Monsato Company †A Question in Agricultural Ethics Essay

Monsato Company is a Missouri-based company founded in 1901 by John F. Queeny and his wife Olga Monsato producing saccharine. In the mid-1940s, Monsato Co. began developing agricultural chemicals and throughout the 1960s and 1970s, herbicides were developed and introduced to the farmers. In 1981, a research group was established and the business’s primary focus was molecular biotechnology. In 1982, Monsato Co. bought Jacob Hartz Seed Co., a company known in the Midwest for its soybeen seeds. Also in 1982, scientists working for Monsato Co. produced the first genetically modified plant. In 1996, RoundUp Ready Soybeans were introduced possessing an in-seed herbicide. Several other in-seed herbicides are introduced in 1997 by Monsato Co. such as RoundUp Ready Cotton and RoundUp Ready Canola. Also introduced is an in-seed insect protection called YieldGard Corn Borer. In 1998, Monsato Co. combines the technology of in-seed herbicides with their in-seed insecticides into one product for its corn seed. In 2002, Monsato Co. identifies corn hybrids, which yield more ethanol per bushel than normal corn. Later this same year, they also identify a similar hybrid in their soybeans, which will produce more oil than a normal soybean. In 2004, Monsato Co. creates American Seeds, Inc (ASI) to support regional seed business with capital, genetics, and technology investments. In 2005, Monsato Co. acquires four companies Fontanelle Hybrids, based in Fontanelle, Neb, Stewart Seeds, based in Greensburg, Ind., Trelay Seeds, based in Livingston, Wis., and Stone Seeds, based in Pleasant Plains, Ill. In 2006, they acquire several other local seed companies, some family-owned, including Diener Seeds, Sieben Hybrids, Kruger Seed Company, Trisler Seed Farms, Gold Country Seed, Inc., Heritage Seeds and Campbell Seed. Over the next several years, they also acquire other local and regional companies and continue their research and development of genetically altered seeds. Over the course of a few decades, Monsato Co. has gone from a small company making saccharine to a Midwest agricultural giant manufacturing genetically altered seed. 1 A Possible Solution: Deregulation Although the idea of producing more crops with less cost, such as additional chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides may sound, the fact remains that Monsato Co. is not only toying with nature, they are also putting smaller family-owned companies out of business. In the past several years, organic foods have become more popular. Consumers want to feed their families healthy food, not food filled with chemicals. In 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to back Monsato and other biotech companies by supporting the deregulation of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa. This would mean that the GE companies would have no restrictions on their technology and its use.2 Deregulation has its obvious problems. Organic crop company leaders, such as Stonyfield, Whole Foods, and OrganicValley believe that GE crops use a higher amount of toxins, herbicides, and water. Also the claims of higher crop yield will not be met and the price of this seed will be too costly for the average farmer. There is also the potential of cross-contamination of crops where a farmer using GE seed spreads the toxins to his organic neighbor through groundwater. This could lead to the organic farmer’s crops getting contaminated and his losing his license to sell organic products. Stonyfield and other organic companies opposed this ruling and in 2010 it went to the Supreme Court. The decision was that deregulation could not take place without the USDA making an environmental assessment of the genetically enhanced seeds used, and an injunction was put in place preventing the planting of GE alfalfa seeds. David and Goliath Biotech companies lobbied heavily in Washington. However, the smaller organic supporters caught the ear of the USDA and as a result persuaded them to conduct a meeting of the minds of both sides. The problem was clear – there was an incredible amount of support, political and financial, in favor of GE alfalfa. The result was that the UDSA would allow deregulation. The organic companies and farmers were faced with the fact that GE alfalfa was here to stay. What was left to fight over was whether it would be complete deregulation or one with restrictions. In their opinion, it was better to have some measure of control than no control at all, so the organic community stayed and fought. They brought to the table demands for reassurance that â€Å"(a) organic farmers whose crops become contaminated by GE alfalfa must be compensated by the patent holders for their losses due to losing their organic certification and (b) the USDA must oversee all testing and monitoring of GE crops t o ensure compliance as part of its role in protecting all US agriculture.† 3 The organic community won that portion of the battle. Conclusion The organic community may have won that battle, but they lost the war. Chemical companies and genetically engineered seed are a mainstay in today’s agriculture. Along with that they bring with them the potential for contaminated soil and damaged and lost crops of the small, everyday farmer. These farmers and family-owned businesses are being swallowed up on a regular basis. As the world’s population grows so does the demand for an ever increasing need of better, more enhanced, products. Technology provides us with the knowledge and growth for these, but in its wake leaves behind the things that matter very much to — clean air, clean soil, fresh water and â€Å"pure† food. References 1) Monsato. (2010). Monsato. Retrieved from http://www.monsanto.com 2) Pearson, C. (2010, March). The Most Unethical Company is also Best Corporate Citizen. Cause Integration http://www.causeintegration.com/2010/ the-most-unethical-companyis-a-best-corporate-citizen-what-gives/ 3) Hirshberg, G. (2011, January). Speaking with One Voice to Stop Monsato and Biotech. Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-hirshberg/speaking-with-one-voice-t_b_816447.html

World Environment Day

World Environment Day is celebrated each year on 5th June. The United Nations established in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment. World Environment Day is used by the United Nations to encourage awareness of the environment. The first World Environment Day held at Stockholm, was the first time political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at great length in view of taking some definitive action.World Environment Day is celebrated in many ways. Street rallies, parades, street plays create awareness about world environment. In many cities contests like poster contests, essay contests, poetry contests, slogan contests and debates are held to celebrate this event further. The main objective always is to get the people involved with the environment. Some cities have art exhibitions with art made from recycled materials. Banners are put all across the street promoting the message of World Environment Day.Tree planting is also held in some cities. Awards are given out to those neighborhoods that have made a significant effort to take care of the environment. Broadcast of public service announcements on TV and radio help to renew people’s efforts to saving the environment. Conferences are held to educate people about the efforts that can be made to preserve the environment. The World Environment Day’s agenda is to give importance to environmental issues. It hopes to empower people to become active agents promoting the cause of the environment. Change can happen only if it is affected at the community level; hence programs are held on World Environment Day that creates community consciousness.Heads of Government and Ministers of Environment deliver speeches’ advising the people of what has already been achieved and what still needs to be achieved. Some even go a step further and set up permanent government bodies that will look specifically into environmental issues. Each World Environment Day has a special topic that related to the environment that it addresses. The topic for World Environment Day for 2007 was â€Å"Melting Ice – a good Topic?† It discussed the affects the climate change was having on the  polar ecosystems and communities and the resulting global impacts of these changes.The topic for World Environment Day 2006 was Deserts and Desertification and the slogan was â€Å"Don’t desert dry lands† World Environment Day is a day for us to inspect the state of our environment. It calls for us to stop in our tracks one day in the year and examine our surroundings. It asks us to pledge, in a small way at least, to do something for the environment. The young and the old can contribute to the saving of the environment.Not everyone needs to make hefty contributions to world environment organizations. The little things, the ones that really matter are things like recycling our waste, using paper and products made of wood d iscriminately and these can be done by anybody and everybody. Children can also contribute to this cause by not wasting water, by switching off the lights and fans in the house when not in use. There is something each of us can do to preserve the environment. So let us all pledge to do something, at least one thing.

Melanoma Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Melanoma - Research Proposal Example Exposure to ultraviolet rays (UVA & UVB) rank as the most important factors for development of melanomas. This effected through DNA damage, specifically thymine dimerization leading to oncogenic mutations. It is well known that the incidence of melanoma in Queensland, Australia (50/100,000) is five times that of the UK (10,000), despite the fact that the nearly all cases in Australia occur in people of Scottish and Irish descent. This clearly points out to solar exposure as the prime factor in it causation. Although tanning beds (Berwick 507) and sunscreens have been implicated as a possible causative factor, no significant statistical evidence has been presented yet. Additional risk is also seen in red-headed and fair-skinned people, people with multiple dysplastic or atypical naevi, and in a condition called congenital giant melanocytic naevi. 1. Germline Mutations : Apart from the fact that melanoma clusters can be seen in certain families, and melanoma-prone families are well known to have mutations in CDKN2A, CDK4 and other genes. The p16 gene mutation has also been reported in over 25% of familial melanomas worldwide, as well as in about 10 % of sporadic melanomas. It has a low degree of penetrance, and it is likely that sporadic melanoma has a complex pattern of inheritance. Melanoma also has an association with various cancer family syndromes, most notably pancreatic cancer, but also in breast, throat and gastro-intestinal cancers. 2. Somatic mutations : A genetic progression model of the step-by-step transformation of precursor lesions (naevi) to melanomas, or the stages of melanoma progression itself have shown that there are important genetic loci where were changes accumulate. They are mostly due to loss of chromosomal material on multiple loci : chromosomes 1,3,6,9,10,11 and 17 being particularly affected. Somatic mutations on the BRAF gene has also been described in up to 60 % of melanomas. 3. The genetics of the at-risk phenotype : Over the past two decades, as it has become clearer that the fair skin-type and high naevus counts are powerful predictors of melanoma, the hunt for susceptible genes in these at-risk phenotypes has begun. In addition, the propensity to get

Final Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Final - Term Paper Example Anxiety is one psychological disorder which is reported even from the beginning of recorded human history. In Holy Bible incidents of depression are reported to two prominent personalities; King David and Job. Many people still don’t have much idea about anxiety as a disease since the symptoms of anxiety are visible among even normal people occasionally. Like many of the psychological disorders, both heredity and environment can cause depressive behaviors Anxiety is always caused by negative thoughts and negative energy driven by unpleasant emotions or feelings. Anxiety can be defined as a psychological disorder characterized by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components. It is driven by low mood and lack of activity. Persons with anxiety disorders may exhibit sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, guilty feeling, restlessness, uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety can change the normal conduct of a person and it can be considered as a normal reaction to stress. An 80 year old mother of one of my friends, who is staying near my home, is undergoing treatment currently for anxiety related psychological problems. Lady X (For convenience throughout this paper this lady is referred as ‘Lady X’) was a brave and courageous lady who has faced several problems during her childhood with respect to poverty. She was the second child of a seven member family. She was married to a soldier at an early age of 18. Her husband was busy with his military assignments till 58 years of age and enjoyed only 2 months of his annual holidays with his wife and four children for a prolonged 20 years of his military services. When he retired at the age of 58, he was quiet happy as all the four children were already got employment and his family burdens were considerably reduced. Lady X was the one who brought up her children and worked hard for the wellbeing of their children even though Mr. X assisted her with

Discussion week 8 The Importance of Social Media and Web Analytics Assignment

Discussion week 8 The Importance of Social Media and Web Analytics - Assignment Example As mentioned, Salina was noted that the key ingredients to her success are: â€Å"quality content, the building and nurturing of an audience, and findability† (Robson, 2012, p. 4). Two of the social media methods that Salina used are: (1) partnering with YouTube; and (2) promoting her instructional videos through Do-It-Yourself (DIY) sites, like CutOutAndKeep (Robson, 2012, p. 3). The partnering with YouTube proved to be instrumental in enhancing awareness, access and viewership to her target audience. On the other hand, opting to promote the videos through DIY sites was deemed to be contributory to acknowledgement of her skills and talents as a craftsperson. Posting her instructional videos in these social media sites provided the opportunity for Salina to catapult to fame and to be known in the arts and crafts endeavor. 2. From the scenario, prioritize the most significant components of a social media campaign according to the level of influence each could have on the new product launch. Examine both the social media tools that will provide the highest return on investment (ROI), and two (2) key performance indicators (KPIs) that one could use to measure success. Provide a rationale for your response. From the scenario, it was noted that the most significant components of social media campaign according to the level of influence each could have on the new product launch of the tablet are: (1) word of mouth (W.O.M.); and (2) social networks. The social media tools that could provide the highest return on investment (ROI) would therefore depend on accurately identifying the goals of the marketing campaign and to ascertain how much funds or resources have been spent (amount of investment) to generate the targeted return (Developing Social Media Campaigns for the New Product Launch, 2014). Thus, to measure the ability of generating the highest

Relation between service quality and customer satisfaction Essay

Relation between service quality and customer satisfaction - Essay Example The researcher states that a look into the related literature proves that both quality and satisfaction are often used interchangeably as if both are the same construct. However, a closer look reveals that both are different concepts which are very similar to each other. According to many researchers, customer satisfaction is a function of discrepancy between a customer’s previous expectations and the customer’s perceptions regarding the new purchase. In simple words, if the customer feels that the service is better than what is expected, there is customer satisfaction. Now, a look into the concept of service quality proves that it is defined as the comparative function between customer expectations and actual service rendered. Thus, one reaches the notion that while customer satisfaction is a more specific, short-term evaluation that is influenced by actual service quality and customer expectations, actual service quality is more general and long term evaluation. In si mple words, service quality is just one important factor that can ensure customer satisfaction. Here, one point becomes evident; customer expectation is an important factor that can influence customer satisfaction. Now, a look into the related literature proves that customer expectation is the product of a number of factors. These factors range from word of mouth communications from other customers, personal needs of customers, past experiences, and external communications from service providers including the price-quality relationship.    Now, it becomes necessary to elaborate each of these points in detail. First of all, it is common for all customers to develop some expectations about the service to be received based on the word of mouth feedback from ones friends and acquaintances. Another point is the influence of ones personal needs. For example, one customer might visit a sports centre as a way to socialise while another one may visit in order to keep oneself fit. Another p oint of consideration is the fact that some customers develop their own expectations based on their prior experiences in similar situations. That means, the customers are likely to weigh the service against the service they received in the past in order to decide whether the service is satisfactory.    Another important area of consideration is the influence of external communications on customer expectations. External communication means the accuracy of information that comes out through promotion regarding the quality of service. Once the promotional materials provide high expectations and fail to provide the same quality service in practice, there will be customer dissatisfaction. Thus, it becomes evident that the promotional materials should only contain factual, objective information that can be useful for the customers in making informed choices. In other words, the expectations of the customers that are developed through promotion should meet the actual quality of service.    Now, a look into the work by  Iacobucci et al (1995)  proves that both customer satisfaction and service quality are very similar to each other because of the similarities in their antecedents. For example, according to the scholars, the antecedents of service quality are price, back-stage, and expertise. Similarly, the factors that lead to customer satisfaction are timeliness, service recovery, and physical environment  (ibid). Now, a closer look reveals a factor that is rather interesting. All the antecedents of

A short SF story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

A short SF story - Essay Example They did not succeed, however, in achieving improvements on scientific matters, since their resources were scarce. They sensed that something was missing that could improve their lives. They needed to become strong and fearless of what they would encounter on the surface, an unknown site to them. Eager to wonder into the unknown they set off into their voyage. They had old technologies that they managed to acquire from their ancestors from the 21st Century. They thought that the key elements to their science inquiries would be found in the old human beings ´ technologies. They thought that if they worked on some of the technological paradigms that they had on file, they could reconstruct a better life for their species. They would be able to enjoy a surface they had no idea of what to expect. Everything would be new to them and perhaps they would find other survivors, other species, and other galaxies. They had difficulties working with the technology they found since it was outdated and they lacked the necessary tools to update it to function according to their needs. Due to the fact that they had lived underground for so long and were constantly experimenting, they were ingenious and found ways to adapt the technological devices according to their needs. The survivor idea was both a good feeling as well as a bad feeling. They would possibly find good natured species that would want the wellbeing of all but they could also find minds with destructive thoughts, such as the ones that brought them to what they had become. It was not an easy decision to make. They wanted to expand their knowledge, travel into the galaxy, and help endure life as they knew it. Fortunately, they had the reproductive means to continue for generations but they wanted to improve their species. They wanted to become that which they were in the 21st Century with major improvements. They thought that the only way to achieve their goal would be to find

Emerging markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emerging markets - Essay Example Emerging markets are becoming the fastest drivers of global development. These markets are expected to grow twice or thrice the number of developed countries like the United States. The public investor continues to underweight these developing markets in their collections. Corporate profits seem to grow rapidly when there is a higher economic growth. One of the reasons why developed markets like the U.S have been ranked high is because of the development of markets outside the country. Some nations are borrowing a leaf from the U.S and are performing well as emerging markets. They include Brazil, Indonesia, Chile, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Peru, and Korea. In this context, Turkey and Peru are the markets discussed, putting in mind that some of the factors that have contributed to their emergence are: The significance of trade, the role of the government, investments and savings, and education among others (Larrain, Helmut &Maltzan 67). Factors that have allowed Turkey to move up the development ladder Importance of investments and savings Historically, Turkey has been dependent on developed markets for a huge portion of its investments and savings. However, the country is now focusing to engage in more business with other regions of the world, with the Middle East, Asia, and Africa included. It is this shift in focus that is accelerating the growth and investment of Turkey. In addition to this, Turkey has in recent years overcome a sequence of economic and political challenges and is now benefiting from a period of solid and stable economic growth, which enables it to grow at least five percent yearly. Its world class characteristics include the strategic position at the crossroads of the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. To add on these strategic positions, the huge size of its domestic markets also attracts some investors, who remain confident about the country’s features. The goods market below shows relationship between the savings and in vestments of Turkey at equilibrium. The role of the government, its policies and programs The structural transformation of Turkey was generated by political stability and economic reform. First, the newly implemented FDI frame law by the government marks the foremost instalment of this economic reform to alter the investment setting in the country and make it attract global investors. The FDI frame law ensured equal treatment to all investors regardless of the initial authorization request to move dividends freely, to be guarded against expropriation, to get access to real estate, and to hire emigrants. Turkey reduced corporate tax from approximately 33% to 20% for each company. The reason for doing these was to make Turkey one of the leading liberal nations worldwide in terms of the investment environment and for FDI framework. The consequence of this transformation have been promising and significant, since the country started to grow at a faster rate after 2001 and it now has the utmost industrial power as well as the one of the leading free-market economies. The economic programs were founded on a powerful macroeconomic policy framework. Some of the broad-ranging structural government reforms are a key renovation of the banking system. A liberal foreign investment government, a better investment atmosphere, and privatization are the major pillars of government reform. The economic programs joined with supervisory and regulatory reforms improved the Turkish economy’s toughness to shocks. Consequently, Turkey emerged from the international crisis to be among the globe’s fastest-growing economies (Aguiar, & Gopinath 23). Educational level The availability and access of highly learned personnel is a position-specific element that has made Turkey emerge economically. High educated person are highly required by businesses that invest in technological businesses and have assets in skills like the capabilities to develop intangible or differentiated products. The presence of elites in interaction with labour

Business Ethics in the Footwear, Clothing, and Textile Industries Essay

Business Ethics in the Footwear, Clothing, and Textile Industries - Essay Example   Business ethics and conduct have been a major talking point in the TCF industry, especially with regards to the fairness of its dealings, processes, stakeholder treatment, and competition policies. The principle of fairness seeks to ensure that TCF organizations engage in; fair and free ethical competition deals with all stakeholders in a way that can describe as being equitable and fair and is non-discriminatory during the process of contracting and hiring (Braithwaite & Drahos, 2010: p401). This principle has been a problematic one within the TCF industry. The workforce is 80% female on minimum wage that averages $38 every month. This industry has the lowest costs of labor globally, and the workers’ unions are intimidated with violence in order to stay quiet on industry standard violations (Sajhau, 2013: p34). The industry needs to create a more friendly culture for workers, enforcing freedom of association sans victimization, pro-labor legislation, balance the gender in equality gap, and fire and building inspection codes. This can be achieved with the help of global retailers.   Issues related to diligence and loyalty is an important concern with regards to business ethics in the TCF industry. The industry would be required to act as a fiduciary for investors and the company by carrying out the organization’s operations in a loyal and diligent manner expected of trustees (Braithwaite & Drahos, 2010: p402). Corporate ethics are reflective of the business’ philosophy, and one of its objectives is the determination of the company’s fundamental purposes.

Commercial office blocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Commercial office blocks - Essay Example On some occassions, high rise buiding may also comprise o f both the retail and educational facilities. High rise commercial office block is considered as the most recent from of high rise building which is considered as a mixed – use building. Being one of the highest and largest buidings, the cost for construction is relativey high. Together with that, both the commercial and office functions of such buidings require a high degree of maintenance. There is a wide variety of commercial buildings that subsists mostly within the USA. The buildings ranges from customary sandstone architecture to the contemporary ones, that is, the multi-story and the high- rise structures. The construction of some of the most important swimming pools purposed for global swimming competitions, are featured by high technological level. For them to retain their position as international pools, use of contemporary and accurate techniques is not an optional thing (American Institute of Steel Construct ion, 2003). There are different forms of high rise commercial office blocks. These may include: i. Shopping malls. There has been a growing trend since the 1970s of building large shopping malls at the suburbs of the business districts for large cities around the world. These malls contain everything from the supermarkets, banks, movie theatres and even restaurants. ii. Hotels and pubs. From an architecturally point of view, most of the large hotels are monumental in respect to modern blueprint and depicts the level of commercial tourism of the region. They are built ion the heart of the business districts of major cities with impeccable landscape gardens, spacious lobbies, restaurants and specialty shops. iii. Retail stores. Self relying retail outlets such as large electrical and furniture stores and fast- foods outlets are present all over the in semi-residential areas, along highways and near the large shopping malls. Big commercial links often than not establish a similar desig n creating an architectural icon that can be linked to such a company. iv. High-rise office skyscrapers. It all started in the 1960s with the building of multi-story officer blocks and at present it is so much evident especially in large cities and coastal regions. v. Industrial estates. These are constructed away from the central business districts and residential areas due to pollution and noise and the fact that they usually feature a one or two story offices and warehouses with individual parking and loading bays. The commercial leasing companies construct industrial estates and their residential areas flooded with factory waste and pollution. Storage warehouse Warehouse the most universal type of storeroom although other forms such as storage tanks and computer server farms still exist. It is a gigantic structure that supports the offloading of several trucks and railroad cars that hold supplier’s products while at the same time loading other smaller trucks for transport ation to customers. There are 5 types of warehouses namely: i. Private warehouse. This is owned and an ran by resellers and suppliers that use them for their personal supply endeavors. ii. Public warehouse. This is basically a space that can be leased to take care of short-term supply needs. Retailers running their own warehouses may seek to use them if their facilities have

Asbestos Removal †Essential for Healthy Living Essay Example for Free

Asbestos Removal – Essential for Healthy Living Essay For all those who spend most of their time indoors, whether it is their home or office, the environment of these living spaces has a straight affect on their health. Therefore, it is essential for individuals to ensure that atmosphere in which they and their family members live, is secured and healthy. In most commercial and residential buildings, asbestos is used quite extensively. With high tensile strength, it is a highly heat resistant material that comes with good insulating properties. Asbestos is mostly used in manufacturing building materials such roofing, ceiling tiles, insulators and many other building supplies. It is considered a harmless material provided that the building supply in which it is used is undamaged. However, with the depletion of these building products, it becomes necessary to remove them as it starts releasing minute asbestos fibers into the air. Generally, most of these building supplies are labeled to indicate whether they comprise asbestos or not. If there is no such label, it becomes very essential to opt for asbestos testing Toronto to verify any presence of asbestos. Such tests help to ensure that the home is safe and free from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos may have harmful effects on the health as minute particles might get breathed into the lungs that can be cause of lung diseases. For this reason, asbestos removal Barrie is so important. As asbestos is commonly used in the manufacture of building materials due to its high insulating qualities thus it is crucial to test asbestos when individuals renovate or shift into a new house. It is always a good choice to hire experienced professionals expert in the technique of asbestos removal as they are aware of the set rules and regulations. One the most common organic contaminations that might occur indoors are the molds, which are mostly seen in places that lack proper ventilation and have presence of any damp areas inside the home or office. Molds can be found mostly in ceilings, wallpapers, underneath carpets, basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and places near a wet area. Even though it is very minute and can be hardly seen with naked eyes, it can be cause of various health issues. Mold inspection Toronto becomes apparent, if individuals happen to detect any signs of molds at their home or office. Molds can be easily removed with help of mold removal Barrie services. The presence of molds would not only affect the health but also damage the house, making it unsafe and unhealthy for the occupants. In such circumstances, mold testing Toronto helps to identify the type of mold, the degree of damage and the techniques required to remove them. When individuals hire services of professional experts, they can be assured that mold would be completely removed and that no place in the home or office is left out. Molds can affect health of those persons trying to remove molds on their own. Thus, it is necessary that this task is carried out by someone who has knowledge and experience to perform the work efficiently and effectively. The most vital thing is to take act immediately whenever there is any indication that the home or office has been attacked by molds.

Demonstrative Communication Process

Demonstrative Communication Process Demonstrative communication includes nonverbal and unwritten communication and involves such things as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and so forth. Include the following elements in your paper: Demonstrative Communication Communication is defined as the process of sending and receiving information, a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, speech, signs, writing, or behavior (Merriam-Webster, 2011). Communication can be verbal or nonverbal, written, or visual. According to Paul Endress, 7% of the communication process is words, 38% is voice tone, and 55% is physiology. Therefore, nonverbal communication comprises 93% of communication; it is made up of the following three areas and their subgroups: †¢ Body Physical Space Clothing and appearance Locomotion (kinesics) †¢ Physiology Posture Gesture Facial expressions †¢ Nonverbal Eye contact Touch (haptics) Tone of voice (paralanguage) Research shows that the nonverbal channels of communication (how things are said) are often more important than words alone (what is said)(Endress, 2010). Demonstrative communication is that part of the communication process that includes nonverbal and unwritten communications. Demonstrative communication entails sending and receiving wordless messages (Nayab, 2010) Effective or Ineffective Effective communication is the foundation for positive interactions in the workplace as well as in social settings. To share ideas, give opinions, or be defined as an individual, one must have effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills. These skills are not only important for the sender but also for the receiver. According to Missouri Western State Universitys Laurel J. Dunn, nonverbal communication can be deciphered beginning in early childhood, but interpretation becomes more accurate as the person grows older. Nonverbal cues are responsible for a major portion of the message sent. Even if the verbal message is flawless, one still might communicate ineffectively (Dunn, 2009). For example, one person walks up to another and with a warm smile and direct eye contact, reaches out, gives the other person a firm handshake and in a happy tone of voice says, â€Å"I do not like you.† The other person will most likely smile back and agree. Words are only seven percent of the message whereas 93% is nonverbal. If the two conflict, the brain will register the preponderance of the message, which is the nonverbal. In order for a message to be received effectively, the verbal component must coincide with the nonverbal or demonstrative communication. For example, dressing properly, a firm handshake and a friendly demeanor can speak volumes about the kind of person someone is at a job interview. A person can rely on these qualities to reinforce his or her verbal performance (Sutton, 2011). For the receiver, a message can be easily misread or misunderstood. Gestures, appearances, and facial expressions can have different meanings to different people. People can easily misread people they do not know. For example, meeting someone who looks scruffy and assuming that he is lazy. However, later one discovers that he is a brilliant and hard-working artist. Some people might assume that sitting with arms folded means one is defensive. In fact, this can convey feeling cold or simply comfortable. Nonverbal communication should not be solely relied on because there are no hard and fast rules regarding what different gestures and expressions mean (Sutton, 2011). Across cultural lines, one gesture can mean one thing to one cultural group and mean the complete opposite to another. For example, to give someone the thumbs up gesture in America means he has done a good job. If this same gesture were used in Iran, it would mean an obscenity (Endress, 2010). Listening and Responding As with verbal communication, demonstrative communication involves listening and responding. Often an individual can learn more from another’s actions than from his words. Many are the instances in which people can listen with their eyes instead of their ears. For example, a close friend walks out of the classroom after a final examination with her head down, shoulders slumped, and a defeated look on her face. One does not need to ask how well she did. It is important for people to use active listening when receiving any type of message. According to Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado (1998), people often are distracted by other stimuli when they are supposed to be paying attention to a speaker. During an argument, people often formulate a response while the other person is talking, which leaves parts of the message unheard or misunderstood. Active listening involves clearing one’s mind of distractions and focusing entirely on the speaker. Once the spe aker has completed talking, paraphrase what he said before replying. Active listening can bridge the gap between effective verbal and nonverbal communication (McNamara, 2010). Conclusion Demonstrative communication is that part of the communication process that includes nonverbal and unwritten communications; it entails sending and receiving wordless messages. Nonverbal communication comprises 93% of the message. Effective communication is the foundation for positive interactions; it is equally important to the sender and the receiver. It involves listening and responding. One can learn more from others actions than from their words. References Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado. (1998). Active Listening. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/activel.htm Dunn, L. J. (2009). Nonverbal Communication: Information Conveyed Through the Use of Body Language. Retrieved from http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/70.php Endress, P. (2010). Non-Verbal Communication Demonstration. Retrieved from http://www.maximumadvantage.com/nonverbal-communication/non-verbal-communication-demonstration.html McNamara, M. (2010, August 2). Effective Verbal Non-Verbal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/192035-effective-verbal-non-verbal-communication/ Merriam-webster.com. (2011). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication Nayab, N. (2011, June 27). Comparing Various Forms of Communication. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/79297.aspx Sutton, N. (2011, March 26). Pros Cons of Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8117087_pros-cons-nonverbal-communication.html Essay 2 (Example) Demonstrative Communication Introduction There are diverse definitions of communication. In simple words, communication can be defined as the process of transmitting and receiving messages. Communication involves reciprocation of ideas and messages. There are two forms of communication including verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication involves communication in the form of written and oral messages. However, non-verbal communication is in the form of gestures and images. This paper aims to discuss demonstrative communication and its effectiveness. There are diverse factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of demonstrative communication. The vital components of demonstrative communication include tone, gestures, prior knowledge, and the environment. A slight imbalance in these factors could result in the ineffectiveness of demonstrative communication. Discussion Demonstrative Communication Demonstrative communication is the process in which sending and receiving messages a re accompanied by sharing thoughts and information. Demonstrative communication involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. This paper will discuss demonstrative communication and its effectiveness. Some of the components of demonstrative communication include tone, gestures, prior knowledge, and the environment. One of the types of demonstrative communication includes facial expressions. This form of communication also involves tone and body language. Facial expressions can be further classified into positive and negative. Demonstrative communication is effective when it involves positive facial expressions. However, negative facial expressions make demonstrative communication ineffective (Mounter Smith, 2008). Demonstrative communication also involves nonverbal and unwritten communication. In this form of demonstrative communication, wordless messages are sent and received. Demonstrative non-verbal communication supports verbal communication despite the fact that it can co nvey messages on its own. Demonstrative communication reinforces verbal communication. Effectiveness of Demonstrative Communication Demonstrative communication can be effective and ineffective. It can be positive and negative for both the sender and receiver. The environment in which communication takes place plays an important role in its effectiveness. Communication may take place directly or indirectly. Most of the time, face-to-face communication is more effective than other forms of communication. Indirect communication takes place through text messages, emails, and instant messages. These messages are also accompanied by facial expressions. In verbal communication, the participants talk directly. It is because of this reason that verbal communication is more effective than non-verbal (Nielsen, 2008). In our everyday life, we use the non-verbal communication more than verbal communication. Demonstrative communication can be perceived by the listener as both positive and negativ e. The perception of participants is largely influenced by the use of non-verbal forms of communication. The presentation of individuals also Essay 2 (Example) Demonstrative communication Communication can be described in many different ways and mean many things. Communication is the process of transmitting, relaying, or sending and receiving messages. The communication process conveys thoughts, ideas, data, and messages either thru speech, writing, body singles, behavior, or kinesics (Cheesebro, Rios, OConnor, 2010). Communication can be transmitted verbally and non-verbally. Verbal communication combines written and oral communication while nonverbal communications is express thru body language, facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures. The key to effective communication is the shared understanding of the information between the receiver and sender. It involves the shared understanding of thoughts, feelings, wants needs, and the intentions of the communicators, which may not be openly expressed with words (Cheesebro, Rios, OConnor, 2010). The communication process is completed when the receiver understands the message being sent by the sender. This paper will deliberate demonstrative communication, a style of communication that deals with nonverbal and unwritten communication. This paper will discuss how demonstrative communication can be positive and negative, effective and ineffective, and how it is mutually for the sender and receiver. It will also discuss nonverbal cues, the functions of nonverbal communication, and the importance of demonstrative communication is to listening and responding. Demonstrative Communication can be Positive and Effective There are two types of demonstrative communication as stated earlier nonverbal and unwritten. Demonstrative communication involves sending and receiving messages that are used to inform, correct, educate, and share emotions. If the communication process is ineffective it has the influence and power to hurt, confuse, mislead, and even hinder the receivers and the senders rather it is verbal or nonverbal (Papa, 2012). If the communication process is effective then it can leave the sender/receiver with a clear understanding of the message feeling, empowered, informed, educated, and appreciated. An example of this would be, if someone was out on a date and had a good time at the end of the night they might give the other person a kiss to indicate they had a good time and how they feel. On the other hand if someone did not enjoy themselves and was not interested in the other person there will be minimal talk, eye contact, gestures, and that person might receive a handshake or a polite goo dnight at the end of the night rather than a kiss. Since the sender and receiver shared understanding and receiving of the message is different it is important the message is clear and both communicators share a clear understanding of the message. Good communication skills are the key to an individual’s success in life and in this growing economy and globalized world. With the growing demand for these essential skills which have branched off into a wide variety of divisions and techniques, and with advancing technology nonverbal and unwritten communications has grown and advanced in numerous ways (Subapriya, 2009). Statistics vary, but 60%-80% of people’s communication is nonverbal, 7%-10% is actual words, and the rest is tone of voice. Subtle and often subconscious, movements such as facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture send strong messages to the receiver. So in other words sitting up straight and paying attention can let the sender know you are paying attention and are interested in the message they are sending. Nonverbal Cues and Functions of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication serves six primary functions complementing, substituting, accenting, contradicting, repeating, and regulating verbal messages. Complementing, nonverbal behavior serves to complement or adds to the verbal message (Subapriya, 2009). It can only modify, or elaborate on the verbal messages. Nonverbal behavior alone would not communicate the intended meaning. Complementing nonverbal message changes the meaning of the verbal message by adding additional insights or information. So when clarity is of the most importance, one should be especially concerned with making verbal and nonverbal behaviors complement to one another (Subapriya, 2009). Nonverbal messages are sent in advance of verbal messages. Before someone can even udder a word their facial expression, clothes, body posture, skin color, and hair style can communicate much about them. Unfortunately, this can be true even if the message sent is not the message you want to communicate. An example of this would b e, if someone had a job interview and they showed up wearing dirty clothes, angry facial expression, and bad posture. This would communicate to the interviewer that you may not want the job compared to someone in a suit and tie, a smile on their face, and good eye contact and body posture. The way you present yourself and the others view you is a part of the nonverbal communication process. Both oral and written communication styles attain perfection with the usage of nonverbal cues. The meaning of a text can be communicated to the listeners and readers through nonverbal signals. Verbal signs and nonverbal cues together in the right proportion can pave the way for meaningful communication (Peng, 2011). Nonverbal cues play a vital role in the success of effective communication. Nonverbal signals operate at two levels. Nonverbal cues in writing which involves features like, headings, titles, subheadings, photographs, captions, figures, graphs, and bar charts etc Whereas oral communication involves nonverbal signals like eye contact, gestures, posture, facial expressions, tone of voice and body language. Both oral and written nonverbal cues can form a dynamic feature of nonverbal communication to ensure effective communication (Subapriya, 2009). Without effective nonverbal communication the message sent can be misunderstood. Conclusion Demonstrative communication involves sending and receiving messages that are used to inform, correct, educate, and share emotions. If the communication process is ineffective it has the influence and power to hurt, confuse, mislead, and even hinder the receivers and the senders rather it is verbal or nonverbal. Good communication skills are the key to an individual’s success in life and in this growing economy and globalized world. Nonverbal behavior alone would not communicate the intended meaning. Complementing nonverbal message changes the meaning of the verbal message by adding additional insights or information. Both oral and written communication styles attain perfection with the usage of nonverbal cues. The key to effective communication is the shared understanding of the information between the receiver and sender. It involves the shared understanding of thoughts, feelings, wants needs, and the intentions of the communicators, which may not be openly expressed with wor ds. The communication process is completed when the receiver understands the message being sent by the sender. References Cheesebro, T., Rios, F., OConnor, L. (2010). Communicating in the Workplace. Prentice- Hall, MD: Pearson Education, Inc.. Harvard Business School. (2012). Faculty Research, Amy J.C. Cuddy. Retrieved from http://drfd.hbs.edu Papa, J. (2012). Effective and Ineffective Communication. Retrieved from http://ehow.com Peng, H. (August, 2011). Effects of Non-Verbal Communication on College English Classrooms Teachings. US-China Foreign Language, 9(8), 505-516. Subapriya, K. K. (2009, June). The Importance of Non-Verbal Cues. ICFIA Journal of Soft Skills, 3(2), 37-42.

Money Laundering Control in Nigeria

Money Laundering Control in Nigeria Money laundering INTRODUCTION This dissertation makes a contribution to the worrying issues of money laundering in Nigeria and the control mechanism within the economy. Money laundering is a global problem which warranted a declaration by the United Nations. The declaration strongly condemns money laundering because it aids the use of financial systems for illicit drug trafficking and other serious crimes such as terrorism. For example the work of Okogbule on (Official corruption and the dynamics of money laundering in Nigeria 2007), and the work Chukwumerie on (Nigerias Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004: A tighter noose, 2004), and the work of Chibuike (Ethics in Nigerian Banking, 2004), all these scholars did not give a look at the banking sector in regard to money laundering compliance and if Nigeria, is really regulating according to international practicing. Therefore, that gives the researcher more effort in looking inwards to the banks, since that is where large transaction takes place. THE OVERVIEW OF MONEY LAUNDERING The research project is on Money laundering Control in Nigeria, and how it has been a very serious problem in that country especially in recent times during the civilian administration, (Chukwuemerie, 2006). But it is not only Nigeria, which its affecting, it is a menace in the whole world that even requested the United Nations making a declaration strongly condemning laundering of money through the illicit drug trafficking and other serious crime, as well as the use of the financial systems of the states for that purpose, (UN Resolution S- 20/4 D) Evidence from around the world proves this view. According to Walker, (1999), around $2.85bn is been laundered yearly around the globe. Again, for example the United Kingdom Government recently issue a cheque of One hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) pounds to the Attorney General of Nigeria, as part of the proceeds laundered by a former Governor in Nigeria (Joshua Dariye), also a cheque for $2 million belonging to former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was also returned to Nigeria by the British government and promised to returned the sum of Fourty Million (40,000,000) pounds recovered from some Nigerian Government Officials; (Oyedele, 2008) THE INTERNATIONAL FIGHT AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING Money laundering has been a global problem since the beginning of the 20th century. Uche (2007) relate that there were 12 multilateral drug treaties between 1912 and 1972. These treaties helped in regulating the manufacturing and trading of drugs worldwide (United Nations, 1987). For instance, Nadelemann (1988) reports the United Nations adoption of the ideals of Vienna Convention on illicit traffic of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The convention emphasises on tracking down the wealth of money launderers. Article 5(2) of the Vienna convention provides that each party must enact domestic laws to enable it to identify, trace, seize, freeze, and forfeit all manner of profit derived from or used in Money laundering offences. Further all member nations are required to assist other member within their territory in the fight against money laundering offences; (Article 5(4b)). In 1990, the Council of Europe convention on Laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime was adopted. And one of the notable differences is that it goes beyond drug related crimes. The wolfsberg, this are group of eleven banks that came together to fight money laundering. The group was formed in the year 2000, at Chateau Wolfsberg in north east of Switzerland; the group released their anti money laundering principles to their correspondence banks, all in order to fight money laundering. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body whose purpose is the development and promotion ofnational and international policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.The FATF is therefore a policy-making body created in 1989that works to generate the necessary political will to bring aboutlegislative and regulatory reforms in these areas. The FATF has published 40+9Recommendations in order to meet this objective. For example, the case of former Nigerian Head of State (Gen. Sani Abacha), $675.2m; 75.3m GBP; were all recovered by the government of Nigeria, with the assistance of the other countries were the money was laundered; (Shehu, 2004). MONEY LAUNDERING IN NIGERIA Okogbule (2007) argue that money laundering was relatively unknown in Nigeria up to the mid 1980s. Further, he relate that it is now being used as a means of corruption in every segment of Nigerian society. For this reason, the military government enacted a decree (which decree and when was it enacted) . Thereafter, the civilian administration that came in 1999 repealed the decree and came up with the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2004 which gave birth to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Pursuant to the Act, the commission is empowered to investigate and prosecute any person or corporate body who commit any act of money laundering. For instance, a former governor in Nigeria was charged with money laundering offence for bringing into the United Kingdom the sum of 3.2 Million Dollars in 2005 (Guardian Newspaper, 2005). Reiterating the laundering issue, the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri mentioned that the Nigerian government lost over 285 Billion Naira in 10 years. These tend support the argument that there is a regulation gap in the regulation of money laundering in Nigeria. It is in context that this research intends to look at money laundering regulations in Nigeria, so as to contribute towards developing the country. THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of the study will focus on the effectiveness money laundering regulation in the Nigerian Banking sector, and whether the Nigerian authorities have anything to learn from, how Money laundering is dealt with in the world (International Standard)? AIMS OF THE STUDY The main focus of the dissertation is to find out the effectiveness of money-laundering regulations in regards to banks in Nigerian, and compare it with the international standard? The extent of money laundering in Nigeria The effectiveness of money laundering regulations in Nigeria The international standard on Money laundering Control What lessons Nigeria can learn from that Chapter Two: LITERATURE REVIEW CONCEPT OF MONEY LAUNDERING Money laundering can generally be defined as the process of converting or transferring Criminal proceeds with the intention of disguising their illicit origin (UN, 2000: Art. 3(a)(i)). The extent of the problem becomes clear, considering that, in 1996, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated the money laundering business at around 2-5 per cent of the worlds gross domestic product (Camdessus, 1998), which amounts to up to US$1.5 trillion (Financial Action Task Force FATF, 2007). Moreover, it is claimed that the money laundering business is the third biggest industry worldwide following the international oil trade and foreign exchange (Preller, 2007, pp 234). In one of the definitions it says conversion transfer of any property, knowing such property is gotten from drug related offense or even acting in the scheme to conceal the true information of the origin of such property in order to protect such person from facing the legal consequences of his/her action. FATF organization defines money laundering as a concise the processing of criminal proceeds to disguise their illegal origin in order to legitimize the ill gotten gain of crime. Law Dictionary (1990) refers to it as an investment or other transfer of money flowing from racketeering, drug transactions, and other illegal sources into legitimate channels so that its original source cannot be traced. Money laundering has been defined as a way funds obtained from illegal sources, and put into an account that cannot be traced for possible action; Okogbule, (2007). It has also been described as the processing of funds derived from illegal or illegitimate sources, through legal financial channels with a view to legitimizing and concealing or disguising the source of such funds (Osinbajo and Ajayi, 1991, Okogbule, 2007). THE EXTENT OF MONEY LAUNDERING IN NIGERIA Money laundering was not a prominent crime in Nigeria until the late 1980s, during the period of an oil boom with a tremendous increase in the level of revenue and commercial activities in the country (Okogbule, 2007, pp 52). Therefore, the issue of money laundering in Nigeria it is now through the official corruption, which has been exploited by public officers in Nigeria, who incorporate companies and use as a conduit pipe by awarding some phoney contracts and lodge the money through the companies bank accounts, both in Nigeria and abroad, several millions or even billions of naira are transferred from the government treasuries (Okogbule 2007). The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Nuhu Ribadu), told the BBC in 2006, that $380bn had been stolen or wasted in Nigeria since independence. That $140m had been recovered from one unnamed former Nigerian leader and that nearly $400m of illegally gained assets had been identified in the possession of a former governor of Bayelsa State. Last year, Nigeria recovered $458m found in Swiss bank accounts linked to the countrys late military ruler Sani Abacha. Mr Abacha was in power from 1993 to 1998 and is thought to have embezzled billions of dollars. Last year his son, Abba Sani Abacha, was charged with money laundering and fraud after being extradited to Switzerland. According to Chukwuemerie, (2006), rate of financial crimes in Nigeria project a bad image abroad. And how Nigerians are been treated with disdain in the foreign land, again he talks about the crimes related to opening of account by customers, because in Nigeria, before the Money laundering prohibition act 2004, anyone can go and open account without a proper identification. However, the main issue is corruption that wears many faces, which are nepotism, bribery, treasury looting, and inflation contract prices, money laundering and advance fee frauds and most of these crimes are destroying the economy of the country; (Ajayi and Ososami, 2007). The case of former Head of Sate Gen. Sani Abacha, he was accused with his cronies of embezzling over $5bn and which out of the money $2.3bn were stolen direct from the government treasury and the remaining were received as a bribes for contracts. The money was laundered in various foreign bank accounts in UK, USA, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Hong Kong; (Ige, 2002, Shehu, 2004). Investigation by the UK financial services authority (FSA), the London Metropolitan Police confirmed that over $1.3bn of Abacha money passed through London; (Chamberlin, 2002, Shehu, 2004, pp). Furthermore, according to a study conducted by the Nigerian Trade and Investment Center in UK, shows that about two million Nigerians living in United Kingdom have investments worth almost Ninety four Billion (94bn GBP) pounds. And out of these amounts of money 84bn is in real estate, 7bn in vehicles, while the remaining 3bn is in stocks and shares; (Adesina and Madunagu, 2004, Malgwi, 2004). Malgwi, (2004), in his paper gives an example of former Head of State Late Gen. Sani Abacha, fakes daughter who duped an American the sum of Seven Million ($7) dollars, with the pretence that her late father left the sum of $100m in the central bank of Nigeria, and the account is coded. Therefore, she need his assistance with some money to bribe the officials of the apex bank to get the money out and he will get thirty (30%) percent of the money. Quite recently, a serving chief of staff to the governor of Rivers State (Ezebunwo Nyeson Wike), was caught by the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), laundering the sum of N4.670 Billion (Four Billion, Six Hundred and Seventy Million Naira), which the commission believes was public money that was diverted into his personal account (Babafemi, 2009). He has since been charged by a court to explain the sources of the money. This is the problem with the country people in position of authority are abusing the trust people repose on them, everyday it is happening even with the money laundering regulation in place. There is no exact statistics of the amount of money been laundered in Nigeria, but below are some of the high profile cases been prosecuted by the economic and financial crimes commission from 2007 to 2009; CHAPTER THREE: THE MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATION IN NIGERIA The phrase money-laundering was not in the Nigerian dictionary, until in the 1980s which was when it was recognised and efforts were made to deal with the problem by the government. Therefore, there were decrees set by the government of Generals Muhammad Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha as heads of state and military president respectively, prohibiting activities related to money-laundering (Exchange Control (Anti Sabotage) Decree No 7 of 1984, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Decree No 48 of 1989, now Caps No 29 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004; Okogbule, 2007). 1995 decree corrected one of the defects of these laws which limited the activities to Drug traffickers in order to avoid loophole which gave way for the accused person to escape justice when the case is not drug trafficking; (Adekunle, 1999; Okogbule, 2007). It was in this recognition of the defect or inadequacy of the previous Decrees to cover all the aspects of money laundering that gave birth to the enactment of the money-laundering (prohibition) Act, 2003 which covers everything relating to the offence. And after One year of its enactment it was amended through the money-laundering prohibition (Amendment) Act 2004, in order to give the agencies more power to institute an investigation and prosecute offenders (Okogbule, 2007). However, the amendment was based on two philosophies. Firstly, it was on the need to control the practice of huge financial transactions in Nigeria, since the country is known as a cash society. In the amended Act, it states that no person or corporate body shall make or accept cash payment of sum exceeding N500, 000 or its equivalent in the case of individuals, while in the case of corporate bodies the amount is N2, 000,000, unless the transaction is done through a financial institution, the provision is design to enhance the monitoring capabilities of the regulatory institutions over huge financial transactions and encourage the use of financial institutions (Okogbule, 2007). However in the second philosophy in the act, it is a directive requiring disclosure of any financial transaction exceeding a certain sum of money. Section 2(1) of the Act, state that: A transfer to or from a foreign country funds or security exceeding the sum of $10,000 or its equivalent shall be reported to the central bank of Nigeria. And it further said that a report should be made pursuant to the above provision to indicate the nature and amount of transfer, the names and addresses of the sender and receiver of the funds or securities (Okogbule, 2007). MONEY LAUNDERING REFULATION IN RELATION TO INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA The money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004, of Nigeria in section 1 states that no person or corporate body shall, except through transactional institutions, make or accept deposit of a sum exceeding, A, for an individual the sum of N500, 000 or its equivalent in other currency and B, the sum of 2,000,000 for a corporate body, that anything above this should be made through the financial institution likewise for the individual costumer. In section 2 of the prohibition of money laundering act states that any transaction from or to foreign country of funds or securities exceeding the sum of US $10,000 shall be reported to the central bank of Nigeria (in the act refer to Central Bank) or security and exchange commission. Again in section 2 sub section 1, states that the report should indicate the nature and the amount of the transfer, the names and addresses of the sender and receivers of the funds or securities. CUSTOMER DUE DILLIGENCE However, it is provided in section 5(1) of the Act that before opening an account for or issuing passbook or even entering into any business relationship with a potential customer, the financial institution shall verify the customers identity and address. For individual, he is required to provide proof of his identity by presenting to the financial institution a valid original copy of an official document bearing his names and photograph; Secondly, he is to show proof of his address, by presenting to the financial institution the originals of receipts his/her utilities issued within the last three months by public institution (example, electricity or water bill). In the case of a body corporate, its proof of identity shall be provided by the presentation of its certificate of incorporation and other valid official documents attesting to the existence of the body corporate. Where a manager, employee, or assignee is delegated by a body corporate to open or operate an account, such a person shall in addition to the requirements specified for private individuals also show proof of a power of attorney granted to him for that purpose. One important provision in the Act designed to facilitate the detection of money laundering activities is section 6(1). It provides as follows: When a financial institution is requested to carry out a transaction, whether or not it relates to the laundering of the proceeds of a crime or an act, the financial institution shall seek information from the customer as to the origin and the destination of the funds, the aim of the transaction and the identity of the beneficiary. In order to make this surveillance function more effective, financial institutions are required within seven days of the transaction to carry out the following actions: Draw up a written report containing all relevant information about the transaction as well as the identity of the principal and where applicable, those of the beneficiary. Take appropriate action to prevent the laundering of the proceeds of a crime or an illegal Act. Send a copy of the report and action taken to the Central Bank, the Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or such other appropriate regulatory authority, as the case may be. Significantly, any financial institution which fails to comply with the above provisions is guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to a fine of N1, 000,000 each day for as long as the offence continues. In order to emphasize the importance of records of transactions, it is provided that these records are to be kept and preserved for at least a period of 10 years, and that the records shall be communicated to the Central Bank, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), judicial authorities, Customs Officers, and such other persons as the Central Bank may from time to time specify. However, the mandatory disclosure requirement concerning financial transactions is contained in section 10 of the Act. It is to the effect that a financial institution or casino shall report to the Agency in writing, lodgement or transfer of funds in excess of One million (N1, 000,000) Naira or its equivalent in the case of an individual and Five million (N5, 000,000) Naira or its equivalent in the case of a body corporate. This report is to be submitted within seven days of any single transaction. And even an ordinary citizen other than a financial institution may voluntarily give information on any transaction, lodgement, or transfer of funds involving the amounts set out above. This ensures that even when a financial institution fails to report as required, information about the transaction still gets to the Agency (See Chukuemerie, 2004, Okogbule, 2007b). The intent of the provisions is to enable the Agency ascertain the origin of the funds and determine whether to direct a stoppage of the transaction or not. This it can do when acknowledging receipt of such disclosure, report or information received in furtherance of the provisions. If the Agency is unable to ascertain the origin of the funds within a period of 72 hours, it may make a request to the Federal High Court for an order that the funds, accounts, or securities referred to in the report be blocked, and an order made by the Court in pursuance of this provision shall be enforced forthwith. Section 9(1) of the Act provides that every financial institution shall develop programmes to combat the laundering of proceeds of a crime or other illegal act. These shall include: The designation of compliance officers at management level at its headquarters and at every branch and local office; Regular training programmes for its employees; The centralization of the information collected; The establishment of an internal audit unit to ensure compliance with and ensure the effectiveness of the measures taken to enforce the provisions of the Act In order to ensure compliance with this provision, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is empowered to impose a penalty of not less than one million Naira on any financial institution which fails to comply with the above provisions. And that makes it a very important provision since the threat of immediate sanction which could be suspension of the banks operating license can engender compliance with the statutory provision. THE MONEY LAUNDERING OFFENCE IN NIGERIA The actual money laundering offences are provided for in sections 14 18 of the Act which also specify the penalties for such offences. Thus, section 14(1) provides as follows: Any person who converts or transfers resources or property derived directly or indirectly from illicit traffic c in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or any illegal act, with the aim of either concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the resources or property or aiding any person involved in the illicit traffic c in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or any other crime or illegal act to evade the legal consequences of his action; or collaborates in concealing or disguising the genuine nature, origin, location disposition, movement or ownership of the resources, property or rights thereto derived directly or indirectly from illicit traffic c in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or any other crime or illegal act, commits an offence under this section and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than 2 years or more than 3 years. Significantly, a person who commits an offence under this subsection shall also be subject to the same penalty notwithstanding the fact that the various acts constituting the offence were committed in different countries or places. It is not difficult to ascertain the rationale behind this provision since, very often; money laundering entails the perpetration of some of the acts in one country and the others in other countries. This brings to the fore the transnational nature of money laundering which has given rise to international concern for its regulation. Section 16 of the Act provides that any person who: Whether by concealment, removal from jurisdiction, transfer to nominees or otherwise retains the proceeds of a crime or an illegal act on behalf of another person knowing or suspecting such other person to be engaged in a criminal conduct or has benefited from a criminal conduct; or Knowing that any property either in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents another persons proceeds of a criminal conduct, acquires or uses that property or has possession of it, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than 5 years or to a fine equivalent to 5 times the value of the proceeds of the criminal conduct or to both such imprisonment and fine. It is difficult to fashion the rationale for this marked variation in the punishment specified under this section and that provided for in section 14 of the Act relating to the actual conversion or transfer of funds from such criminal or illegal activities which is stated to be not more than three years. Although it may be said that the opportunity created by a willing receptacle could have emboldened the suspect and thus facilitated the commission of the offence, it is nevertheless incongruous to have such marked disparity in the punishment for both kinds of offences, when the level of moral reprehensibility is more for the actual converter or transferor of such illegal funds than the receiver. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATION IN NIGERIA The government of former president Obasanjo, of Nigeria was able to start the fight against corruption and money laundering, by presenting the bill Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004, before the national assembly which was accented by the government and put into use immediately in order to fight the menace in the country. However, by the year 2006, the EFCC was able to secure the conviction of the former inspector general of police, Mr Tafa Balogun for several offence mostly on money laundering, by showing that ACT that no one is above the law in the country and it shows that it has the political will to tackle the canker worm of money laundering in all its ramifications (Okogbule, 2007, Chukwuemerie, 2006). Furthermore, within the first two years of creating the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Nigeria, they proved effective and were able to recovered [sic] more than $1.5bn (N203.5bn) of looted funds and arrested more than 200 people and out of the 200, 50 people were convicted and recovered $37.1M (N5bn) from import malpractices (Malgwi, 2004). Again the EFCC was able to secure a plea bargain with a former governor of Edo State of Nigeria, Mr Lucky Igbinedion, which in the agreement consented in refunding the sum of N500M stolen funds and forfeit some of his properties. It was not only Igbinedion that got the plea bargain, Mr Nwude, Mr DSP Alamieyeseigha former governor of Bayelsa State of Nigeria, also enjoy the gesture (Alli, 2008). However, recently the Chairman of the financial crimes commission in Nigeria, admit that they are not fully enforcing the money laundering regulation in the country while hosting stock broking firms in her office. Waziri said the anti-graft agency would start the immediate enforcement of the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004, and prosecute all stock broking firms that default in their obligation to the suspicious transactions reports and currency transaction reports (Akinsunyi, 2009). Under Section 23 of the Money Laundering Act, firms carry on the business of investment and securities (this includes stock broking firms) are designated as financial institutions and there is an obligation on them to file with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit all suspicious transactions, and file with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit all currency transactions above N500, 000 for individuals and the N2 million for companies. But all that is done by stock broking firms in the country. And up to extent a an investment firm took a loan of N90 Billion from a bank in order to manipulate the market, but that is between Bank and it is customer, but the utilization of the loan is different which is contrary to Section 20 of the BOFIA and the regulations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and carries a jail term of between two and three years. It is also a breach of the Investment and Securities Act (see Thisday Newspaper, August, 2009). However, this bring us to the issue of reporting system adopted by the Financial Action Task Force and was even part of the Nigerian Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004, which is in section 6 sub-section 1(a) that direct financial and non financial institutions to draw up a written report on any illegal transaction and submit within seven days to the relevant authorities. That means the Act, is not been followed by the Banks and stock broking firms. FACTORS FOR AND AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATION IN NIGERIA There is no doubt that with the enactment of the Money Laundering Act 2004 the Nigerian Government has taken a bold step in its efforts to fight against money laundering in the country. However, it is effort and resourcefulness may not bear the required results if the well-known problems of enforcement of law in the country are not adequately addressed in the provisions. It is a common feature in Nigeria that individuals and institutions prefer to subvert laid down rules rather than comply with them, for example the recent banks audit conducted by the new Central Bank Governor, it shows how reckless the banks are operating, given out a loan of N490 Billion without a collateral, which form part of analysis in given out to loan to any customer by a bank and is used to settle out the debt in case the loan goes bad, but they ignore that and give out the money without following the laid down rules. The assurance being that even when they fail to comply, officials from the regulatory institutions will always compromise their positions. This brings to the fore the popularity of corruption in the country as such officers are often settled to overlook noncompliance with statutory provisions (Okogbule, 2007). In such situation, there is usually an unethical alliance between regulatory officers on the hand and the defaulting financial institutions. Therefore, there will be inadequate or ineffective enforcement of the rules, to the detriment of the country. However, recently an upright officer (Barrister Abubakar Abba Umar) with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria lost his life in the course of his duty. He was involved in making the organisation a very good place that it suppose to be, because to get a company registered in Nigeria, it might take you two to three months, but his coming within a day after full verification you can get your company registered. While in course of investigation of certificate fraud in the organisation, he was forced to hand over some lawyers involve to EFCC for prosecution (see Leadership newspaper, 2009), seeing all this thing happening nobody will like to give himself up in order to do a good job in fighting money laundering in Nigeria. According to Andrew (2004, pp 173), he argues that the Act is faithfully implemented by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Minister of Commerce, this relevant authorities are the ones in positions to see the implementation of the Act to the later. However, if they did not enforce the implementation concurrently together, there is every chance that the Act, will not be effective as it suppose to be in checkmating the money laundering activities in the country. There is also problem of regular monitoring of the activities of these financial institutions. Inspectorate and Compliance Officers are known to be lax in their monitoring of the operations of these institutions, due to the fact that they are conniving together to subvert the law regulating the institutions (see Okogbule, 2007). <

Yangtze River :: essays research papers fc

The Yangtze   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China, the worlds biggest country, is so large it is the home to the fourth longest river in the world. China alone has over 100,000 miles of inland waterways that are open to navigation. The country's most important inland waterway is the Amur River, but that is nothing compared to the Yangtze River.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Yangtze is one of the most economically important water way of not just China, but of the world! Unlike the Amur River the Yangtze River is not icebound in the winter and because of that it accounts for over 40% of the nation's waterways. At 3,716 square miles long it places as the fourth longest river in the world, and the longest river in China and in Asia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though this river is a great source for transportation, it wasn't until 1961 that it became officially one of the 15 principle waterways. With 243.7 cubic meters of annual runoff and mild winters around the river it's not a real stretch to believe that the river contributes to almost half of the crops and irrigates a little under 70% of the country's gross volume of rice. It also contributes to much of China's cotton, wheat, barley, corn, and hemp. There are also many large cities next to the Yangtze, many of which have a population of over 1,000,000 people. These cities would consist of Nanking, Wu-han, Chung-king, and Ch'eng-tu.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The river's course begins in the Tibetan Highlands. In these highlands the people there are mostly in Agriculture and Cattle Farmers. The summers are warm and the Winters cold. The growing season lasts for 4 or 5 months in the summer. The people are predominately Chinese with many minorities. They Minorities consist of the Dungans, Nepalese, and Indians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Here in in the high mountains of the Tibetan Highlands is the sources for this mighty river. The T'ang-ku-la Sun-mo, in the T'ang-ku-la mountains, is 18,000 feet above sea level. The second source is the Ulan Muren. The Ulan Muren is actually a Tibetan which it is more commonly called by, but the Chinese name is Wu-lan-mu-lun. This source is the southern source, but it is also the main source.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The upper course of the Yangtze begins in the Tibetan Highlands and flows through a spacious scenic valley spotted with lakes and resivours. At the end of the Highlands the river character changes. It descends from the great altitudes and winds it's way South of Pe-yen-ka'a-la Shan.

Fight to Maintain Freedom of Speech on the Internet :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Fight to Maintain Freedom of Speech on the Internet       Imagine yourself trapped inside another world, a world where your essence is made entirely of words that can say whatever you desire. You could be young or old, male or female or neither, you are only as limited as your imagination. Now Imagine that someone wants to have a say in what can be said, seen, and done in this brave new world, what would this change, and more importantly who decides what's 'good' and what's 'bad'?    In the ordinary and mundane world of real life people have always fought for the pursuit of happiness, free speech, etc. They are subjects which have always shouted in the hearts of our nations heroes, and rightfully so. What would our world be like if the government controlled what we were allowed to see and to say? It seems that George Orwell described it best in his book 1984 when he gave the scenario of a society in which people who committed the heinous act of thoughtcrime, the act of thinking something that goes against the party line, mysteriously disappeared into the night never to be seen again. Thankfully, the hordes of would be 'thought police' members have been staved off throughout history and we have achieved a relatively liberal society where people are, for the most part, able to speak their minds openly. Well, even in today's world there are still people who get pissed off when they think that free speech goes to far and they say something about it. This brings me to my main point.    The Internet. A land made possible in 1968 by the Dept. of Defense with the idea that if all other lines of communications were destroyed in the advent of war then at least we'd have computers, (I don't know, maybe they thought the electricity might magically produce itself after the bombing stopped). Any ways, thankfully the Internet has evolved beyond that into something which encompasses just about every possible human interest out there. A hodgepodge of political ideals ranging from big business capitalism to the gender erasing equality of the socialist mindset make the Internet a place where conflicts of interest often arise.

Teaching Philosophy Essay -- Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Teaching Philosophy Education, as well as children, has always been very important to me. My favorite game to play growing up was always â€Å"school†. I would recruit my stuffed animals and dolls to be my â€Å"students†. Every evening when I got home from school I would spend countless hours making lesson plans, tests, and grading papers for my â€Å"students†. Now that I’m all grown up and taking the necessary steps to become an educator, I’m still as excited and enthusiastic about teaching as I was when I was a little girl. After completing my undergraduate degree in elementary education, I plan to start working on my master’s degree right away. Although I would eventually like to teach education courses at a college or university, I want to have my own classroom first. One of my goals as an elementary school teacher is to get children hooked on learning at an early age. Having an education is one of the most valuable things anyone can possess. Through an education one learns to read, write, and to do arithmetic. These three R’s are essential to get by in our world today. An education can also help to improve one’s quality of life. The more education that one has, a lot of times it means the better paying job that they can get. As a teacher I want to give all of my students an equal opportunity to learn, no matter what their ability is. I also hope to get my students interested in learning from an early age. I hope that through teaching I can give...

Outline & Evaluate the Functionalist Approach to Crime & Deviance Essay

This question includes assessment of your understanding of the connections between crime and deviance and sociological theory. Functionalist explanations of deviance begin with society as a whole looking for the origins of deviance in the nature of society, not the biological or psychological make up of an individual. Functionalists favour quantative methods to look at society, using statistics to see society as a whole, rather than looking at the individual’s effect on society. The majority of Functionalist’s ideas on crime derive from the work of Durkheim. Durkheim believes that crime in inevitable because not every member of society shares the same values and norms; every society has crime, particularly the most advanced industrial societies. Crime is seen as not only inevitable, but functional to society because it allows for change, which is vital for society to function. Durkheim argues that crime brings society together, as in the case of the Soham murders. From this point of view it can be questioned what the function of punishment is, Durkheim believes punishment is a form of social control and act as a signal to people. A.K Cohen developed Durkheim’s ideas further, providing further possible functions of deviance. Firstly deviance can act as a safety valve providing an expression of discontent. Cohen uses the example of prostitution, he believes this protects the institution of the family and provides a release from the stress of family life without undermining family stability because the relationship between prostitute and client has no emotional attachments. In other words it is fine for a man to use a prostitute, but not to have an affair because that would jeopardise the family! Cohen believes that deviance acts as a warning device too indicate that an aspect of society is malfunctioning, thus drawing attention to it and allowing the problem to be resolved. An example of this is the Los Angeles riots that drew attention to the mistreatment of blacks, likewise the Steven Lawrence case. Durkheim and Cohen’s work is important because it moved ideas away from biological and psychological explanations for deviance, rather seeing it being society itself creating crime. However, other sociologists believe the functions are too narrow and class differences are not examined.

Boundaries of Freedom

The human rights of an individual play a very important role in his or her everyday life. The right to life, liberty, property, and freedom of speech are just some of the human rights that an individual is entitled to. He or she should have these inalienable rights for the very reason that he or she is a human being and he or she needs these in order to live a life with decency and dignity. Nevertheless, the freedom and rights that people have sometimes tends to conflict with the rights of others.This is due to the fact that individuals have different interests that sometimes overlap or create disagreement among people. As a result, the exercise of an individual’s freedom and human rights also has its limitations. The boundaries of freedom are observable in time of national crisis as well as in the government’s operation to give secure its citizens from harmful threats. In time of national crisis, the security of the citizens of a particular country is greatly challenge d.This is also the instance by which the government needs to exercise more than ever their authority to safeguard the rights and protect its citizens. Due to this, the boundaries in the freedom of people are most observable. In most countries especially in democratic ones, the government acquires its authority because the people entrusted them to uphold and protect their rights. In this sense, the government has the responsibility to lead and protect the people. The decisions and actions that they need to do in time of national crisis entails that it should be for the good of the greater number of people (Semonche, 2002).If the practice of an individual’s right will jeopardize the welfare of many people then the government have to do the necessary action to address this issue including preventing the individual to practice such right. Simply put, the limitation of an individual’s freedom is seen when he or she infringe upon the rights of another. During instances when the security of the people are threatened like in terrorist attacks, the government should do the possible means necessary in order to combat those violent perpetrators.However, the government should be mindful that they should not infringe upon the freedom and personal rights of the people. They should see to it that in times of operations or war, the innocent bystanders should not be involved. They have to make sure that there should be very minimal numbers of civilian casualties (Semonche, 2002). Moreover, the government should know their limitations. The government should always keep in mind that in every operation that they will make the greater good for the majority of the people should be implemented.Lastly, before entering into any armed combat they should be sure that it is a just war wherein the result is greater than damage it will inflict while in the state of war. Reference Semonche, J. (2002). Constitutional Rights in Times of National Crisis: An Historical Perspective . Retrieve February 24, 2009, from http://www. ibiblio. org/semche/history/civlib. html. http://www. ibiblio. org/semche/history/civlib. html http://www. un. org/News/Press/docs/2004/gashc3793. doc. htm http://www. campus-watch. org/article/id/891

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor Essay

â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor is about a family from Georgia who are murdered on a road trip to Florida. It begins with the grandmother complaining to her son Bailey that she would rather go to Tennessee for vacation and not Florida. She tells him about an escaped murderer who is going to Florida named the Misfit in hopes to change his mind. The day of the trip the grandmother is dressed in her best and prepared to die as a lady if something should happen to them on the way. They stop at a barbecue restaurant for lunch, where the Grandmother talks with the owner Red Sammy about the Misfit and how hard it is to find a good man. Back in the car the grandmother talks about a house she saw when she was young, lying saying that the house has secret passages which makes the children want to see it more. They begin to jump and kick the back of the seat in front of them until the father agrees. When they get on an old abandoned road the grandmother real izes that the house is in Tennessee. The grandmother gets flustered and scares her cat which jumped up on Baily, causing him lose control of the car and it flip and land in a ditch. The adults are in shock and the kids are excited as if the accident was an adventure to them. As the family sit and wait for help a car comes and three men step out. One the grandmother recognizes at the Misfit. The Misfit tells them he wished she hadn’t recognized him implying that he would not have killed them if she did not. Starting with the father and son the other two guys takes all of the family except the grandmother into the woods and kills them. The grandmother pleads for her life as she hears the gunshots and tries to convince the Misfit that he is a good man, and for him to pray. The Misfit goes into a rant telling the grandmother all about him his past and that he was convicted for a crime he did not commit. After all of her family is killed the grandmother is sitting there her head becomes clear and she says â€Å"Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children† and  she touched him. He shoots her three times in the chest and said â€Å"She would have been a good woman, if it has been somebody there to shoot her every mi nute of her life†. In this analysis I will be comparing traits from the grandmother and the Misfit to find out who has more morals. Is it the grandmother or the Misfit? The first trait of both Characters is the use of religion. The Grandmother cries out for Jesus telling the Misfit† You’ve got good blood! I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not shoot a lady!† She tells him he is a good man over and over again hoping it might convince him that in fact he is a good man and won’t kill her. The Misfit has more of a religious background than the grandmother. He was called a prophet gone wrong. He was formerly a gospel singer. He compares himself with Jesus when he said â€Å"Jesus thrown everything off balance. It was the same case with him except He hadn’t committed any crime and they could prove I had committed one because they had the papers on me†. He told the grandmother â€Å"Jesus was the only one that ever raised the dead, and he shouldn’t have done it. He thrown everything off balance. If he did what he said, then it’s nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow him, and if he didn’t then its nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best you can- by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meaness to him. No Pleasure in meanness†. The second trait of both Characters is morals. The grandmother considers herself morally superior to others by virtue of her being a â€Å"lady,† and she freely and frequently passes judgment on others. She claims that her conscience is a guiding force in her life, such as when she tells Bailey that her conscience wouldn’t allow her to take the children in the same direction as the Misfit. She criticizes the children’s mother for not traveling to a place that would allow the children to â€Å"be broad,† and she compares the mother’s face to a cabbage. She rebukes John Wesley for not having more respect for Georgia, his home state. She also takes any opportunity to judge the lack of goodness in people in the world today. During all this, she proudly wears her carefully selected dress and hat, certain that being a lady is the most important virtue of all, one that she alone harbors. The grandmother never turns her critical eye on herself to inspect her own hypocrisy, dishonesty, and selfishness. For example, the conscience the grandmother invokes at the beginning of the  story is conveniently silent when she sneaks Pitty Sing into the car, lies to the children about the secret panel, and opts not to reveal that she made a mistake about the location of the house. When the Misfit murders the family, the grandmother never once begs him to spare her children or grandchildren. She does, however, plead for her own life because she can’t imagine the Misfit wanting to kill a lady. She seems certain that he’ll recognize and respect her moral code, as though it will mean something to him despite his criminal ways. She tries to draw him into her world by assuring him that he’s a good man, but even though he agrees with her assessment of him, he doesn’t see this as a reason to spare her. Only when the grandmother is facing death, in her final moments alone with the Misfit, does she understand where she has gone wrong in her life. Instead of being superior, she realizes, she is flawed like everyone else. When she tells the Misfit that he is â€Å"one of her own children,† she is showing that she has found the ability to see others with compassion and understanding. This is a moment of realization, one that is immediatel y followed by her death. The Misfit seems an unlikely source to look to for spiritual or moral guidance, but he demonstrates a deep conviction that the other characters lack. Unlike the grandmother, who simply assumes that she is morally superior to everyone else, the Misfit seriously questions the meaning of life and his role in it. He has carefully considered his actions in life and examined his experiences to find lessons within them. He has even renamed himself because of one of these lessons, believing that his punishment didn’t fit his crime. Because the Misfit has questioned himself and his life so closely, he reveals a self-awareness that the grandmother lacks. He knows he isn’t a great man, but he also knows that there are others worse than him. The Misfit’s philosophies may be depraved, but they are consistent. Unlike the grandmother, whose moral code falls apart the moment it’s challenged, the Misfit has a steady view of life and acts according to what he believes is ri ght. His beliefs and actions are not moral in the conventional sense, but they are strong and consistent and therefore give him strength of conviction that the grandmother lacks. Twisted as it might be, he can rely on his moral code to guide his actions. The grandmother cannot, and in the last moments of her life, she recognizes his strength and her weaknesses. O’Connor called the Misfit a â€Å"prophet gone wrong,† and indeed, if he had applied his moral  integrity to a less depraved lifestyle, he could have been considered a true preacher, pillar, or teacher. The third and final trait of both Characters is realization. Both the grandmother and the Misfit had a sudden realization. The grandmother realized that the Misfit was just a human just like her she said â€Å"Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children†. The Misfit realized that killing gave him no pleasure he said, said â€Å"She would have been a good woman, if it has been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life†. In Conclusion it appears that in fact the murderer (prophet gone wrong) has more moral than the grandmother, and that his faith in Jesus is stronger. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor Essay *Re-read the Story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor , following the â€Å"Re-Reading Fiction Suggestions† above. Answer the following questions: Are there any details that were newly recognized during this reading or that you notice tie in with earlier ones? I gained a better visual of the car the family was riding in while re-reading the story. I didn’t understand they were in a car, I had visualized the family riding in a station wagon. I also became aware of the fact that at the end of the story The Misfit picks up the cat after it had been thrown from the car and the grandmother had been killed. If evident, what significance does the title hold, and in what possible ways is it lined to the actions and the characters? The reference of a good man was seen throughout the entire story. I believe in comparison there is symbolism between the idea of a good man like Red Sammy versus a character like The Misfit is a direct representation of Good and Evil. Are there any words that are unfamiliar, and how does knowing what they mean make a difference in re-reading the story? Valise (suitcase), Sachet (purse), Ambling (saunter: to walk leisurely). Knowing the definition of these terms allowed me to better understand the appearance of the grandmother and the setting inside of the car. What is striking about the first sentence and the first paragraph of the story? Also, what is striking about the last paragraph and the last sentence of the story? The first sentence was allows the reader to know what the grandmother’s tone was. The first paragraph introduced the grandmother & her son. I was not very certain of the meaning of the last sentence but I took it as The Misfit saying that killing is not enjoyable. I found that as a contradiction to what he said about the bible saying there is only being good or being evil. Are there any details/parts of the story that do not seem needed or appear insignificant? What do you think might be the purpose for these insignificant parts? I did not understand the necessity in the grandmother wanting to keep track of the car mileage. It made no sense to me at all and wouldn’t have affected how I read or re-read the story. *Listen to the Audio Recording â€Å"Flannery O’Connor Reads ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’† (1959). Then, answer the following questions: How does knowing more about Flannery O’ Conner’s life and work, particularly her earlier artistic endeavors from the NPR Portrait, inform your reading of the story? From reading about her life it seemed like Flannery O’Conner always used cynical humor in her cartoons and stories. She seemed to be an emotionally â€Å"dark† person. Knowing this before I read the story might have helped me lower my expectations for a happy ending. How did you find the experience of listening to Flannery O’Conner reading her story aloud to a live audience? Did you expect the audience to react when and as they did, and did you share their reaction as you followed along? Did you gain any new insights about the story, and any of its elements or details, from listening to the O’Conner’s oral presentation of it in the recording? I felt that by listening to Flannery O’Conner read this story aloud I was able to become more emotionally attached to this story. The humor was very evident in the reading but did not bring out a verbal response from me. I did find myself laughing aloud once or twice when I was listening to the reading. I found the one detail that I had not noticed in the previous reading was that The Misfit kept the cat at the end of the story. p. 430 Answers How early in the story does O’Conner foreshadow what will happen in the end? I believe the first instance of foreshadowing of crossing paths was presented in multiple paragraphs. However the first instance was presented in the first paragraph. What further hints does she give us along the way? It mentions The Misfit and that he was headed to Florida. In the 5th and 6th paragraphs as well, foreshadowing is touched on when John Wesley was asked what he would do if caught by The Misfit. There are also instances that hint about the family getting into an accident. In paragraph 10 the author wrote that the grandmother dressed as a lady in case they were in an accident so that others would know she was a lady (which in truth became fact because The Misfit noted her as a lady because of her clothing). I believe that death was pointed out in the 8th paragraph in a more symbolic. The grandmother feared the death of the cat and it was because of the cat that the entire family (with exception of the cat) wound up dying in the end. How does the scene at Red Sammy’s BBQ advance the story toward its conclusion? Personally I don’t think it does at all. I feel like it was unnecessary. When we first meet the grandmother, what kind of person is she? From my reading I came to the conclusion the grandmother was very selfish. What do her various remarks reveal about her? It seems like she always spoke up when she wanted to get her own way. Does she remain a static character, or does she change in any way as the story goes on? I think she remains a static character throughout the entire story. She starts out as a selfish character that is out to get what she wants and in the end (although for a moment you see her as a pained parent) she still is saying whatever she can to save herself. When the grandmother’s head clears for an instant, what does she suddenly understand? She understands that she has made a huge mistake. The plantation she had been talking about was in a completely different state and instead of speaking up and telling her son she kept the thought to herself because she didn’t want to be held responsible for her mistake. What do we learn from the conversation between The Misfit and the grandmother while the others go out to the woods? You learn about The Misfit’s family history, his belief in Jesus and you learn that The Misfit believe that no matter the bad deed you eventually forget about what you did. How would you describe The Misfit’s outlook on the world? He has a very black and white view. In the story The Misfit says, â€Å" If He did what He said, then it’s nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness†. I read that as his belief that by the Bible you either did exactly what it said to do or you acted as an Anarchist. Compare it with the author’s, from whatever you know about Flannery O’Connor and the story itself. I believe Flannery O’Connor may have had a darker view on life but not one as evil as the Misfit. How would you respond to a reader who complained, â€Å"The title of the story is just an obvious platitude† ? I would say that that conclusion could only be reached after reading the story. When you look at the title there are too many routes that the story could have taken to make it an obvious statement about the contents of the story. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor Essay The title ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ gives you the impression that someone is looking for a partner. When in reality, the title is actually explaining the moral of the story. Every character has their bad points, even the seemingly innocent children. From the Misfits, to the entire family, everyone was disrespectful and just plain rude. In some families it would be considered a mortal sin to be rude to elders. Unfortunately this family seems to get a kick out of being cruel to their poor grandmother. The Misfits are a different story entirely, because they know nothing better than cruelty. The Grandmother wasn’t perfect herself, but she did have it a little rough. Starting things off the Grandmother was the most mistreated elder I have ever seen. Even despite the fact most of the stuff that came out of her mouth was false or an elaboration. She was an un-trusted old lady whose family couldn’t wait to get rid of her. Someone whose words were constantly falling on deaf ears would get dramatic for attention, which is precisely what Grandmother did. This woman would stretch stories for her own benefit, which led to the family’s untimely death. Constantly fighting for her way, she felt it necessary to hide the cat in a basket. This also explains lying about the secret panel, which was enough to amuse the children. If she didn’t have clever ways to get her thoughts across, she would be completely ignored. The parents have been setting the wrong example for their children by disrespecting Grandmother. When the car flipped the Grandmother feared her son’s hostility. She was immediately guilt ridden and made herself look as vulnerable as possible. Her family had every right to be upset with her and she knew it. The family, used to hearing her ridiculous stories and demands, has grown accustom to ignoring her. They make it obvious that she’s not wanted in the family. Even the children are rude and disrespectful, obviously following the example of their parents. Her son glares at her for making pleasant conversation, and his wife doesn’t allow her to listen to the music she chooses. Her own granddaughter was filled with contempt when she found out  that Grandmother had indeed survived the car wreck. So fits the title that â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, you can’t find one in this story. Now with the entire family burning holes on poor Grandmother with their eyes, you don’t think it could get any worse for her. Here arrive the Misfits. This appears to be a homely bunch of rejects or rebels, knowing nothing more than raising hell. They ride up carrying their guns, making the family realize their predicament just got a whole lot worse. The Grandmother recognizes them at once and begins to beg for mercy. All the while, they’re killing her unloving family off one by one. The old lady is persistent and continues encouraging the Misfit to pray, and become a good man. They converse for a while, and he begins to explain why he’s up to no good. He opens up to her, and she realizes he just doesn’t know any better. Grandmother is obviously distraught but she keeps at him. There is finally a glimmer of hope in the man’s face, he apparently wishes for a better life. When Grandmother reaches out to comfort him, to pull that good man out of him, BAM! He retaliates to her kindness with a wave of bullets. â€Å"She would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life†. This man only knows how to kill kindness. He is simply stating what would have given them pleasure. The very next thing he says â€Å"Its no real pleasure in life.† This statement proves that he learned something from that old woman. He realizes what they’ve been killing all along. So her death wasn’t meaningless she finally got her point across to someone, someone finally listened to what she had to say, and was actually affected by it. So she died a happy woman, with a nice smile on her face, killed by her own kindness.