Saudi Arabia Economics Overview

Saudi Arabia Economics Overview An evaluation of various aspects of Saudi Arabia is crucial in investment decision-making. The Saudi Arabian economic environment constitutes both positive and negative aspects concerning investors. The economy of this region is oil-based.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Saudi Arabia Economics Overview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Research indicates that an estimated 75 percent of budget revenues originate from the oil industry. Furthermore, about 40 percent of the Saudi Arabian Gross National Product results from oil-related activities (Euromoney). In addition, various surveys indicate that an estimated 90 percent of Saudi Arabian export earnings originate from the oil industry. The exploration and production of oil in Saudi Arabia has transformed the region into a major stakeholder in world petroleum reserves. Another aspect relating to the Saudi Arabian economy is the influence of the government in co ntrolling major economic activities. The government in this region utilizes governance policies, which promote a centralized control on most aspects of the economy. The over-dependence on oil in Saudi Arabia has hindered economic diversification which is a crucial aspect for investors. The lack of a diversified economy introduces numerous risks to investors and thus minimizes the viability of potential business ventures. Since the economy thrives largely on exports, the lack of diversification introduces aspects of an overvalued currency. An overvalued currency has negative effects on the domestic price of imports and exports as it causes a distortion in price structures. Other negative effects of overvalued currency include the lack of balance between the demand and supply of foreign exchange. An economic environment in which the government has considerable influence scares away investors because effective markets function based largely on market forces. Government policies and reg ulations introduce restrictions that eliminate equal opportunities for investors. Saudi Arabia is a region characterized by an enormous platform of ancient rocks. The climate in most regions in Saudi Arabia entails hot summers as well as cold and rainy winters. The geographical location of Saudi Arabia provides an easy access to export market in various destinations. Its continuously growing population has helped to retain a population with strong purchasing power (Saudi Arabia). Apart from oil, Saudi Arabia contains a variety of natural resources such as bauxite, limestone and iron core.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Saudi Arabia’s major source of electric power is oil-powered diesel engines. Statistics indicates that about 92 percent of the population in Saudi Arabia has access to power. Aspects of technological development in Saudi Arabia are u nsatisfactory. The implementation of policies on science and technological development is still ongoing. Transportation in Saudi Arabia has undergone significant transformation to include extensive highways, modern airports, seaports and railroads. About 10 percent of the population in Saudi Arabia are involved in agriculture. Agriculture-related activities contribute to about 5 percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP. Changes in agricultural preferences have led to a decline in the traditional growing of dates, and an increase in the growing of wheat, corn, sorghum, and a variety of fruits and vegetables (Saudi Arabia). Although major industries in Saudi Arabia are oil-based, there have been attempts to diversify manufacturing to include other industries such as cement and steel manufacturing. A significant percentage of the Saudi Arabian population lives in urban areas. While coastal regions and internal oasis have condensed populations, desert regions have spare populations. The Sau di Arabian GPD has been generally improving, but at low rates due influences of unstable global oil prices. The increase in household consumption highlights an increase in purchasing power and improved per capita income. Remittances have led to fluctuating current account in Saudi Arabia, and the devaluation of the currency. Oil exports have considerably facilitated the stabilization of these accounts. Expenditures on education constitute about 10 percent of the GDP. Euromoney – International banking finance and capital markets news and  analysis. N.p., n.d. Web. https://www.euromoney.com/. Saudi Arabia. Central Intelligence Agency. N.p., 10 Sept. 2012. Web. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html.

Probabilities for Monopoly

Probabilities for Monopoly Monopoly is a board game in which players get to put capitalism into action. Players buy and sell properties and charge each other rent. Although there are social and strategic portions of the game, players move their pieces around the board by rolling two standard six-sided dice. Since this controls how the players move, there is also an aspect of probability to the game. By only knowing a few facts, we can calculate how likely it is to land on certain spaces during the first two turns at the beginning of the game. The Dice On each turn, a player rolls two dice and then moves his or her piece that many spaces on the board. So it is helpful to review the probabilities for rolling two dice. In summary, the following sums are possible: A sum of two has probability 1/36.A sum of three has probability 2/36.A sum of four has probability 3/36.A sum of five has probability 4/36.A sum of six has probability 5/36.A sum of seven has probability 6/36.A sum of eight has probability 5/36.A sum of nine has probability 4/36.A sum of ten has probability 3/36.A sum of eleven has probability 2/36.A sum of twelve has probability 1/36. These probabilities will be very important as we continue. The Monopoly Gameboard We also need to take note of the Monopoly gameboard. There are a total of 40 spaces around the gameboard, with 28 of these properties, railroads, or utilities that can be purchased. Six spaces involve drawing a card from the Chance or Community Chest piles. Three spaces are free spaces in which nothing happens. Two spaces involving paying taxes: either income tax or luxury tax. One space sends the player to jail. We will only consider the first two turns of a game of Monopoly. In the course of these turns, the furthest we could get around the board is to roll twelve twice and move a total of 24 spaces. So we will only examine the first 24 spaces on the board. In order these spaces are: Mediterranean AvenueCommunity ChestBaltic AvenueIncome TaxReading RailroadOriental AvenueChanceVermont AvenueConnecticut TaxJust Visiting JailSt. James PlaceElectric CompanyStates AvenueVirginia AvenuePennsylvania RailroadSt. James PlaceCommunity ChestTennessee AvenueNew York AvenueFree ParkingKentucky AvenueChanceIndiana AvenueIllinois Avenue First Turn The first turn is relatively straightforward. Since we have probabilities for rolling two dice, we simply match these up with the appropriate squares. For instance, the second space is a Community Chest square and there is a 1/36 probability of rolling a sum of two. Thus there is a 1/36 probability of landing on Community Chest on the first turn. Below are the probabilities of landing on the following spaces on the first turn: Community Chest – 1/36Baltic Avenue – 2/36Income Tax – 3/36Reading Railroad – 4/36Oriental Avenue – 5/36Chance – 6/36Vermont Avenue – 5/36Connecticut Tax – 4/36Just Visiting Jail – 3/36St. James Place – 2/36Electric Company – 1/36 Second Turn Calculating the probabilities for the second turn is somewhat more difficult. We can roll a total of two on both turns and go a minimum of four spaces, or a total of 12 on both turns and go a maximum of 24 spaces. Any spaces between four and 24 can also be reached. But these can be done in different ways. For example, we could move a total of seven spaces by moving any of the following combinations: Two spaces on the first turn and five spaces on the second turnThree spaces on the first turn and four spaces on the second turnFour spaces on the first turn and three spaces on the second turnFive spaces on the first turn and two spaces on the second turn We must consider all of these possibilities when calculating probabilities. Each turn’s throws are independent of the next turn’s throw. So we do not need to worry about conditional probability, but just need to multiply each of the probabilities: The probability of rolling a two and then a five is (1/36) x (4/36) 4/1296.The probability of rolling a three and then a four is (2/36) x (3/36) 6/1296.The probability of rolling a four and then a three is (3/36) x (2/36) 6/1296.The probability of rolling a five and then a two is (4/36) x (1/36) 4/1296. Mutually Exclusive Addition Rule Other probabilities for two turns are calculated in the same way. For each case, we just need to figure out all of the possible ways to obtain a total sum corresponding to that square of the game board. Below are the probabilities(rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent) of landing on the following spaces on the first turn: Income Tax – 0.08%Reading Railroad – 0.31%Oriental Avenue – 0.77%Chance – 1.54%Vermont Avenue – 2.70%Connecticut Tax – 4.32%Just Visiting Jail – 6.17%St. James Place – 8.02%Electric Company – 9.65%States Avenue – 10.80%Virginia Avenue – 11.27%Pennsylvania Railroad – 10.80%St. James Place – 9.65%Community Chest – 8.02%Tennessee Avenue 6.17%New York Avenue 4.32%Free Parking – 2.70%Kentucky Avenue – 1.54%Chance – 0.77%Indiana Avenue – 0.31%Illinois Avenue – 0.08% More Than Three Turns For more turns, the situation becomes even more difficult. One reason is that in the rules of the game if we roll doubles three times in a row we go to jail. This rule will affect our probabilities in ways that we didn’t have to previously consider. In addition to this rule, there are effects from the chance and community chest cards that we are not considering. Some of these cards direct players to skip over spaces and go directly to particular spaces. Due to the increased computational complexity, it becomes easier to calculate probabilities for more than just a few turns by using Monte Carlo methods. Computers can simulate hundreds of thousands if not millions of games of Monopoly, and the probabilities of landing on each space can be calculated empirically from these games.

What are the main requirements of a good regulatory system to govern Essay

What are the main requirements of a good regulatory system to govern privatised infrastructure - Essay Example The intention of creating such agencies directly associates with the approach of the government and regulatory authorities to control the unfavourable and unethical approaches of the aforementioned stakeholders and ensure a fair practice within the society. It is owing to such significance that the regulatory systems have become quite important today in order to maintain a healthy balance in various domains of the society1. Arguably, maintaining such a control has been observed to be much challenging in privatised sector where governmental interventions and regulatory norms possess limited influence in comparison to the public sector. Contextually, this paper will evaluate the requirements of a good regulatory system in order to govern the privatized infrastructure. ... Each of these regulations is supposed to have its own purpose and need in the society for ensuring welfare of the same one way or the other. In precise, it can be stated that regulations are rules formed by concerned authorities or groups with the intention to deliver outcomes that might not be possible otherwise2;3. A Good Regulatory System- Characteristics Developing and continually practicing effective regulations are considered to be among the major challenges for government and other regulatory agencies to govern the private sector. There are several key contents of well framed regulations. To be mentioned, regulations implemented by the government and other concerned agencies need to first emphasize on the problems that prevail in various sectors, including the sector for privatised infrastructure. This will enable the agencies to have a clear idea about what sort of regulatory policies are to be frame and accordingly, the concerned authorities should decide on them. It will be vital to mention that the regulatory policies formed should be focused towards ensuring maximum innovation so that it can tackle the present market scenario and ensure noteworthy and desired results4. A balance between the problems depicted and the solutions framed is quite important to ensure effectiveness of the regulatory policies. In this regard, concerned authorities should need to ensure that the measures they take are directly proportional with the problems that are desired to be addressed in the regulatory system. Targeting the particular sector where the regulations are to be imposed is also vital in order to ensure maximum effectiveness of the designed system. Flexibility is another key characteristic that must be ensured while framing any sort of

Write a report style essay on one of the topics listed below

Write a report style on one of the topics listed below - Essay Example , businesses, especially those with overseas operations and branches all over the world rely on wireless networks to send and receive information on short notices. However, its effects may not all be good. In recent times, issues have been voiced out relating to health hazards arising from long term exposure to electro magnetic radiation emitted by wireless networks. Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is a networking system which interconnects devices within a small geographic area. Such devices would include multiple printers, telephones, keyboards, mice and personal computers that need not be connected with wires anymore. An example of this would be Bluetooth. Worboys & Duckham (2004, p. 281) have described Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) as technology that uses radio instead of wires to transmit data back and forth across distances of 100 m or so from LAN access points. It connects computers in a small area such as a home, office or school. An example of this would be WiFi (wireless fidelity) networks. Mobile Device Networks are alternative means of carrying computer data through smart phones and cell phones. Such networks include Global System for Mobile Communications, Personal Communications Service and D-AMPS. Research has been carried out about the risks to health caused by wireless networking systems. Studies have linked radiation from mobile phones to cancer and brain damage and scientists believe that it can cause premature senility and tumors. Children are especially at risk as they have thinner skulls than adults and developing nervous systems. According to Bangeman (2006), Fred Gilbert, the president of Lakehead University, declares that since younger people have fast growing tissues, wireless networking system poses a threat for them and that even if the risks associated to wireless networking have not been realized yet; it may be so 30-40 years down the road. Another cause of concern is that wireless networking systems use 2.4 GHz radio

Modern Technology Has Brought the Resurgence of Identity Theft Essay Example for Free

Modern Technology Has Brought the Resurgence of Identity Theft Essay Identity theft is one crime that has spawned from technological advancements. Criminals have developed numerous strategies on how to steal confidential and personal information. Dealing with identity theft may be a challenge since law enforcement personnel may not be fully competent in handling the cases since they may lack the required skills to be able to deal with such a crime while private people and even businesses have lost much because of this type of crime. The number of cases of identity theft has been constantly on the rise; however, the prevalence of the crime may as well be blamed on modern technology itself. Modern technology has brought about many conveniences for ordinary people and even for identity thieves. From only less than 10,000 reported cases of identity theft in 1999, the figure steadily climbed reaching around 50,000 in 2003 and more than 80,000 in 2006 (Infocycle, 2007). In the United Kingdom, credit card fraud has also been consistently increasing. In 2007, over 7,000 credit cards and debit cards were either lost or stolen. CPP Card Protection has indicated a 77 percent increase in credit card fraud compared to the figure on 2006 (Experian QAS, 2008). According to a study by Gartner, identity theft claimed 15 million victims in 2006 alone. The US Justice Department has recorded 226 cases of identity theft in 2005 but in the first half of 2006 alone, there were already 432 cases. The FBI also indicated that it is working on 1,587 cases relating to identity theft (ITRC, 2007). Preventing identity theft may not be as easy as it seems. Joel Reidenberg and Lawrence Lessig said concentrating on the â€Å"architectures of control† to prevent identity theft is the way to go. Solove, on the other hand, indicates that â€Å"architectures of vulnerability† should also be considered in addition to â€Å"architectures of control†. According to Solove, shaping architectures should be the focal point in the protection of privacy and not on remedies and penalties. He noted that architectures often provide a vulnerable point that identity thieves take advantage of. It is this lack of security that identity thieves are able to use a person’s personal information. He suggests that a public identification system be created as a solution to the problem (Solove, 2003). It is exactly new technology that produces these architectures and they are greatly flawed since many people can still bypass its security functions evidenced by the prevalence of identity theft on the Internet. Identity theft has gained much notoriety in the advent of buying and selling on the Internet. However, identity thieves can still use the old methods for obtaining personal information. Common methods are stealing wallets or mails, looking through residential trashcans or business dumpsters, posing as someone legally permitted to access personal information such as credit reports, or bribing their way to get the information (Newman, et. al. 2005). A phishing scam is another method of getting personal information out of a person. The Anti-Phishing Workgroup indicated that there are only 4,564 phishing websites in July 2005 but the number increased to 23,670 as of July 2006. A study at the University of Indiana also indicated that 14 percent of phishing scams are successful which contradicts the Gartner report which indicates only a three percent success rate. The Gartner research also found out that financial losses from phishing scams were $137 million in 2004 rising to $2. 8 billion in 2006 (ITRC, 2007). The fight against identity theft may be considered rather ineffective since law enforcement personnel lack the necessary resources to combat such a crime which is computer-related. Britz indicates that this kind of crime requires law enforcers to have knowledge of computers and other digital stuff. It may be noted that many law enforcement agencies do not have well-trained personnel to handle such cases. These personnel may also be acting several capacities at a given time. Computer technology has increased at an exponential rate as did technology related crime and this would require that law enforcers be trained to effectively handle such crimes (Britz, 2004). As technology improves, security is being compromised and this can be proven by the increasing number of identity theft crimes. While it is true that online banking and other services on the Internet provide much convenience, it also provides lesser risks of capture for identity thieves. Law enforcers could do little do prevent identity theft or to investigate such since not all of them have the capacity to do so and identity thieves are improving their arsenal of identity stealing techniques. Technology might also be considered as the root of the prevalence of identity theft. Even as identity theft was not considered a crime before 1998, it has existed for a long time. Modern computing and telecommunications technology has once again popularized identity theft since identity thieves can better elude law enforcers compared to going to a bank and making a transaction using stolen information (Arnold, 2000). Legislation has always tried to address cyber crime, but it is challenging for lawmakers to keep up since technology quickly evolves and cyber crime evolves with it. A good approach would be improving security measures, educating users, adopting a vigilant approach in combating cyber crime and a police force that is well-equipped to handle such crimes (Alaganandam, et. al. , 2005). Identity theft and other cyber crimes are also classified as white-collar crimes, thus, offenders do not receive harsh penalties. They can even use the money plundered to pay for their defense and they serve at least only one year in prison (Arnold, 2000). Identity thieves must be dealt with harsher penalties since they operate on a much larger scale today and are even comparable to bank robbers only less inclined to being caught and given much less media attention. The number of cases of identity theft is increasing at an exponential rate but this could most likely be blamed on modern technology especially since the Internet has become commercialized. New technology comes with new opportunities for identity thieves to gain access to personal information and using it for personal gains. Legislation can address this problem but it would prove to be a challenge since identity thieves are finding new ways of how to steal personal information as technology develops. Legislation must also address this by rendering harsher penalties for cyber criminals as they operate just like ordinary criminals, the only difference is that they work discreetly and have not been given media attention. Also, the victims do not really know that they have been victimized until after some time the thieving takes places. References Alaganandam, H. , Mittal, P. , Singh, A. , Fleizach, C. , 6 December 2005. Cybercriminal Activity. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from sysnet. ucsd. edu/~cfleizac/WhiteTeam-CyberCrime. pdf Arnold, T. 2000 June. Internet Identity Theft: A Tragedy for Victims. Software and Information Industry Association. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from www. siia. net/software/pubs/iit-00. pdf Britz, M. (2004). Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Experian QAS. 22 August 2008. Holiday Fraud Threat. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www. qas. co. uk/company/data-quality-news/holiday_fraud_threat_2614. htm Identity Theft Resource Center. 30 April 2007. Facts and Statistics. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www. idtheftcenter. org/artman2/publish/m_facts/Facts_and_Statistics. shtml Infocycle. (2007). Government Bodies Must Play Their Part in Securing Against Identity Theft. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www. infocycle. co. uk/index. php? option=com_contenttask=viewid=43Itemid=43 Newman, G. McNally, M. 2005 July. Identity Theft Literature Review. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://www. ncjrs. gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/210459. pdf. Solove, D. (2003). Privacy, and the Architecture of Vulnerability. Hastings Law Journal, 54. p. 1227. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://ssrn. com/abstract=416740

The Importance of Collection, Custody and Preservation of Forensic Evid

The collection, custody and preservation of forensic evidence is a vital aspect of evidence integrity, without proper adherence to these procedures, crucial evidence that could potentially have great impact on a court case could be rendered useless. In the case of criminal proceedings, a skilled defence lawyer will look to scrutinise every step taken by forensic practitioners’ involved within the case in regards to the continuity of the evidence, in doing this they attempt to undermine the practitioner’s ability to properly carry out strict evidence collection, protection and preservation procedures and also look to find fault in the techniques they used to carry out these procedures. Collection of evidence is usually a term designated to refer to the collection of physical evidence, government agencies such as police or environmental protection departments will have their own methods for the collection, storage and conservation of physical evidence and it is the responsibility of forensic personnel to adhere to these set guidelines. General principles which are shared amongst various agencies include, the creation of contemporaneous notes, recording the collection of evidence via photographing, videotaping and/or audiotapes, preserving the crime scene by sealing off the location and only allowing designated personnel to enter, avoiding contamination of the crime scene by investigators through the use of full body covering and also preventing cross-contamination with the scene and any suspects. An imperative aspect of the collection of physical evidence is the legal considerations involved with obtaining evidence, the law sets out strict guidelines which describe when evidence can be collected, who it can be obtained fr... ...y use the evidence to help uncover the truth. Works Cited Saferstein, R 2011, Criminalistics: an introduction to forensic science, 10th edn, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, p. 43 Anderson, T 2008, Defend yourself: facing a charge in court, 2nd edn, The Federation Press, Sydney, NSW, p. 7, viewed 25/03/2012, ?> Michigan v. Tyler et al (1978) 436 U.S. 499, viewed 25/03/2012, White, P 1992, Crime scene to court: the essentials of forensic science, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, p. 20-33. Chain of Custody n.d., viewed 25/03/2012,

History of La Cosa Nostra

Running Header: {History of La Cosa Nostra} History of La Cosa Nostra UNK Dr. Neal CJ 380 12. 01. 2011 Envision a world where crime is king; a world where mobsters were more influential than political figures, controlled law enforcement, and ran cities to line their own pockets. They stole from whom they wanted and murdered those that got in their way. While it sounds like something out of a movie, it actually happened here in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. The American Mafia has evolved over the years as various gangs assumed and lost dominance: the Black Hand gangs around 1900; the Five Points Gang in the 1910s and ‘20s in New York City; Al Capone’s Syndicate in Chicago in the 1920s. Since the 1900s, thousands of Italian organized crime figures, mostly Sicilian Mafiosi, have come illegally to this country. The Italian Immigrants crowded into older lower class neighborhoods of American cities, sometimes given names such as â€Å"Little Italy†. These neighborhoods suffered from overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions. Living together in such closed communities created little more than a microcosm of the society they had left in Europe (par. 3, Black Hand). Some criminals exploited this fact, and began to extort the more prosperous Italian’s in their neighborhood creating a crime that would eventually snow-ball into an epidemic known as ‘The Black Hand’ (par. 3, Black Hand). The extortions were done anonymously by delivering threatening letters demanding money, signed with crudely drawn symbols, such as a knife or a skull. People paid the Black Hand extortionists in the fear that American law had no understanding, or power, to help them (par. , Black Hand). Many who fled here in the early 1920’s helped establish what is known today as La Cosa Nostra or the American Mafia (par. 10, FBI). La Cosa Nostra, or the LCN as it is known by the FBI, consists of different â€Å"families† or groups that are generally arranged geographically and engaged in significant and organ ized racketeering activity (par. 30, FBI). The LCN is most active in the New York metropolitan area, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and New England. It has members in other major cities and is involved in international crimes (par. 1, FBI). During the 1920s Prohibition era, when the 18th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcoholic beverages, Italian-American gangs along with other ethnic gangs entered the booming bootleg liquor business and transformed themselves into sophisticated criminal enterprises, skilled at smuggling, money laundering and bribing police and other public officials (par 2, History Channel). By the end of the ‘20s, two primary factions had emerged, leading to a war for control of organized crime in New York City. The murder of faction leader Joseph Masseria brought an end to the gang warfare and in 1931 Sicilian-born crime boss Salvatore Maranzano crowned himself the â€Å"capo di tutti capi,† or boss of all bosses, in New York (par 3, History Channel). Two of the most powerful La Cosa Nostra families, known today as the Genovese and Gambino families emerged from Maranzano’s restructuring efforts. Maranzano named Luciano the first boss of what would later be known as the Genovese family. Unhappy with Maranzano’s power grab, Lucky Luciano had him murdered that same year (par 3, History Channel). Charles â€Å"Lucky† Luciano became the new leader. Luciano then masterminded the formation of a central organization called the Commission to serve as a sort of national board of directors for the American Mafia, which by then consisted of at least 20 crime families across the country (par 3, History Channel). New York, which had become America’s organized-crime capital, had been divided into five main Mafia families; everywhere else the Mafia operated, there was just one crime family per city. The Commission’s role was to set policies and mediate disagreements among the families (par 3, History Channel). In 1936, Luciano was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison. Ten years later, he was released from prison and deported to Italy, never to return. When he was convicted, Frank Costello became acting boss (par. 49, FBI). Costello led the family for approximately 20 years until May of 1957 when Genovese took control by sending soldier Vincent â€Å"the Chin† Gigante to murder him. Costello survived the attack but relinquished control of the family to Genovese. Attempted murder charges against Gigante were dismissed when Costello refused to identify him as the shooter (par. 50, FBI). In 1959, it was Genovese’s turn to go to prison following a conviction of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws. He received a 15-year sentence but continued to run the family through his underlings from his prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia (par. 51, FBI). The Genovese family went through a succession of bosses until Lombardo, his two captains in prison and his health failing, turned full control of the Genovese family over to Gigante, the man who tried to kill Costello 30 years earlier (par. 56, FBI). Gigante ran the family from behind the scenes while pretending to be mentally ill until he was convicted of racketeering and murder conspiracy in December 1997. Gigante’s odd behavior and mumbling while he walked around New York’s East Village in a bathrobe earned him the nickname â€Å"the Odd Father† (par. 58, FBI). The other powerful New York mafia family was the Gambino Family. The Gambino family was named for its most powerful boss, Carlo Gambino, a smart, cunning individual with a fascination for the works of Prince Machiavelli. His sharp business sense, and traditional values, earned him the respect of his allies. Don Carlo was never arrested during his career as boss, and he died of natural causes in 1976, leaving brother-in-law Paul Castellano in charge of operations. From 1976 until his assassination by John Gotti in 1985, Castellano would come to be known as the â€Å"Boss of Bosses†. Big Paulie Castellano was never a mobster in the classic sense, but rather a racketeer. He didn't even hang out with other gangsters, preferring the company of businessmen, and other â€Å"important† individuals. Castellano had few enemies, but John Gotti believed Aniello Dellacroce should have been made boss, and he had often been chastised by Castellano for dealing drugs and conducting operations without prior consultation. When Big Paulie was arrested by the FBI after bugs planted in the mobsters home had provided several hours of recorded evidence, rumors began to circulate as to whether he would rat out fellow Gambino Family members, John Gotti, now acting in lieu of Dellacroce who had recently died of brain cancer, decided it was time to plan Big Paulie's retirement (par. 1, Gambino Family/Paul Castellano). Castellano was gunned down outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhatten as Gottie and Sammy the Bull Gravano watched from a nearby car. Throughout the 80s, Gotti earned the nickname, the â€Å"Teflon Don†; for none of the charges brought against him would stick†¦ At least until the early 90s, when he was indicted and tried on a RICO (Racketeer Influenced, and Corrupt Organizations) case; this time facing a prosecution armed with mobster turned informant Sammy â€Å"The Bull† Gravano, who had been Gotti's own underboss, and who provided damning testimony against his former boss, particularly about about the Castellano murder. Gotti was sentenced to life imprisonment, and later made several attempts at a second trial, all of which were denied. John Gotti died of cancer in the Springfield, Missouri federal prison hospital, on June 10th, 2002 (par. 1, Gambino Family/ John Gotti). Another of the five families is the Bonanno crime family, originally headed by then twenty-six-year-old Joseph â€Å"Joe Bananas† Bonanno, Sicilian-born and one of the youngest bosses of all time. The Bonanno War or â€Å"Banana Split† occurred when the Commission demoted Bonanno to underboss, sparking fervent family in-fighting among those who sided with Bonanno and those who sided with the new boss, Paul Sciacca. The fighting continued until 1968, when Bonanno suffered a heart attack and retired, though by this point the Commission had stripped the Bonanno family of its seat (par. 3, Investigation and Discovery). Troubles with the law have plagued the family, leading one newspaper to report that 75 of its 150 members have been indicted on various charges (par. 5, Investigation and Discovery/ Bonanno). The Columbo Family is the fourth of the five families. Following the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931, the family emerged as the Profaci family. It was headed by Joseph Profaci, without much threat to his leadership, until the 1950s. After Profaci’s death, Joseph Magliocco took over for a short time before the family was handed over to Joe Colombo, and the family bears his namesake to this day (par. , Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The family has been greatly depleted from its heyday, and continues to be ruled by Carmine Persico, now 73 years old, from prison with help from those family members who remain on the ground (par. 6, Investigation and Discovery/ Columbo). The Fifth Family, the Lucchese crime family, as it is known today, emerged out of the Castellamarese War of 1929-1931 , with Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Gagliano serving as the appointed boss and Gaetano â€Å"Tommy† Lucchese as the appointed underboss. The family was known for its successful forays into industries such as trucking and clothing. Following Gagliano’s death in 1953, Lucchese took over and successfully ran the organization for many years with an excellent reputation. He never received a criminal conviction in his 44 years in the Mafia (par. 1, Investigation and Discovery/ Lucchese). By the mid-20th century, there were 24 known crime families in America, comprised of an estimated 5,000 full-fledged members and thousands of associates across the country. Prior to the 1960s, some government leaders, including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, voiced skepticism about the existence of a national Italian-American organized crime network and suggested instead that crime gangs operated strictly on a local level. As a result, law enforcement agencies made few inroads in stopping the Mafia’s rise during this period (par. 6, History Channel). Since its beginnings La Cosa Nostra has been involved in a variety of rackets including gambling, loan sharking, labor union corruption, prostitution, and drug trafficking to name a few. Labor unions provide a rich source for organized criminal groups to exploit: their pension, welfare, and health funds. There are approximately 75,000 union locals in the U. S. , and many of them maintain their own benefit funds. In the mid-1980s, the Teamsters controlled more than 1,000 funds with total assets of more than $9 billion (par. 66, FBI). Labor racketeers attempt to control health, welfare, and pension plans by offering â€Å"sweetheart† contracts, peaceful labor relations, and relaxed work rules to companies, or by rigging union elections (par. 67, FBI). Labor law violations occur primarily in large cities with both a strong industrial base and strong labor unions, like New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Senator Estes Kefauver’s Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime did not out rightly expose the complete, brutal reality of the Mafia to the American public. Nor did the Appalachian incident ignite immediate action on the part of the federal government. However, something changed when dozens of Mafia bosses met one 1957 November day at Joseph Barbara’s estate to select Vito Genovese as the boss of bosses. The response by law enforcement of the past had been to try to take down the bosses. But what became evident with the realization of the existence of such a â€Å"syndicate† was that even if Mr. Big were removed, his family would remain intact; it would simply transfer hands, usually resulting in the family being renamed. New legislation would have to be of an entirely different mold in order to be of any use to law enforcement, and such a campaign wouldn’t come into play until after the death of FBI Director Edgar J. Hoover (par. 9, The Mafia and American Law). In 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, this proved to be a powerful tool in the government’s war on the Mafia, as it allowed prosecutors to go after crime families and their sources of revenue, both legal and illegal. During the 1980s and 1990s, RICO laws were used to convict numerous high-level mobsters. Some Mafiosi, faced with long prison sentences, broke the once-sacred code of omerta and testified against their fellow mobsters in exchange for a place in the federal witness-protection program. At the same time, Mafia membership declined as insular Italian-American neighborhoods, once a traditional recruiting ground for mobsters, underwent demographic shifts and became more assimilated into society at large (par. 7, History Channel). References GangRule. com, The Black Hand. (2011). Retrieved 6:52, December 7, 2011, from http://www. gangrule. com/gangs/the-black-hand Italian Organized Crime, (2011). The Federal Bureau of Investigation website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://www. fbi. ov/aboutus/investigate/organizedcrime/italian_mafia Mafia in the United States. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 5:25, December 7, 2011, from http://www. history. com/topics/mafia-in-the-united-states. The Five Families. (2011). The Investigation Discovery website. Retrieved 2:32, December 7, 2011, from http://investigation. discovery. com/investigation/mobs-gangsters/five-families-03. html The Gambino Family. (2002). The Gambino Family website. Retrieved 6:52, Dece mber 7, 2011, from http://www. gambinofamily. com/carlo_gambino. htm

Night by Elie Wiesel Essay

Night by Elie Wiesel. Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, Eliezer is a young and strong –minded individual, but doubts his religious beliefs. He and his family were taken from their home in 1944 to Auschwitz concentration camp, which was known as the Holocaust. Eliezer, being a dynamic character had many thoughts and feelings towards life and his father. His thoughts and faith always changed (Wiesel 33). But, he always tried to stay strong, hopeful and determined for himself and his father. While in Auschwitz, Elie thought alot about how his life was changing (38). He went from a 13-year old deeply observant and very religious teen, into a wishing, confused and doubtful individual. Being dynamic changes you as a person and it affected the mood and tone of the story. Eliezer’s appearance wasn’t really mentioned in the story. But you could imagine what happened with eating just bread crusts, soup, and sometimes nothing to drink (54). When Eliezer broke his foot, he still hopped for survival along with his frail father (78). His belief and faith subsided the longer they stayed in the camps. Others lost complete faith in their God that they trusted (66). It was every man for himself and they would do anything to stay alive, even kill. While staying in the camps Eliezer sometimes decided between life and death, to escape the hurt, torture, and pain. Once they were finally released free, no one thought of revenge (115). All they wanted was to eat and when they were no longer hungry, they still didn’t think of revenge. Freedom and food were the only things left to think about (113). Eliezer is a young and strong-minded individual, but doubts his religious beliefs. Being a dynamic character means that you aren’t sure about decisions and your mind is always changed. When Eliezer found the strength to get up and look at himself in the mirror, the gaze that looked back at him never left him.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essays

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essays Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essay Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essay I chose the topic of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder because it is an illness which has gone from relative obscurity to common knowledge in a very short amount of time. Fifteen years ago, OCD was not very well known to the average public, and then it caught the attention of Hollywood. The movie, As Good As It Gets, won Oscars for both the leading male and female actors and gave the public its first grand scale exposure to OCD. Next would be the show Monk, with the obsessive-compulsive detective whose illness also gifted him with amazing powers of observation and deduction. Yet, while these characters show the world the habits of a person with OCD, they often used them for laughs while the illness itself is far from funny. The first article I chose dealt with the ability to use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in an intensive four-week program rather than with months of the patient working with a counselor. In this experiment, clients went to intense everyday sessions with the counselor where they worked on exposure to create endurance to trigger items. The result were very favorable, with the two patients cited having significant improvement from when they started the program. This research is wonderful in the fact it gives quicker relief for the client. People who enter this program are so entrapped by the illness they are struggling live a simple life. Rather than having to wait months for conventional CBT, they begin to find relief after a few sessions. I was surprised by the rapidity of the results. These patients were hard-core sufferers who had already tried medicine and failed. In four weeks, they went from being almost unable to function to having the ability to fight the illness and finally enjoy life. It is hard to believe but wonderful to know this therapy is out there for those caught in the cycle of OCD. Future studies should focus on creating a solid course of treatment any counselor could follow so this treatment is available to more people. The next article was about children with OCD and the importance of involving their parents in the therapy. While it was once believed OCD was rare in children, it is now known there are many child sufferers. The research showed a vast improvement when parents joined the therapy. After all, they were part of the illness as well, even if they didn’t know it. Parents often help or participate in completing the compulsive tasks and therefore feed into the illness. They also offer another point of view besides the patient’s about what the issues are and where the most trouble is found. While I thought it was great the parents would work to encourage the child, the child still had to do all the work. Of, course it was wonderful he had two cheerleaders to keep him on track, but it put all the real work on the shoulders of a little ten year old. I would think research should be done to create a program where the whole family shared some of the burden of helping to actively fight the disease. The third article was about an experiment that tested the belief that if therapy cut to the single belief of all the obsessions and compulsions of the sufferer and destroyed it, then the illness would be greatly relieved. Here the thearpist used cognitive therapy, (notice the lack of the behavioral part) to identify the single thought the client used to create his illness and convinced the patient it was false. This sounds so easy one wonders why it wasn’t thought up before. CBT has been a long standing therapy, but using pure cognitive therapy to break the back of the illness in a few easy sessions is both simple and radical. Much more research needs to be done to test to see if the results can be replicated and if it works with all OCD sufferers. References Detweiler, M. F. Albano, A,M. (2001). Covert symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children: a case study. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 15, 2, 75- 88. Guay, S, O’Connor, K. P. , Gareau, D. , Todorov, C. (2005). A single belief as a maintaining factor in a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 19, 4, 369-380. Storch, E. A. , Gelfand, K. M. , Geffken, G. R. , Goodman, W. K. (2003). An intensive outpatient approach to the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: case exemplars. Annuls of the American Psychotherapy Association, 6, 4. 14-34.

Definition and Examples of Evaluation Essays

Definition and Examples of Evaluation Essays An  evaluation essay is a  composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. Also called  evaluative writing, evaluative essay or report, and critical evaluation essay. An evaluation essay or report is a type of argument that provides evidence to justify a writers opinions about a subject. Any kind of review is essentially a piece of  evaluative writing, says Allen  S. Goose. This type of writing calls for the critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (8 Kinds of Writing, 2001).   Observations Without good reasons for liking or disliking certain things, students can never get beyond being passive receivers of marketing, fickle consumers without a basis for their opinions. Writing evaluation papers asks them to question why they feel the way they do.(Allison D. Smith, et al., Teaching in the Pop Culture Zone: Using Popular Culture in the Composition Classroom. Wadsworth, 2009) How to Evaluate If you are evaluating a piece of writing, then you are going to need to thoroughly read the work. While you read the work, keep in mind the criteria you are using to evaluate. The evaluative aspects may be: grammar, sentence structure, spelling, content, usage of sources, style, or many other things. Other things to consider when evaluating a piece of writing is whether the writing appealed to its target audience. Was there an emotional appeal? Did the author engage the audience, or was the piece lacking something? ...If you are evaluating anything else, use your head. You need to try, use, or test whatever thing you are evaluating. That means you should not evaluate a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette unless you have the $45,000 (or more) to buy one, or the money to rent one. You also need the know-how of driving a car of that power and a base of knowledge of other cars that you have tested to compare it to.(Joe Torres, Rhetoric and Composition Study Guide. Global Media, 2007) Identifying Criteria for an Evaluation Make a list of prominent, widely recognized standards for judging your subject. If you do not know the standards usually used to evaluate your subject, you could do some research. For example, if you are reviewing a film, you could read a few recent film reviews online or in the library, noting the standards that reviewers typically use and the reasons that they assert for liking or disliking a film. If you are evaluating a soccer team or one winning (or losing) game, you could read a book on coaching soccer or talk to an experienced soccer coach to learn about what makes an excellent soccer team or winning game.(Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, Axelrod Coopers Concise Guide to Writing, 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2006) Ways of Organizing an Evaluation Essay One way to organize an  evaluation essay is  point-by-point: describe one element of the subject and then evaluate it; present the next element and evaluate it; and so on. Comparison/contrast could be an organizing structure as well,  in which you evaluate something by  comparing (or contrasting) it to a known item. Culinary and music reviews often use this strategy.  Chronological organization can be used  for evaluating an event (either current or historical). Sequential organization can be used when describing how something works and evaluating the effectiveness of the process, procedure, or mechanism. Spatial organization can be used for evaluating art  or architecture in which you describe and evaluate one element of the artifact and then move spatially to the next major element to be described and evaluated.(David S. Hogsette,  Writing That Makes Sense: Critical Thinking in College Composition.  Wipf and Stock,  2009)

TV Serial Friends Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TV Serial Friends - Movie Review Example This paper will expansively examine whether the show a barometer of the current cultural mood in America or whether it is an aberration. "This comedy show is about six friends who deal with their problems with jobs, friends and relationships." (Friends Show). This Sitcom probably shows a lot more than perceived by most people. For instance a character by the name Ross in the show has a son who gets married and later finds that his wife is a Homosexual, this goes to show the current trend of the US society. Homosexuality is fast spreading in the US society and this is a reality which no one can deny. The show merely presents this for the sole purpose of entertaining the people but the people just watch it and laugh about it instead of doing something about it. This is indeed a classic instance which goes to show that the show is presenting only the current image of the society. "Although the producers thought ofFriendsas "only a TV show",numerous psychologists investigated the cultural impact ofFriendsduring the series' run.Aniston's hairstyle was nicknamed "The Rachel", and copied around the world." (Jicha Tom). The serial brought a real revelation and it changed many a thing in the society some for good and the other for not so. Several Linguists believe that the serial was instrumental in bringing in phrases like "How you Doing" into common use, many people still use this phrase when starting a conversation and this is also used as a pickup line by several people across the globe. The serial also brought to light a very rewarding business opportunity in Central Perk Coffee House, several businessmen have tried to imitate the same concept and majority of them have been very successful. "Friends has made a notable contribution to some areas of popular culture - in particular fashion. The series has been noted for its impact on everyday fashion and hairstyles." (Cultural Impact). The phrase "We were on a break" has become enormously popular across the globe and used by countless people around the world. In addition to this the serial has also brought in several changes like "The series has made several people laugh over these years and they still watch the reruns every day. Most people usually don't like to watch reruns of any show, but it is different for Friends, even when they know the whole episode, it is still fun to watch the reruns for them." (Friends the TV Serial). Conclusion This paper threw light upon how the serial has portrayed the changes in the US society and in addition to this how the show has highly influenced the society. It is very fair to say that more and more people have started being in a living relationship after watching the show. This does not take place in the US alone but this has also spread to various other countries too. "Anyway good things come to an end, but then we always have reruns and ''friends'' is 1 serial that u can watch a million times and you are going to always laugh out the way u did the first time round." (Friends). This was the reaction of a very enthusiastic fan when asked about friends; this again reiterates that the show is a mere