacking into computer systems, affecting privacy of consumer information and disrupting computer system encryptions and codes (Nag, D & Bajaj, K 200 5). The basic reason was to instill trust amongst customers of e-commerce.The use of Internet is a two way tunnel for organizations. They must it to enhance relations with business partners, suppliers and customers. At the same time, it has given a chance to hackers for committing crimes of mass scale that require the attention of policymakers in the organization and individual employees too (Salifu, A 2008). Thus internet frauds have become a problem not only for the developing nations who face a shortage of technological skills but en the developed world (ibid). ConclusionSumming up the former discussion leads us to a conclusion that cyber frauds and risks have increased with the level of globalization and thus pose major threats to international business in the form of information loss, access of grave information by the wrong hands, threats to intellectual property right and to business operations, financial losses and wrong information being leaked out regarding a certain compa ny (Edin, M 2002). With the development of global business, more data is transferred and shared online through electronic means and hence cyber fraud has been motivated to a dangerous level.The threat of such risks has lead businesses and even governments to develop solutions ensuring that customer and company information I not leaked out and does not reach the wrong hands. Companies are focusing on developing risk management solutions and are â€Å"digitizing† (Edin, M, 2002, p. 17) their systems introducing stronger security checks and encryptions to protect the company against cyber frauds. Bibliography Cashell, B, Jackson, WD & Jickling, M, Webel, B 2004, Economic Impact of Cyber attacks, Congressional Research Service, Retrieved from scholar.google. com, Retrieved on 8th April 2010 Chamely, H 2003, Cybercrime and Society, Geo-Sciences, Environment and Man, Retrieved from books. google. com, Retrieved on 8th April 2010 Cross, F & Miller, R 2007, West’s legal enviro nment of business, 6th edition, Cengage Learning, Thomson West, USA Edin, M, Smith, B & Chiozza, E 2002, Challenges and Achievements in E-business and E-work, IOS Press, Netherlands Gobrasky, P & Broadhurst, R 2005 (eds), Cyber Crime: The challenge in Asia, Hong Kong University Press Jones, DM 2004 (ed.), Globalization and the new terror, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, UK Koletar, J 2003, Fraud exposed, John Wiley and Sons Inc , New Jersey. Miller, R and Jentz, G 2007, Fundamentals of business law, 2nd edition, South Western Cengage Learning, USA Nag, D & Kamlesh, B 2005, E-commerce, the cutting edge of business, Tata McGraw Hill, India Salifu, A, 2008, The impact of internet crime on development, Journal of Financial Crime, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 432-443. Smith, A 2004, Cybercriminal impacts on online business and consumer confidence, Online Information Review, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 224-234.

ICT System Specifications

For my database to run efficiently, the luxury car dealership needs a computer with certain specifications in order to run the certain software. I have researched the necessary system requirements for the software I use to create and run databases. These programmes include the operating system (the OS) and the program I use to create the actual databases. Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate * 1Ghz 32-bit or 64-bit processor * 1GB of system memory * Direct X 10 * 128Mb Graphics Card * 40GB HDD with 15GB of free space * DVD-ROM Drive * Audio Output Capability * Internet Access Capability * Keyboard and Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 * 500-MHz or faster processor * 256Mb of RAM or greater * 2GB of Hard Drive Space * DVD Disc Drive * Windows Vista, Windows XP Home, Professional or Media Centre Edition with Service Pack 2 * Super VGA (800Ãâ€"600) Monitor or greater * Broadband Connection * Programmes included are the 2007 versions of: Microsoft Access, Communicator, Excel, InfoPath, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word. Microsoft Office includes all of the necessary programs for the car dealership's database including Microsoft Access to create it and Microsoft Word for the mail merge. It is quite expensive but it is compatible with all documents and is a quality product, used by many businesses every day. I myself use these Microsoft Office programs so it is easier for me to create the database. As well as Microsoft Office, there is also another type of software currently found on the internet and as a free download. The program is called â€Å"Star Office†. This is available for free from a website: www.sun.com, where you can download the program for free. The program can be linked with Microsoft Office, as there is a word processor (Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint), E-Mail Client (Microsoft Outlook) and Databases (Microsoft Access). The system specifications of â€Å"Star Office† are: * 320Mb of Hard Drive Space * 128Mb of RAM * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition/Professional/Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2 * For Download from the Internet – Broadband Connection * For Installation by Disc – DVD Disc Drive The advantages of using Star Office are that it is free from their website, it includes most of the functions from Microsoft Office and it does not take up a lot of space on the Hard Drive or RAM. The fact that the software is free is that is it not as good as Microsoft Office because it cannot open all the documents, which could be difficult for the dealership if they create a document on Microsoft Office (say from their home) and when they try to upload it onto the computer at work, it might not be able to open. I decided to choose the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 for the company because it is a quality product and it is compatible with all documents. It is also the top of the range version with all of the necessary programs for the dealership, unlike Star Office. It is also much easier to use for both new and existing users of the dealership. However, it is quite expensive but the overall cost is less than using Star Office. The computer's operating system is also made by Microsoft, which is a genuine company and are also the company who make Microsoft Office, so they are compatible. The company users may also have used Microsoft Office before so it would be familiar to them. The company have also asked me to purchase new computers that will benefit them. I have looked at several computer websites and tried to find a computer with at least the exact specifications shown above for Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007. As I have been with the knowledge of computers for a long time, I know which computer manufacturers to trust. I looked at several online stores including PC World, Currys Digital and Sony Centre Online and I have found two PC's that meets my needs and the company itself. I chose Sony as the computer manufacturer as they are very reliable, they build quality computers and they have a superb repair service if the computer crashes. I have found this laptop on Sony's website that suited the company and me: Sony Vaio AR Series with Blu-Ray Disc Drive Specifications * Intel(r) Core(tm) Duo Processor T2500, Supports Enhanced Intel SpeedStep(r) Technology * Microsoft(r) Windows(r) Vista Ultimate * 1920 x 1200 Display * 1024Mb of RAM * Blu-Ray Super Multi Double Layer DVDà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½RW/BD-RE drive * NVIDIA(r) GeForce(tm) Go 7600 GT with 256MB dedicated Video Memory * 802.11a/b/g Wireless Receiver * HDD (Hard Drive Disc) 160Gb This laptop costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000 from Sony's website or from Sony's store. This might seem quite expensive yet it has all the necessary specifications and more. The RAM (Random Access Memory) is very large – 1024Mb. This means that they can load up a lot of programs at once without any lag time. This will benefit the company as they will be able to open many programs at once e.g. opening the database and Microsoft Word at the same time and they would not have to close a program down to open another. It also has Windows Vista Ultimate. This will benefit the company because most of the users would have used a Microsoft operating system before so all of their documents are compatible and they know how to use Microsoft Windows without any training. It also has a DVD Disc Drive, which means they are able to write and re-write DVD's. There is also a Blu-Ray Disc Drive. The Blu-Ray discs can hold up to 60 GB of data and it is re-writeable. This means that the company can save documents and files on several large discs and is able to re-write any disc placed in it (as long as the disc is re-writeable). This means that they can back-up all of their documents and files onto the disc so that if their laptop crashes, the documents will not be deleted. The laptop is ideal for the company because it is portable, so the manager can load the specifications of the car and show the customers the specifications next to the car, rather than looking at the car then looking at the specifications. The hard drive is also very large – 160 GB – which can easily store all the necessary programs and more programs if the company wish to install more programs. The laptop also has a wireless card built-in which means that if the company has a wireless router, they can access the internet wirelessly. This means that they can carry the laptop anywhere and have a wireless connection. They can show the customers the car manufacturer's website when they are looking at that particular car so that they can see what the specifications are and what the price would be when bought new from the cars dealership. Finally, the laptop has a large screen, which means that there will be no difficulty looking at the screen and not being able to see what is on there. The screen is also backlit so if the room is dark, you can see the screen more clearly and easily. The backlit screen is brighter when plugged into the mains but darker when portable in order to save battery life. The other computer I was looking at was another Sony desktop computer: Sony Vaio VGC Series (Black) * Intel(r) Pentium(r) D Processor 820 (2.80 GHz and 800 MHz FSB) * Genuine Microsoft(r) Windows(r) Vista Ultimate * 250 GB SATA hard disk drive * 1 GB (2 x 512 MB) DDR2-533 SDRAM, maximum 1 GB * 20†³ WXGA (1366 x 768) widescreen X-black LCD screen with double lamp technology * ATI Mobility(tm) Radeon(r) X700 graphics card with 256 MB HyperMemory(tm) * Wireless LAN 802.11b/g * Wireless QWERTY keyboard with pointing device (touch pad type), wireless optical mouse and remote control Between the Sony laptop and the desktop, I have chosen the desktop as the company's new computer. The reasons why I chose the desktop are that the desktop is very slim, similar to the laptop. Also, the desktop's power is from the mains, not from a battery pack which the laptop has and needs recharging every two hours or so. The desktop has a wider screen than the laptop, making it easier to see. The screen is also backlit, similar to the laptop but it is always bright. However, with the laptop, when portable, the screen is dark and not backlit. The desktop has all the necessary requirements and features the company need. The desktop specifications are much better than those of the laptop. Firstly, it has a 250GB hard drive disc, the laptop has 160GB. The desktop also has a 1024Mb which is equal to the laptop. The desktop is bundled with a wireless card so at the company can connect to the internet wirelessly without any Ethernet cables. The laptop has a wireless card yet it uses a lot of the laptops battery life and significantly reduces it to one hour's battery life when connected wirelessly. Finally, the desktop is bundled with a wireless keyboard (useful for typing on desks or when standing), a remote control (to control presentations such as slide shows and picture galleries) and a wireless optical mouse (useful when working on a desk). The most important reason why I chose this desktop was that it was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 cheaper than the laptop – the desktop costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1500. I thought that the selling price was quite good considering that when you buy the desktop; you have higher specifications than the laptop which costs an extra à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500, which has poorer specifications. I chose the computer manufacturer Sony because they make high quality computers with excellent specifications, reliability and at a reasonable price. An alternative to using Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate is using Apple's OS X Tiger 10.4. This is very similar to Windows yet it uses different programs, so the same applications are not cross compatible, so the company's employees would not be able to view documents made on a Macintosh on a Windows PC. I did not choose Mac OS X because the employees and I have no training in using this software. Also, the Mac is more graphically advanced than Windows, yet this is unnecessary because the computer is only needed for running a database and does not have to have a lot of graphical power. Finally, Mac OS X is much more expensive as it includes all the software made by Apple. Most of the software is unnecessary for the dealership so purchasing a Windows Vista PC is more beneficial as the user can choose what programs you wish to purchase. Printers There are two types of printers available to purchase; inkjet and laser. I decided to choose one suitable inkjet printer and one laser printer for the dealership and then work out which would be the best to purchase. I decided to choose â€Å"Lexmark† as the printers manufacturer because they are very reliable, efficient, cheap and a well known brand. I myself have a Lexmark printer and I recommend their printers to all of my customers. Lexmark Z845 * Inkjet Printer * USB Connection * 100 paper tray * 24 pages per minute in black * 18 pages per minute in colour * Windows and Mac compatible * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50 This printer is very cheap – à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50. This is beneficial for the user and the dealership because it would save them quite a lot of money on a laser printer, like the one below. It also prints both colour and black ink so the user can print out documents such as reports as well as print out photos of the cars if he wishes to. The printer can also hold a lot of paper before it has to be refilled which is good because the user could ask the computer to print 100 pages and would be able to leave the printer printing for a long time. However, this printer is inkjet so it takes a lot longer to print both colour and black ink pages than a laser printer which could be annoying and time consuming for the user as he may have to print out the documents as quickly as possible for a customer waiting. The ink also runs out very quickly, which means that the user would have to purchase more and more cartridges. These are also very expensive, which is not beneficial for the company. Lexmark E120N * Laser Printer * USB Connection * 165 paper tray * 20 pages per minute in black * Windows only compatible * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½80 The alternative to the inkjet printer is this laser one. It holds 165 pages until it has to be refilled – 65 more than the inkjet printer. This means that the user is able to leave the printer for a long time to print out documents until he has to refill the paper. It also prints 20 pages per minute in black which is quite a lot. This means that the user can print off reports very quickly, saving the user time and effort. The toner is also very long lasting and is quick and cheap to change – unlike the inkjets cartridges. This will save the user time and money when the toner has run out. However, this printer only prints in black so the user would not be able to print any colour documents or photos from the printer. It is also more expensive – à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30 more than the inkjet printer which is not beneficial for the company. I decided to purchase the Lexmark E120N for the company. Firstly, it is laser so it is able to print a lot of black pages very quickly and efficiently, saving the user time and money replacing the cartridges of the printer as the toner is much cheaper. Also, the printer holds more paper than the other one so the user does not have to keep refilling the paper tray as often as using the laser printer. Unfortunately, the printer only prints black pages. However, the company would not need to print out anything in colour as it only needs to print out reports, so buying an inkjet printer would be inadequate. Also, the printer is more expensive but by saving money from buying toner rather than inkjet cartridges, the money is effectively paid back from the saved money. Internet I also decided that the company should purchase a broadband connection for many reasons. Firstly, if the company were to expand in the future, they would be able to communicate with the other dealerships across the region, saving time and money spent on making phone calls to the other dealerships for information. Looking at the software requirements of Windows Vista Ultimate, the company needs to have an internet connection so that they can register their computer and OS with Sony and Microsoft to prevent any illegal copies of it being made. The internet connection also benefits the company as they would be able to update vital downloads on their computers. The internet may also benefit the company because they would be able to compare their prices with other companies who rent luxury cars, so that they know if they are over or under charging for their rentals, benefiting the company and the customers themselves. Also, the company is able to download new information from the car manufacturer's website including new cars and new details. They could also purchase new or used cars from the manufacturers directly through the internet. I recommend to the company that they purchase a fast internet connection of 8Mbps. This would benefit the company and the user because they would be able to download updates from Microsoft very quickly and efficiently, they would be able to access website quickly saving a lot of time for the user, they would be able to surf the web and download items at the same time and it would be future proof for the company so that they would not have to upgrade their internet speed for a long time. However, if the company purchase an internet connection, they would have to purchase some software to protect it against viruses and spy ware. A program they should purchase is Norton Anti-Virus 2007. This can be purchased via the internet or as a software package. This would provide protection for the company's computer against viruses such as â€Å"Trojan Horse† and spy ware which allows other computers to access information and document from your PC, effectively ruining your privacy. If the computer was attacked by one of the 114,000 viruses on the internet, the computer's data could become corrupted and any valuable data could be lost. By purchasing this software, this will prevent any damage happening to the company's computer.

Billie Holiday Biography

African American jazz singer and songwriter. Her singing style, strongly inspired by Jazz musicians, lead too new way of using word choice and rhythm. A critic named John Bush once wrote that Holiday changed the art of American pop vocals forever. She only co-wrote a few songs, but a number of them have become Jazz standards that many musicians strive to live up to. Some of these standards were set by songs of hers such as God Bless he Child, Dont Explain, Fine and Mellow, and Lady Sings the Blues.She also became famous for singing Easy Living, Good Morning Heartache, and Strange Fruit, a protest song which became one of her standards and was made famous with her 1 939 recording. In Harlem she started slang In various night clubs. Holiday Hammond arranged for Holiday to make her recording debut, at age 18, In November 1933 with Benny Goodman, singing two songs: Your Mothers Son-Len-Law and Riffing; the Scotch. The latter being her first big hit.Son-in-Lawn sold 300 records, but Riffle the Scotch, sold 5,000 records. Hammond was very impressed by Holidays visualization style. He said of Holiday that, Her singing almost changed my music tastes and my musical life; because she was the first girl singer Id come across who actually sang like an improvising Jazz genius. Hammond compared Holiday positively to Armstrong and said she had a good sense of lyrics at her young age. In early 1 959 Holiday found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver.The doctor told her to stop drinking, which she did for a short time, but soon returned to heavy drinking. Some of her friends tried to get her to check into a hospital, but she did not go. On May 31, 1959, Holiday was forcibly taken to Metropolitan Hospital in New York suffering from liver and heart disease. She was arrested for having drugs with her as she lay dying, and her hospital room was invaded by the police. Police officers were stationed at the door to her room because of her drugs.Holiday remained under Alice guard at the hospital until she died from pulmonary edema and heart failure caused by cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959. In the final years of her life, she had been gradually tricked out of her earnings because of her drug and alcohol addictions. She died with seventy cents in the bank and seven-hundred fifty dollar tabloid fee. Billie Holiday Biography By Congregant 1 Billie Holiday (born Eleanor Harris (1915-1959) was an African American Jazz singer her 1939 recording.In Harlem she started singing in various night clubs. Holiday took her professional pen name from Billie Dove, an actress she admired, and the musician Clarence Holiday, thus was born Billie Holiday. The producer John Hammond arranged for Holiday to make her recording debut, at age 18, in November Riffing the Scotch. The latter being her first big hit. Son-in-Law sold 300 records, but Riffing the Scotch, sold 5,000 records. Hammond was very impressed by early 1959 Holiday found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver.

Robert kennedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Robert kennedy - Essay Example Accordingly, this essay, drawing on Robert Kennedy’s posthumous chronicle, Thirteen Days, demonstrates the role of diplomacy and negotiations in the successful dissolution of the crisis (Kennedy, 2011). Essentially, the end of the Cuban missile crisis is credited to the successful missile swap between the US and the Soviet Union. The United States agreed to withdraw their missiles targeting Turkey within six months, on the condition that the USSR withdrew their missiles from Cuba. However, the success of this agreement hinged on the ability of Presidents Kennedy and Khrushchev to streamline their national interests and understand and rationalize the impending collision course they were headed towards, and steer both nations-and the entire world-- away from the threshold of reciprocally guaranteed destruction. Consequently, this state also depended on the effectiveness and ability of the people surrounding both presidents, to provide lucid advice regarding the most appropriate action to solve the crisis. According to the confessions by Theodore Sorensen, JFKs former speechwriter, JFK approached the crisis using bilateral negotiations with Moscow and within his advisory council otherwise known as the ExComm. The ExComm, was established by JFK at the beginning of the crisis to provide him with advice, and comprised of most of his trusted advisers. These negotiations played a critical role in developing an understanding between the two presidents for a peaceful dissolution of the crisis. Conversely, the ExComm officials exhibited divergent positions on the crisis: one group favored the opinion of blockading Cuba while the other group preferred some kind of military action against Cuba. However, Robert Kennedy diffused the standoff in the ExComm by likening an attack on Cuba by the US with the Pearl Harbor strike by the Japanese and ensured that his brother chose for the less violent, more

The effect of perception of social roles on depression Research Paper

The effect of perception of social roles on depression - Research Paper Example Depending upon the level of the intensity of role involvement, there will be some correlation to the level of depression or other life-altering mental illness for the aged after a decrease in role functionality. Newman and Newman (2009) state specifically that there are four dimensions of which social roles are analyzed, and we will propose that the higher the intensity of the identification of the role will produce a higher probability of depression or other types of mental illnesses. We will broaden our scope to include of the number of roles as part of our study. Elderly. For the purposes of this study, the term elderly will be used to define an individual who has reached a point of life where significant changes in social roles has placed them in the last stages of their life. This is defined this more closely as being age 60 and above. Nuclear family system. A group of people joined through legal and familial means consisting of a single adult, a partnered couple, or a partnered couple and their children (Taqui, Itrat, Qidwai, & Qadri, 2007). Reciprocal role. A role that is defined by a matching role within the social order. Examples include student and teacher, parent and child, and the salesperson and the customer (Newman & Newman, 2009, p. 71). Social role. A loosely defined set of behaviors within which a social function has been defined with an accepted code of what is considered normal within that role. (Newman & Newman, 2009, p. 70). In searching for answers to the questions that relate to the relationship between social roles and depression, a thorough research of relevant literature will provide a framework within which to answer the research questions. This study has been conducted through the use of research that has been done and reported by those who have developed conclusions through their own studies. The studies are analyzed for relatable content and the information is connected in order to define answers

Should the President Be Required To Have Served in the Military GP Essay

Should the President Be Required To Have Served in the Military GP week5 - Essay Example As the leader of the free world, our military servicemen look towards the man or woman sitting in the White House for leadership, guidance, and moral support. Our military has seen a long line of active or war veteran presidents stemming from George Washington who fought in the earliest civil war battles that freed our country from the British empire, all the way to George H.W. Bush who, although only a member of the Air National Guard (â€Å"Should Presidential Candidates and Elected Officials be Required to Serve in the Military?†, n.d.) , proved to be the last great American president who knew that there was a lot more at stake for the United States after the 9/11 attacks than just a vendetta upon those who took American lives in an act that rivaled the bombing of Pearl Harbor back in World War II. It is of the utmost importance that the American president have some sort of military service tucked under his belt, whether as a veteran of an international war effort or simply as a stateside based serviceman because our countrys history is steeped deeply in these â€Å"war efforts†. By actively serving the interests of the American military even during what is perceived to be â€Å"peacetime† America, the next president of this great nation ensures that he has a thorough understanding of the importance of the United States as a peacekeeping nation on the world stage, and also has a thorough grasp of the international foreign relations of the United States. By actively serving in the military, the next U.S. president will have an advantage over his non-active opponents, that of actually having been in the center of the great â€Å"wartime† political debate. He will have a greater knowledge and understanding that being an American is a privilege and should be r epaid by service. He will have come to the conclusion that, as a military veteran, he understands the needs of the international community in terms of U.S.

Utilize a genomic case study (other options) Essay

Utilize a genomic case study (other options) - Essay Example ewborn and prenatal genomic screening, started in US hospitals with voluntary tests for PKU before it was made mandatory, especially as a response to lobbying by advocates for child rights. Newborn and prenatal screening began to be expanded to include whole genome testing to identify other congenital and inherited disorders. While most developed countries have made significant contributions to newborn and prenatal screening development, actual testing is still a hospital-based health activity (Tarini & Goldenberg, 2012). Currently, major hospitals have newborn and prenatal screening systems to offer initial screening, as well as follow up services for the children and their families. Because hospitals are the decision makers about the content and structure of the screening program, systems have multi-dimensional variance. For instance, a hospital may offer genomic screening for sickle cell disease, PKU, galactosemia, MCADD, and hypothyroidism, although they vary in how they select a dditional conditions. Hospitals also differ in how they make decisions about treatment protocol content, avail services for follow-up, and the extent of costs to the screened newborn’s family (Tarini & Goldenberg, 2012). Most hospitals, today, make the screening mandatory but fail to obtain informed consent from the parents. Today, the heel-stick blood sample is utilized in programs for newborn and prenatal screening for all conditions except auditory impairment. However, in the past, a new lab blood test was always added when a new condition was added to the program. Tandem mass spectrometry was discovered in the 1990s and could test for MCADD, PKU, and various other disorders at the same time (Tarini & Goldenberg, 2012). It measures the levels in the blood of various products of metabolism, of which any abnormalities in metabolite levels are suggestive of disorders in metabolic activity. Children rights activists continue to press governments to take up and fund this technology and

Most feminists believe that the position of women in the labour market Essay

Most feminists believe that the position of women in the labour market is an important source of disadvantage - Essay Example Workplace segregation remains prevalent as high concentrations of female employees are associated with relatively low rates of pay. And higher levels of part-time working are associated with lower rates of pay, even after other factors have been taken into account. Qualified women are characteristically denied top level jobs in corporate but instead of terming it what it is, sexism and discrimination, this form of unequal treatment is referred to as the ‘glass ceiling’ effect. ‘Most feminists believe that the position of women in the labour market is an important source of disadvantage.’ Women do indeed have to perform twice as well as a man to retain the same pay and position at similar occupational arenas. This discussion will examine barriers to equality in the workplace, the reasons for this cultural phenomenon, evidence to support this claim and some possible solutions. Women must struggle to cope with discrimination in the workplace as is evidenced by occupational segregation. This terminology refers to the reality that women tend to work in different sectors of the economy and occupy different employment standings than men within the same occupational group. Government statistics reveal that women are highly concentrated in certain jobs and that 60 per cent of working women are employed in just 10 per cent of available occupations (â€Å"What is the Pay Gap?†, 2006). While about one-half of workers are in sex-dominated employment, women are engaged in a narrower scope of occupations than men. There are seven times more male-dominated non-agricultural jobs than female. ‘Sex-dominated’ occupations are defined as when workers of one sex constitute more than 80 per cent of the labour force (Anker, 1998). In the UK, women constitute just 30 per cent of managers, 25 per cent of executives and 10 per cent of company directors (EOC, 2 002 cited in â€Å"What is the Pay Gap?†).

Cutting physician salaries will not help solve the health care problem Essay

Cutting physician salaries will not help solve the health care problem - Essay Example The reason was to maintain outstanding individuals able in dealing with a critical issue. Medical field is extremely risky, and only requires potential students having competent brains who are willing to train in the tough environment. This was the reason Flexner report suggested the idea that is still used currently. After Flexner had finished doing his research and filing his report, many medical schools were graded as small trade schools that were not able to offer quality training in the medical field. The medical schools aimed at making profits hence did not offer compelling services to the patients visiting them. They did shoddy work to get more money for their personal and business needs. Some of the recommendations he suggested in his reports are as follows; for one to be admitted to medical college, he/she needed to possess a high school diploma, and experience of two or more years in university. Another recommendation was that the length of the college year should be about four years, and content to be taught should be agreed by CME. Proprietary medical learning institution should either be joined to other prominent universities or be entirely shut down. Flexner received many critics from other medical officers who were against his recommendations (Rayburn & Schulkin, 7). They believed it was unworkable and was a lousy way of solving the problems. Despite the negative reactions Flexner had to face, he stood for his report and promised to defend it from the critics. The effects of the Flexner’s report had the following effects in America; a person aiming at being a physician, one needs to spend six to eight years in training, in a university setting (Ann & C harles, 236-245). The government values medical training and makes sure that students going through the training get superior training. According to statistics, the average physicians skills and capabilities have improved significantly compared to the past periods (Waitzkin, 39). The government

What events in Juliets life shape Essay Example for Free

What events in Juliets life shape Essay What events in Juliets life shape this change in her personality, and how does her language reflect this change? At the age of fourteen Juliet was a young and nai ve innocent girl. However, during the play she matures emotionally and broadens her ideas and her way of thinking. This vast and rapid change was a consequence of her relationship with Romeo and there are many ideas in the play which illustrate these points but it is through her language that we can see these changes. The prologue gives an outline of what is yet to come and explores these ideas using metaphors and many linguistic devices. From ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. This shows the audience the basis of the story. Each line skips to a different event such as And the continuance of their parents rage, which but their childrens end nought could remove. This suggests that each event happens quickly through-out the play, showing changing events happen in a short period of time. The use of the word children suggests that Romeo and Juliet are very young and irresponsible, thus requiring the events to be fast to emphasise some of the irrational decisions. The secrets of the play are revealed in the prologue yet it also gives many hidden depths. The which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. These are left for the audience to ponder on and to await the two hour traffic of our stage . From the play we see that Juliets responses and actions to others around her moulds her character. Juliet changes her approach to her mother in the play. In her first appearance Juliet is found talking to her mother and nurse; however, even though Lady Capulet called upon her daughter, she directs her speech towards the nurse as though Juliet is not there. We must talk in secret. Nurse come back again- Act 1 Scene 3, line 9. This indirect speech between Juliet and her mother shows that there is a distance between them and this is also shown further on into the play as the nurse becomes even closer than before to Juliet. Her mother brought up the topic of Juliets appearance to lead on to the topic of marriage. Never the less Juliet, with a formal approach, expresses that she is not yet longing for marriage. It is an honour that I dream not of (Act 1, scene 3, Line 66) While talking Lady Capulet asks the nurse if Juliet is at a pretty age. This comment shows that Lady Capulet is not sure how old Juliet is but thinks she is old enough for marriage. The nurse responds telling the mother Juliets exact age. This response by the nurse shows that the nurse is close to Juliet and in this scene the Nurse appears as a motherly figure towards young Juliet. In this scene Lady Capulet uses her authority and use of rhetorical questions win the agreement. This powerful status shows how the mother can also manipulate young Juliet towards her way of thinking. In Act 1 Scene 3 Juliet uses sly language skills to tell her mother that she is willing to do as her mother requires; without herself getting to involved. I look to like, if looking liking move; but no more deep will I endart mine eye. On the other hand Juliets acceptance of this proposal, made by the mother, shows that Juliet is young and innocent and does as her mother requires. In Act 1 Scene 5 Juliets fate is set as she is suddenly engaged into a profound moment with Romeo at the house of the Capulet where there is a ball. The couple begin to use language in a way of expressing their love to one and other. The couple use metaphors and symbolic meanings to express this as such For saints have hands that pilgrims hands to touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss. During this conversation they express their language through a sonnet, which is uncannily a lovers poem. The lines are split between the two which shows that both of them are involved in this love, unlike when Romeo unrequited love for Rosaline. Using metaphors is a romantic linguistic device that is personal to the couple throughout the play. When Romeo talks to Juliet, he talks about the situation being both holy and special. O then dear saint, let lips do what hands do ; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. This religious imagery tries to portray Romeos love as sincere and devoted, like those of Religious followers. Romeo also uses more metaphors and tells Juliet that they too are like pilgrims on a religious Journey. My lips, two blushing pilgrims ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. I believe that Romeo is attempting to say that both of them are like two pilgrims on a journey searching for something they both believe in. However, in this case I believe Romeo is talking about love, which is what they are searching for. This is when Juliet becomes more confident in answering and using her own initiative, rather than following examples set by her elders. Let lips do what hands do, they pray . This expresses her confidence more thoroughly and shows an overpowering Juliet standing upon her own two feet. In Act 1 Scene 5 lines 127-140 Juliet begins to experience some disappointmentas she finds out Romeo is a dreaded Montague. My only love sprung from my only hate, too early seen to known, and known too late. This shows gradual maturity as she accepts that it is too late now she is involved and her feelings cannot change towards Romeo. And that bonding she has with him is too strong too let go. Acceptance is present here as now she realises that as she has accepted her decision she must be held responsible for those actions she wishes to take. Further action is taken as she is met by Romeo in the Orchard in Act 2 Scene 2. This scene is also known as The balcony scene as the use of the balcony symbolises many meanings and expresses a production of love. The use of status and power is used here and the symbolic religious meanings appear once again. Romeo announces to Juliet O speak again bright angel In this scene Romeo is looking up to Juliet as the midnight light id upon her, illuminating her as if she was an angel. Juliet is also placed above Romeo and this symbolises how she is above him as though she is in heaven and he, in hell. In the theatre the balcony would also be placed up high and Romeo would be among the audience; and the audience would also be able to relate her to a high status symbol, such as an angel. In this scene costume would also be appropriate here and the use of the colour white worn upon Juliet would support many ideas of her angel figure. It is interesting that in Baz Luhurmanns interpretation of Romeo and Juliet Luhurmann clothes Juliet in an angel costume at their first meeting. Another drastic point in Juliets life is when she soon begins to take risks for the one she loves to show her commitment and love for him. In the evening she returns to her balcony and begins to go over what has just happened and confesses her love for Romeo to the midnight sky. Deny thy father and reuse thy name, Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love Act 2 Scene 2 Lines 39-40. However, Romeo, overhearing, appears before her and tells her that he too feels the same. Call me but love, and Ill be new baptised. Her feelings here over take her logical thinking and in this state of excitement she defies how her parents would let her speak towards another man, since she is promised to Paris. Even though moments before she found out that Romeo is a Montague, the only son of her deepest hate and knows this will cause a dramatic fiasco between her and her father. Beforehand the audience can see that she would never look further than her mother desires but yet her mother does not know of what took place at the balcony. By and by I come lines 152-153. This suggests that Juliet knows that what she is doing is wrong, therefore leaving the manipulating Juliet behind. Juliets feelings for Romeo soon become more extreme and he asks her to marry him. Though Juliet agrees she is disobeying her parents and marrying a Montague, as there is still an arrangement for her to marry Paris. During this time Juliets personality has changed, only slightly but dramatically enough that she has begun to shape her life by her choice, showing development in maturity. Juliets emotional change throughout the play tends to jump from ecstatic to almost suicidal. As a young girl Juliet has depended upon her nurse. During the play the nurse defies Romeo and Juliet. She tells young Juliet that she should marry Paris leaving Juliet no-one to turn to who could understood how she felt. Juliet was left alone to make decisions that no teenager could possibly do. This abandoned feeling caused Juliet to feel alone and drastic feelings soon led to drastic measures. I believe that if Juliet had continued with her life she would have overcome over her love for Romeo. Her love for him seems more of a romantic attraction towards him. The treacherous options made his love more inviting and the uninviting parental consent just adds to the temptations, and as that wanting was wanting what you cant have it made that lust so much stronger. I believe that if her parents approved of Romeo, she would never have been so much in love as she claims. On the other hand, this part of her life also helped her to mature as a person but maybe that maturity should not have been the cost of their ghastly deaths.

Over The Counter Drugs And Paracetamol Advertising Economics Essay

Over The Counter Drugs And Paracetamol Advertising Economics Essay Over the past few decades advertising has been an important marketing strategy. Advertising is always subjected to change because taste of the people, demographic, cultural and socio economic factors change always. Consumers changing response to advertising is essential to develop more effective and efficient marketing strategies. Chanjin (2000) developed a varying-parameter advertising model specifying advertising parameters as a function of advertising strategies and the market environments to explain the varying nature of the advertising responses. The model is applied to New York City fluid milk market and he concludes his findings that advertising strategies and market environment play important role in determining advertising effectiveness and he further concludes that demographic factors are more important than economic factors(Chanjin, 2000). Companies change their advertising strategies time to time to attract customers as well as keep the existing customers with their produ cts. But in some developed countries they have their own self regulatory system in order to stave off the government intervention. Harker(2003) states in his published article that sometimes advertising has its own self regulatory system despite claims of social and economic benefits. In general, when dealing with unacceptable advertising, considerable advertisers in developed countries use their own self regulatory mechanism since they consider the intervention of the government or regulatory bodies for their product marketing are not good for their brand image. The recent breakdown of one of the worlds longest established advertising self-regulatory programmes in Australia has reopened the 20 years old debate concern with enhancing understanding of such regulatory system(Harker, 2003).Though he states like that , even in some developed countries the advertising misleading consumers significantly sometimes very badly. To face to the race of businesses, companies use varies marketing strategies to attract and retain consumers with their products. Advertising is one of the most efficient marketing tools that most widely used in the world. The issue is it has become a main tool or a media where consumers are misled for products or services. Expressing the finding of the result of his research paper, Howard (2005) says over half of the sample viewed most or all mail and telephone advertising as misleading, and that 38 percent of the respondents regarded most or all television advertising as misleading. Also, findings for the Age groups indicate that two out of three respondents regarded most or all advertising directed at children as seriously misleading (Howard, 2005). Advertising has become a powerful emotional promotion method and now there is a trend of sending advertisements via mobile phones even without prior permission. But Melody(2004) points out those consumers generally have negative attitu des toward mobile advertising unless they have specifically consented to it(Melody, 2004). Generally in most countries attitudes toward the quality and information containing in advertisements are not in a good scale. Richard (1993) explains in his paper that a comprehensive model of attitudes toward advertising includes three personal utility factors (product information, social image information, and hedonic amusement) and four socioeconomic factors (good for economy, fostering materialism, corrupting values and falsity/no-sense). He tested these seven factor model on two independent samples and found most respondents exhibited conflict between an appreciation of the personal uses and economic value of advertising and an apprehension of cultural degradation(Richard, 1993). False information in advertisements significantly decreases the credibility of the product. That is why some standard organizations validate their advertisements before broadcast or expose to general public. Ste phen (1998) conducted a study to investigate whether consumers who are exposed to an advertisement containing a deceptive environmental claim have significantly different attitudes about the advertisements than those consumers exposed to a similar non-deceptive advertisement. He concludes the study mentioning that higher levels of perceived deception were associated with lower level of perceived corporate credibility, less favourable attitudes towards the advertisement, less favourable attitudes toward the advertised brand, and decreased purchase intention toward the product in the advertisement(Stephen, 1998). Marketing Pharmaceuticals-Increasing trend Marketing pharmaceuticals are very dynamic and innovative subject especially in this current business arena. Pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable businesses in all over the world. Kesic(2008) states the pharmaceutical market has been changed significantly especially in last decade with dramatic improvement. There are many factors directly affected for these new trend and developments particularly concentrated globalization, huge competitiveness and many more factors influence directly or indirectly for new challengers for pharmaceutical companies. Not only in pharmaceutical industry, but also in most of the business entities, profit maximization is a core objective. However, Chandra(1999) points out that pharmaceutical product companies are completely different from other companies since their product directly deal with human health not like most other companies in the business world. Reinhardt(2004) highlights that it is not clear that the current allocation of the pharmaceutical industrys revenue dollars to marketing and research development is efficient for societys point of view(Reinhardt, 2004). Kesic(2008) concludes in his paper that research and development(RD), mutually with other marketing and profit earning activities are two main operative and prioritized strategies of the global pharmaceutical industry. Having analysed these figures he has found that the biggest, inventive world pharmaceutical companies invest, on average, approximately 16% of their sales into RD and even more, about 26% or more into marketing and sales activities(Kesic, 2009). Drug companies really spend ample amount of money for marketing especially for direct-to-consumer advertising. Lisa(2008) says according to the IMS health report in 2006 in America, drug companies have spent nearly 5 billion on direct advertisements to consumers, and 80 percent increase over what they were spending in 2002(Lisa, 2008).Likewise Chiu(2005) explains that according to the Nationa l Institute for Health Care Management, U.S consumers spent $154.5 billion on prescription drugs in 2001.This amount to 10% of total health spending, which account for 14.9 % of the U.S GDP as of 2002.In a publication Parker(2003) states that there is a little doubt that the pharmaceutical industry is a major force in todays economy as measured by both over-the-counter(OCT) and prescription drug sales and further more he says that it seems clear that there have been rather dramatic increases in advertising expenditures by pharmaceutical companies in the past few years. It also seems clear that these expenditures have coincided with significant increases in sales of both OTC drugs and prescription drugs(Parker, 2003). Promoting drugs to consumers directly has become a new trend in all over the world and many pharmaceutical companies have experienced it as a very effective way to market their products. Wilkes et al(2000) points out that direct to consumer drug(DTC) marketing makes some kind relationship of patients, doctors as well as with pharmaceutical organizations. He further points out that drug companies have increased their budget for advertisements and at the same time the number of drugs advertised also increased. Wilkes et al (2000) further state that several news sources had suggested that drug manufactures earnings have directly benefited from this new promotional strategy(Michael, 2000). According to Moynihan et al(2002)drug companies earn lot of money from healthy people and he interprets it as disease mongering. Director of research and policy at the National Institute for Health Care Management, Findlay(2000) concludes that Advertising works and pharmaceutical companies have success fully promoted their product to doctors for decades. They are now bringing that marketing survey to the consumer market place. The question is whether -over time-the benefits of raising consumers awareness of specific drugs and the conditions the medicines treat will outweigh the danger that consumers will bring to demand and use some medicines inappropriately(Findlay, 2000). Over-The-Counter Drugs and Paracetamol Advertising Over-the-counter drugs can be purchased any amount without a prescription anywhere in the world. But some researchers have pointed out having some sort of mechanism for issuing these drugs to consumers may reduce misuses. Trends towards greater availability are paralleled by increase in its use for both non-fatal overdoses and suicide. Gunnel(1997) says in France mobidity and mortality was considerable less due to the regulatory action taken to reduce the quantity of paracetamol in a single purchase. Although non conclusive, these data add to a body of evidence which suggest that restrictions in the quantity of paracetamol available as a single purchase in other countries can reduce suicide and liver failure related to paracetamol(D Gunnell, 1997).Most of these over-the-counter drugs are advertised frequently in mass media to get and keep attention of consumers on those products. Ashish(1999) in his research paper states that manufactures may attempt to familiarize consumers with bra nd names in hopes that the consumer will purchase product. The consumer may think that he has heard of this product and assume that it is somehow better than competitive product(Ashish, 1999).In his research paper Hawton(2004) clearly states that suicides and hospital admissions due to paracetamol poisoning reduced after change in legislation which is limiting the size of the available pack of the paracetamol for consumers and in his study he concludes that legislation reducing pack size of analgesics in the United Kingdom has been beneficial and further reduction in pack size could prevent more deaths(Hawton, 2004). Over the counter drug usage among children is very common. Allotey(2004) mentions in his recently published paper Research on the medication of preschool-aged children has suggested that the use of OTC medication is substantial. Kogan et al for instant, found that 54% of three year olds in the United States has been given OTC medications in the 30days preceding the study. In a common survey in New York, 22% of children have taken OTC medication in the preceding 3 day period. Studies in United Kingdom also indicated high rate of OTC medication use among children, ie,28% during a 2-week period and 66% during a 4-week period(Allotey, 2004). Wazaify(2005) emphasizes that increasing availability of non prescription medicines may encourage patients to believe that there is a drug treatment for every ailment. Furthermore, he explains the use of such products may delay/mask the diagnosis of serious illness, with increased risks of interactions and adverse reactions and of self treatment being undertaken when medical aid should have been sought. There is also the potential for misuse and abuse of such products(Wazaify, 2005). According to the Sri Lankan context there are many proprietary products under one generic product. Senarathna(2008) in her thesis of master of philosophy points out that there are around forty registered product of paracetamol in Sri Lanka(Senarathna, 2008).Weerasuriya(1993) points out there were 63 registered paracetamol products in the country in 1993 and paracetamol was the commonest drug registered in the OTC category(Weerasuriya, 1993). Ethics of Advertising OTC drugs It is clear there is an increasing trend of usage for OTC drugs in all over the world. Wazaify(2005) states that in recent years there have been an increasing trend in self-medication with non prescription drugs available in pharmacies and retail outlets and in parallel, more products have been deregulated for purchase without a prescription(Wazaify, 2005). At the same time Solhaug(2006) concludes in his recent abstract publication that only half of the information presented in drug advertisements was correct and clinically relevant and relatively few statements were fault, but a considerable proportion of statements gave an excessively positive picture of the product; hence, in general, this kind of information has no value as a source of information(Solhaug, 2006).Among the publications those point out that drug advertisements are not up to the standard especially OTC drug, Ashish(1999)states in his publication that in reality, it has been observed that pharmaceutical product adver tisers often promote their products to achieve their own goals at the potential risk of having an adverse effect on the consumers health and this type of advertising is most often seen in OTC drug product advertisements(Ashish, 1999). Wazaify(2005) points out that the deregulation process has been championed by the pharmaceutical industry, the pharmacy profession and government health policy makers and is supported by the view that patients wish to have a greater role in their treatment choices. Almost all countries in the world have not allowed to pharmaceutical companies to advertise their product to consumers directly. Stremersh(2009) states in his research paper that so far only two countries, New Zealand and the United States, allow pharmaceutical marketers to advertise directly to consumers and in the same paper he further explains that due to this reason patient requests are often accommodated by physicians mainly because they affect physician visit satisfaction and show patients that the physician cares(Stremersch, 2009). Drugs are categorized into few groups and essentially there are two categories which are OTC drugs and prescription drugs. What is categorized as OTC varies from country to country and i s dependent on the local legislative framework according to (Buckley, 2004). Many researchers have pointed out over-the-counter drugs have become a public health problem due to misuse, disease mongering and drug abuse and wrong, in appropriate or inadequate information given in the promotional program may have an impact of this health issue(Ashish, 1999, Allotey, 2004, Fernando, 2008, Buckley, n.d.). While there are government agencies charged with monitoring the marketing of medicines, typically this is one of many briefs for these agencies and is often only in a reactive fashion. In other words such monitoring as does occur, occurs only in response to complaints, and even then is often very slow and cumbersome(Buckley, n.d.). Buckley(n.d.) urges that two things should happen to put this issue in a correct track which are establishing independent monitoring bodies to police marketing codes of practice with real penalties and paying increased attention to the education of the consumers of pharmaceutical advertising, in particular those with prescribing powers (Buckley, n.d.).In Sri Lanka also the situation is almost same like most of the countries in the world. The government has imposed rules and regulations for promoting and advertising pharmaceuticals within the country. In a paper published by the Sri Lanka medical associations ethics committee recently says that Advertisement to the general public should help people to make rational decision on the use of drugs which are legally available without a prescription. They should take account of peoples legitimate desire for information regarding their health, but should not take undue advantage of their concern for their health. Drug advertisement should neither portray nor be directed at children. Advertisement may claim that a drug can cure, prevent or relieve an ailment only if this can be substantial. They should also indicate, where applicable, limitations to the use of the drug When lay language is used, the information should be consistent with the scientific data sheet or other legally determined scientific basis for approval. Language, pictures or sounds, which bring about undue fear or distress, should not be used. The following list illustrates the type of information that advertisement to the general public should contain The name of the active ingredient, using either international non-proprietary names or the approved generic name of the drug The brand name Major indication(s) for use Major precautions, contraindications for warning Name and the address of the manufacturer or the distributor Information to the consumer on price should be accurately and honestly portrayed(Committee(SLMAEC), 2003). Though the guidelines are clear, there is a doubt of implementing and practicing the guidelines in many countries including Sri Lanka. There is a big challenge and responsibility for the government authorities and regulatory bodies in terms of providing correct information to the consumers. Techniques, methods and effective advertising Pharmaceutical industry is in a pressure and Kesic(2008) states that fast globalization is the main factor of the strategic development of the world pharmaceutical industry. There are so many challengers in pharmaceutical industry and drug companies running after many strategic moves to have sustainable competitive advantage. Direct marketing products to consumer have become one of the innovative methods to win the market comparatively. Buckley(n.d.) states that in United States all drugs may be promoted to consumer, but in practice direct to consumer advertising focuses on OTC and common ailment targeted prescription drugs(Buckley, n.d.). But some authors support to this argument and they mention direct to consumer advertising makes consumer better understanding and make more informative for drugs available to them(Leonard, 1999, Weissman, 2003). On the other hand some researchers like Maguire(1999) points out that American physicians are being asked to rubber stamp self diagnoses a nd self-prescriptions by patients. That is how some advertisements have been influenced on consumers. Kesic(2009) explains in his paper that the biggest multinational companies spend more than 25% of their sales into marketing activities especially for promoting, introducing their products and competing for global market share. Supporting to the argument of Kesic, Michael adds that drug companies spend ample number of money for number of drugs advertised increased, not only that they spend considerable amount of money for quality, attractiveness and particularly for sophisticated advertising (Michael, 2000). A paper published in Thailand in 2005 on Radio drug advertisement situation and regulation in Thailand says advertising has a strong influence on the sale volume of any goods. Drug advertising covers media such as television, radio, newspaper, magazines, internet and printed materials. It further says that radio advertisements can easily mislead people in rural areas because of socioeconomic and educational status(Kittisopee, 2005). Allotey(2004) mentions that OTC medications pro moted through television, radio and print advertising directly targeted at women, housewives or working mothers, encourage them not only to self medication but also to dispense OTC medications to their children, because it is important to establish a lifelong pattern of sensible (drug)use'(Allotey, 2004), Ashish(1999) explains that all pharmaceutical advertising is not bad but advertisements should be considered what they are promotions. Drug marketers should always try to follow the unwritten rules of marketing ethics and consider what is best for their consumers before developing a particular advertising strategy. Nowadays the issue is consumer can purchase any kind of drug online. Buckley(2004) highlights in his paper that thre is no restrictions for purchasing all kind of drugs online without a prescription and the issue is most of these internet pharmacies very low or poor quality information(Buckley, 2004). Moynihan(2002) expresses that inappropriate medication carries the dangers of unnecessary labelling, poor treatment decisions, iatrogenic illness, and economic waste, as well as the opportunity cost that result when resources are diverted away from treating or preventing more serious disease(Moynihan, 2002). How consumers are misled -Reliability, Relevance and adequacy of Advertisements Many research papers point out that drug advertisements mislead consumers in many ways directly or indirectly (Sidney, 2002, Michael, 2000, Ashish, 1999, Findlay, 2000). Though it is a common phenomena in all over the world, a practical guide on understanding and responding to pharmaceutical promotion published by the world health organization recently explains clearly how information is given to consumers in advertisements in developed and developing countries. It says while advertisements from developed countries typically contain nearly all of the information listed in the box, this is not always the case in developing countries(WHO, n.d.). The table below published by Hawkins(1993)in his research paper support to the above argument strongly and in the discussion he states that indications were mentioned more often than the negative effects of medicines. Important warnings and precautions were missing in half of the advertisements while side effects and contraindications in about forty percent. Price tended to be given only in countries where a social security system pays for the medicines(Herxheimer, 1993). Nowadays there is a trend of promoting drugs through internet. Buckley(n.d.)mentions on his research paper that most of the internet advertisements provide less information or poor quality information. Many pharmaceutical companies mislead consumers in many ways. A United States Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has issued 88 letters accusing drug companies of advertising violations from August 1997 to Aug 2002(Buckley, n.d.). Most of the time drug companies overstated the effectiveness of the promoting drug and they always keep attention not to highlight its risk. Some companies disseminate advertisements misleading advertisements even after they were warned or cited for violations(Gottlieb, 2002). Some drug companies stimulate consumers to buy expensive or new drugs which has high profit margin and it raises the health care cost of consumers as well as of the country ultimately. Some drugs promoted by pharmaceutical companies have limited Medical beneficiaries but those are heavily advertised because of the high profit margin. Rebecca(2010) says its almost impossible for the public to actually parse the ads and come to their own independent conclusions(Rebecca, 2010). But Weissman(2003)states in his research paper that industrys argument is that patients are highly motivated to seek the best available treatment for their condition and they need and deserve more and better information on which to base their judgement(Weissman, 2003). It is true if the pharmaceutical advertisements provide proper, balance and correct information to their consumers. A research done in Thailand, sharing the findings says that 22% radio advertisements have misled consumers and only 7% of the advertisements have recommended an appropriate dose among studied advertisements. Further more a warning message was found in only 3% of the advertisements and name of the manufacturers were present only 20% of the advertisements collected(Kittisopee, 2005).Weil(2009) is really against the trend of this drug advertisements. He says almost a ll highly advertised drugs have many complications either short term or long term basis and in general these drugs are ineffective and some serious side effects are not considered or neglected by the manufacturers. Because most pharmaceutical companies give priority for their profit margin and such vast profit potentials may be obtained from this kind of heavy drug advertising (Weil, 2009). Now there is a trend of using popular characters for marketing advertisements of drugs and sometimes they are neither reliable nor relevance. In a paper published by Michael(2000) says that Now advertisements enlist well-known personalities to endorse pharmaceutical products (Michael, 2000). Lot of people imitate and follow famous personalities and it help pharmaceuticals to reach consumer quickly and in a familiar manner. Criticizing this promotional tactics Weil(2009) says in his report that Sally Field is a talented actor, But what qualifies her to promote Boniva, an osteoporosis drug that is of limited benefit, has worrisome side effects, and for which there are natural alternatives that merit careful consideration?.(Weil, 2009) Drug companies are in the process of promoting their product to consumers in many ways. Sometimes they may use health care professionals to reach consumers because they know that consumer believe professionals who have background knowledge about treatments. Wazaify(2005) points out in his recent published paper that The main factor found to influence the publics choice of OTC medicines was pharmacist recommendation. This is reassuring especially with increasing availability of potent medications without prescription and the increased potential for interactions(Wazaify, 2005). It is one of the indirect marketing methods that the pharmaceutical industry uses. On the other hand people have a belief that over the counter drugs like paracetamol do not have serious side effects. Some over the counter drugs have serious side effects when consumer uses it with some other medications. A very good example is Viagra used for erectile dysfunction. If consumer uses it while using nitrate as a treatment of blood pressure, it causes severe drop of blood pressure which is difficult to treat. Buckley(n.d.)says it has mentioned on advertisements but in a much smaller font, it is You must not take Viagra if you are using any nitrate medication including amyl(poppers). It may lead to a severe drop of your blood pressure that may be difficulty to treat. As sexual activity may be a strain on your heart your doctor will need to check whether you are fit enough to use Viagra(Buckley, n.d.). Buckley points out the ordinary people do not know what is nitrate medications and they cannot recognize from this statement that the combination of these two drugs will en ough to kill them more often. Supporting to this argument Wazaify(2005) mentions that consumers generally believe that only safe medicines are permitted to be sold without prescription and OTC medicines do not usually have serious side-effects(Wazaify, 2005). Some giant pharmaceutical companies have their own physicians, independent monitoring committees and analytical groups etc. They make public aware of some new drugs which are effective treatment for some diseases which are common among current generation and they suggest through advertisements, that it may be effective to use their drugs or supplementary product to prevent from those diseases. This is another current trend in the world and basically what they do is label healthy people that they are sick. Supporting to this arguments Moynihan(2002) express his view in this paper stating that sometimes the issue is informal alliance engage, including doctors, drug company staff and consumer groups and this kind of alliance is being used by the drug companies in raising public awareness about some new drugs which are not scientifically proven. On the other hand theses groups conduct some health campaigns and awareness programmes about undiagnosed and untreatable problems and view of th is kind of problems are treatable because these disease awareness programmes are directly connected to drug companies and their marketing strategies. In general drug companies use this type of marketing strategies to promote their new pharmaceutical products (Moynihan, 2002). Extensive advertising and promotion has put on higher price on pharmaceuticals. Consumer has become the victim of those expensive pharmaceuticals. Dave(2010)says Promotion may affect price through two difference processes. First, promotion may increase demand and/or reduce the absolute magnitude of the demand price elasticity (that is, reduce the price responsiveness of purchasers), which may raise price. Second, the increasing operation cost due to high promotional spending may be shifted to purchasers in the form of higher price. Concluding his findings he states that in addition to potential misuse, the cost of direct to consumer advertising result from increased drug price and increased use of expensive drugs in place of equally effective lower-price drugs(Dave, 2010). Effect of Misleading Many researchers have pointed out that misleading consumer due to unprofessional advertisement of the pharmaceutical industry has created considerable issue to the society in many countries(Herxheimer, 1993, Dave, 2010, Leonard, 1999, Ashish, 1999). There is a reasonable doubt whether consumers spend money for their real requirements of treatments. Moynihan (2002) says drug companies earn lot of money from healthy people and it is better to describe as disease mongering. He further says some practices in medicine and pharmaceuticals are questionable particularly on the subject of disease mongering and its impact on public health, medical practices, public awareness and financial budgeting(Moynihan, 2002). There are people who count this criticism and say Direct To Consumer Advertisements (DTCA) fosters rapid detection of disease and promote grater compliance with treatment regimes. Further more they suggest that DTCA is simply part of a wider social trend whereby consumers take great er responsibility for their health care(Hoek, 2002). Pharmaceutical industry may grab ample amount of money from consumers through unprofessional promotions and advertising drugs. Most of the time heavily promoted drugs may have less clinically importance considering the price as the generic drug provide almost similar clinical effect at a cheap price. Parker(2003),supporting to this argument says Prescription drugs such as Celebrex and Vioxx are heavily promoted and cost the consumer just over $2per pill, while generic ibuprofen, which cost the consumer pennies per pill, often work just as well(Parker, 2003). Effective and attractive advertisement can attract consumer towards the product some times without considering the quality or the value of the product. Ashish(1999) states in his publication that Advertising is thought to contribute to the economy as well. By effective promoting increase in promotion of goods and services may occur, which in turn can result in increase in sales and the flow of money within society(Ashish, 1999). But some researchers expresses a different idea about the relationship between drug price and drug advertisements. They point out when drugs are advertised, the market is more competitive and due to that the price of the particular drug reduces. Research has generally found that advertising tend to reduce price, rather than increase them, primarily because advertising makes markets more competitive(Calfee, 2002). Sometimes drug advertisement give wrong information due to many reasons for consumers and it is affected for less dose or overdose usage of drugs. A general problem associated with drug advertisements is that it is a powerful influence which may motivate consumers to select overly expensive, overrated, or less than optimum medications for their particular needs. More specifically, it is possible to identify numerous individual problems associated with the promotional practice(Ashish, 1999). Our culture very much believes in the More in Better principle and consumers sometimes even ho

Heroism in Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essay

Heroism in Beowulf A hero is one who is not only strong, but one who uses his strength to uphold others. A hero is humble, philanthropic, magnanimous and selfless, a humanitarian at best. In the unprecedented epic Beowulf, the tale’s namesake exemplifies every characteristic befitting an Anglo-Saxon hero. He is honest, loyal, and courageous. He portrays these characteristics in the battle against Grendel, the affray with Grendel’s mother, and the fight against the dragon that inevitably ended his life. Beowulf was a man of admirable exploits. He had the strength of thirty men in his arms, and would use this strength to aid anyone in need. Upon hearing of the plight of Grendel and the ill happenings in Hrothgar’s kingdom, Beowulf immediately gathered his entourage to help the king and defend Heorot. When Beowulf encountered the beast that had terrorized for 12 years, he single-handedly ripped off Grendel’s arm, an act ultimately killing the creature. To further delineate his heroism, Beowulf kept the arm as a trophy of his victory. Upon learning of her son’s death, Grendel...

Euthanasia Essay: Moral Considerations in the Debate :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Moral Considerations in the Euthanasia Debate      Ã‚   The Judeo-Christian moral tradition celebrates life as the gift of a loving God, and respects the life of each human being because each is made in the image and likeness of God. As Christians we also believe we are redeemed by Christ and called to share eternal life with Him. Our Church views life as a sacred trust, a gift over which we are given stewardship and not absolute dominion. The Church thus opposes all direct attacks on innocent life. As conscientious stewards we have a duty to preserve life, while recognizing certain limits to that duty:    Because human life is the foundation for all other human goods, it has a special value and significance. Life is "the first right of the human person" and "the condition of all the others."[1]    All crimes against life, including "euthanasia or willful suicide," must be opposed.[2] Euthanasia is "an action or an omission which of itself or by intention causes death, in order that all suffering may in this way be eliminated." Its terms of reference are to be found "in the intention of the will and in the methods used."[3] Thus defined, euthanasia is an attack on life which no one has a right to make or request, and which no government or other human authority can legitimately recommend or permit. Although individual guilt may be reduced or absent because of suffering or emotional factors that cloud the conscience, this does not change the objective wrongfulness of the act. It should also be recognized that an apparent plea for death may really be a plea for help and love.    Suffering is a fact of human life, and has special significance for the Christian as an opportunity to share in Christ's redemptive suffering. Nevertheless there is nothing wrong in trying to relieve someone's suffering; in fact it is a positive good to do so, as long as one does not intentionally cause death or interfere with other moral and religious duties.[4]    Everyone has the duty to care for his or her own life and health and to seek necessary medical care from others, but this does not mean that all possible remedies must be used in all circumstances. One is not obliged to use either "extraordinary" means or "disproportionate" means of preserving life -- that is, means which are understood as offering no reasonable hope of benefit or as involving excessive burdens.

Greek Accomplishment and Foundation of the Western World Essay

Greek Accomplishment and Foundation of the Western World Most people today think that our ancestors made up our current cultures and traditions by themselves. However, most of western society is based upon Greek culture and ideas that were passed to the Romans and then passed on to Europe, and then Americas. We still share characteristics with the ancient world. The most important aspect that made Greek ideas so appealing was the idea that humans were able to reason: the highest value that a human could ascribe to. Their definition of reason was that a person should ask questions, and then use a system of thinking and activities to find physical answers and then know what they indicate. In modern day, this process is known as the scientific method. If done correctly, this system should lead to more questions and should never be answered by supernatural explanations. This was the beginning of a revolt against the Greek religion. It led to the idea of liberalism: a very optimistic belief in human potential. They believed that humans had capa city of improvement. If you believed in liberalism, you could understand and control natural and human forces. They believed that if you could control things, then you should be able to govern yourselves. The ability to reason makes them capable of self-government. The Europeans readily accepted this and other important ideas of that time. They also felt individualism, in that all rights and privileges were relative to themselves and not to a family or other group. Government Democracy, where people govern themselves instead of being ruled by a king, was first documented in ancient Greece, especially in the city of Athens. The government was a loose federation of cooperating city-state... ...e still valued today in the arts and school. Humans are still celebrated as the subject of art and theatre. The Greeks developed ideas such as materialism, commerce, and profit, and how to apply them to the physical world. Without those ideas our society could not have evolved the way that it did because capitalism may not have existed. They also coined the idea of individualism in that all rights, privileges, strengths, and weaknesses were relative to an individual and not to a family or society. In other words you will be punished or rewarded for your own doing. They also developed the idea that humans are equal except for their innate traits. The ancient Greeks developed a great deal of what we take for granted and in fact, we would be a completely different society if they had not existed. This is why Greece is often known as the Cradle of Western Civilization.

Pros and Cons of India’s vote in the US sponsored UNHRC Resolution against Sri Lanka.

India finally has taken a stand and voted for the US sponsored resolution at the United Nations top Human Rights Body (UNHRC). Every decision taken has its own value. So let us take a look at the Pros and Cons of India’s vote in the UNHRC Resolution against Sri Lanka along with some viable alternatives. The important positive aspect of the voting in favour of the resolution is that, the Government of India has finally proved that India stands alongside the Sri Lankan Tamils and they will be ‘there’ for the benefit of the people. It is a welcome stand by the Government, even though it happened after a tough political lobbying between the regional parties of Tamil Nadu. It also shows that India acts in its own show its commitment to shun violence against the unarmed civilians and for their rehabilitation. As the whole Tamil Community people were looking forward for India to act, the GoI (Government of India) did the right thing to garner their support. It may also put an end to the Zigzag diplomacy followed by the Rajapaksha’s Government (Giving a Commitment when Foreign minister of India reaches in Sri Lanka due to pressure from the Tamil Nadu politicians and when he boards the flight, commitment will be in dustbin). May be there is a minute possibility of taking Rajapaksha’s Government to the ICC (International Criminal Court) for the war crime. But what is the resolution in the UNHRC really intends to do to the Sri Lankan Government. To be frank it achieves nothing, rather it HUMILIATES Sri Lanka in the World Political Scenario. The Humiliation is thought to do wonders in the country, which has been proven wrong many a number of times (There are more than 200 resolutions passed against Israel for its action against Palestine, though no solution have been found). The resolution draft which has not been released officially by the UNHRC, is intended to contain only recommending the Government to act according to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), with the coordination and active support of the member States of the UNHRC (affecting the sovereignty of the country, like eg: USA dictating India how to control Naxalism and monitoring every move made by the State forces). As India had voted in favour of the US sponsored UNHRC resolution, the whole geographical hegemony is shifting underneath India. With this vote GoI has deliberately distanced itself from Sri Lanka in the International Scenario, since Sri Lanka has always been toeing India in all major International organization, this action might ignite their passion to pursue their own interest or lean towards the ever growing Dragon Warrior (China). A mutual distrust will be created between the GoI and the Government of Sri Lanka (Even though the severity of the resolution has been diluted with active intervention of India). The Big Brother attitude of India in the South Asian region journeys in the downward swirl. India had always maintained a stature of Non Aligned Country and look to avoid any involvement in the internal affairs of other countries, but this voting pattern has severely dented that image which was carved and niched by Foreign Affairs expert Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It leads to the questioning of the India’s commitment to the NAM (Non Aligned Movement), SAARC and other regional organizations, who look upon India as a key player in the region. China has been provided with a golden opportunity to strengthen its â€Å"String of Pearls† strategy in Sri Lanka (eg: Habantota port developed by Chinese firms) (encircling India on all the sides diplomatically and strategically). The other important aspect is that the Tamilans in the Sri Lanka are now being portrayed as Enemy of the State (due to the humiliation of the country in the world arena) by the Sinhalese people, which will lead to the increase in the rift between the various communities, rather than improving their co existence and starting of the reconstruction of the nation. Even though India had taken a stand in the issue, GoI must actively participate in the rehabilitation of the Sri Lankan Tamil People with a â€Å"Solution oriented approach†. India has already provided a helping hand in the clearing of the Land mines in the Battle field, along with the building of the houses for the Tamil People. Infrastructure development projects (railways) are being mooted in the war torn areas (Even though the essential supplies sent from India is being rotten in the godowns in Sri Lanka). India must make a dedicated approach towards the Tamil Eelam issue, rather than succumbing to the pressures of the regional parties. Since India is a heavyweight in SAARC and NAM, diplomatic channels can be opened in coherence with these regional organizations to look into the rehabilitation of Tamil people in the Tamil Eelam region. It will provide a more conducive environment to the Government of Sri Lanka & the people, rather than being dictated by the high handedness of the Police of the World (USA). People are the pillars of the democracy, so the people to people contact between the various communities in Sri Lanka must be encouraged. Rajapaksha’s government must give in to the demand of the 13th amendment plus plea. This would provide the suitable platform for bringing in a federal structure in the country (dissolution of the power to the Chief Ministers as in the case of India), which is in the best interest of all the stakeholders or communities. Effective steps must be taken against the offenders who were responsible for the atrocities, set loose upon the unarmed civilians and they must be punished according to the rule of law. The one question which will always linger in the mooting of the resolution is the active role played by the USA, which dramatizes them as the champion of the Human Rights (Literally). The answer will be real simple that Uncle Sam was unable to place a firm foot in the Island nation, while the Government of Sri Lanka were fostering and nurturing their relations with countries which have been hostile with USA (Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, etc). This prompted USA to bring the Island nation to bring in order along with its favour, which has severely backfired the USA policy (the strong anti – American mood within the people). This incident outlines the incompetence in assuring that India would become a world power in the near future. If the Human Rights violation in the Sri Lanka had been taken seriously by the Government of India and intended to take action against the lax nature of the action proceeding against the offenders, GoI should have sponsored the resolution rather than backing a resolution which is sponsored by a nation which is totally alien to the Island nation, the responsibility holds up on the shoulders of India due to its geographical, ethnical, cultural and economic proximity to the country. War, would always leave a undeniable scare in the mind of the people along with the sorrows and despair, the Citizens of Sri Lankan have long been made the pawns due to the bad decision making at the time of Independence in the Island nation. Time is always a good healer. The War now over, the hatred sowed in the minds of the different communities must be weeded out and a mutual trust must be incorporated in the minds of the people, with whatever solution available. The International community must look in to the long term prospect of the building the nation to its zenith rather than involving in petty politics and gaining fame. Government of Sri Lanka must aptly remember that â€Å"United is Strength, Divided is to Fail†. Therefore the State must take any possible measure to unite the various communities in the country, even when it is to compromise on some basic ideals. Since ultimately it is for the people the Government is formed as â€Å"Democracy†.