Chapter 6 The Portkey

Harry felt as though he had barely lain down to steep in Ron's room when he was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"Time to go, Harry, dear,† she whispered, moving away to wake Ron. Harry felt around for his glasses, put them on, and sat up. It was still dark outside. Ron muttered indistinctly as his mother roused him. At the foot of Harry's mattress he saw two large, disheveled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets. â€Å"‘S time already?† said Fred groggily. They dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the four of them headed downstairs into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr. Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt. â€Å"What d'you think?† he asked anxiously. â€Å"We're supposed to go incognito – do I look like a Muggle, Harry?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, smiling, â€Å"very good.† â€Å"Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?† said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn. â€Å"Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?† said Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. â€Å"So they can have a bit of a lie-in.† Harry knew that Apparating meant disappearing from one place and reappearing almost instantly in another, but had never known any Hogwarts student to do it, and understood that it was very difficult. â€Å"So they're still in bed?† said Fred grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge toward him. â€Å"Why can't we Apparate too?† â€Å"Because you're not of age and you haven't passed your test,† snapped Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"And where have those girls got to?† She bustled out of the kitchen and they heard her climbing the stairs. â€Å"You have to pass a test to Apparate?† Harry asked. â€Å"Oh yes,† said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. â€Å"The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done property it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves.† Everyone around the table except Harry winced. â€Å"Er – splinched?† said Harry. â€Å"They left half of themselves behind,† said Mr. Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. â€Å"So, of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind†¦..† Harry had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive. â€Å"Were they okay?† he asked, startled. â€Å"Oh yes,† said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. â€Å"But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms – slower, but safer.† â€Å"But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?† â€Å"Charlie had to take the test twice,† said Fred, grinning. â€Å"He failed the first time. Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?† â€Å"Yes, well, he passed the second time,† said Mrs. Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers. â€Å"Percy only passed two weeks ago,† said George. â€Å"He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can.† There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy. â€Å"Why do we have to be up so early?† Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table. â€Å"We've got a bit of a walk,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Walk?† said Harry. â€Å"What, are we walking to the World Cup?† â€Å"No, no, that's miles away,† said Mr. Weasley, smiling. â€Å"We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"George!† said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped. â€Å"What?† said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody. â€Å"What is that in your pocket?† â€Å"Nothing!† â€Å"Don't you lie to me!† Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, â€Å"Accio!† Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand. â€Å"We told you to destroy them!† said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. â€Å"We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!† It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all. â€Å"Accio! Accio! Accio!† she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans. â€Å"We spent six months developing those!† Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away. â€Å"Oh a fine way to spend six months!† she shrieked. â€Å"No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!† All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her. â€Å"Well, have a lovely time,† said Mrs. Weasley, â€Å"and behave yourselves,† she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. â€Å"I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday,† Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George. It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Harry, having been thinking about thousands of wizards speeding toward the Quidditch World Cup, sped up to walk with Mr. Weasley. â€Å"So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?† he asked. â€Å"It's been a massive organizational problem,† sighed Mr. Weasley. â€Å"The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all. There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three-quarters. So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand. A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up their buses and trains – remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point. For those who don't want to Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys. They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large groups at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up at the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed.† Mr. Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose beyond the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. â€Å"What sort of objects are Portkeys?† said Harry curiously. â€Å"Well, they can be anything,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them†¦stuff they'll just think is litter†¦.† They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Harry's hands and feet were freezing. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch. They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath Harry took was sharp in his chest and his legs were starting to seize up when, at last, his feet found level ground. â€Å"Whew,† panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. â€Å"Well, we've made good time – we've got ten minutes.† Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side. â€Å"Now we just need the Portkey,† said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. â€Å"It won't be big†¦.Come on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air. â€Å"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it.† Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop. â€Å"Amos!† said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed. Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand. â€Å"This is Amos Diggory, everyone,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?† Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts. â€Å"Hi,† said Cedric, looking around at them all. Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year. â€Å"Long walk, Arthur?† Cedric's father asked. â€Å"Not too bad,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"We live just on the other side of the village there. You?† â€Å"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still†¦not complaining†¦Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons – and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy†¦.† Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. â€Å"All these yours, Arthur?† â€Å"Oh no, only the redheads,† said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. â€Å"This is Hermione, friend of Ron's – and Harry, another friend -â€Å" â€Å"Merlin's beard,† said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. â€Å"Harry? Harry Potter?† â€Å"Er – yeah,† said Harry. Harry was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable. â€Å"Ced's talked about you, of course,† said Amos Diggory. â€Å"Told us all about playing against you last year†¦I said to him, I said – Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will†¦.You beat Harry Potter!† Harry couldn't think of any reply to this, so he remained silent. Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed. â€Å"Harry fell off his broom, Dad,† he muttered. I told you†¦it was an accident†¦.† â€Å"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?† roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. â€Å"Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman†¦but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!† â€Å"Must be nearly time,† said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. â€Å"Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?† â€Å"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets,† said Mr. Diggory. â€Å"There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?† â€Å"Not that I know of,† said Mr. Weasley. â€Å"Yes, it's a minute off†¦We'd better get ready†¦.† He looked around at Harry and Hermione. â€Å"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -â€Å" With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the nine of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke. It suddenly occurred to Harry how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now†¦nine people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old boot in the semidarkness, waiting†¦. â€Å"Three†¦Ã¢â‚¬  muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, two†¦one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It happened immediately: Harry felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. His feet left the ground; he could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of him, their shoulders banging into his; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; his forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onward and then – His feet slammed into the ground; Ron staggered into him and he fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near his head with a heavy thud. Harry looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground. â€Å"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill,† said a voice.

The Castle Creative Writing

I walked down the narrow, moonlight lane on my way to the park. I was meeting Summer, Leon and Tiffany. It was really cold and it was beginning to get dark. I felt nervous walking down the lane as there were no lights. Eventually I got to the end of the lane and as I turned the corner I could see the park in the distance. I could hear summer laughing like a hyena. I carried on walking. Leon was shining the bright torch in my face. My eyes stung and I grabbed the torch from his plump, sticky hand. He grabbed it back holding it in one hand while holding a chocolate bar in the other. I explained why I was so late and asked what they were planning to do now that I had arrived. â€Å"We have just been playing dares and Tiffany dared one of us to go in the castle up on the hill at Florence's Gardens, but we're all scared!† explained Summer. She continued, â€Å"Why don't you go in there, Ryan?† Ryan, look ever so slightly scared, refused outright reminding us of all the stories about that castle, especially the one about the boy who went in almost twenty years ago and still hasn't been found. â€Å"Oh, they're just myths and rumours, you're not telling me you actually believe them, are you?† said Summer. â€Å"Well if you don't believe them, then you go in there, as you're so sure they're not true!† I shouted. Summer's smile dropped which made me wonder if she might be beginning to regret what she had just said, but Summer isn't the type of person to back down from a dare so she replied, â€Å"Fine, I will then. I'll prove to you it's all lies.† The castle was tall up on the hill overlooking long stretches of green fields. The walls of the castle were jet black and looked dull and dreary. Some of the windows were smashed and through them it was possible to see a glimpse of the dirty looking rooms inside, which were covered in dust and cobwebs. We began to make our way up the hill. By now it was pitch black and we were all extremely cold. The wind was blowing and the leaves on the trees were rustling and the wind gushed past. I was starting to feel scared. I could sense a creepy atmosphere around the castle; it reminded me of something out of a scary movie. I was beginning to think that I would prefer to be back at home, snuggled up in bed with a warm cup of hot chocolate. I don't know if the others felt the same but I definitely didn't want them to think I was scared so I just kept my feelings to myself and kept walking up the hill towards the castle. When we finally reached the huge wooden door Leon turned to Summer and pointed at it. â€Å"Go on then. If you're so brave, you go in there and come back and tell us what you find.† â€Å"Ok,† she whispered. There was a slight tremble in her voice, even though on the outside she was trying to look confident. As she gently pushed the door open, it creaked loudly. She turned back. Tiffany pushed her forward. â€Å"Go on!† she shouted. Summer turned back and began to make her entrance into the castle. Leon, Tiffany and I looked at one another. We stood in silence listening while we could hear Summer's footsteps as she journeyed further into the castle. The footsteps faded and Tiffany began to laugh. â€Å"I can't believe she is actually in there. I though that when we got here she would change her mind!† â€Å"Me, too,† agreed Leon. We sat down on the damp grass and began to discuss what we all thought Summer would find in there. All caught up in our conversation, we didn't realise how long she had been gone when we heard a long, high pitched scream. We all jumped up. Tiffany had a look of horror on her now pale face. â€Å"What's happened?† Leon exclaimed. I began to shout Summer's name hoping, that she would shout back, laughing, saying she was winding us up, and just trying to scare us. But there was no reply. â€Å"We should never have let her go in there.† I began to say. â€Å"I wonder if she's ok?† â€Å"One of us has to go in there,† said Tiffany sternly. â€Å"We have to go and rescue her. She is obviously in trouble.† Leon looked brave and agreed that he would go in and find Summer. I was extremely scared and nervous as I watched Leon go in the same door as Summer had gone in around half an hour ago. But I knew we had to do something, we couldn't just leave Summer in there. I know it was selfish but at that moment I just thought how glad I was that it was Leon going into the castle and not me. The next 10 minutes passed. Nothing. Leon and Summer were now in the house and neither Tiffany or I knew what was going on or if they were alright. â€Å"We've got to go in there!† whispered Tiffany. â€Å"Give it another 5 minutes† I began. But before I could even finish my sentence, she was running towards the doors and into the castle. I hesitated. I was so nervous it was unbelievable. I was shaking – I don't know whether it was because of the ice cold weather or because I was so scared, but I knew no matter how frightened I was I had to go in there. I slowly pushed open the door and peeked inside. It was pitch black. All I could see were the flickering lights ahead at the end of the long straight corridor that I was approaching. I slowly and carefully made my way towards the light. When I finally arrived at the end of the creepy corridor I was faced with two doors. One on my right and the other on the left. I went with my first instinct and choose the door on my right. I quietly pushed the door open and stepped through. It was another long corridor. There were cobwebs all over the place. Dust covered the dirty walls and carpet. I walked down the second corridor. Palms sweating with the fear of not knowing if I was going to get out of this castle alive. But I knew I couldn't go back now and I just had to keep walking. I must have only been walking for a minute or so, but it seemed like forever, when I caught a glimpse of another door ahead. As I approached it, so many thoughts were running through my head of what could be behind it. I hesitated for a second, then reached out to the door and pushed it hard. I was shocked when I saw darkness and felt a bitter cold come over me. I was in the outside world again! Suddenly, I heard a crash as the door slammed loudly behind me. I turned around and it was then I noticed that I was standing right where I was standing before I went in the castle and the door I came out of was the door I went in. I felt relieved and safe but then it dawned on me that I was alone. I still didn't know where the others were. They weren't anywhere around. I thought for a moment and came to the conclusion that they must still be in the house. Then I remembered there had been 2 doors when I had come to the end of the first corridor. They must have gone into the door on the left whereas I had chosen the door on the right. I had to go back and go through the door and try and find them, but as I tugged on the door handle to enter the castle for the second time something was wrong. The door was jammed. I pulled harder and harder on the door handle but it wouldn't budge. It's now a week on and I haven't seen my friends since. I hate thinking that they are going to be stuck in that castle for the rest of there lives – if they even are still alive.

The impact of DNA in Criminal Justice System Research Paper

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Interviewing - Essay Example Mumbling into the phone can cast a negative impression upon the employer. Scripted response often gets easily identified and nullifies the chances for success, so response should me made on the spot and should be natural. The biggest key to success in in-person interviews is being yourself. The interviewee should not ask the interviewer not to ask questions about certain things if he/she does not have knowledge about them. Instead, the candidate should maintain a positive approach and be cool, calm and confident. Even if there are certain weaknesses, the candidate should believe that they can be improved with effort. It is important to maintain eye-contact with the employer. Frequent use of body language is recommended, and questions should be listened to with patience (Topic). Confidence, clarity of speech, and originality are three prime requirements of success in both telephone and in-person interviewing. The candidate should practice incorporating each of the three in the response before appearing for either kind of

Whole Milk and Meat is no Good for Children Research Paper

Whole Milk and Meat is no Good for Children - Research Paper Example The paper throws light on the growing concern of antibiotic resistance as a result of excessive utilization of antibiotics in cattle. The harmful effects of Recombinant bovine Growth Hormone coupled with information on what should be done be tackle the prevalent situation has also been incorporated within the body of the paper. Lastly, the text provides a discussion on the use of artificial hormones and their contribution in the development of various health concerns. Key words: Recombinant bovine growth hormones, antibiotics, inorganic milk, cancer, early onset puberty, FDA Whole Milk and Meat not Good for Children Introduction: Milk has always been attributed as a powerhouse of many nutritional ingredients that are essential for bone growth and other body developments. Human beings are mammals and therefore have a unique relationship with milk as it is the first source of nourishment for them after birth. Mainly due to this reason, it is always assumed that milk has only beneficial impact on health. However, this assumption is far from being true. In fact in the present scenario when dairy milk and their products have become a global business many harmful components can be identified not only in the milk but also in the cattle meat. Most of these components are genetically engineered hormones that are injected to obtain increase milk production. Some of these hormones are also responsible for the rapid growth of cows that are raised to be slaughtered for beef. Therefore, these measures are taken to increase productivity that ultimately increases the profit. But it has raised considerable question marks regarding consumer’s health. Recombinant bovine Growth Hormone (rbGH) The commercial sale of milk from rbGH treated cows was approved in 1993 by FDA. Recombinant bovine Growth Hormone (rbGH) is a genetically engineered artificial hormone that was aimed to stimulate milk production in cows. It is legally sold in all 50 states of US under the famous brand name of Posilac, manufactured by Monsanto. It is estimated that about 13000 farmers use this hormone to obtain excess profit from milk industry. But there are major health concerns associated with this particular milk. Although, this hormone does not directly contaminate the milk, it is associated with increase production of Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF-1) in cows. From the studies it is evident that high concentration of this IGF-1 is present in the milk produced by these rbGH treated cows. IGF-1 is a potent carcinogen with anti apoptotic properties. Studies have shown that IGF-1 contributes in the development of many cancers such as breast, prostate, colon and bladder cancer. (Malawa 2002). FDA Approval Despite this possible association of milk, derived from rbGH induced cows, with many cancers the approval from FDA is very shady. Many reasons have been given by the drug authorities to justify their approval. They pounder over the fact that the hormone is directly not present i n the milk. Secondly, according to the FDA Insulin like Growth Factors (IGF-1) is not absorbed orally. This has been concluded on the basis of the research carried by the same pharmaceutical companies, Monsanto and Elanco, who are leading manufacturers of this hormone in the commercial market. The research was conducted on rat models for a very short period of 2-4 weeks. Moreover, they did not access the contribution of IGF-1 in the milk and cancer development. A more in depth research is required in this regard as it is a very serious issue that needs proper investigation. (Malawa 2002). Mastitis in rbGH Treated Cows Most of the animals used for the production of

Economic Experience of Mexico since North American Free

Economic Experience of Mexico since North American Free Trade Agreement Essay The Mexican automotive industry has undergone a lot of changes since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Initially this industry was dominated by US assemblers and parts producers. Policies instituted by the Mexican government affected the industry. US automakers in Mexico purchased large quantities of raw materials for vehicle manufacturing from Mexican owned suppliers. These in many times did not meet internationally set standards in terms of quality and price. Many companies therefore like Acme motors operated inefficiently producing substandard vehicles. These constrained the export of vehicles to the US. (World Bank, 2000) NAFTA helped change the setup to rescue the automotive industry in Mexico. This benefited Acme motor company. The highly protected automotive market opened up allowing Acme to consolidate production across borders. The industrial restructuring has permitted Acme to enhance its competitiveness directing its massive production to meet the ever growing market abroad especially in North America. NAFTA has therefore enabled Acme to identify production sites based on business factors rather than trade barriers. (Adkisson, 2000). Since the industrial streamlining in Mexico, Acme has adopted new millennium vision to become an international firm and the world’s lowest-cost volume producer of super-quality vehicles. The company’s management strategy has enabled production of better vehicles, increase in global market share, increased profits and developed reputations internationally. Acme has since reduced its engineering personnel by over 29% decreasing the labor costs. The company also currently uses one process to develop cars. This is a different strategy since initially different engineering centers operated under varied processes. (Randall, 1996) From the year 2000, Acme has constructed an over 5 billion dollars facility in Mexico. The firm produces a new line of engines with high performance ratings for their efficient power train system. They include Auto turbo engines and V-8 Quattro engines. The company produces around half a million engines per year each type. This has enabled the company to increase efficiency and reduce freight cost per unit by over 50% . Industrial growth contributes to around 25% of Mexico’s GDP. Acme motors contributes a lot to the country’s economy. Mexico has since become one of the most open countries in the world of trade allowing access from various countries like USA, Canada, Europe and others. The trade liberalization has enabled the industry to grow and Acme has benefited much. The good relationship that Mexico enjoys with international organizations like IMF and World Bank has helped to develop various economic sectors like industrialization. The World Bank stands ready always to assist Mexican authority in implementing their policies. The Bank mobilizes resources to support Mexico’s effort in policy design and implementation and Acme is a beneficiary. There is more trade liberalization in Mexico and workers’ rights are protected. Acme has been in the forefront in implementing the workers rights leading to improved productivity. The country has a close relationship with members of World Trade Organization. This offers more economic grounds for Acme to find ready market for its products. Acme’s economic contribution has been instrumental in Mexico. NAFTA has therefore led to massive economic transformation in Mexico. The Mexican industrial set up led by Acme motor company has since grown to greater heights. This has led to a general development of the country’s economy. Acme is the major economic contributor in Mexico.

Money, Power, and Wall Street Essay Example for Free

Money, Power, and Wall Street Essay The meltdown of 2008 struck the banks when they were unable to adequately deal with the financial crisis. Banks are designed to create and protect one’s wealth, but they took advantage of the people, and let people take many loaning risks that they couldn’t afford. Banks created the credit default swap which transferred credit of fixed income products between parties. In learning about the credit default swap in class, it is understood that the buyer receives credit protection, whereas the seller guarantees the credit. Therefore, the risk of default is transferred from the holder to the seller of the swap. But swaps allowed companies to shed the risks they didn’t want to take. When the banks first created the swaps, it gave investors the opportunity to invest in bank loans. From there, banks sold derivatives on all portfolios by synthetic investment. Investors were able to invest in credit default swap and make it grow. Credit then became a more available asset which stroke employment. Now all banks wanted credit derivatives; which are privately held negotiable contracts that allow consumers to manage their exposure to credit risk. The main problem with this was they assumed risk could be eliminated, but it couldn’t. In order to regulate derivatives, Congress passed the Glass-Steagall Act in 1933 to establish deposit insurance, and implemented a number of banking regulations. As learning in class, this affected every business in America. There was now a high rating, and high yield. The big return was bankers now bought bundled mortgages. Homebuyers were able to pay double, but lending was too much; making people going bankrupt in home mortgages. Borrowers gave loans greater than the value of that loan, which made the financial bubble burst, creating a recession. With bankers ignoring all the possible risks from the beginning, they feel into a deep crash. Goldman Sachs was the only bank to make money off the bubble burst by betting against their clients.

Adolescent Depression: Causes, Effects and Treatments

Adolescent Depression: Causes, Effects and Treatments Teenage Depression Urooba Fatima Depression is defined as a medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, unimportant and is often unable to live in a normal way (Merriam-Websters online Dictionary, n.d.). In 2004 alone, it was reported that 11.2 percent of teens suffered from depression (Depression in Children and Adolescents, n.d. para.1). Symptoms that adolescents tend to show when suffering from depression are difficulty with relationships, loss of interest in hobbies, persistent sadness, feeling of hopelessness and the feeling of guilt and/or worthlessness. There are many possible results that stem from depression, such as suicide, substance abuse and alcohol abuse. For various reasons, people fail to realize that majority of the youth in the U.S suffer from depression. People in todays society need to recognize the severity of depression and provide better treatments for their youth. In the past, people did not believe that children and adolescents could go through depression, but today teens show so many signs of depression that it is impossible to ignore. By the time 11 percent of adolescents turn 18 years old they have at least one depressive episode (Merikangas, n.d). One of the leading causes of disability in Americans is major depressive episode, according to the World Health Organization (Merikangas, n.d). The reason depression in adolescents has been ignored so long is that it can be very difficult to tell whether an adolescent is showing symptoms of depression or just going through a phase (Depression in Children and Adolescents, n.d). Before reaching adulthood about 20 to 30 percent of adolescent have one major depressive episode. 25 percent of adults who suffer from depression, started to show signs of depression in their adolescence (Schwarz, 2009). By 2020 depression will compete with heart disease as the â€Å"health disorder with the highest disea se burden in the world.†(Reuters, 2011) Depression in adolescents can be caused by many things but three of the main factors are genetic causes, biological causes, and environmental causes. Genetic factors are traits that you may inherit from your parents (Definition of Genetics, n.d.). Some examples of genetic causes are adolescents with a relative who is or has been depressed is more likely to get depressed. The most common types of depression that runs in the family are bipolar depression and severe major depression (Kim, n.d). However just because depression runs in one’s family does not mean that he/she` will suffer from depression. Depression can also arise in adolescents who do not have a family history of depression There has been a great deal of research that has been done to determine a biological cause, and after many years, researchers have concluded that depression may be caused by abnormal delivery of key neurotransmitters (chemical messengers to the brain)(National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). There are many neurotransmitters that can cause depression but one of the most essential neurotransmitters is serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that helps deliver signals from one area of the brain to the other. Serotonin is also important for the well-being feelings, imbalances in the brain’s serotonin levels can cause depression (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). Environmental causes are the influences that one may have from social and cultural that shape a person’s life.There are many environmental causes that may contribute to depression, such as the loss of a loved one, a traumatic event in one’s life, and big changes in one’s life (Healthline Editorial Team, 2012). Events such as these can cause a person to start feeling hopeless. However some research states that getting depressed because of traumatic or stressful event is because that person already has depression. According to Dr. Nassir Ghaemi most people never suffer from depression after a major life event (Ghaemi, 2012). Another environmental cause that can cause depression is bullying. Bullying is the ongoing physical or emotional victimization of one person from another person or a group of people (Bullying and Depression, n.d). Bullying can cause the victim to suffer from low self-esteem, and can also cause suicidal thoughts. People assume that only the child being bullied will suffer from depression in their life, but what they do not realize is that the bully is also at high risk of suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts (Klomek, Sourander, Gould, 2011). In the 1950’s and 1960’s doctors had started making a link between food and depression. Today we know that certain foods have a relation with depression (Laverie, 2010). Food additives are one of the many preservatives that contain synthetic chemicals, and research has proven that synthetic chemicals can cause many symptoms of depression to occur. Food additives are used to add flavor to foods, and to help make foods look more appealing. But the number one reason for using food additives is to help preserve food so that it can last longer (Bousch, n.d.). Research has proven that many food additives have a harmful effect for our health physically but also mentally. Just like food additives, industrial by-products have the same effect on ones mental health. Industrial by-products are products that are produced using machines in factories (Merriam-Webster’s online Dictionary, n.d.). Some examples of food additives that have been proven to have a negative effect on m ental health are foods that are identified as â€Å"sugar-free† or â€Å"diet† (Bousch, n.d) These foods all contain Aspartame, better known as artificial sweeteners. Aspartame can cause many diseases including depression. Another food additive to avoid is monosodium glutamate (MSG), an amino acid used in many frozen foods and chips. MSG can damage cells even to the point of death by over exciting them, and MSG can also affect neurological pathways. If many of these causes are not avoided, adolescents may suffer from depression which may have many consequences. Depression, if left untreated, has many effects. One of effect of depression is substance abuse. Substance abuse and mental disorders usually co-occur in adolescence. Adolescence suffering from depression are usually in search of a way of making themselves feel better, which usually leads them to drugs and alcohol. Teens who try to self medicate marijuana and other drugs end up making their depression worse (Adolescence Depression and Substance Abuse, n.d). Drug abuse and alcohol abuse can also cause suicide because it can impair one’s judgment and increasing their impulsivity, which can cause them to make decisions without thinking of the consequences (Suicide and Depression, n.d). Another effect depression can have on adolescents is a negative impact on school performance. Depression can cause lack of concentration which causes a disinterest in school. Also students tend to be more forgetful when suffering from depression, which causes them to forget about assignments, tests, and quizzes which can cause grades to go down. Another issue adolescents face in school is with insubordination. Depressed adolescents get into more fights and arguments with peers and teachers. School performance can also affect depression, for example doing poorly in school may have an effect on one’s self esteem. School also can be a trigger for stress, which is another cause of depression. Also, adolescents have trouble interacting with their peers which may discourage them from wanting to go to school (Depression, n.d). One of the biggest consequences of leaving depression untreated is suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents in the U.S. (Suicide Prevention, n.d). The number one cause for suicide is untreated depression (Caruso, n.d). There are many reasons why adolescents commit suicide but most of the time it’s because they think it’s the only solution to their problems and they are unable to see that they can turn their life around (Teenage Suicide, 1999). According to Center for Disease Control over 90 percent of the time someone commits suicide it is because they have a mental disorder that can be treated and if it were treated there would be a less number of suicides in the U.S (Suicide Prevention, n.d). Suicide shares many symptoms with depression but to a much more greater extent, for example extreme hopelessness, insomnia, heightened panic attacks, and irritability (Some Facts about Suicide and Depression, n.d). Depression, unlike many other diseases, is treatable. There are many different approaches to treating depression such as antidepressants, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive shock therapy. Antidepressants are used to balance chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters (Greenlaw, n.d). Antidepressants help improve your mood, your appetite, and your sleep (Greenlaw, n.d). Like all medications, antidepressants have negative side effects, for example sometimes antidepressants can make some people feel suicidal, also antidepressants can cause nausea, weight gain, headaches, sweating, and diarrhea(Smith, Robinson, Segal, Ramsey, 2014). Psychotherapy is a series of ways of treating mental health, emotional and some psychiatric disorders (Psychotherapies, n.d). Another word for psychotherapy is talk therapy, psychotherapy involves having people understand their mental disorder (Psychotherapies, n.d). Psychotherapy also teaches one how to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts. There are many different types of psychotherapy, because everyone responds differently to treatments. Some people may have to meet with the therapist alone whereas some people prefer to be with a group of people (Psychotherapies, n.d). There aren’t many negative side effects of psychotherapy, but one negative in choosing this method treatment is not always being able to find fully qualified therapists who can treat depression this way (Jollant, n.d). Electroconvulsive therapy is when you pass electric currents through the brain to cause brain seizures (Mayo Clinic Staff). Electroconvulsive therapy can reverse certain symptoms of mental illnesses faster than other treatments (Mayo Clinic Staff, n.d). Electroconvulsive therapy is known to be the most effective treatment for severe depression (Szalavitz, 2012). One of the biggest negative effects of electroconvulsive therapy is memory loss (Side Effects and Risks, n.d). People may also suffer from cardiovascular complications, dental and oral trauma, and skin burns (Park, n.d). Islam is a holistic religion, meaning that it has an impact on every aspect of one’s life. Everyone must face some trials and tribulations in life, it doesn’t matter how religious one person may be they can still be tested, as stated in this ayah in the Quran: â€Å"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: â€Å"We believe,† and will not be tested?† (Qur’an 29:2). Islam teaches its believers never to despair and always have hope in Allah (swt). no matter how hard the situation maybe at the moment that Allah (swt) will also provide that person with relief afterwards (Quran 94:5). Islam believes that shaytaan can make one feel like they’re being punished so one may tend to lose hope and forget that it may only be a test from Allah (swt) not a punishment. According to some, trials and tribulation can also strengthen one’s relationship with Allah (swt) (Bataski, 2011). When someone feels depressed or down at times Allah (swt) states in the quran to always turn to him because he is the only true source of light and guidance. People may go through difficult times in their lives but they should always know that Allah (swt) will always be there for them to turn to. Society needs to recognize the importance of depression and should be able to equip it’s youth with treatments. If many people understood the causes of depression then maybe people would not ignore their symptoms and would go and get treatment for themselves or their children. If depression stays ignored then and nothing is done to help todays youth then there will be a rise in the number of deaths by suicide.

Which heroine do you prefer and how do events throughout the books :: Free Essay Writer

Which heroine do you prefer and how do events throughout the books affect your opinion of them - Bridget Jones and Emma. Which heroine do you prefer and how do events throughout the books affect your opinion of them. The two heroines, Bridget Jones and Emma are obviously quite different in their attitudes to love and society as a whole. However, I think that in ways they are both likeable characters. The events that occur through the novels have an effect on the reader's opinions of the heroines and can weaken or strengthen these opinions. Austen and Fielding both use humour in the books well which is probably why the heroines are both seen as being comical at times or as is the case in 'Bridget Jones' Diary', more often than not. In Jane Austen's novel 'Emma', the heroine Emma is introduced to the reader at the very beginning of chapter 1. We instantly form an opinion of Emma as she is described as, "handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition and had lived nearly twenty-one years with very little to distress or vex her." The reader forms an opinion that Emma has a pampered lifestyle. We also learn she is a keen matchmaker and brought together her governess Miss Taylor with Mr Weston. I think the reader would perceive Emma to be very interested in her friend's lives and perhaps even a little meddling in them. The reader is also informed of 'the real evils of Emma' being "the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition too think a little too well of herself". I think that the reader would not particularly like Emma because she seems to be too self-assured and interested in other people's business at this stage. However, the reader is often told of Emma as being a compassionate character by the way she talks about Mr Weston, but this could also be viewed as quite patronising as well, "Mr Weston is such a good-humoured, pleasant, excellent man, that he thoroughly deserves a good wife" I then began to feel that Emma believed the matchmaking was for her friend's benefit and not herself. Although she did speak in patronising way about Mr Weston I do not think Emma realised how often she made it seem that she felt herself superior to her friends by patronising them. Emma could also be described as naÃÆ'Â ¯ve or foolish. She often involves herself too much in the lives of other and consequently tries to force relationships that were never meant to be, such as that between Mr Elton and Harriet Smith.

condoms Essay -- essays research papers

Why people do not use condoms Many men and women prefer unprotected intercourse or using another contraceptive method rather than using a condom. Among currently married women of reproductive age, only 5 percent use condoms for contraception worldwide, and only 3 percent in less developed regions of the world, according to United Nations estimates of contraceptive use. In this chapter we a re going to analyze or try to explain why some people don’t use condoms. In order to do this, we used some theory of the book ‘Social Psychology’ (7th edition) by David G. Meyers. Also we used much information that we got from the internet. In the above mentioned book, they explained that each construes the human skin as a special boundary that separates one set of casual forces from another. On the sunny side of the epidermis are the external or situational forces that press inward upon the person, and on the meaty side are the internal or personal forces that exert pressure outward. Sometimes these forces press in conjunction, sometimes in opposition, and their dynamic interplay manifest itself as observable behavior. In the figure below you can see a figure which explains Harold Kelly’s theory of attribution. Through the figure above, you can conclude yourself whether the following reasons are internal or external attribution. In addition we divided the causes in two parts. The first one is the reasons of the people in the developed countries and the second part is about the reason of the people in the developing countries. Developed Countries The most frequent reasons people in the developed countries give for not using a condom relate to the following issues: lack of sensation or interrupted sexual pleasure; psychological and social factors, including couple communication and assumptions that condoms are for use in extramarital relationships and with prostitutes; lack of availability of condoms, including policies that prohibit condom distribution to youth; and lack of confidence in the reliability of condoms themselves. To make condoms more acceptable and more widely used, all of these issues should be addressed. Factors affecting the acceptability of condoms can be thought of as a series of concentric circles that interact with each other -- from the individual at the center to the couple, the health-care system, the community and the entire world. An ... ...ong young people. Fearing that it will promote sexual activity out-of-wedlock, many service providers and pharmacists do not make condoms easily accessible to youth. Adolescents may hesitate to obtain condoms available at clinics because service providers act judgmentally towards them. Young women may be especially timid because it is considered inappropriate for them to seek condoms. Limited distribution systems complicate access, especially in rural areas. Government outlets may be relatively few and widely dispersed or private-sector sources may favor wealthier urban areas, resulting in uneven availability within a country. In 2000, donors provided less than one billion of the estimated eight billion condoms required in developing countries and Eastern Europe to greatly expand access for those in need. Many developing country governments are providing and promoting condoms as part of their HIV prevention strategies, but for the poorest countries, assistance from the wealthier developed countries remains the main source of condoms. In other countries, sustainable prevention efforts that include promotion and provision of condoms are hurt by inadequate government commitment.

MIS group assignment- Mydin Essay

1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background of Mydin In the year 1918 marks the year Mydin was found by one Mr. Gulam Husen Jamal who was the father of Mr. Mydin. Mr. Gulam was managing his shop until ward world 11 which saw the end of Mr. Gulam’s shop in Penang which was burnt down by fire incidents and left them with nothing. In 1957 Mydin out of a strong determination and his ability to persist in life pushed forward and with the help of his immediate son in the year 1979 and 1989 respectively continue the trade his father started and his first shop selling toys and general merchandise with his own sweat he continued the trade of wholesaling, the business skyrocketed to different branches in the land of Malaysian. Today Mydin is now one of the largest discount retailers in the whole Malaysians with over 17 Mydin supermarket and wholesalers emporium’s centers located across the country and also among the competing supermarket with Tesco, Carrefour and others. 1.2 Mydin vision Mydin is the world leading distributor of competitive Halal goods and service. 1.3 Mission The mission of Mydin is to target the overall leading in the local wholesale and retail supermarket by his constant provision of service to his customers, provision of best valuable for money and assortment of goods and services through Excellency. Also they aim to encourage more Malaysians to open different outlet with their own proven success formula. 1.4 Product Mydin has so many products such as Softline for apparel, together with home furnishing and muslimin. They also specialize in hardline (do-it –yourself), household, electronics including all stationary and general merchandise, all types of gifts and Deco, sports, toys and games. Fresh; ready to eat and fresh produce of meat and poultry equally, all kinds of vege and fruits, chilled and frozen Grocery: different kinds of food and health including beauty material. 1.5 Mydin objectives The following are the objectives of Mydin Company To provide its products at the right time and at the right price to the right customer while ensuring excellent service. Secondly, achieve marketing speed, and overall efficiency of operations. And supply chain management, from the suppliers to the logistics and warehouse, to Mydin’s ground staff and to the management team, Thirdly to achieve efficiency and productivity which are important factors for timely and accurate decision making. Fourthly With so many strong competitors in the local retail outlets, one cannot afford to be tardy to differentiate itself, Mydin aim at redefining the value it brings to its customers Lastly to maintain it brand name which signifies convenience, quality and value for money through it looks into Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to achieve these goals. 1.6 Organizational of Mydin structure 2.0 External and Internal Analysis 2.1 SWOT Analysis Based on the studies of Gorener A., Toker K., and Ulucay K., they mentioned that with SWOT analysis the regulated arrangement technique for estimating the internal and external environment of the business as well as analyze both environments in order to achieve systematic approach and support for decisions. Strength Low price strategy Mydin is famous designed for getting local and overseas goods with the reasonable pricing supplying into Malaysia. â€Å"Why pay more? Buy at wholesale price† and this is one of the advertisement slogan of Mydin as well as Mydin had already set their pricing strategy in a low price strategy to compete with the existing competitors (Danny Y., 2011). Government`s support According to the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, he mentioned that the government will inject RM386 million to make sure that the prices of needed goods and products in Sabah and Sarawak are sold at lower prices through the opening of 57 KR1M stores (Shukry A, 2012). Customer Loyalty The low pricing strategies not merely attract the new customers, but it helps also the Mydin to build a strong customer loyalty for their hypermarket, as their slogan, â€Å"Why pay more? Buy at wholesale price† Weaknesses Less Space and the Layout of Shop The limited space of Mydin causes a decline in numbers of customers. These customers will feel not comfortable enough while shop with a place where too crowded. Customer Services It is a provision of service to customers before and after purchases and it is significantly important for goods and services business, like Mydin. The weak customer services of Mydin could not satisfy the customers and it will ruin the reputation of Mydin and lead the consumers flee to competitors like TESCO and GIANT. Opportunities Online Market In this era of internet technology widespread, the users of the internet are increasing very rapidly. So if Mydin can follow this trend and caught these opportunities to explore online market successfully, Mydin will definitely obtain a benefit from this online market. International Expansion It is well known that their vision from Mydin for this short term to become the world’s top supplier of competitive â€Å"Halal† products. Therefore, the Muslim countries, like Indonesia are the great market for the Mydin to explore as it has a large number of populations. Threats Intense Competition In Malaysia hypermarket industry, there are variety choices for customers such as Mydin, Tesco, Giant, Carrefour, and Econsave. It goes without saying that it is an intense competition for the industry and it will lead the Mydin lose market share when the competitors offer a better promotion or privilege. Substitute product The customers could satisfy their needs or wants in mini mart, grocery shop, wet market, or convenience store instead of the Mydin. 2.2 PESTEL Analysis Based on the PESTEL structure it delivers a complete list of external effects on the potential achievement to every single strategy or either could lead to failure. It is where standpoints for the factors from Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental as well as Legal (Ivory, 2005). In this research is where based on observation on Mydin, this analysis can actually help to avoid the unwanted outcomes to their future plans like expands of the branches in overseas countries with the situations and regulations that need further consideration. Politic highlights to the role of governments involved, as Mydin is deciding for expanding their branches in Indonesia, therefore the management team involved required to have more research on the government restriction with the trading and how the security control of the country is. Economic factors are refers to the macro-economic factors in the foreign country such as the exchange rates, the inflation rate and differential economic growth rates around the world (Ukessays, nd). These are important factors as will directly influence to Mydin Profit where involves of cost of gain or loss with the exchange rates. As rising inflation rates mean rising prices for goods and services, the CEO needs to know the forecast of inflation rate because consumers would tighten their spending as goods become more expensive. Besides, it also means retailers have to bear a higher expenditure. Social influences the employment patterns of the country and behaviors of the consumers. The employment patterns simply mean that the numbers working hours, working days, employment benefits and other factors where Mydin need to have better study before decide the locations to expand their branches (Slideshare, 2012). Besides, having updated and accurate information about consumers buying patterns and behavior helps to have a clear direction of where the future consumption trends are heading to in order to know how to satisfy customer’s needs and desire. On food taste or packaging that will bring effects on the sales volume. The factor of technology referring to improvements in both internet retailing and trading (Ivory, 2005). There is a study that to the grocery business implemented to the advance technology is able to benefit Mydin to decrease expenditures but improve on efficiency. It is in strengthening their customer service, improving operations and retain pace with the competitors. Therefore, this is where the early twenty-first century operators in the industry. Environmental it is more concerned to eco-friendly viewpoints with main concern to the ‘green’ issues, like the occurrence of pollution and local waste issues (Slideshare, 2012). It can be one of the company strategy for advertising their product with go green issue or recyclable of products which will benefit their local surroundings. Legal holds governmental restrictions or modifications, it is where the well-being and security legislation with the Mydin’s mergers and acquisitions (Antonio, 2010). This aspect plays the important role especially with food and beverage products that are illegal for consumers to consume due to the religion issue. Therefore, it helps the CEO to understand well about the company marketing plan and thus can make a better decision. It is important for Mydin to understand and survey of how these factors are fluctuating currently and changes in future. Therefore, it is required of  the management to generate of solutions that would be likely to bring benefits or failure to the organizations. For instance, Mydin is to be expected to implement of advance technology changing. Therefore, usually generates of PESTEL analysis but it is actually without the offering of the forecast to the changing in the environment.

Providing Care for Looked after Children

At the end of March 2011, there were 65,520 looked-after children and young people in England and therefore many professionals are needed to keep up a good quality of care for every single child who is to be looked after. The health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people (their physical health, social, educational and emotional wellbeing), comes from their quality of life and/or care.Some looked-after children and young people have positive experiences in the care system and gain good emotional and physical health, do well in their education and go on to have good jobs and careers but the start to this is from the arrangements made in order to receive good quality care. It is the government or council’s responsibility to decide who looks after the child, where they will live and also how they are educated.It is important when choosing a carer for a child that they will perhaps have things in common or are at least not the complete opposites to each other as th at may lead to bad quality care and a low emotional well-being. If given the responsibility of looking after a child it is officially that carer’s job to provide a home for the child and protect and maintain the child. They are also responsible for disciplining the child, choosing and providing for the child’s education, agreeing to the child’s medical treatment, naming the child and agreeing to any change of name looking after the child’s property.Parents have to make sure that the child is supported financially. At the start of care proceedings, the council asks the family court to make a temporary court order, called an ‘interim care order’. If the court agrees, the council can take the child into care on a temporary basis. This can sometimes be for up to 8 weeks at first. After that, it can be renewed every 28 days. It can take up to a year for a court to decide what should happen to the child.Sometimes it can take even longer than this. During this time a social worker and other people will be trying to understand the reasons why the child may be at risk. They will also look at what can be done to keep them safe. They will talk to the parents and the child regularly. They may talk to other family members or friends about looking after the child if they can’t safely live at home. The parents might also get support and in many occasion the parent is often seen to first.The social worker will write a report for the court. These will outline what they think should happen to the child. Once all the information has been gathered, there will be a court hearing. The judge will look at the reports, and listen to everyone involved in the case, including the child, the parents, solicitors representing parents and children and the council social worker. The child will go back home if the judge decides that they’re safe. If not, the council will find them a new home.That may be with other members of their family, friends, a new family or children’s home. In care proceedings, a Children’s Guardian from Cafcass represents the rights and interests of the child. They spend time getting to know the child and their family before the hearing. The Children’s Guardian appoints a solicitor for the child, advises the court about what needs to be done before it can make a decision and writes a report for the court saying what would be best for the child – including the child’s wishes and feelings.The child, once in their new home will receive a care plan which includes how they will be educated. Most of the decisions about the child’s welfare will be taken by their social worker and foster carer (or residential care worker). The parent may also be involved depending on the circumstances. The social worker is responsible for making sure said child can achieve their potential when educated.

Phantom Limb: Possible Treatments to Kill the Pain Essay

The phenomenon of phantom limb was first described by a French doctor, Ambroise Pare, in the 16th century however it was not until 1866, after the American Civil War, when Doctor Wier Mitchell published his first account of the malady, coining the term â€Å"Phantom Limb†. Phantom limb is the experience of persisting sensory perceptions after limb amputation and remains one of the best-known, but puzzling phenomena within medical science (Oakley & Halligan, 2002). Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a frequent consequence of the amputation and causes considerable discomfort and disruption of daily activities. Originally, PLP was thought to have been secondary to nerve damage at the site of amputation but succeeding evidence showed that patients who have undergone regional anesthesia continue to experience phantom limb pain despite the cut-off of pain sensation to the amputated area (Melzack, 1997). This lead to the belief that the pain sensation experienced by patients with PLP may be due to nerve impulses or signals generated at the spinal cord level. This, however, was refuted on the basis that patients with transection of the spinal cord still complain of persisting phantom limb pain. It has been argued then that the brain areas that correspond to the human body could be the one responsible for the phantom sensations (Melzack, 1997). This was based on the fact that much of the human (and primate) body is represented by distinct brain areas located in the somatosensory and motor cortex on either side of the central sulcus. Consequently, even after limb removal, the brain areas representing those parts remain structurally and functionally intact. It has been argued that the activation of these bodily disconnected brain areas by adjacent brain areas (representing other intact body parts) may be a partial neurophysiological explanation for the production and maintenance of the continuous perceptual experience that is the ‘phantom limb’. This functional remapping results in some cases in the referral of selective sensory information from an intact body area (such as the face or shoulder) to the phantom limb (Halligan, Zeman and Benger, 1999). The remapping hypothesis is supported by functional imaging (Kew, Halligan, Marshall, Passingham, Rothwell, Ridding, Marsden and Brooks, 1997) and behavioural studies (Ramachandran, Stewart and Rogers-Ramachandran, 1992; Halligan, Marshall, Wade, Davies and Morrison, 1993). Given the magnitude and speed of onset of the reorganization (within 24 hours of amputation) it is unlikely to be a product of neural sprouting but rather the unmasking of existing but previously inhibited neural pathways (Ramachandran and Blakeslee, 1998). In addition, these abnormal plastic changes in the central nervous system associated with the phantom experience have been used to explain the consistently high incidence of pain attributed to a limb that no longer exists (Ramachandran and Blakeslee, 1998). Several other theories have been proposed to explain the pathophysiological processes behind the PLP phenomenon but despite all of these, the exact cause of PLP remains uncertain. As a consequence, the current treatments for the condition are just as varied as the litany of many possible yet complex mechanism of PLP. This literary review will assay the possible treatment options available for the management of PLP using information from published literature through searches in research databases using the keywords phantom limb, phantom limb pain, biofeedback, treatment, and phantom limb illusions. Treatments of PLP There are different modalities available in treating PLP ranging from pharmacological agents to psychophysiological therapy. The treatment outcome varies from approach to approach and more even from patient to patient. A careful evaluation is essential before considering any of of these treatments in order to obtain a more individualized approach in the management of PLP. Thermal biofeedback Biofeedback relies on instrumentation to measure moment-to-moment feedback about physiological processes. It provides patients with information about their performance in various situation (Saddock & Saddock, 2003). Using this electronic feedback, the patient is made aware of certain sensations such as skin temperature and muscle tension. A case report describing the use of thermal biofeedback combined with electromyogram (EMG) in treating a 69-year-old man suffering from burning and shooting phantom pain suggested that biofeedback is an effective treatment modality for severe phantom limb pain (Belleggia & Birbaumer, 2001). The rationale behind the treatment was based on the premise that most patients complain of intolerance to cold after amputations which tend to aggravate unpleasant or pain sensations in the stump. The treatment, however, required several sessions and in this particular case, there were 6 sessions of EMG biofeedback followed by another 6 sessions of temperature biofeedback. The patient presented in this case also did not use a prosthesis and did not receive prior treatment for chronic pain and the entire treatment process was done in a controlled environment where everything is calibrated and maintained to avoid external bias. Although the treatment outcome of the case report was favorable, there is no absolute guarantee that the same beneficial results can be expected to other patients with PLP especially to those who are already using prosthesis and to those who are already refractory to previous chronic pain therapies. Also its efficacy and adaptability in actual clinical settings remains to be studied. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) The use of electroconvulsive therapy have been common in patients with psychiatric disorders such as depression. This involves the utilization of electric stimulation by means of two electrodes placed bilaterally on the temple to produce convulsion. The artificial seizure that followed have shown efficacy in patients with a variety of pain syndromes occurring along with depression (Rasmussen & Rummans, 2000). Using this evidence, 2 patients with severe phantom limb pain refractory to multiple therapies but without concurrent psychiatric disorder were treated using ECT. One of the patient’s previous treatments included biofeedback, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, hypnosis, epidural injections, and multiple analgesic medications including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opiates, and adjunct analgesics including carbamazepine and nortriptyline. He was referred for ECT by the anesthesia pain service due to previous good responses in depressed patients with a variety of non-phantom limb pain syndromes. The other patient in the case study also had numerous treatments including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, intra-axillary alcohol injections. Epidural steroid blocks, stellate ganglion blocks, biofeedback, and medications including antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opiates and carbamazepine. After ECT, both patients enjoyed substantial relief of pain with one case in remission from PLP 3. 5years after ECT. From this clinical note, it was concluded that patients with PLP who are refractory to multiple therapies may respond to ECT. It should be emphasized that ECT have several complications including dental and muscular injuries secondary to the severe muscle twitching accompanying the induced convulsion. The concurrent use of muscle relaxants have been effective in minimizing such injuries. The most troublesome side effect of ECT, however, is memory loss. Some patients report a gap in memory for events that occurred up to 6 months before ECT, as well as impaired ability to retain new information for a month or two after the treatment (Smith, et al, 2003). You may equate this to the data loss in computers after an unexpected reboot. Hypnotic mirrors and phantom pain Hypnotic procedures have long been used in treating a variety of pain syndromes. This involves the use of suggestion and imagery to alleviate the patient’s pain experience (Chavez, 1989). A case study reports the use of a hypnotically induced ‘virtual’ mirror experience which modified long standing intractable phantom limb pain despite generating a qualitatively inferior experience of movement in the phantom limb compared to that produced with an actual mirror (Oakley & Halligan, 2002). Using hypnosis, two main approaches to modifying phantom limb pain experience were identified in the study: ipsative imagery approach and a simulated movement approach. The ipsative imagery approach takes into account the way the individual represent their pain to themselves and attempts to modify that representation in order to alleviate the pain experience. The movement imagery-based approach encourages the PLP patient through hypnosis to ‘move’ the phantom limb and to take control over it. In the study, a case of a 76-year-old woman who had an above-knee amputation of her right leg secondary to peripheral vascular disease was presented. The investigators emphasized that she was pain-free at the time of her operation and that her PLP only begun two years after surgery. There were several components of her pain in her missing limb. She complained of feeling pins and needles in her ‘foot’, her ‘toes’ felt like they were being held in a tight vice, a slicing, cutting pain in the sole of her ‘foot’ and a chiselling pain in her ‘ankles’. After several sessions using the ipsative imagery approach, the patient claimed significant pain relief of most of her pain but the vice-like pain remained. The movement imagery-based approach also showed notable pain alleviation in another case that was presented, this time of a 46-year-old man who had experienced PLP since suffering from an avulsion of his left brachial plexus some five years prior to the study. At the beginning of the study, the patient rated his pain at 7 using a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 as pain free and 10 as the worst pain imaginable. During treatment, the patient had 0 rating and immediately after treatment it was 2. 5. The result of the study showed that hypnotic movement imagery is worth investigating further, considering the comparative ease of use and the potential of additional information as to the possible neurocognitive mechanism involved in PLP. Mirror treatment Mirror treatment uses leg exercises performed in front of a mirror to demonstrate increased ‘motor control’ over the phantom limb. In contrast to hypnotic imagery techniques which uses hypnotically induced ‘virtual’ mirror experience, mirror treatment involves the use of a real mirror apparatus to replicate the movements of the real limb with the phantom limb. The first case study of the use of ‘mirror treatment’ in a person with lower limb amputation who was reporting PLP was presented by MacLaughlan, M. McDonald, D. , & Waloch, J. (2004). During the intervention, there was a significant reduction in the patient’s PLP associated with an increase in sense of ‘motor control’ over the phantom, and a change in aspects of the phantom limb that was experienced. Although this effect was successfully replicated by using hypnotic imagery alone, the significant difference between the two approaches was the qualitatively more powerful experience of movement in the phantom left hand with the real visual feedback. The case study which was conducted in a conventional clinical setting supports the potential of ‘mirror treatment’ for PLP patients with lower limb amputations. The investigators, however, emphasized that the case study cannot indicate the extent to which beneficial effects are due to somatosensory cortex re-mapping, psychosocial factors such as individual differences in ‘body plasticity’, somatic preoccupation or creative imagination, or to other factors. Since it is the first case study of the use of ‘mirror treatment’ in a person with lower limb amputation, similar case studies are needed to ascertain the treatment’s applicability to other patients with lower limb amputations. Botulinum toxin Pharmacological agents have also been employed in the management of PLP. , Botulinum toxin type A, however, has not been previously used for this indication. In fact, it was only recently that this toxin has been used for medical purposes, especially in the field of cosmetics. Botox, as it is popularly known, has been beneficial in relieving muscular tension in the face due to its muscle-relaxing effect. Once considered a biological weapon which causes gas gangrene, this toxin inhibits the synaptic transmission of acetylcholine at the motor end plate and muscle spindles of the skeletal musculature and influences nociceptive transmitters. A pilot study on the influence of the agent on phantom pain after amputations was recently reported (Kern, Martin, Scheicher, et al, 2003). Four cases of patients with knee amputations who were suffering from severe stump pain following surgery were presented. After botulinum toxin injection, significant reduction of pain in the amputation stump was experienced among the patients. Citing a strong correlation between stump pain and PLP and the occurrence of of stump pain without obvious pathology, the study clearly emphasized the need for further investigation into the use of botulinum toxin in the treatment of post amputation pain. Other treatments of PLP Multiple other modalities, adjunct medications and anesthetic/surgical procedures have been used in the treatment of PLP with varying long term success. Although at least 60 methods of treating PLP have been identified, successful treatment of persistent type is not commonly reported. Tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, calcitonin and mexilitine have been used with varying success (Delisa, Gans, Bochenek, et al, 1998). Other surgical procedures and drug regimens have also been proposed. Despite all these, an established role of each of these treatments in the management of PLP remains a subject for future investigation. Summary Despite the advances in medical research and treatment, PLP is a phenomenon that continues to perplex the medical field. Several theories that were proposed to explain the etiology of the condition remain the subject of continued discussion. The pathophysiology involved in PLP could be multifactorial rather than the effect of a single factor. In the United States, there are approximately 1. 6 million people are living with limb loss according to the National Limb Loss Foundation Information Center. Between 1988 & 1999, an average of 133,735 hospital discharges per year was due to amputation. It is estimated that 50%-80% of patients with amputations complain of PLP (Delisa, Gans, Bochenek, et al, 1998). The actual incidence of this problem is, however, unclear because the condition tends to be underreported because of the complexity and strange nature of the complaint. Finding the most appropriate treatment for PLP has proven to be a difficult challenge for medical practitioners. The current treatment options for the condition are just as varied as the litany of many possible yet complex mechanism of PLP. Thermal biofeedback combined with electromyogram (EMG) have been demonstrated to completely eliminate PLP after treatment. In a case study, the use of ECT have shown pain relief in patients with PLP refractory to multiple therapies. The use of hypnosis and visual imagery in several case reports has indicated significant success in modifying the pain experience of PLP patients. Interestingly, the success of this technique in treating PLP has given a deeper insight on the psychological aspect of the condition. Botulinum toxin, a drug considered as a very dangerous toxin that causes gas gangrene, has also shown promising results in alleviating stump pain. Multiple other modalities, adjunct medications and anesthetic/surgical procedures have been used in the treatment of PLP with varying long term success. Establishing an accepted role of each of these treatments in the management of PLP, however, would require further investigation. The highly varied approaches involved in the treatment of PLP present a unique burden especially for the General Practitioners (GPs) who provide the primary health for amputees in the community. A recent study suggests that GPs underestimate the prevalence, intensity and duration of phantom and residual limb pain. Moreover, inconsistencies in the reasons given for referral to specialist services for the management of phantom pain were reported. These findings have serious implications for the management of phantom limb pain, disability and psychological distress in amputees in that GPs not only provide first line treatment, but are also the gatekeepers for referral to other services (Kern, Martin, Scheicher, et al 2003). The prevalence of case studies presented in this review clearly shows the lack of major clinical trials targeted into identifying the best approach in the management of PLP. Most of these treatments are already being used for other diseases and there is ample literature to justify their use for PLP yet there is not a single searchable literature involving a bigger study population investigating any of the above methods. It is obvious that the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these individual treatment methods cannot be ascertained by only a handful of case reports. More comprehensive studies should be done in order to formulate an acceptable protocol for the adequate treatment of PLP.

E Fraud Essay

An e- fraud is considered to be an electronic crime that affects not only individuals businesses and governments but also allows for very negatively intelligent people and hackers to use their intelligence to log into other’s accounts use their credit card numbers and banking password and transact huge amounts of trade and money . it has been seen that e fraud is on the increase and this is because of the low levels of awareness, the inappropriate counter measures that are ineffective to handle this kind of fraud has led to e frauds being on the increase . The only area that has been actively involved in reducing the impact of fraud is the technical side leaving the other so many variables out of the purview of the e fraud scenario. This has made e fraud even more easier because there have been no mechanisms to reduce these occurrences and even if there are there has been limited penalties issued to the frauds that happen on the cyber space. Introduction: The complexity of modern enterprises, their reliance on technology, and the heightened Interconnectivity among organizations that is both a result and a driver of e-business these are rapidly evolving developments that create widespread opportunities for theft, fraud, and other forms of exploitation by offenders both outside and inside an organization â€Å" (KPMG 2000) The paper tries to assimilate and analyze the strategies that can be adopted by everyone who deals on the cyber space to protect their information and finances securely. This paper also tries to analyze why such frauds occurs and what can be done by stakeholders to minimize the occurrences and is it worthwhile an attempt to bring in a global governance ordinance which could help businesses and agencies nab the criminals . It is recorded that global e commerce sales are steadily growing and with this the e commerce fraud too. The eco system which has promoted the concept of ecommerce streams from the millions of shoppers and customers who use their debit and credit cards . Though online shopping is projected to be a very safe way of shopping and bank transactions through secured payment modes, frauds have been continually on the increase . It has been objectively researched that e commerce transactions have to be highly secured . Every transaction has to be screened for the following inputs . 1. Risk based authentication should be enabled for every transaction and to prove the integrity of the user. 2. Card holders‘s data has to be tokenized so that consumers identity can be authorized and protected. . Reputed brands should shut down phishing and Trojan attacks that make easy e commerce frauds. Some practical applications for reducing e commerce brands: Fraud detection and prevention by addressing the critical needs of the entire credit card eco system. Evaluating transactions for the risk and balancing risk activities in cards . High transaction abandonment rates that results from poor user experience . Reducing the compliance costs so that we e commerce frauds commitment costs become high . The following diagrammatic representation shows how the personal data ecosystem is subject to hacking by very professional hackers. (source:Google. com) Credit card fraud The credit card industry reports huge frauds conducted over the internet in the US alone, in the year 2010, $8. 6 billion card frauds occurred (Aite Group study). With worldwide electronic information sourcing and data storage and the thousands on online purchasing that is going on, the frequency of card usage has increased and this has resulted in financial institutions and cardholders becoming victims of e fraud . Countries worldwide have set up agencies to monitor e fraud and have their own agencies to take care of such crimes especially those related to the cyber space and those which happen on cyberspace and in ecommerce space . E commerce sales is expected to total almost $1 trillion by 2013. Ecommerce fraud is also growing along with this. Fraudulent transactions rose from 2. 7 billion in 2010 to $3. 4 billion in 2011 and are expected to grow exponentially. The use of internet has made these frauds possible. There are many reasons why these frauds occur. . The increasing complex software that is now being used to relay ecommerce has made the systems vulnerable to attacks . 2. There are thousands of malicious codes and other tools that help hackers and attackers . 3. The increasing use of high speed internet at homes with very little security makes attack much easy . 4. The rate at which technology is changing and the ease of adaptation to the new technology and the users rather slow pace in adopting to good computer security practices is another compelling reason for fraud . . the hidden costs that are involved in an ecommerce portal goes unnoticed because the security systems that have to take care of this and when systems are set up, there is always the likelihood that ambitious technology experts give least preference to securing the information site and privacy conditions People and business which conduct business online do not inform people of the expected frauds that could occur due to ecommerce transactions, because of this frauds happen . The lack of proper governance and regulation regarding type of penalties and punishments that would be given to fraud committers is rather slack . There are no world wide global laws to tackle such frauds and hence frauds that are committed online find no jurisdictional limits and so governments do not know how to pin point the responsibility . This loop hole has been used by fraudsters . The online world is full of pseudonyms and pseudo identities . Hence tracking such frauds also becomes very difficult. There are no experts who could be given the responsibility of tracking and strategizing how such frauds occur . Though technology now is slowly trying to understand the macro environment of the fraud related scenarios, the risk and costs associated with bringing in security is very high and hence the adaptability of such scenarios cannot be done by all firms who have e commerce portals . Stakeholders involvement in the vulnerability that exists across the value chain is seen as the most critical issue in a fraud . Crime congress global: This is an imitative taken by the agency to help stakeholders and victims of e commerce fraud to find effective solutions. This proves information security in all countries of the world to meet the challenges arising from e commerce. This agency prominently uses technology and provides technology solutions in partnership with the business community to prevent frauds through information security technology and information risk management, forensics, investigations, audit, risk, compliance and fraud. This agency has been conducting global awareness programs for reaching out to institutes, businesses and government to partner in helping reduce ccurrences of e fraud to strategic and technological challenges. This is a strategic initiative involving al stakeholders to proactively reduce the risks of ecommerce frauds and to defend IT systems from those threats which are emerging and to comply with relevant legal and regulatory laws . this initiative is a step towards combating the threat of the increasing cases of fraud. This partnership brings out very important initiatives to protect not only customers but a lso business houses from succumbing to the increasing menace of hackers. Technology solutions and other security solutions are placed in a consultative approach towards tackling this . If an international business committed copyright infringements then legal action under Criminal Jurisprudence legal action can be resorted to under Article 61 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) where the loser has got legal recourse to his stolen property by means of criminal sanctions and which will thereby allow for legal and criminal punishment of the infringement and the infringer . t has been felt that all types of infringement should be punished with criminal sanctions. People can appeal under this act for legal action or they can hotlist an organization under cyber space if there are cases of patent stealing and web site hacking. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 also known as the CDPA can be used in cases where infringement has taken place. If an international business committed copyright infringements or steals a pa tent then as a victims we can take recourse under the above mentioned acts which give protection to IRP which are stolen and pirated and copied.. Early referral is said to be the best away to ensure that the evidence is properly secured and that all the investigative revenues are fully explored with the possible undercover law enforcement activities. Perhaps, communication with the law enforcement activities allows the victim to coordinate civil proceedings with the possible criminal enforcement. Though legally recourse is available it is easy to settle out of court because protection of copyright is a prelude to production of the material or product. People who invent need to protect their patents. Once the patent is protected then it cannot be copied or pirated as punishments are very severe in such cases. With so many innovations taking place in the US especially with cyber technology there has been very serious issue of pirating software and the Beijing convention has called for all member countries to come out with anti pirating laws which could effectively punish those who are caught. USA will have to worry about the number of infringements that are taking place. It has admitted legal course in serious cases but USA is neither able to gun down the culprit nor is it able to find means of putting an end to it because of the geographical distance which makes it impossible to monitor the use of technology. USA is very careful in dealing with countries where incidences of Infringement are very high and tries to bring in severe legal clauses to protect their interests. Computer forensics investigator and other laws A computer forensics investigator works with a pre determined notion of computer crimes. But that is not a sufficient coverage that should be catered. A computer forensics investigator looks upon other law system too such as data protection, data integrity, data control, audit of data components, investigation around the computer and etc. A forensics investigator moves with an initial priority of computer crime. But he should be well governed with other laws. This helps him to establish himself more concretely on the crime scene. He is prepared with the notion of covering up the areas totally in order to fully satisfy himself on the grounds that nothing is left behind. He checks into the data system, recovers the data, checks the integrity of the data, protects the data, looks for evidences around the computer, checks the network system of the accused person, goes more deeply with the computing system to enable him searching beyond the computers to narrow down his investigation procedure. Some other laws such as, human rights, digital rights, information system laws, computer laws are of special interest to him. This gives him the power to deal with any case that involves ethical computer crime. He is much more developed investigator if he is well adverse with the above law system. E – Discovery E Discovery or Electronic Discovery refers to discovery in civil litigation. This discovery process deals with the exchange of information in the electronic format. Electronic Discovery is pretty useful for the forensics analysis. We know that Forensics analysis deals with the investigation of crime scene involving computer and cyber crimes and evidence is the prime source of investigation that leads to a successful procedure. Hence the investigator is pretty much confident about the E Discovery System. The investigator with the help of E Discovery processes such as Electronic messages, voicemail; smart phones etc recover every bit of information that is required in the gathering of evidence required for the forensics investigation. The whole process of collection data through E discovery and jotting it down to the report makes it much easier for the investigator. The E discovery has led to new developments and changes in the investigation system of the cyber crimes. With latest e discovery modes as mentioned above, an investigator is much more confident about its movement into the IT system of the accused criminal, and supporting the cause with rather strong and reliable evidences gathered. E discovery is a radical change in the process of investigation and has led to much more focused and integrated system of computer investigation. Conclusion The whole conclusion is based on the cyber crimes and the enacting system of law prevailing. The cyber crimes have increased in geometric progression over the years which have led to many disasters and crimes. With the increased number of crimes taking place day in day out, the laws have been made much stricter in order to ensure that the numbers of crime taking place gets minimized and there is a fear of messing up the computer system. The laws have addressed the message of intent of distorting computer systems which will constitute a crime. Many forensics investigators have been seen in the picture off late which governs the system of computer crime. These investigators are well adverse with the system laws and crime scenes. They effectively handle the situation and get to the desired results enabling quick and accurate reply to crime involved. Thus the laws have been successful over the years in minimizing computer threats and crimes. Ecommerce has revolutionized trade in many ways and consumers have also been cheated in ways that were unknown in traditional sales. In order to protect the consumers, traders on the internet and operators in the cyber space have got together to form associations and laws that would protect the consumers in the text of ecommerce. Though every country has passed consumer protection acts which are rules and regulations to protect the consumers from fraudulent trade practices in the market. There laws were enacted to protect the consumers and give them rights to ensure that they obtain truthful information and right products as so designed by the seller. The laws have been designed to protect consumers from businesses indulging in unlawful and unfair practices . The governments of all countries have passed regulations to protect the rights of consumers especially in those products where health and safety are chief ingredients. Consumer protection is also in the form of consumer rights which consumers can exercise through redressal grievance and consumer courts. This is the history behind the concept of consumer protection. In direct contrast to the traditional business where the buyer and seller are in direct contact with each other and the buyer can inspect the goods before buying, in ecommerce the communication is only through an electronic form and business is conducted in a paperless environment. More importantly the internet or e transactions play a very important role in helping buyers and in assisting in choice comparisons and locating a product on the internet. (http://www. apec. rg/apec/apec_groups/som_special_task_groups/electroniccommerce. html. Accessed on 13/2/04) Consumer concerns in e commerce starts form the point of instance as the buyer is not known to the seller and vice versa and hence the privacy and confidentiality aspect of a trade which has to be concluded needs authenticity. Consumers are worried about 1. The unfair marketing practices that sellers resort to on the web. 2. The terms of sale, refunds, cancellation of orders, warranty conditions 3. Enforceability of the contract, performance and non performance. . Delivery time, late deliveries and no delivery verification. 5. The most illegal use of information available on credit cards payment made for online purchases. 6. Fraud and cheating because transactions are not authenticated by any physical source. 7. unsafe products not confirming to safety standards. 8. Misuse of personal information for other purposes. Since majority of e commerce transactions lead to the buyer being put to a disadvantage the Issues relating to consumer disputed have to be minimized and arbitrated. t is all the more difficult because the sellers are beyond national jurisdiction as it happens on cyberspace and SO the risks that arise out of such trade has to be taken care of and the consumers have to be suitably protected. a landmark development n the form of the E -Commerce group otherwise known as The Electronic Commerce and Consumer Protection Group is constitute d by leading companies on the net like America Online, AT&T, Dell, IBM, Microsoft, Network Solutions and Time Warner. These companies predominately deal in online sales of their products and so recognize the growing need of consumer protection and have addressed issues regarding consumer protection as best practices of industry and have created an environment which would allow consumers to resolve disputes arising on cyber space. The American Bar Association Task Force on E-commerce and Alternative Dispute Resolution is one of the best reference guide to consumer protection on the cyber space. This organization was asked to suggest workable guidelines that parties dealing in online transactions can use for ODR’s (online dispute redressal) . the complexity further arose from the fact that there was multijurisdictional disputes arising from B2B and B2c businesses. (THIS IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IS REFREED TO IN EXACT TEXT) To quote the words of the task force of the Ecommerce group â€Å"that there are many ways to help prevent as well as to help resolve disputes or complaints that arise from e-commerce transactions, the Task Force makes the following recommendations and observations: 1. E-commerce businesses should place an enhanced emphasis on all stages of dispute prevention, complaints handling, and effective methods of redress through ADR and ODR. 2. Internet merchants, governmental and nonprofit entities should place a greater emphasis on consumer education and the prevention of e-commerce disputes. 3. Protecting consumers requires adequate standards and codes of conduct for ecommerce businesses. 4. Internet merchants should be encouraged to participate in and subscribe to relevant e-commerce codes of conduct and trust mark programs. 5. Internet merchants should develop or continue to improve on their in-house complaints handling mechanisms, and educate consumers as to how to use these in-house procedures effectively. 6. For consumers, recourse to in-house complaints mechanisms is normally the first and best means to obtain redress from reputable merchants. Accordingly, consumers should be encouraged to utilize the in-house complaints handling mechanisms offered by reputable Internet merchants before resorting to third party dispute resolution mechanisms. 7. at present, the lack of ODR does not appear to be a material impediment to the growth of B2C e-commerce. . At present, ODR is subsidiary to other higher priority consumer protection activities, including consumer education and use of measures that help prevent or decrease the incidence of fraud in Internet transactions. 9. Recognizing that enforcement of outcomes and decisions reached through ODR may be difficult, consumers should be encouraged to consider using other dispute prevention mechanisms such as escrow services and credit card charge back mechanisms when transacting online. 10. Rather than create a code of conduct for ODR Service Providers, the Task Force has drafted Recommended Best Practices by ODR Service Providers. 1. The Task Force recommends the creation of a new informational entity (referred to as the ADRCenter) that would provide information about ODR in an effort to educate and familiarize consumers, businesses, lawyers and other professionals with this new type of service. 12. For the advancement of ODR as an effective and efficient means of cross-border dispute resolution for both B2B and B2C transactions, there needs to be an appropriate emphasis on the development of interoperable communication and data-sharing platforms. 3. The Task Force believes that much of the education that will be useful for consumers will also be useful for businesses – especially small to medium sized enterprises and those who are ne w to the Internet marketplace and to cross-border transactions. ( Task force quoted verbatim) among all of ecommerce frauds the greatest of consumer complaints arose from identity thefts. The Federal trade commission has released statistics stating that out of 2004,000 complaints received from consumers 42% elated to fraud and identity of the seller, followed by internet auctions which constituted 10%,followed by other non performances like non delivery of goods, inferior quality goods, trial offers from the net, shop at home offers and so on. This only reiterates that consumers have to be protected and laws of cyber space have to be strictly regulated to afford consumer protection. Consumer protection measures were seen very importantly in the light of an interactive poll which shows the increased awareness of consumers against online frauds . They were dissuaded by online shopping and cited some of the reasons why they had not shopped recently. 57% said that they were worried about their credit card number being stolen,57% were worried about confidentiality measures being violated,38% doubted the integrity on the seleers,26% wanted some personal attention to be given while they shopped,37% doubted the reliability of the sellers,47% said that wanted to physically inspect the product and 25% cited many unknown reasons. source: Harris interactive)It was increasingly felt that consumer education will be able to help protect consumers better. It also shows increased concerns about consumers not knowing how to transact online. It is suggested that traders using the electronic media need to given all information that is required for consumers to feel safe about shopping online . Quoting Internet merchants association ,† Merchants need to have greater and enhanced disclosure on their websites as well as heightened compliance with relevant consumer protection law. † Another pertinent consumer protection data and study conducted by a New Zealand organization on 700 web sites explicitly brought out the consumers heightened awareness of ecommerce frauds and consumers came out with their reasons of the need for protecting their rights against fraudulent organizations. They said that 50% of the vendors had not installed security measures on the payment options, 62% did not speak of refund policies, 78% said that the vendors did not advice customers of how to lodge complaints,90% said that they did not know about laws pertaining to consumer redresses and 25% said that the vendors did not show physical address. Despite all this majority of consumers preferred to shop online so laws pertaining to consumer protection need to be implemented in its fullest sense. Consumers International released its Privacy@ net study in which it concluded: that though almost all the traders online collected data regarding the personal information of the buyers very few of them institutionalized a privacy policy regarding the use of the information that the buyer gave. Though these were correct measures to provide security, majority of these proved meaningless to the buyers. it was very common in the US and Europe to find traders giving scant respect to global standards on data privacy. Even the basic principles of informing the customers of how the data will be used, how the firm will access the data , how the consumer can use the data and how the security of the data is sought and maintained is not disclosed. A comparative study of the sites of USA and UK are no different with regard to privacy policy as both played on the information made available to them. The US online trading sites set decent privacy policies which looked good enough to follow. In The European trading sites the consumers had the law backing them up and the presence of an ombudsman and a government representative in the form of a data protection officer took care of the consumer rights and protection if breached. He also intervened to speak on behalf of the consumers if the law was tampered with . in fact it is sad to know that both the countries have left little choice to consumers in terms of data protection.. † This was a comparative study of the European merchants and the USA merchants. But both of them accepted the fact that consumer protection was a must if their sales and revenues had to increase. As a step towards greater protection measures to consumers the task force on ecommerce and protection said that various disputes redressal mechanisms have to be introduced in the form of dispute prevention like education of consumers, feedback collection from consumers, ombudsman appointments, negotiations, mediation, arbitrators, and assessment of valid consumer grievances.