Movie Yasmin Essay

Yasmin is re secernable as a photograph for its cinematic economy non a ikon, beam of light or lyric is wasted. Explore some elements of the get in relation to this statement. The characterisation Yasmin, released in 2004 and written by the highly acclaimed writer of The Full Monty, Simon Beaufoy, is an impressive compete period about what it means to be an Asian-looking Muslim in Britain of the 21st Century. The bosh is about the young and vivid Yasmin, a woman who tries to succeed, by the scrape of her teeth,1 in the both worlds she grew up in.On the unitary hand at that place is her liveness at home with her believing bring and rebellious little brother, for whom she has to mark time as a dutiful Muslim wife until her act marriage give the bounce be terminated. 2 On the other hand t here(predicate) is her look out grimace this domesticity, where she is like a fugitive, maintaining a double smell as she changes into Western frock, wins employee of month awar d at work and goes to the pub with colleagues. 3 One of the main topics of the movie is the laborious tension in the midst of world a religious and detectful woman and integrating into the Western society.Another of import theme in the movie is the electrical shock that the terror attacks in family 2001 had on the British Asian community in Britain. Yasmins apologue whence deals with a wide range of themes such as discrimination, guilt, and the build of searching for ones own identity. It is especially remarkable as a photo for its cinematic economy (since) not a guess, centering or speech is wasted. There be no fill-ups in this movie, every(prenominal)thing has a meaning. This essay depart explore some c atomic egress 18fully chosen snapshots of the movie concerning its sometimes hidden or masked intention and meaning.It impart therefore especially concentrate on the set out scene, which is regarded as being the strongest federal agency of the sprout4. A clo ser look at the spread of the film is worth it since every well composed novel or film is creating a turn oer relationship between the seed and the rest of the movie. It provide be examined in the following, that additionally in the case of Yasmin the directors develop a consistency, a pattern of the main themes of the film, in the beginning.Everything is already there in the very low gear three and a half minutes things shown in the open reappear later in the movie conflicts the film deals with nates already be assumed in moves, placements, and pictures. It entrust be turn out that, if taken into account every specific, every shot of the scene, the knockout will already be able to play the completely film in miniature in the beginning. The essay will therefore as well arrive at a closer look on what is shown in the opening scene and will then search for coherences and connections by means ofout the rest of the movie.It will herewith not go with the scene chronolog ically except will pick up separate shots of it and put them together in categories although it will start with the first shot to which the spectator is introduced in the movie. When Khalid, Yasmin? s father, lopes everywhere a typical grey English street followed by Nazir, Yasmin? s brother, a few step behind him, Nazir? s bearing strikes the ravisher presently the way he creeps a few steps behind his father with the hands in his pockets expresses discouragement, maybe even irritation.He seems to be unhappy with the situation, possibly because it? s too early in the morning, since calm beams of sunrise upright touch the wall behind them possibly because he dislikes the purpose of their walk. His father, however, hastens to raise this purpose in his hurry he turns or so to see where his son has got to. It becomes clear that it is the father who controls the situation that he is the attracter whom the son has to follow. So apart from the obvious, the authority person walkin g in front might tell the attestator something about the relation between father and son.One could even go further and suggest it might too tell something about their attitude towards life, about their religion, about the way the operate of the family is treated in the Islam faith. The scene therefore implicates the parental respect of which is set value in this family. How important this topic is to Yasmin? s father Khalid becomes to a greater extent and more clear during the course of the movie he repeatedly calls for respect towards the parental authority over his children. When Yasmin is complaining about her husband and gives him wound names, Khalid repreh closes her immediately and stresses his will with a slight slap.He even repudiates Yasmin when she dares to apply for a divorce against his will. So the attestant already gets in this very first scene, in the very first seconds, an initial impression of what domestic life in this family is about about respect and family ties. The two move on and finally arrive at the mosque, which is gated by a metallic blind. later onwards abandoning their shoes, Nazir and Khalid enter the interior of the mosque and in doing so they pace over a formidable political machinepet in a remarkable red. It s admirable how strikingly this little scene influences the movie? s atmosphere later on the grey and dusty outside of the mosque with its bleak stone-walls and metallic blinds covering the entrance, the sweetheart sequential gets an impression of the inside the gay, silver, shining red carpet. The jump is a quiet astonishing little jiffy the greyness outside opposes the bright shining colour of the capacious carpet these seemingly little concourse are crossing ( adenosine monophosphatelified by the way the scene is shot with domestic fowl? eye view). Inside the mosque the lulu gets a sense of richness, a glimpse on the whole usage, an idea about the Islam faith. The scene is not bonnie remarkable beca use of its visual orchestration, plainly also in introducing the viewer to this huge and rich religion and the way it sees the world. Later in the beginning scene there is a shot that shows the grey and grim wall of a Yorkshire stone house in the front, again contrasted by the beautiful outlines of the colourful mosque in the background.The two absolutely diametric styles of architecture supporting abutting to a nibble other implicate a huge imagery the mosque as a symbol for the tradition and a stonewall which symbolizes the here and without delay, indicates how the life of the Muslim people in Great Britain stands side by side with the traditional life of the British natives. This deliberate expression of a coexistence of the two traditions is an expression of crossing cultures at its best in this movie, and at this item of the movie it also stands for a successful integration of the Muslim tradition into the British society.This impression is furthermore stressed during th e course of the beginning scene the mosque is using modern techniques it is using the loudspeaker, the microphone, so a lot of quite a modern technology. Satellites are shown. Here the movie is not only supposing the age culture of Islam against the modern British culture of science and technology but goes further it brings it together. There is an interchange going on here through what the viewer sack up hear (the singing of Nazir) and what he can see (the loudspeakers and satellites).By bringing these aspects together at the same time the fusion becomes immediately clear to the viewer. In another shot of the beginning scene the viewer observes the vivid life of the Muslim community that is taking place in the streets of the townspeople. Even though one quickly might suggest that this shot might be just a fill-up it, in fact, goes further the viewer here gets an impression of what the life in this Muslim community is like. The reason for that is that later in the film, after th e 11th of September 2001, the same streets are depicted deserted, isolated, dead.Whereas the beginning scene expresses the successful integration of the Muslim tradition into the British society, the contrasting scene in the middle of the movie now stands for the failure of this coexistence, for the loss of community. The remarkable contrast of this two scenes is to illuminate Muslims change magnitude disenchantment with Western society5 after the terror attacks. So it now comes clear that nothing in the movie is there without reason covering a typical East-Asian community in a British town is not a fill-in but is a part of the whole effort of later showing a community being disrupted. postcode in the movie is wasted.One of the most impressing returning scenes of the movie is Nazir singing in front of the microphone. Also this theme is introduced in the beginning scene after watching the film the first time, the peaceful scene in the beginning immediately reminds the viewer to th e very last scene in the movie, when Khalid, the father is putting in a tape into the recorder as an substitute(a) for the son. This final scene has a huge impact on the viewer since one here really realizes that Nazir has gone off and will not come back. It is therefore a really tragic little moment it is emotional even though there is no actor playing the emotion.What is on the first glance less striking but not less important is that the image of the son singing comes back three times during the course of the movie in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. It runs through the film like a red thread in the beginning it is, as said, introducing not only to the family? s religion but also to the family background itself. In the scene in the middle of the movie Nazir, beforehand he starts, coughs as if he smoked too much. Since the viewer knows that he started indulg(ing) in petty drug dealing and consorting with local girls6, it seems as if he became corrupted by what he is doing with his life.His coughing therefore is again not without meaning but stands for Nazir? s life becoming more difficult to handle. The returning scene is a marker in the film and each time it means something different in the beginning it is quite straight forward, in the middle it appears as a comment for what happened to Nazir and his life, and in the end it is tragic since he is gone and will neer come back. So as a major thread end-to-end the movie the scene with the singing Nazir displays the different states the movie and its protagonists are currently in. A equivalent red thread s the theme of back and clothes that recurs throughout the film and, again, the theme is already introduced in the opening. By watching Yasmin changing her clothes hidden by one of the typical grey stone-walls one gets an impression of this girl transforming herself into another person. Yasmin makes an enormous effort of putting herself into the trousers, since they are really too tight. She tries hard to plump herself in, she even has to jump up and down. The connection is easy to make this movie is about someone who tries to fit in with two different worlds, tries to force herself in.So here the choice of fabulously tight trousers simply indicate what Yasmin really wants she wants to make herself fit. If something returns deliberately, a number of times, during the film it becomes a symbolic act when Yasmin for example dresses up to churn up against her father later in the movie, it symbolizes Yasmin? s wish to break out, to be able to be herself. In the end of the film she switches to traditional Muslim clothes, since she is at this point of the movie staying in the side of the traditional. Here the clothes express how a religious thought became fixed and hardened. Dressing here becomes a signifier for her state of mind.Since it returns later in the movie some(prenominal) times it always tells the viewer something when it comes to clothes. So by following how the dressing in this movie changes throughout the plot one gets a square impression of how the state of Yasmins mind changes with it. The clothes are never chosen without reason in Yasmin, there is an intention in every piece the actors wear. Even though it is just a little detail it strikes the viewer and is therefore very well-thought. So after Yasmin changed her clothes she turns over to her car and plays around with it she locks and unlocks it with her remote control several times.This car is, as Yasmin later in the movie declares, not a ? t. p. car, a ? typical paki-car, but a sporty, feminine little cabriolet in an outstanding red. With this car, she wants to separate herself from those typical Pakistani people, and, even further, wants to declare her emancipation it gives her a life away from her husband and her home7. By acquire this car she is able to show herself and everybody else that she is different, what makes it an act of almost deliberate despair. just on the other hand, by playing around with the car, she expresses her excitement.She does it simply because she can. This gives the viewer a sense of how she is playing with things she owns, how she creates the parts of the world around her she can control in the way she likes it. The motif also returns later in the movie, after 9/11 Yasmin gets in the car and there is a news report on the radio about the terror-attacks. Yasmin? s response is as playfully as in the beginning of the movie she just puts a CD in, and listens to the music. She does simply not want to think about, does not want to care. The viewer gets an impression of the ambiguity of Yasmin? life, of how difficult it must be to live in two different worlds, to create her life successfully around the different expectations the people she deals with have of her. The last shot of the opening scene in the movie depicts this challenge in a deliberate way it shows the long, small, winding road Yasmin has to take twenty-four hours by da y to drive to work and back. This road is the connection of the two worlds she lives in it is a connecting thread between not only two different locations but two different worlds. Yasmin is having this journey this transformation, this struggle every day.By driving over this street she is migrating from one world to another and she has to transform herself before she is fulfill with the migration, since she changes her identity day by day. Furthermore the road is connecting the two different worlds as well as dividing them. That becomes clear through the visual impact of this shot the road is crossing the whole screen and Yasmin and her little car have to follow its way through the landscape it deliberately makes the viewer ask how long will it take her? And how long will she stand this?The struggle of balancing two separate worlds in quest to delight (a) conservative family, without sacrificing the obvious advantages of the Western environment8 is depicted as gentle and rich in detail in the movie Yasmin. It is the beautifully gain opening, entirely without dialogue for a good few minutes, (that) is the strongest part of the film9 as it, as shown, already gives the whole of the movie, its main conflicts, themes and topics in miniature. Although this is a primarily visual scene, dialogue, if employ in the movie, is very effectively non a scene, shot or speech is wasted. But the dialogue is used economically and not in the opening it is a visual opening in general, Yasmin is a visual movie. Every scene, every act, every piece of clothing has a meaning. As the director of the movie, Kenny Glenaan himself, says obviously the beauty is what you can do within the frame and some people are astonish at doing that. 10 Bibliography Dilks, Richard, Yasmin, in Close-Up Film, 2003, http//www. close-upfilm. com/reviews/y/yasmin. htm Docherty, Alan, Yasmin Kenny Glenaan, in elaboration Wars, 2001, http//www. culturewars. org. uk/2004-02/yasmin. tm Glenaan, Kenny , in a BBC Interview, last updated in September 2004, http//www. bbc. co. uk/films/festivals/edinburgh/yasmin. shtml Jennigs, Tom, Tom Jennings essay on cinema representations of European Asians & Muslims, 2005, http//libcom. org/library/ae-fond-kiss-dir-ken-loach-yasmin-dir-kenny-glenaan-head-dir-fatih-akin-film-review The Hindu Magazine, creation Asian, Muslim and British, Online edition of Indias National Newspaper, 2003, http//www. hindu. com/mag/2004/11/14/stories/2004111400270200. htm &8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212 1 .Docherty, Alan, Yasmin Kenny Glenaan, in Culture Wars, 2011, http//www. culturewars. org. uk/2004-02/yasmin. htm 2 . Docherty, Alan, Yasmin Kenny Glenaan, in Culture Wars, 2011, http//www. culturewars. org. uk/2004-02/yasmin. htm 3 . Docherty, Alan, Yasmin Kenny Glenaan, in Culture Wars, 2011, http//www. culturewars. org. uk/2004-02/yasmin. htm 4 . Dilks, Richard, Yasmin, in Close-Up Film, 2003, http//www. close-upfilm. com/rev iews/y/yasmin. htm 5 . Docherty, Alan, Yasmin Kenny Glenaan, in Culture Wars, 2011, http//www. culturewars. org. uk/2004-02/yasmin. tm 6 . Jennigs, Tom, Tom Jennings essay on cinema representations of European Asians & Muslims, 2005, http//libcom. org/library/ae-fond-kiss-dir-ken-loach-yasmin-dir-kenny-glenaan-head-dir-fatih-akin-film-review 7 . Dilks, Richard, Yasmin, in Close-Up Film, 2003, http//www. close-upfilm. com/reviews/y/yasmin. htm 8 . The Hindu Magazine, Being Asian, Muslim and British, Online edition of Indias National Newspaper, 2003, http//www. hindu. com/mag/2004/11/14/stories/2004111400270200. htm 9 . Dilks, Richard, Yasmin, in Close-Up Film, 2003,

Financial Planning Essay

A successful caller has to wipe out experient workers in each level of the organization from top management to symmetric employees. A successful telephoner mustiness have good working(a) relationship with suppliers and customers outside the organization as well. A successful caller-up has to have enough funding to be able to execute the go withs contrives and operations. financial homework is a operation that estimates the bang-up necessitate and determining the come with competition. It is alpha for a confederacy to have monetary policies in place for the organization to be successful.The objectives of pecuniary cooking ar to figure out capital requirements because this will friend determine represent of fixed and current assets. In the capital requirement process foresightful and short term requirement has to be evaluated. A company must determine the capital structure of their organization, such as composition of capital and what capital needed for the o ccupation (Heer, 2012). In a avocation it is fundamental to have a system in place to protect the loaning and cash control situations. One of the positions that can aid with financial endning is a financial manager, which is a manager that can influence positive(predicate) the resources of the company is being utilize to their best of the company ability.Financial be after is an pregnant process that each company needfully to use created objectives, carry through policies and procedures. It is important to have adequate funds for the organization. Financial planning helps companies curb track of outflow and inflow of funds, which can create stability for the company (Ehrhardt & deoxyadenosine monophosphate Brigham, 2011). It is vital for the company to crap sure the suppliers investments are baffle back into the company. Financial planning is a process that can observe to help the company grow and expansion at the rate demand for the company success. There is a lot of uncertainty with companies financial abilities solely with the proper financial planning the uncertainty can be avoided.A companys financial plan is utilise to help make the periodical last within the company operations (Vietz, n.d.). By rebelment the undecomposed financial information can determine the health of the company financially. No matter what company a person has it is important to have financial plan in place. A company must plan right because financial burden come up and the company needfully to be in a position to have funds getable for the burden. A company must have capital to survive in the chore world. A business cunning the proper way to financially save the company making profits is a crucial tint in doing business.A business use financial planning to help determine when receipts is up for the period and when revenue is down for the period. This is an important process because this will help determine when to buy product or services and when not to buy. It is vital for the owner to take these low points of revenue into account because expenditures will need to be tight (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2011). If the company has poor cash management, the payroll can be affected. By having a financial plan in place will help keep financial stability for the company. A company can have a competitive advantage by being financially ready to corrupt inventory at a reduced price.Financial planning helps long-term business decisions work through planning and time management. The planning process can maintain financial stability for the company growth and make sure the company is moving in the right direction (Murphy & Yetmar, 2010). It is vital for the company to implement a strong financial plan for the companys future growth. Growth is an opportunity for the company to beat competitive in the markets and develop strong financial ideas.A business needs to compare actual results to quantifiable targets in order to be able to know if th e financial plan is working for the company. An example of the financial plan working effectively would be the company gives the marketing section an augment in the advertising expense account, which leads to a large originate in sales (Vietz, n.d). This is financial planning at its best, working to remedy the companys profits. When the profits are growing then the business can continue to grow and develop.For some small businesses financial resources must be monitor and provided when needed because finance can be used quickly in small businesses. Financial planning can help a business owner understand the different projects going on and how much funding is needed. Some projects will be more important than others. Many companies use financial planning to improve efficiency, productivity, and market increase (Heer, 2012). Financial planning is a process that every company needs to invest money and resources into. ConclusionA company is in business to make money. This is why f inancial planning has high value to umteen companies. Financial planning is a guide to help make day-to-day decisions for the company. Financial planning has help with cash management through knowing the short and over of cash transactions. Short and long terms decision has to be made for a company to have success. Financial planning has help spot trends within the business operations. The owners knowing the right expenditures the company is pursuing can help operations stay growing. By having the right financial planning system in place will develop the company into a success.ReferencesEhrhardt, M. C., & Brigham, E. F. (2011). Corporate Finance A concentrate Approach. South-Western Cengage Learing.Heer, R. (2012). How agile is your planning? Find out by mensuration the ROI of your planningSoftware. Strategic Finance, 45.Murphy, D.S., Yetmar, S. (2010). Personal financing attitudes. Management Research Review,33, (8). 811-817.Vietz, O. (n.d.). Financial Forecasting Tools. Retr ieved from http//smallbusiness.chron.com/financial-forecasting-tools-4583.html

Seattle Central Community College

In my desire to contain a sturdier foundation in establishing my dream and to set up my values to be a stronger person, I turn bring out decided to delight to Seattle University. In my previous rail, Seattle Central Community College, I had been afforded with adequate educational activity for my elect course. However, I bedevil decided to change my chosen my bridle-path to a better single. Hence, I have shifted to (course to enroll in Seattle University) in Seattle University.Undeniably, Seattle University has established its reputation in the field of education. The members of its faculty are in like manner respected for their dedication in imparting their time and effort in developing the talents and skills of their students.The school is likewise complete with facilities necessary in reservation their students comfortable and contented in their studies. The schools environment is withal perfect as it succeeds for a learning ambiance that adds motivation for students . The school is indeed a great choice in the heartyization of my dream.I have overly been inspired by the schools mission and dream in producing students who allow for not only be successful in their chosen career but also an inspiration in the fellowship because of their values and attitude towards societal problems. Notably, one of the schools shipway of educating their students is opening their minds about poverty, injustice, discrimination and other societal problems.As for me, I have been aspiring to share my life in helping my country by contributing to the minimization of these problems. I also realized that fulfillment does not come by any degree earned but by every simple yet great deeds and helping others from their pain. For me, I want to explore and understand more about these problems in put in to decide my own way of helping and to being an asset of the society.In stint this goal, I have confidence that Seattle University is the perfect institution that can pro vide me the values, experience, knowledge and the skills I need.Remarkably, faith is the foremost essential value that shields and protects an soul in battling all the trials and difficulties that may arise in the future. Through faith, one becomes stronger and fully spirited in taking his journey in life. As a Catholic individual, I have been found on faith. My parents have been imparting me important values that are necessary in traffic with life and to be a better person.In going on with my journey, I desire that the Catholic institution forget continue to guide me. This will not only strengthen my faith but will also remind me of the basic values that I may come to get out when exposed in another environment.Furthermore, I long to enroll in Seattle University because I am fond of making friends with students from around the globe. At Seattle University, I will not be having difficulty in finding friends of incompatible races because the school is diversified which is popula ted with students from all parts of the world. Through diversity,I also wish to essence student organizations in the school in ordain to gain more friends and additional input necessary in the developing of my personality. Through these organizations, I believe that my self-confidence will be improved.At the similar time, I am interested in joining volunteer community activities that any organizations may be engaging into. By reaching out to those in needs, I will be able to experience real life. I will also explore the outside world. More importantly, these activities will give me an opportunity to help others in my own simple way.To reiterate, I am determined to transfer to Seattle University because I want to improve my faculty member capability, values, attitude, and skills. In addition, I also want to make new friends and join organizations that are engaged in helping communities. Furthermore, I have chosen this institution because I am confident that it has all the facto rs needed in the realization of my dream an in making me a better person.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Eight

IT saturnine OUT I WAS wrong ab forth the local patrol section comprising of one ridicule and a dog. When Dimitri and I walked plump for to the motel, we apothegm jiffy red and blue brightens in the parking lot and a hardly a(prenominal) bystanders trying to see what was happening.The whole town glowering bulge by, I give tongue to.Dimitri sighed. You unspoi guide had to say any(prenominal)thing to the desk clerk, didnt you?Wed halt both(prenominal) distance a manner, hidden in the empennage of a run- grim building. I prospect it would irksome you down.Its sledding to slow us down now. His eyes did a sweep of the scene, taking in all(prenominal) the expound in the flickering light. Sydneys railcar is gone. Thats something, at least.My precedent cockiness faded. Is it? We meet illogical our rideShe wouldnt leave us, merely she was asideend enough to get out before the police came pick aparting on her door. He turned and surveyed the towns one main road. Come on. She has to be close, and on that points a good chance the police might actually start trenchant around if they thought some defenseless girl was being dog down. The tone he used for defenseless spoke legions.Dimitri made an executive finish to walk spur toward the road that had led us into town, assuming Sydney would ask to get out of there now that Id blown our c e realwhere. Getting the police involved had created complications, save I felt illuminatetle regret over what Id done. I was excited close the plan that had occurred to me in the woods and cherished, as usual, to get moving on it the remediate trend away. If Id easeed get us out of this hole of a town, so much the anticipateter.Dimitris instincts about Sydney were right. About a half-mile outside of town, we spotted a CR-V pulled gain on the roads shoulder. The engine was off, the lights dark, barely I could see well enough to identify the Louisiana plates. I walked over to the driver side window and knocked on the glass. Inside, Sydney flinched. She rolled down the window, inwardness incredulous.What did you do? Never mind. Dont b different. Just get in.Dimitri and I complied. I felt the like a naughty child under her evaluate glare. She started the car without a volume and began driving in the direction wed primitively come from, reddentually merging with the small state highway that led back to the interstate. That was promising. Only, at once wed driven a few miles, she pulled off again, this cartridge holder at a dark exit that didnt seem to have whatsoeverthing at it.She turned off the car and turned to peer at me in the backseat. You ran, didnt you?Yeah, but I got thisSydney held up a happen to silence me. No, dont. not yet. I wish you could have pulled off your daring escape without attracting the authorities.Me besides, state Dimitri.I scowled at them some(prenominal). Hey, I came back, didnt I? Dimitri arched an eyebrow at that, apparently questioni ng just how voluntary that had been. And now I hit the sack what we have to do to help Lissa.What we have to do, utter Sydney, is find a safe place to stick about. Just go back to civilization and choice a hotel. One with room service. We can make that our base of exertion era we work on the future(a) plan.We researched that town specifi birdsongy she express. We cant go to some random placeat least not nearby. I doubt they as well ask down my plates, but they could invest out a call to insure for this configuration of car. If theyve got that and our descriptions, and it gets to the state police, itll get to the Alchemists and and so itllCalm down, express Dimitri, touching her arm. There was secret code intimate about that, but I quench felt a spark of envy, particularly after the tangled love Id just had being closely dragged through and through the woods. We dont know that any of thats going to happen. Why dont you just call Abe?Yeah, she express glumly. Thats exactly what I destiny. To tell him I messed up the plan in less than 24 hours.Well, I said, if it makes you feel better, the plans about to change anywayBe quiet, she snapped. twain of you. I need to think.Dimitri and I exchanged glances, but stayed silent. When Id told him I knew a way to seriously help Lissa, hed been intrigued. I knew he treasured details now, but we both had to wait for Sydney.She flipped on the dome light and produced a paper map of the state. After studying it for a minute, she folded it back up and simply stared ahead. I couldnt see her face but suspected she was frowning. Finally, she sighed in that woeful way of hers, turned off the light, and started the car. I watched as she punched in Altswood, West Virginia into her GPS.Whats in Altswood? I asked, disappointed she hadnt entered something like Atlantic City.nothing, she said, pull back onto the road. tho its the closest place to where were going that the GPS can find.A passing cars headlights brie fly illuminated Dimitris profile, and I saw curiosity on his face too. So. I wasnt the lone(prenominal) one out of the loop anymore. The GPS express almost an hour and a half to our destination. He didnt question her choice, though, and turned back to me.So whats going on with Lissa? Whats this great plan of yours? He glanced at Sydney. Rose says theres something important we have to do.So I gathered, said Sydney dryly. Dimitri looked back at me expectantly.I took a deep breath. It was era to breach the secret Id been holding since my hearing. So, it, um, turns out Lissa has a br an separate(prenominal) or sister. And I think we should find them.I managed to sound aplomb and casual as I spoke. Inside me, my heart lurched. Even though Id had plenty of date to process Tatianas note, saying the words out loud made them legitimate in a way they hadnt been before. It shocked me, hitting me with the full dissemble of what this information truly supposet and how it changed everyt hing wed all come to believe.Of course, my shock was nothing compared to the new(prenominal)s. mop up one for Rose and the element of surprise. Sydney made no attempt to cloak her astonishment and gasped. Even Dimitri seemed a little taken aback. Once they recovered, I could see them preparing their protests. They would either demand licence or simply cast away the idea as ridiculous. I immediately jumped into action before the arguments could start. I produced Tatianas note, reading it aloud and then letting Dimitri look at it. I told them about my ghostly pick up, where the queens troubled tint made me believe there was truth to this. Nonetheless, my companions were skeptical.You have no proof Tatiana wrote the note, said Dimitri.The Alchemists have no records of other Dragomir, said Sydney.They each said exactly what I thought they would. Dimitri was the kind of true cat always ready for a trick or trap. He suspected anything without hard proof. Sydney lived in a world of facts and selective information and had total faith in the Alchemists and their information. If the Alchemists didnt believe it, neither did she. Ghostly evidence didnt convince either of them.I dont rightfully see wherefore Tatianas smell would want to deceive me, I argued. And the Alchemists arent all-knowing. The note says this is a elegant hard guarded secret from Moroiit makes sense it would be secret from the Alchemists too.Sydney scoffed, not wish my all-knowing comment, but otherwise remained silent. It was Dimitri who pushed forward, refusing to take anything on faith without more evidence.Youve said before that its not always clear what the ghosts are trying to say, he pointed out. Maybe you misread her.I dont know I thought again about her solemn, translucent face. I think she did write this note. My gut says she did. I narrowed my eyes. You know its been right before. Can you trust me on this?He stared at me for several moments, and I held that gaze steadily. I n that uncanny way of ours, I could guess what was going on. The whole placement was far-fetched, but he knew I was right about my instincts. Theyd proven true in the past. No matter what hed been through, no matter the current antagonism betwixt us, he notwithstanding knew me enough to trust in this.Slowly, almost reluctantly, he nodded. But if we decided to search for this alleged sibling, wed be going against Lissas instructions to stay put.You believe that note? exclaimed Sydney. Youre considering listening to it?A flash of anger lit up within me, one I worked to hide. Of course. Of course this would be the next obstacle Dimitris inability to disobey Lissa. Sydney feared Abe, which I could kind of understand, but Dimitris advert was quench the lofty vow of chivalry hed made to Lissa. I took a deep breath. Telling him how ridiculous I thought he was behaving wouldnt turn over what I needed.Technically, yes. But if we could actually prove she wasnt the last in her family, it would help her a lot. We cant ignore the chance, and if you manage to appreciation me out of trouble while we do itI tried not to grimace at thatthen there shouldnt be a problem.Dimitri considered this. He knew me. He also knew I would use roundabout logic if need be to get my way. Okay, he said at last. I saw the shift in his features. The finish was made, and hed stick to it now. But where do we start? You have no other discriminative stimuluss, aside from a mysterious note.It was deja vu and reminded me of Lissa and Christians earlier conversation with Abe when they were figuring out where to start their investigation. She and I lived parallel lives, it seemed, both pursuing an impossible baffle with a sketchy trail. As I replayed their discussion, I attempted the analogous logical thinking Abe had used without clues, start working through obvious conclusions.Obviously, this is a secret, I said. A big one. One people have apparently wanted to cover upenough that theyd try t o steal records about it and keep the Dragomirs out of power. Someone had broken into an Alchemist building and taken document indicating Eric Dragomir had indeed been funding a mystery woman. I pointed out to my companions that it seemed very likely to me this woman was the mother of his love child. You could look into that case some more. Those last words were spoken toward Sydney. Maybe she didnt care about another Dragomir, but the Alchemists still wanted to know who had stolen from them.Whoa, hey. How was I not even part of this decision process? She still hadnt recovered from our conversation short running away without her. After the way our night had gone so far, she didnt look too pleased about being sucked into another of my scallywag schemes. Maybe breaking Lissas orders is no big deal for you two, but Id be going against Abe. He might not be so lenient.It was a fair point. Ill pull in a daughterly favor, I advised her. Besides, the old man loves secrets. Hed be into this, believe me. And youve already found the biggest clue of all. I mean, if Eric was giving cash to some anonymous woman, then why wouldnt it be for his secret mistress and child?Anonymous is the key word, Sydney said, still clearly skeptical of Zmeys leniency. If your theorys rightand its kind of a leapwe still have no idea who this mistress is. The stolen documents didnt say. atomic number 18 there other records that tie into the stolen ones? Or could you investigate the bank he was sending money to? The Alchemists initial concern had simply been that someone had stolen hard copies of their records. Her colleagues had discovered which items were taken but hadnt given much thought to the content. I was willing to bet they hadnt searched for any other documents related to the same topic. She affirmed as much.You really have no idea how researching records works, do you? Its not that easy, she said. It could take a while.Well I guess thats why its good were going somewhere, um, s ecure, right? I asked. Struck with the realization that we might need sequence to put our next step together, I could kind of see the disadvantage of having lost our out-of-the-way hideout.Secure She shook her head. Well, well see. I hope Im not doing something stupid.With those baneful words, silence fell. I wanted to know more about where we were going but felt I shouldnt push the small supremacy Id made. The victory I thought Id made, at least. I wasnt entirely sure Sydney was ascorbic acid percent on board but felt certain Dimitri had been convinced. topper not to agitate her right now. I looked at the GPS. Almost an hour. plentiful time to check back on Lissa.It took me a minute to notice where Lissa was, probably because Id been expecting her to return to her room. But no, she was in a location Id only been once Adrians parents home. Surprising. In a few moments, though, I read the reasoning from her mind. Her current suite was in guest housing, and in the ensuing thr eat over my escape, her building was swarming with visitors now trying to leave. The Ivashkov townhouse, situated in a permanent residential area, was a bit quieternot that there werent a few fleeing neighbors there too.Adrian sat back in an armchair, feet carelessly resting on an expensive coffee table that some interior designer had probably helped his mother choose. Lissa and Christian had just arrived, and she caught a whiff of smoke in the air that made her think Adrian had been sneaking in some hard behavior beforehand.If were lucky, he was telling Lissa and Christian, the parental units will be tied(p) up for a while and give us some pacification and quiet. How rough was your questioning?Lissa and Christian sat on a throw up that was prettier than it was comfortable. She leaned into him and sighed. Not so bad. I dont know if theyre fully convinced we had nothing to do with Roses escape but they definitely dont have any proof.I think we got in more trouble with Aunt Tasha , said Christian. She was kind of pissed off that we didnt tell her what was going on. I think she probably wanted to blow up the statues herself.ITI think shes more scattered that we got Dimitri involved pointed out Lissa. She thinks we screwed up his chances of ever being accepted again.Shes right, said Adrian. He picked up a remote control and turned on a large, plasma screen TV. He muted the sound and flipped randomly through channels. But no one obligate him.Lissa nodded but secretly wondered if she had forced Dimitri inadvertently. His dedicated vow to protect her was no secret. Christian seemed to pick up on her worry.Hey, for all we know, he never would have A knock interrupted him.Damn, said Adrian, standing up. So much for peace and quiet.Your parents wouldnt knock, said Christian.True, but its probably one of their friends wanting to sip port and chit-chat about the terrible state of todays murderous youth, Adrian called back.Lissa heard the door dissonant and a muffl ed conversation. A few moments later, Adrian returned with a young Moroi guy that Lissa didnt recognize.Look, the guy was saying, glancing around uneasily, I can come back. He caught resume of Lissa and Christian and froze.No, no, said Adrian. His transformation from grumpy to cordial had happened as right away as a light switch being flipped. Im sure shell be back any minute. Do you guys all know each other?The guy nodded, eyes darting from face to face. Of course.Lissa frowned. I dont know you.The smile never left Adrians face, but Lissa picked up quickly that something important was going on. This is Joe. Joes the janitor who helped me out by testifying that I wasnt with Rose when Aunt Tatiana was murdered. The one who was working in Roses building.Both Lissa and Christian straightened up. It was a lucky thing you turned up before the hearing, said Christian carefully. For a while, thered been panic that Adrian might be implicated with me, but Joe had come forward just in time to testify about when hed seen both me and Adrian in my building.Joe took a few step back toward the foyer. I really should go. Just tell Lady Ivashkov that I came byand that Im leaving Court. But that everythings set.Whats set? asked Lissa, slowly standing up.Sheshell know. Lissa, I knew, didnt look intimidating. She was cute and slim and pretty, but from the fear on Joes facewell. She must have been giving him a scary look. It reminded me of the earlier encounter with Abe. Really, he added. I need to go.He started to move again, but suddenly, I felt a surge of spirit burn through Lissa. Joe came to a halt, and she strode toward him.What did you need to chat to Lady Ivashkov about? demanded Lissa.Easy, cousin, murmured Adrian. You dont need that much spirit to get answers.Lissa was using requisite on Joe, so much that he might as well have been a puppet on strings.The money, Joe gasped, eyes wide. The moneys set.What money? she asked.Joe hesitated, as though he might resist, but soon gave in. He couldnt fight that much compulsion, not from a spirit user. The money the money to testify about where he was. Joe jerked his head toward Adrian.Adrians cool expression faltered a little. What do you mean where I was? The night my aunt died? Are you saying Christian picked up where Adrian couldnt. Is Lady Ivashkov paying you off to say you saw Adrian?I did see him, cried Joe. He was visibly sweating. Adrian had been right Lissa was using too much spirit. It was physically hurting Joe. I just I just I dont esteem the time I dont remember any of the times. Thats what I told the other guy, too. She paid me to put a time on when you were there.Adrian didnt like that, not at all. To his credit, he remained calm. What do you mean you told the other guy?Who else? repeated Lissa. Who else was with her?No one Lady Ivashkov just wanted to make sure her son was clear. I fudged the details for her. It was the guy the other guy who came later who wanted to know when Hat haway was around.There was a click from the foyer, the sound of the front door opening. Lissa leaned forward, cranking up the compulsion. Who? Who was he? What did he want?Joe looked like he was in serious pain now. He swallowed. I dont know who he was No one Id seen. Some Moroi. Just wanted me to testify about when Id seen Hathaway. Paid me more than Lady Ivashkov. No impairment He looked at Lissa desperately. No harm in helping them both especially since Hathaway did it Adrian? Daniellas voice rang down the hall. Are you here?Back off, Adrian warned Lissa in a low voice. There was no joking in it. Her voice was just as soft, her attention still on Joe. What did he look like? The Moroi? Describe him.The sound of high heels clicked on the halls wooden floor. alike no one said Joe. I swear Plain. Ordinary. Except the hand please let me go Adrian shoved Lissa aside, breaking the contact between her and Joe. Joe nearly sagged to the ground and then went rigid as he locked gazes w ith Adrian. More compulsionbut much less than Lissa had used.Forget this, hissed Adrian. We never had this conversation.Adrian, what are youDaniella stopped in the living rooms doorway, taking in the strange sights. Christian was still on the couch, but Adrian and Lissa were inches from Joe, whose shirt was soaked with sweat.Whats going on? Daniella exclaimed.Adrian stepped back and gave his mother one of those charming smiles that captivated so many women. This guy came by to see you, Mom. We told him wed wait until you got back. Were going to head out now.Daniella glanced between her son and Joe. She was clearly uneasy about the scenario and also confused. Lissa was surprised at the heading out comment but followed Adrians lead. Christian did too.It was nice seeing you, said Lissa, attempting a smile to match Adrians. Joe looked totally dazed. After Adrians last command, the unretentive janitor had also probably forgotten how hed ended up at the Ivashkov home.Lissa and Christian hastily followed Adrian out before Daniella could say much more. What the hell was that? asked Christian, once they were outside. I wasnt sure if he meant Lissas scary compulsion or what Joe had revealed.Not sure, said Adrian, expression dark. No more cheery smile. But we should talk to Mikhail.Rose.Dimitris voice was gentle, bringing me back to him, Sydney, and the car. Hed undoubtedly recognized the expression on my face and knew where Id been.Everything okay back there? he asked.I knew back there meant Court and not the backseat. I nodded, though okay wasnt quite the right word for what Id just witnessed. What had I just witnessed? An ad dribbleion of false testimony. An admission that contradicted some of the evidence against me. I didnt care so much that Joe had lied to keep Adrian safe. Adrian hadnt been involved with Tatianas murder. I wanted him free and clear. But what about the other part? Some ordinary Moroi whod paid Joe to lie about when Id been around, leaving me witho ut an alibi during the murder window?Before I could fully process the implications, I noticed the car had stopped. Forcing the Joe-info to the back of my mind, I tried to take commonplace of our new situation. Sydneys laptop glowed in the front seat as she scrolled through something.Where are we? I peered out the window. In the headlights, I saw a sad, closed gas station.Altswood, said Dimitri. By my estimation, there was nothing else but the gas station. Makes our last town look like New York.Sydney closed her laptop. She handed it back, and I set it on the seat beside me, near the backpacks shed miraculously grabbed when leaving the motel. She shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot. Not too far away, I could see the highway and expected her to turn toward it. Instead, she cloud past the gas station, deeper into darkness. Like the last place, we were surrounded by mountains and forests. We crept along at a snails pace until Sydney spotted a tiny bewilder road disappearing into the woods. It was only big enough for one car to go down, but somehow, I didnt expect wed run into much traffic out here. A similar road took us in deeper and deeper, and although I couldnt see her face, Sydneys anxiety was palpable in the car.Minutes felt like hours until our narrow path open up into a large, dirt-packed clearing. Other vehiclespretty oldlookingwere parked there. It was a strange place for a parking lot, considering all I could see around us was dark forest. Sydney shut off the car.Are we at a campground? I asked.She didnt answer. Instead, she looked at Dimitri. Are you as good as they say you are?What? he asked, startled.Fighting. Everyone keeps talk about how dangerous you are. Is it true? Are you that good?Dimitri considered. Pretty good.I scoffed. Very good.I hope its enough, said Sydney, reaching for the doors handle.I opened my door as well. Arent you going to ask about me?I already know youre dangerous, she said. Ive seen it.Her com pliment offered little comfort as we walked out crossways the rural parking lot. Whyd we stop?Because we have to go on rear now. She turned on a flashlight and shone it along the lots perimeter. At last, it flickered across a footpath snaking through the trees. The path was small and easy to miss because weeds and other plants were encroaching on it. There. She began to move toward it.Wait, said Dimitri. He moved in front of her, leading the way, and I immediately took up the back position in our group. It was a standard guardian formation. We were flanking her the way we would a Moroi. All earlier thoughts of Lissa flitted from my mind. My attention was totally on the situation at hand, all my senses alert to the potential danger. I could see Dimitri was in the same mode, both of us holding our stakes.Where are we going? I asked as we carefully avoided roots and holes along the path. Branches scraped along my arms.To people I guarantee wont turn you in, she said, voice grim.More questions were on my lips when brilliant light suddenly blinded me. My eyes had grown attuned to the darkness, and the unexpected brightness was too abrupt a change. There was a rustling in the trees, a sense of many bodies around us, and as my vision returned, I saw vampire faces everywhere.

Drug Addiction Among Young People Essay

Many young volume today fascinate addicted to drugs they become dependant on various types of mind-altering or stimulating medicines or illegal 1s. Addiction often comes hand-in-hand with narcotic effects, whether they argon strong or light. It is only a question of time when you birth addicted. You gradu aloney become stamp outed on all the levels of your health. And this is sad.It turns out to be sadder when you come to know that typical age range of drug addicts is from 15 to 30 years. People of this age represent the main working gathering in a country, they ar both core and roots of a society. The addiction is also wide-spread geographically you can find people having problems with drugs everywhere, not only in low-life countries, but in well-developed ones too. startle of all, young people are especially vulnerable to different sorts of illegal things. Usually it all starts in schools. Children from problematic backgrounds often go into alcohol and then into drugs. Fi rst comes the psychological addiction and then physical you want and you need. They destroy you and then destroy you harder as you get more tolerant to substances.The biggest concourse of addicts are students as they get off their families and thither is no one over them to control. Plus, the spirit of freedom often blinds them and then they cannot get disengage of their addiction. The life of addicts becomes spoiled in all spheres social, as they need to submit with other addicts, they lose their contacts with families and friends economical as they spend all their silver on drugs (which are usually very expensive), addicts start to earn their specie illegally (running rackets, prostitution, etc.) all these problems are incidental if to compare them to health problems drugs are primary dangerous to people health.Opiates like heroin are the to the highest degree murderous drugs they waste away your physical resources and supress your hearts work. heroin is even more dan gerous as the form of injections is the most appropriate for achieving the narcotic effect. Here comes the AIDS. This disease is often called epidemy of our century as there is no treatment and effects are hard to resist and it is lethal.

Kevin Phillips criticizes the Reagan administration

Kevin Phillips criticizes the Reagan administration for grossly redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich. He refers to this phenomenon as the upward redistribution of wealth. He feels that the countrys authoritative economic climate continues to give an unfair advantage to the rich, by delegacy of tax-code restructuring and deregulation of private enterprises. Phillips maintains that the tax burden on rich mint has to be considerably increased and tax benefits for corporation has to be neglect down to facilitate fair distribution of wealth.Phillips draws up on statistical data to reiterate his views on economic inequality one pct of Americans belonging to the rich elite class own more than 40 percent of the nations total wealth, according to a 1997 study. oft(prenominal) striking diversity in wealth distribution was witnessed before merely during the Great Depression of late 1920s. Citizens from middle income group have see a meager increase of 2.8 percent in stock ma rket place during the 90s, while being responsible for 38.7 percent of the rise in debt. A majority of people in this group be religious and hidebound voters. According to the Wall Street Journal, 90 percent of private stocks are owned by the affluent 10 percent. This trend has resulted in outturn of the economic divide and slow degradation of the middle class in America.Middle-class Americans becoming wealthier in the 1980s was primarily due to a mess in the economy, and certainly not due to the Governments redistribution of existing wealth (National Review). The eighties also marked a terminus of enough employment opportunities of the poor and minority groups. During the 80s, a CEOs compensation was 93 times that of a normal worker, and this figure has leaped to 419 times in the 90s (Phillips 1991). The wage distribution patterns of private corporations clearly indicate the extent of income discrimination and explain difference in lifestyles.The Cold War marked the period between the post war 1940s and 1991, when the USA and USSR were competing in a virtual war comprising of arms race, creating espionage and forging strategic alliances. This also include fighting proxy wars such as Korean War, Vietnam War and Afghan War by using governmental pawns. America was spending a great sum of funds to gain strategic advantage and political pride over the Soviet Union.The two-tier wage clay is policy adopted by corporations, by which newly hired employees are paid much lesser wages compared to regular employees (Kebler). Although this results in a lot of terms saving to the employers, it leads also to discrimination discontent among one class of workers. This system also encourages companies to lay off senior employees through retirement schemes and buyouts, thereby leading to insecurity among senior workers. Bargain basement is also picayune term credit plan concept which was prevalent during this period wherein money comes at a lesser value, but help s to improve the economy since the influx of money is consistent.Trickle-down economics is characterized by tax benefits for rich citizens and corporations (Wikipedia). This policy is warrant by the assumption that business will use tax savings to further contribute to economic growth. Reagans economic policy was aligned towards trickle-down economics and also vouched for deregulation. It also concentrated on cut down on government spending, so as to control the money supply and operate down inflation. Trickle-down economics, also know as Reaganomics, led to problems such as tax evasions for the government. Kevin Phillips suggests that these policies did more harm rather than good to the US economy.ReferenceKebler, Harry. Unions pass judgment a Two-Tier Pay System are Giving a study Concession to Bosses. Retrieved 14 December, 2007, <http//www.laboreducator.org/twotierpay.htm>Phillips, Kevin. (1991). The politics of the rich and poor Wealth and the American Electorate in th e Reagan Aftermath. Harpercollins.National Review. (1991). The Eighties Economy. Retrieved 14 December, 2007,<http//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n5_v43/ai_10560464>Rast, Ben. Book Review The politics Of Rich And Poor. Retrieved 14 December, 2007,<http//www.fee.org/Publications/the-Freeman/article.asp?aid=775>Wikipedia. Kevin Phillips. Retrieved 14 December, 2007,<http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Phillips_(political_commentator)>Wikipedia. Trickle Down Economics. Retrieved 14 December, 2007,<http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trickle-down_economics>

Disputes between the European Union and the rest of the World Essay

Disputes amid the European coalescence and the peace of the WorldIntroduction       The EU (European Union) has become a formidable tycoon by means of dole surface, hence creating to a greater extent fusss with the rest of the world. Occasionally its authorization has helped it garble its trading partners. Starting with regional labor projectards to learning policies and inter topicly, ranging from spheric government to foreign constitution (Marshall & axerophthol Jaggers, 2010).This paper will principally focalize on the EU as a dominant lot block. A pointor that has undoubtedly contributed to the many conflicts it has internationally. The analysis includes different, but recent heap related conflicts the EU is involved in and points out the factors that lead to the mis downstairsstanding, and in some faux pass if there was a third party involved in the get laid. The analysis excessively specifys if a form of solution was reached or if the deviation was left-hand(a) unre functiond, and the accomplishable outcomes it had during the time of the confrontation. Lastly, it summarizes the main ideas of the paper and gives a comp overview of the analysis.Russia EU car measure dis symmetry       Among the for the first time goals of the EU as a raft, hegemony is using its supremacy to secure concessions from differents on food market participation. This makes it lick as an economical globalization determinant. The EU is using its hatful dominance to achieve non- concern objectives therefore surfacely flanking market integration much(prenominal) as social, environment and safety standards to be more(prenominal) political or strategic in nature (Haughton, 2007). A bold move that has ofttimes left the rest of the world wonder if such use of change cater by the EU ultimately matter in geopolitical terms.       In 2013, a dis engagement arose in the midst of the EU and Russia, whi ch mainly construct-to doe with on the novelly imposed car levies. Russia had been a member of the WTO (World calling memorial tablet) for tho a year before the pot hostility began. The EU charge Russia of using a recycle charge levied on imported cars to crest its automobile manufacturers illegally. The EU af cockeyeded that for a whole year it had attempt all possible diplomatic channels to amicably resolve the chore but with no success, Moscow declined to review its policies. According to the EU distribute bearingers the capital punishment was not in line with the stated WTO laws that forbid slashes against imports (Diakun, 2012).       Allegations arose on what was seen as Moscows non-compliance as the WTO sought to find out the facts. Initially, Moscow had some misconceptions about the benefits they would gain by get together the WTO. For Russia joining the union came at a cost of signing up to firm standards, which it lowstood nearly, cons tituteized by the benefits of gaining regain to a populous and swelledr markets with stock warrant against protectionism. intimately critics corroborate charge Russia of failing to keep its truenesss and the levy on cars put in place some days afterward it join the WTO (Osipov, 2013).       Russia placed an increase in the duties paid on German and Italian vehicles imports, qualification them more expensive for the customers and affecting their market. The European Union is of the credit that Russia is doing this on purpose to protect its manufacturers. Critics from Russia say the coun give is k right awayn for neer keeping its WTO obligations and that the car levies contentions atomic number 18 part of a long scope of non-compliance laws on goods that range from harvesting machines to alcoholic drinks. Russia, conversely has protested against the EU initiatives to brusk up the blocs electricity and spatter market, which it claims affects the region s business structure.       The proposed recycling levy bill failed to be amended by the Russian national assembly before it went into recess, and the EU warned the then Russian Economy curate to expect a reaction from the union. Under the WTO regulations, Russia has exceeded its 60-day grace expiration to try and tilt or explain its laws (Marshall & amp Jaggers, 2010).       Comparisons between the 2001 china entree and that of Russia were unavoidable as the potential benefits of incorporating a big economy same Russia were actually promising. In the show subject field of chinaware the first divergence arose twain years after having enjoyed an enormous trade boost immediately after joining for Russia it took less than 11 months. Russia yet has some other issues with the EU policies mainly its laws on the control of the European artillery pipeline assets by Gazprom. The EU set up a committee to look into the issue. The Russian parliament , on the other hand, passed a ruling that changed the levy on recycling and frequent the changes sort out the requests pointed out by the committee of the EU decorate (Stephanie and Brianna, 2012).EU- Russia- Ukraine- liquid dispute       The presidents of the EU, Russia and Ukraine, pretend concur to meet and talk in relation to the dispute they ready had over the Ukraine-EU free trade and gas agreements. Concurrently, with the efforts to stabilize the Ukraine security situation, the heads of state Vladimir Putin, of Russia, Petro Poroshenko, of Ukraine and Jose Manuel Barroso president of the European Commission are anticipated to hold one-one-one talks, but the venue and dates are not specified. heave the discussions to the level of the heads of state seems to give hope to possible ease of strain over the Ukraine issue, a crisis that has for long plagued the relations between the West and Russia (Andres & Kofman, 2011).       The EU and Russian president spoke over the phone on possible ways that they could ease the current tension in the Ukraine. In June this year an approved series of three-way talks over gas disputes that brought together the goose egg diplomatic ministers of the EU, Ukraine and Russia broke down provoking the Ukraine gas supplies to be cut off by Russia. Since then the EU slide fastener minister has scheduled various meetings with both the Russian and Ukraine energy ministers to restart the initial discussions on resolving the Ukraine-Russian row over gas prices (Diakun, 2012).       The EU consumers perplex not been affected by the disruption of the Ukraine gas supplies, the Ukraine, however is a major route supply for approximate half of Russias gas shipments to the EU. This means that the EU depends on Moscow for a third of its energy. Russia has also recently held talks with the EU to try to calm the Kremlin fears over a wide-ranging free trade agreement that the Ukrain e had signed with other 28 EU nations. A move that Moscow believes will be harmful to its economy (Osipov, 2013). The competition between Russia and EU over Ukraine gas has led to a problem that escalated when Russia seized the former Soviet Union Crimea region. EU sanctioned Russia for illegally occupying Crimea and on the other hand Moscow retaliated by illegalise imports from Europe. Which leaves both the oppose at a trade horror since the dispute is still not resolved.China-EU solar decorate dispute       The EU-China solar panel dispute in recent months has taken center stage on most modspaper headlines. This is ruffianlyly a new thing since the twain are both seen as dominant international trading blocs. Most analysts, however very much ignore the fact that trade disputes between economic titans like in the case of the EU and China is not a new thing. Rather they represent a continuous confrontation of the alleged(prenominal) China-EU strategic trade shackle.       The foothold that a large volume of the EU-China policy is centered on the concept of normative agent makes it one of the direct contributing factors for the long conflict. The EU policies towards China under this principle thrust developed in four main aspects namely investments and trade, global governance, practiced skills, and social and political changes. EU-China collaborations on renewable energy and climate change are mainly structured on the concept of encouraging sustainable growth.       In regards to the EU-Sino disagreement, the trading commissioner for the commission failed in his parting of convincing other state members who already have well-developed solar energy technology to support their proposed sanctions on China. Germany, for example, a renowned leader in solar energy was particularly vocal with its disagreement on the placed investigations and sanction tariffs on China (Stephanie and Brianna, 2012).  & nbsp    In relation to the Sino-EU disagreement, the Commissioner for the EU failed in his initial role of convincing a volume of the members who have advanced and mature solar energy technologies to place retributive measures in China. For example, Germany, which is known internationally as a solar energy giant, is against the state investigations and restrictions placed on China.       The commissions status from these investigations has been greatly undermined by the EU-China strategy. much(prenominal) inquiry failures have however prompted China to sideline the commission, if not the entire EU affiliates. out from the dispute over the solar panels, the EU reluctance to allow Chinas Market Economy Status (MES) is another one of the ageless challenges that has not been resolved by the deuce factions for over a decade. EU has refused this initiative on the grounds that China lacks signifi bottom of the inningt government interventions and transparency in its trade and economic policies (Marshall & Jaggers, 2010).       This drawback consort to the Chinese was seen as a possible defeat. They reasoned that macrocosm granted the status of a market economy would be a major advantage in their EU-China alliance, both politically and economically. They stated that the principal reason for the EU refusal was collect to the vast trade difference between China and the EU, and that the EU has seek to use the market economy status problem to gain more negotiating proponent and attempt to solve trade market entry and trade barrier issues that cripple their firms. The EU however continues to stress that the decline is a pure technical issue within the blueprints of its anti-dumping laws.       With this perspective of the EU, China has changed its stand from that of a new entrant to a competitor. The EU gets itself in a bind where its economic interests are threatened by its normative power strategy. Suc h inconsistencies that are allied with EU buffetparts have further illogical both renewable manufacturers and the Chinese government. The EU has at long last found its stimulate to promote sustainable development and pursue a value establish foreign policy in China that is beyond its levels. The current standoff between EU and China, mainly originated from a mix-up and lack of experience as to what each sides law priorities state (Teorell, 2010). The issue has however not been resolved.EU-US Dispute on Trade Alliance       In 2011 the sheer size and importance of the United States-European Union mutual trade alliance, with trades mainly on goods roughly descend up to 450 billion making the two trading partners the major trade players internationally. Recently, discussions started on a possible trade alliance aimed at mitigating or eliminating non-tariff and tariff trade hindrances in products and services.       The EU parliament in 2012 demande d the start of talks so as to get a more efficient EU-US trade pact. Among the most super traded items within the two factions include automobiles and medical products, machines and high tech gadgets, as well as pharmaceutical, optic and photographic appliances among others (Cooper, 2014).       Therefore, their agreements mainly focus on labor and capital intensive industries, as recognized by the economies of overcome and intra-industry trade policies. Debates on agricultural products have caused some disagreements in such discussion and with various public sights the greatest differences still remain in areas of food safety and consumers, subsidies and environment protection.       One such recent dispute has been on the Boeing and Airbus grants awarded to the concerned companies. A bi by and byal agreement between the US and EU that was concluded in 1992 centered on the trade of large civil aircrafts, and the parties who controlled the funding of the subsidies in this large celestial sphere. The US withdrew from the initial 1992 agreement in October 2004 disputing the public funding allocated to the Airbus. The EU also responded by fancy-provoking the public endorsement granted to Boeing. According to the (WTO) World Trade Organization both parties had breached the initial subsidy policies, and therefore were allowed to place counter measures (Tugores-Garca, 2012). plot of ground there is a possibility that such initiatives would clearly provoke a trade war involving other sectors, it is expected that the problem will ultimately be solved. The dispute run intoing on possible counter-measures started on the sixteenth of April 2013, and the outcome will definitely have dire consequences on how new entrants of large civil aircrafts from other countries sess progress while joining the market (Cooper, 2014).Eu-China wines dispute       A recent EU-China dispute on anti-dumping laws centered on wine expor ts was resolved amicably earlier this year through negotiation and consultation. China had begun an investigation last year to establish whether European wines were sold at the standard price in the country. The initiative was seen as being an EU countermeasure for enforcing disciplinary policies on Chinas solar panels. A dispute that had almost driven the two trade giants to the bite of a trade war, was sorted out through mediation by the then China Premier when agreed on price undertakings. In May 2014, the EU warned China that it would commence anti-dumping and anti-subsidy inquiries on its imports of network telecommunication equipment. The solar panel dispute is a case reference that highlights how under the WTO consultation and dialogue rule are the best ways to solve disputes, and that the EU and China had the capability and intelligence to choose this option (Huang, 2010).       In 2012, the export of wine from the EU reached 257 million liters which are ap proximated at $1 billion, more than that originating from France. In July 2014, the two factions settled a disagreement on poly-silicon products by using consultation and negotiations. It agreed that in the European markets the said products will not be sold below a certain(p) price set by china. On the other hand, China agreed to stop its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy trends initially placed on its imports. Analysts have foreseen this unlikely alliance between the two factions as one that is likely to create a more beneficial atmosphere in the future.       This is because both sides take experience in their bilateral economies. If not properly settled trade disputes often have much bigger negative impact on both economies than can possibly be mitigated. As the EU and China industries are now closely interlinked industrial connections should be incorporated into the frameworks of resolving trade disputes, since it will help improve future relations and avoid furthe r conflicts (Cooper, 2014).China-EU Misunderstandings over Trade Defense Mechanisms       The EU has on several do been charged by China for inappropriate use of placed trade defense mechanisms. China particularly charges the EU for using double standards against their imports and products. In 2003 when Chinese companies sold coke in European regions at cheaper rates, they were accused of offloading their products and fined establish on the EU antidumping policies. Much later the EU again threatened to file a case against China at the WTO for constricting coke exports, which China clearly explained it had done mainly due to environmental reasons. These are all clear indications of how the EU often used foul standards against China products which eventually raised disputes between the two parties.       More surprise is the EU refusal to apply several trade methods concurrently. It is a known fact that both European and (EC) European Commission affi liate companies placed (IPR) intelligent Property rights protection and anti-dumping measures on most of their Chinese imports. For example, on the importations of China electronics, the China-based manufacturers were first charged with IPR infringement. Then the EU in 2005 also concurrently filed anti-dumping case against the Chinese electronics (Huang, 2010). All of which have helped fuel the long trade disputes between China and the EU.       The anti-dumping policies of the EU have always been characterized by bias trends towards the affected domestic producers. This is most certainly the case being investigated against the supposed (NME) non-market economy countries like China. For a long time, exporting producers from China have been far worse treated as compared to other countries. They had to show that they pendant for their market status, by undergoing very strict regulations that were not required from other foreign exporters belonging to the WTO.       In addition, China enjoyed fewer regulation privileges as compared to other foreign exporters due to the limited access given to the cultivation utilized for the vetting of the injury margin or dumping regulations. A mistakable EU bias of its producers could be found in the way it proves the creation of hazardous material within the EU industries. In such cases rather of analyzing a substantial size of the industry as a whole, the EU on focused on a small portion of the total industry strictly comprising of companies that support the imposing of anti-dumping measures.Eu brazil nut protectionism dispute       The EU change at the WTO a trade case against brazil nut that seems potentially explosive. The Latin America trade giant received for the first time after almost ten years a case over what it claims are protectionist charges levied on automobiles and other imports. The case is being filled amidst worry that Brazil has over the recent years become more protectionists in nature. The initiative to seek a hearing at the WTO comes as both sides seek to rejuvenate the initial long-standing trade agreement between the Mercosur and the European Union. Officials from the EU recently affirmed that the rising number of tax measures recently introduced by Brazil were not in line with the WTO policies and therefore, provided the domestic industries with undue advantage, while safeguarding them from external opposition.       Initially, Brazils move was thought to be aimed at Chinese automobile importers, who in 2011 controlled most of the topical anesthetic Brazilian market due to the aid of ingenious marketing strategies employ by the Brazilian media. Recently the EU openly declared that it was delirious by the wrong path taken by Brazil on its policies and taxes affirming that such broad tax initiatives also affected smart phones, computers and semiconductors. Such moves negatively affect the EU exporters who se products were levied more than their local counterparts. The EU complained that the implementation also affects the Brazilian citizens since they would now be left with little choice, high prices and lower access to original products.       The protectionism claims were strongly rejected by the Brazilian side, and they maintain that the Latin America trade bloc had solid counter arguments to show they fully adhered with the WTO trade regulations. Analysts reviewing the continuing dispute have claimed that the EU-Brazil case opens the doorway for more trade cases against Brazil. This implies that there are more cases against Brazil by other WTO members and companies, many of them have endured the injustice since the Brazil market is very lucrative. But now with the slowed economy, it is evident that the WTO members and involved companies are now less lenient towards the Latin America trade bloc (Grina, 2014).       The ordaineds at the EU have sai d they had brought up the Brazil tax complaints in other former bilateral talks but had do no developments in sorting the problem. The move by the EU to ask for an official hearing of the issue in the WTO gives both parties a 60-day grace period to come up with an amicable solution. If no solution is reached within that timeframe, the EU will be permitted to ask for a formal committee to hear the case, which could impose against Brazil punitive trade restrictions.India-eu trade disputes       The EU and India in 2007 began talks on a wider investment and trade agreement BTIA (Broad based Trade and Investment Agreement) with the intent of opening up trade in services, goods and investment. However even after several negotiation sessions, there has been very little development due to several unresolved issues. Until such issues can be solved a trade agreement between the two nations will never come to pass, and the WTO policies will continue regulating the trades betw een the two members (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013).       The EU on automobiles would like to see the eventual elimination of the duty import, whereas India wants to maintain it at 10 %. Talks on opening up regulations on the public procurement as well as the insurance sector have been particularly hard. Though, India is still in the path of changing its laws on foreign investments. The EU wants India to verify its commitment by passing a public procurement bill, which has not and been submitted to the Indian parliament for approval. The gross domestic product markets in India, according to public procurement, accounts for 15- 20 percent. This is due to the needs of the infrastructure in a wide variety of areas that include energy, telecom, roads, railway and healthcare these areas are of unornamented concern for the development of the EU commerce (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013).       Simultaneously, India aims to benefit its IT sector with the trade agreements. It mandates the EU to upgrade its status to that of a secure entropy state. Such recognitions are viewed as important for the Indian based IT familys expansion. In addition, India is negotiating for its professionals to be given more open indorse to the EU. India had complained over the EU seizing generic medicine that had been in transit through the region. Even though the two parties later solved the problem there are still some significant aspects of the dispute that still emerge.       The EU in 2003 asked for talks with India in relation to 27 anti-dumping allegations in regards to several EU export products that, included chemicals, pharmaceuticals, steel, textile and paper. The EU was of the opinion that there was no proof of the alleged dumping accusations and that there was qualified analysis of the casualties and injury. Since then India has terminated progress on most of the contend issues these includ e those on pharmaceutical and steel products, the problem remains un-resolved and under consultation (Khorana, & Garcia, 2013).       India in 2010 also asked for talks with the Netherlands and EU in relation to the reported genetic medicines seized on the grounds of patent breach. The taken drugs had been produced in India and were being transported through airports and ports in the Netherlands to Brazil, which was the primary destination. India claims that the alleged Dutch and EU measures were against their agreements under the (GATT) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the agreement under the (TRIPs) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regulations. It was not until 2011 that the dispute was sorted through mutual consensus.       According to the consensus, the fact that medicines are passing through the EU territory and that there is a patent title warranted by such products in the EU area. In itself does not give much flat coat for EU customs authority to suspect the patent rights violation. Proof can provide such basis that the medicine might be re-routed onto EU markets. The Indian medicine conflict perhaps might arise, on the basis of the extent of (IPR) intellectual property rights on third world economies (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013).US and EU Power Struggle       In comparison, these two properly trade blocks have no difference in the ways they show their dominance in different regions. Mostly they achieve this through agreements that they often have over their access to the market for their goods, capital and services in other areas. Agreements with EU have often been more involved on mutual concessions over levies, rations, and technical obstacles. Nonetheless, they can sometimes be asymmetrical. either because the EU could be making steeper reductions or the value of the EU reductions could be larger following the size of the regional bloc. Failure to last such asymmetries means that the EU, similar to the US, uses prejudiced bilateral agreements to pry open the available markets that are found in the area as an supercede for accessing its markets. Regionally, EUs power has taken the form of less stainless mutual concessions (Cooper, 2014).       As more states join the EU, it wants to satisfy its members goals by realizing economies of casing via bloc-to-bloc pacts. Such first bi-regional trade agreement are still being negotiated since 2000 mainly involving the EU and Mercosur, which is a customs union created in 1991. It is to be followed by ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian Nations) as new economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with, among others, the Caribbean countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It cannot be denied that Latin America specially, has made such moves partly in consideration to reaction by regular armys drive towards regionalism.       The EU and the US have always been set-aside(p) in a battle of supremacy since their establishment as trade giants. Each side has been trying to guarantee their members and partners that they have an unrelenting access to markets and resilience in trade and regulatory deals. In addition, both have also tried using their power in trade to practise the type of western dominion. Mainly Over the developing countries, especially towards the so-called new issues that pertain to services as well as intellectual property that were initially made In China and later introduced during the Uruguay Round. Currently, little co-operation exists between the EUUS regulatory bodies. These two powers have kind of began pursuing sharply diverging tactics, which often came up with opposing alliances like during the Hong Kong meeting of the Doha Round that happened in December 2005 (Teorell, 2010). resultant       As shown by the paper, it is evident that the EU mostly uses its undisputed trade prowess t o pursue objectives that are often non-trade related. Like in the case of China wines dispute and misuse of trade defense instruments. The EU therefore, attempts to forcibly fashion the trade blocs in its image either through conditionality or by force. This shows the way the various quarrels among of the different member states make it hard for the EU to project its dominance more evidently to the entire world (Teorell, 2010).       Nonetheless, such divergences are themselves a byproduct or an expression of active tensions between various alternative priorities or even norms that must simultaneously be committed to by the EU machinery. They include nondiscrimination and bilateral preferential relations, regionalism and multilateralism, western hegemony and mediating power, trade liberalization and domestic preferences, internal and external goals, equal partnership and conditional opening. It will then be difficult for the EU to effectively become a power through trade without addressing what the majority of the world considers being unsustainable contradictions (Maggi & Staiger, 2012).ReferenceAndres, R. B., & Kofman, M. (2011). European energy security reducing volatility of Ukraine-Russia natural gas pricing disputes. subject DEFENSE UNIV WASHINGTON DC INST FOR NATIONAL STRATEGIC STUDIES.Cooper, W. H. (2014). EU-US scotch Ties Framework, Scope, and Magnitude.Diakun, A. (2012). EU Foreign Policy in Ukraine Policy Shortcomings and Russias Countervailing host (Doctoral dissertation, Central European University).Grina, J. J. (2014). Brazils rise to global power (Doctoral dissertation, Monterey, California Naval Postgraduate School)Huang, Z. (2010). EU-China Trade Disputes in the WTO Looking can to Look Forward. Yearbook of Polish European Studies, (13), 41-57.Khorana, S., & Garcia, M. (2013). European UnionIndia Trade Negotiations One Step Forward, One Back?. JCMS Journal of green Market Studies,51(4), 684-700.Maggi, G., & Staiger, R. W. (2012). Trade Disputes and Settlement. mimeo.Marshall, M., & Jaggers, K. (2010). Political regime characteristics and transitions, 18002009. Fairfax midway for Systemic Peace, George Mason University.Osipov, V. (2013). Ukraine Implications of Future Cooperation with the EU and NATO. ARMY WAR COLLEGE CARLISLE BARRACKS PA.Stephanie Hanson, and Brianna downwind (2012) Mercosur South Americas Fractious Trade Bloc. Retrieved 3rd 10, 2014. http//www.cfr.org/trade/mercosur-south-americas-fractious-trade-bloc/p12762Teorell, J. (2010). Determinants of democratization Explaining regime change in the world. Cambridge Cambridge University PressTugores-Garca, A. (2012). Analysis of global airline alliances as a strategy for international network development (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).Wouters, J., Goddeeris, I., Natens, B., & Ciortuz, F. (2013). Some critical issues in EU-India separated Trade Agreement Negotiations. Av ailable at SSRN 2249788.Source document

Human Growth & Development Essay

The milieu plays a crucial role in development from the newborn to the adolescence. The environmental view according to Sameroff is that a persons IQ is more often than not influenced by culture and the surroundings in which the person is raised. Poor sustenance and livenessstyle for example, taking alcohol during pregnancy bottomland result in brain damage and hence low IQ in a child. Some look into has shown that people from some well-disposed background lam to have low IQ e. g. blacks due to varied factors including stimulation and diet.Their research also found out that when children are exposed to extreme focussing such as domestic violence, their neurocognitive development is affected and thus start intelligence. In this case when children are stressed their brains are harmed drastically. It is documented that babies train a lot of fat in the first 12 months of life to build stronger and healthy brains. Stimulated children score on IQ tests than the unstimulated. Thi s implies that consider adult attention and play to do better on IQ tests. In this case inventories such as computer will be a lot helpful.Moreover, some music can improve a childs IQ, for example the Mozart. However, it is possible that children with low levels of personal resources can reach the same level of achievement like that of the ones from highly advantaged social cadre. According to Caldwell and Bradley (1984), the sept inventory is an index that depicts the quantity and quality of cognitive and emotional stimulation in the home environment. On visiting my neighbours home, I found that there were three children ranging from age 6-12. They were actively involved in computer games.Their parents occasionally joined them in vie the games. It was clear that there was mutual understanding between the family members. On judge the intellectual environment I gave a high. Work Cited 1. Caldwell, Bradley. HOME inventory New York John Wiley. 198479 2. Sameroff AJ, Seifer R, Zax M. Early development of children at risk for emotional disorder. Child Dev. 198247. Serial no. 199 3. Sameroff AJ, Seifer R, Baldwin A, Baldwin C. perceptual constancy of intelligence from preschool to adolescence the influence of social and family risk factors. Child Dev. 1993 6480-97

Mattel Case

07 Teaching Case view Hazardous Toy Rec everys at Mattel, Inc. Key words Chinese manufacturing, outsourcing, fruit rec anys, global supply chain risk Type of submission pedagogy case study Hazardous Toy Rec all tolds at Mattel, Inc. ? Abstract In 2006 and 2007 Mattel, Inc. was faced with massive recalls of Chinese-made trifles due to potentially dangerous levels of guide in various coquet model dig up keyst unrivaleds and small magnets in shirks which could pass a manner off and be swallowed.This case describes the events involveing up to the recalls, the response by Mattel, the sub judice, wellness, reputation and financial implications of the recalls, and the pertains of the recalls on Mattels global supply chain. Readers argon asked to assess the situation and to decide what should surr subverter been done variously, if whatsoeverthing. The case is prehend for undergraduate and graduate descent students analyzing various purchasing, risk, and supply chain envi sion issues. The 2006/2007 Mattel Toy RecallsIn some respects, the period from troop 2006 to October 2007 was a very hard time for Mattel and their Chinese toy suppliers. On a number of occasion during this period, Mattel recalled a total of about(predicate) 14 million Chinese-made toys in the U. S. and Canada for the equivalent both serious problems. Millions more were recalled in opposite foreign markets. These two problems were indeed significant not only for Mattel, but for their distributors, retailers, Chinese suppliers and in the end the families around the world buying their toys.Over 2 million of the recalled toys had either been sprayed with finish-tainted tonality or contained potentially hazardous levels of fly the coop within the materials, while the be toys contained small magnets which could come off and be swallowed. panel I summarizes these recalls. Table IMattels Chinese-Made Toy Recalls in the US and Canada, 2006 2007* Date Toy and riddle Descriptio n No.Units Recalled 03/30/2006 American Girl jewelry containing high levels of lead 180,000 11/21/2006 Polly Pocket toys with small loose magnets 2,400,000 08/02/2007 Various black cat Price toys with lead in surface paint 1,000,000 08/14/2007 Batman, one and only(a) Piece, Barbie, Tanner, Doggie Day C are, and Polly Pocket toy 9,350,000 sets with small loose magnets 08/14/2007 Sarge toy cars with lead in surface paint 250,000 09/04/2007 Geo Trax, Barbie, and pekan-Price Bongo banding toys with lead in surface 750,000 paint 10/25/2007 Fisher Price Go Diego Go toy with lead in surface paint 40,000 Total 13,970,000 *Source U. S. Consumer Product Safety counselling, www. cpsc. gov On March 30, 2006 approximately 180,000 of Mattels American Girl jewelry pieces in the U. S. were recalled beca engagement the Chinese-made jewelry contained high levels of lead. On November 21, 2006, following 170 reports of loose magnets on Polly PocketTM looseness of the bow els sets, Mattel recalled over 2. 4 million Polly Pocket prank sets in the U. S. and Canada and another(prenominal) 2 million worldwide.In at least three of the cases, children who had swallowed magnets suffered serious enteric perforations requiring surgery and hospitalization. Then nine months later on grand 2, 2007, Mattel recalled nigh 1 million Fisher-Price toys for using paint exceeding the lead center limit set by the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). devil weeks later, the CPSC denote five separate recalls of hundreds of thousands of Mattel die cast toy cars for potentially hazardous levels of lead paint and over 9 million play sets in the U. S. and Canada, following hundreds of reports of small magnets falling out of the toys. In wee folk, Mattel announced another major recallover 700,000 units of 11 different toy models for having paint containing excess lead.Finally, on October 25, 2007, another recall was announced by the CPSC for yet more Chinese- manufactured toys containing paint with lead. In late August 2007, Mattel announced that some of the lead-tainted toys had been painted by a third-party subcontractor workings for one of Mattels primary Asian toy suppliers, Hong Kong-based Early Light industrial Co. , a toy maker for m each of the worlds biggest toy companies. Hong Li Da, the Chinese subcontractor habituated by Early Light, was supposed to intention Mattel-approved paint, however it instead admit less costly paint from an unapproved supplier. Today, Mattel continues to use the Early Light Co. , a trusted supplier of theirs for more than 15 years.Another Chinese subcontractor, Lee Der Industrial Co. , in addition used an unauthorized paint supplier when making many of the toys included in the August 2 recall. ? Mattel typically performs monthly audits of manufacturers toys, which some time includes testing random units and other times involves reviewing manufacturers testing records. Mr. Jim Walter, Mattels se nior vice president of worldwide tint assurance explained, They didnt perform the testing they should have, and the audit we performed didnt enamor it. ? Mattels Response In late August 2007, Mattel CEO Robert Eckert recede a video apology to parents which was defined on the companys website and on Yahoos website. I cant commute what has happened in the past, but I can change how we work in the future, he said, adding that he had four children of his own. Mattel also pledged to increase the frequency of its paint inspections, testing every batch delivered to every supplier. The firm also purchased full-page ads in the New York Times and skirt Street Journal. ? interest the third quarter 2007 recalls, Mattel slowed down the shipments coming out of Asia to choose output testing and refuge reviews. Similarly, Mattels shipments to global markets were curtailed while various regulatory authorities reviewed Mattels safety procedures. Ultimately, Mattel was able to prevent mor e than two-thirds of the recalled toys from stint consumers by contacting distribution centers and retailers. ? Most of the export/import issues were resolved by the end of 2007. Today, Mattels first-tier suppliers moldiness conduct quality tests on all incoming materials as well as finished toys made by subcontractors. Also as a result of the recalls, Mattel created a Corporate office organization, which has accountability internally and externally for adherence to company safety and ossification procedures. ? On September 5, 2007, Mattel representatives told an American congressional committee that the problem with toys containing vulnerable magnets was the result of a flawed toy design, and not due to despicable adherence to manufacturing requirements in china.According to Chairman and CEO Robert Ekert, more than 50,000 hours had been spent investigating the issues surrounding the toy recalls. We apologise again to everyone affected and promise that we go away continue t o focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys, he said. ? Finally, on September 21 in a meeting in capital of Red China with Mr. Li Changjiang, the chief Chinese quality official along with a group of reporters, Mr. Thomas Debrowski, a senior Mattel executive, offered an apology to the Chinese sightMattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys. ? Li also told reporters that the Chinese government shut down operations and revoked the business enterprise license of Lee Der Industrial, one of the subcontractors producing the defective Mattel toys (a co-owner of Lee Der Industrial attached suicide shortly after the August recall announcement). ? With regard to the serious magnet problem, Mattel made several manufacturing changes to better retain magnets in their toys, including eternal cure times for adhesives, the use of additional adhesive, and the use of injection borderline to better encapsulate magnets inside toys. The Chinese Manufacturing and Regulatory Environments Companies operating in China are subjected to very few regulations, and have little levelheaded recourse.Foreign firms operating in China try to cover themselves by securing guarantees from their Chinese suppliers that they willing follow specific procedures, but they are almost undoable to enforce. In September 2007 Mr. Yan Jiangying of the Chinese State Food and Drug familiarity admitted that supervisory foundations are still very weak. The oversight of intellectual nourishment safety for instance, is split between five ministries resulting in unclear responsibilities. in that location also tends to be no history of regulatory conformance for Chinese businesses, causing many safety and quality shortcuts to be taken when suppliers are pressured by their customers to reduce prices. With regards to lead paint use, China has laws banning lead paint from consumer products , but lax regulatory enforcement means these laws are routinely ignored.In a test conducted by the University of Cincinnati from 2004-2007 for example, 38 paint samples from China representing 11 brands were tested and more than 25 percent were found to contain lead levels exceeding the U. S. safe limit of 0. 06 percent. McDonalds, one of the worlds largest toy buyers, says the problem of lead paint in China is so widespread that their company moldiness(prenominal) monitor paint quality all the way back to the original paint suppliers. Their toy makers must agree to use only McDonalds approved paint. ? Ironically, Chinese cultural norms are oftentimes at odds with the way companies are managed, as described sooner with regards to the suicide of Lee Der Industrials co-owner.For a number of years, Mattel has used the International Center for Corporate Accountability (ICCA), a non-profit research organization, to conduct audits of its company-managed and third-party Chinese manu facturers to insure shape with Mattels Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP). Mattels GMP is shown in Table II. Chinese plant managers are required to complete compliance reports prior to actual field audits. Audits consist of the firms news report practices, confidential one-on-one interviews with employees, an examination of the plants policies, procedures and practices with regard to environment, health and safety issues, and inspections of the general maintenance of the manufacturing facilities, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous scourge materials, hygiene issues, and dormitories and recreational facilities.The ICCA provides the audit reports to Mattel, whereby corrective actions are determined in response to the findings. ? Mattels Ethical and Legal Considerations The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) can exclude from the U. S. market, products failing to comply with relevant regulations or that otherwise create a substantial risk of injury, including a rticles containing excessive amounts of hazardous substances. The CPSC may also require the recall, repurchase, replacement, or repair of articles. ? Additionally, U. S. Customs &038 Border guard (CBP) ensures that goods entering the U. S. are safe for consumers. The CBP has authority detain and exclude any products based on instructions from the CPSC.On August 20, 2007, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Mattel with regards to the toys with excessive lead paint. This lawsuit sought to have Mattel establish a fund so that parents could be reimbursed for testing their children for lead poisoning (the cost to test for lead poisoning is about $50 per person). A second class-action lawsuit was filed against Mattel on September 27, 2007 in atomic number 20 seeking damages for injuries suffered from swallowing magnets improperly attached to Mattel toy sets. On September 4, 2007, the CPSC began investigating whether Mattel knowingly withheld i nformation regarding any safety risks posed by the millions of toys recalled in August.Mattel could be substantially fined if they are found in misdemeanor of the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972, which stipulates that companies must inform the CPSC within 24 hours when they obtain product defect information which could create a health hazard. ? The Chinese Toy Industry Today By the end of 2007, the Chinese toy industry was struggling. In Foshan, a major Chinese toy manufacturing hub in Guangdong province, some companies were tightening standards and increasing testing to reassure westward buyers. Others were closing down or looking for less regulated markets. Its very difficult to do business now, says Ms. Deng Xiling, sales manager at a factory making plastic components for toys.Her company closed its painted-toy divider following the Mattel toy recalls and laid-off almost one-third of its workforce, because they couldnt abide the types of product testing Western buyers st arted requiring. Table IIMattels Global Manufacturing Principles? Mattels Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) apply to all parties that manufacture, assemble, license or reel any product or package bearing any of the Mattel logos. GMP provides guidance and borderline standards for all manufacturing plants, assembly operations and distribution centers that manufacture or march on Mattel products. GMP requires safe and fair treatment of employees and that facilities protect the environment while respecting the cultural, heathen and philosophical differences of the countries where Mattel operates.GMP also requires internal and periodic independent monitoring of our functioning and our partners performance to the standards. Mattel is committed to executing GMP in all areas of its business and will only engage business partners who share our commitment to GMP. Mattel expects all its business partners to adhere to GMP, and will assist them in meeting GMP requirements. However, Mat tel is prepared to end partnerships with those who do not comply. Mattel and its partners will operate their facilities in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Mattel has defined the following overarching principles to which all facilities and partners are required to comply.These principles are high-voltage and evolving to continually improve our efforts to ensure on-going protection of employees and the environment. In addition, Mattel has developed a comprehensive and detailed set of underlying procedures and standards that enable us to apply and administer our GMP in the countries where we operate. The procedures and standards are updated and refined on an ongoing basis. 1. counselling Systems &8212 Facilities must have systems in place to address proletariat, social, environmental, health and safety issues. 2. earnings and Working Hours &8212 Employees must be paid for all hours worked. Wages for regular and overtime work must be compensated at the legally manda ted rates. Wages must be paid in legal tender and at least monthly.Working hours must be in compliance with country and Mattel requirements. Regular and overtime working hours must be documented, objective and accurately reflect all hours worked by employees. Overtime work must be voluntary. Employees must be provided with rest days in compliance with country and Mattel Requirements. Payroll deductions must comply with applicable country and Mattel requirements. 3. come along Requirements &8212 All employees must meet the minimum age for employment as specified by country and Mattel requirements. 4. Forced Labor Employees must be employed of their own free will. Forced or prison labor must not be used to manufacture, assemble or distribute any Mattel products. 5.Discrimination The facility must have policies on hiring, promotion, employee rights and disciplinary practices that address discrimination. 6. Freedom of Expression and Association &8212 The facility must recognize all employees rights to choose to engage in, or refrain from, lawful union legal action and lawful collective bargaining through representatives selected according to applicable law. centering must create formal channels to encourage communications among all levels of management and employees on issues that impact their working and living conditions. 7. Living Conditions &8212 Dormitories must be separated from production and warehouse creates.Dormitories and canteens must be safe, hale and meet the basic needs of employees. 8. Workplace Safety &8212 The facility must have programs in place to address health and safety issues that exist in the workplace. 9. Health &8212 First aid and medical treatment must be available to all employees. Monitoring programs must be in place to ensure employees are not exposed to harmful working conditions. 10. Emergency Planning &8212 The facility must have programs and systems in place for dealing with emergencies such as fires, spills and natural disasters. Emergency exit doors must be kept unlocked at all times when the building is occupied. Emergency exits must be clearly marked and free of obstructions. 11.Environmental protective cover &8212 Facilities must have environmental programs in place to minimize their impact on the environment. Discussion Questions 1. Was Mattels response to the toy recalls appropriate? why or why not? How could the company have responded differently? 2. What should Mattels responsibility be to their Chinese supplier-partners? 3. Read Mattels Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) shown in Table II. Should anything else be added to their GMP? 4. What are the ethical, legal and reputation issues that need to be addressed by Mattel? Was Mattel acting correctly to publicly apologize and take responsibility for the design errors and lack of oversight? 1 This case was prepared entirely to provide material for student discussion and does not intend to beautify either effective or ineffective handli ng of a managerial situation. The author may have disguised certain names and other information to protect confidentiality. i Zamiska, N. and N. Casey, Toy Makers Face Dilemma Over Supplier, beleaguer Street Journal, August 17, 2007, p. A10. ii Spencer, J. and N. Casey, Toy Recall Shows Challenge China Poses to Partners, fence in Street Journal, August 3, 2007, p. A1. iii Casey, N. and N. Zamiska, Mattel Does Damage Control After New Recall, Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2007, p. B1. iv Schuman, J. , The Morning Brief Lead Paint + Elmo = sorry News for China, Wall Street Journal Online, August 3, 2007. v 2007 Mattel, Inc. Annual Report. vi Steverman, B. Mattel to a greater extent Tribulations in Toyland, Business Week Online, September 6, 2007, p. 12. vii Business Plenty of unholy to Go Around Chinese Manufacturing, The Economist, V. 382, No. 8548, 2007, pp. 78. viii Lindner, M. , Mattel Takes Its Lumps for toxic Toys, Forbes. com, September 21, 2007. ix Spencer, J. and N. Cas ey. x 2007 Mattel, Inc. website www. mattel. com/about us/corporate responsibility. xi 2007 Mattel, Inc. Annual Report. xii Luk, S. and E. Wong, Risks Faced by China-based Toy Manufacturers, China Law &038 Practice, November 2007, p. 1. xiii 2007 Mattel, Inc. website www. mattel. com/about us/corporate responsibility.