Environmental Impact of Green Companies Essay -- earth-friendly, Fair

There are many companies out there that claim to be â€Å"green†. But are they really and how much impact does it have on the environment? Labels such as â€Å"organic†, â€Å"biodegradable†, â€Å"earth-friendly†, vegan and â€Å"Fair Trade† are everywhere in today’s market. These labels are marketing tools used to influence consumers. Greenwashing is defined as â€Å"The dissemination of misleading information by an organization to conceal its abuse of the environment in order to present a positive public image † and â€Å"superficial or insincere display of concern for the environment that is shown by an organization † by thefreedictionary.com. â€Å"Going Green† may not be what it seems. It is not necessarily good for the environment. The Green movement is not about the environment as much as about consumerism and political agendas. While green products may be a better choice, they are still not enough to save the environment. When green is applied to food, it suggests foods that have been grown with minimal or no pesticides, organic fertilizers, no growth hormones, and humane conditions. However, this belief does not always accord with the reality. The example that I will discuss is eggs . I have chosen this example both because eggs are part of our everyday diet and because they get much attention in the media. Many people chose free range, organic brown eggs , believing them to be vastly superior. Brown eggs are usually more expensive than white eggs. The only real difference between a brown egg and a white egg is that brown eggs are laid by dark hens with red earlobes. However, many consumers believe that brown eggs have been laid by hens who have been fed food grown with minimal pesticides and fertilizers or that white eggs have been bleac... ...Kenner. Perf. Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser. 2008. Hardner, Jared and Richard Rice. "Rethining GREEN CONSUMERISM." Scientific America 286.5 (2002). Peattie, Ken and Andrew Crane. "Green marketing: legend, myth, farce, or prophesy?" Qualitative Market Research: An International Joural 8.4 (2005): 357-370. Pedersen, Esben Rahbek and Peter Neergaard. "Caveat Emptor- Let the Buyer Beware! Environmental Labelling and the Limitations of 'Green' Consumerism." Business Strategy and the Environment 15 (2006): 15-19. Terra Choice Group Inc. "The Seven Sins of Greenwashing." 2009. unknown. E.7 Can green consumerism stop the ecological crisis? 2 Dec 2009 . Women's Voices for the Earth. "Issue Reports." September 2008. Women and Environment. 4 December 2009

Guidelines for selecting toys for Young Children

Age Recommendations: Most packages have a recommened age range, this however is only a suggested range based on average child development. Use this information as a general guide for narrowing down toy options. Use your knowledge of the child's individual skills and development to determine if the child would fall into that recommened age group. Read any printed warnings on safety precautions that are also listed on the package to determine if there is an additional risk that would make the toy inappropriate for a young child. Parts: The parts of a toy are a major factor when buying for young children. Toddlers and preschoolers even put objects in their mouth if the piece is small enough. A simple test is to drop the small parts through a paper towel tube, if the toy fits through the tube it is too dangerous for young children. Inspect all components of the toy to determine if it contains small parts that could present a choking risk. Toys often come with small accessories to go with the main item that can be too small in size, this is something to look out for. Always look at the qaulity of the toy construction, especially when the toy has smaller parts attached to it. Poor construction can ncrease the risk of a small part popping off while the child is playing. Educational Value: Toys bring enjoyment to children, but they also can provide educational value for a young child. Choose toys that allow children to practice developmental skills that they are currently working on. Examples are: if a three year old child is learning to reconize letters consider letter blocks or for numbers a electronic preschool toy that features numbers would be great. For children who need practice with motor skills, choose toys that require small movements and control, such as blocks that click together or a set of stacking cups. Visualize how the child would play with the toy to determine the educational value the toy offers. Violence: Many toys can carry a violent theme, particularly in the form of weapons. Many action figures have weapons attached or promote fighting. Replicas of actual weapons also encourage a violent nature, these types of toys may encourage young children to get more aggresive when playing with other children. Consider if you want young children exposed to these aggresive toys, especially at a young age. Taken from www. livestrong. com-guidelines when choosing developmently appropriate oys for young children. Reference: American academy of Pediatrics Age Appropriate Toys Age one to three year olds Melissa and Doug's shape sorting cube is a well made classic sorting toy. This high qaulity wooden cube and vibrant shaped blocks set is perfect for fine motor skills. Match the wooden blocks to the correct cutouts on the cube, and slide them inside. Introduce child to geometry and puzzling fun with this sturdy shape sorter. Shape sorting cube meets and exceeds all U. S. safety standards. This is a appropriate toy for this age because it teaches shape sorting, and could also each colors with the bright wood blocks. This toy is perfect for fine tuning motor skills. This toy is appealing because it has bright colors, and different shapes for them to find the correct spot for each one, this could be using thinking skills. I think a parent would buy this toy because it teaches shapes as well as colors while fine tuning motor skills that is also why I would choose this toy, it is a great learnig toy for young children. Count and Learn Cookie Jar: Imagine that whenever kids get a cookie from the cookie jar, they actually learn counting and numbers too. This talking cookie jar smiles ts best at little counters while helping them to count the delious looking cookies from one to ten. If you cant count cookies, how about counting the colorful chips on each cookie? The back of the cookie shows the number to see if you got the correct number. This toy also has number recognition, this bright red jar encourages children to play and learn with friendly phrases as well. This qaulity toddler electronic toy makes learning math exciting and fun. This toy is developmentaly appropriate because it teaches young children numbers in a fun cookie counting way, it hs numbers for them to see, as well as chips to count hichever is easiest for the child. It is appealing because it is a bright red jar, with fun colorful chip cookies, something they can reconize and be fun for them to play with while learning numbers. It talks as well which can keep the child's attention. I think a parent would choose to buy this toy because it is a great fun way for a child to learn to count, as well as see colors, and to learn manipulative skills, and thinking skills as well. I would choose this toy for the same reasons, I think it would be a great, fun way to teach young children to count and understand numbers. Alaphabet Sound Puzzle: 26 piece alphabet sound puzzle by Melissa and Doug is a wonderful fun tool to teach young children their ABC's. Place pieces in their correct spot on the board to hear music, animals, vehicles, letters, numbers, and more. This puzzle pronounces the correct name of each letter when it is placed correctly on the board. Pieces are slightly raised above the puzzle board for easy grasping. Colorful pictures beginning with each letter are underneath each piece to help develop the relationship between letters and their sounds. This toy is developmentally appropriate because it teaches ABC and letter ecognition, as well as thinking skills. Helps children sound out letters and say words to help understand each letter. This toy is appealing because it is a bright colored puzzle with sounds to help a child learn the ABC's, words and sounds of a letter. I think a parent would buy this toy because children love puzzles, it is a easy way for them to learn letters, sounds an d use their thinking skills. It a is a great learning toy, and I would choose this as well. Puzzles are great, and this one has sound for the children to learn what each letter sounds like to help remember each letter, and to use their thinking skills.

Women in the Workplace - 1627 Words

In recent years there has been a drastic increase in the number of women entering and participating in the labor force (Hepburn Simon, 2006). Since early history and the ancient civilization of man, women have played a secondary role, in which women were and still are viewed as less adequate than a man. A women’s traditional role in society is that of raising children, fulfilling duties around the house, and being the primary nurturer of the family. Many women in today’s society want and desire careers and a place in this Country. They want to stand on their own two feet, to become self sustaining individuals and to possess the feeling of independence and freedom. Issues that have and still plagued women in the workplace are many. Women†¦show more content†¦As stated previously, women have taken the role of housewife, mother, and nurturer throughout history. Women have long been stereotyped to stay at home and take care of the house and children. It has been t heir job to cook the meals, do the laundry, and manage the children’s life. Even today, motherhood is still considered to be the primary role for women. Women that do not take on this role are often viewed as selfish. In the past women that took on roles outside the home are stereotyped as self centered. Because women were thought of as homemakers, they often held jobs that were meaningless and not considered prestigious. Clearly, circumstances of family life have changed in the modern era. Large populations of women have and will continue to join the workplace. Although this period of change has helped shape the role of women today, women in corporate America are still oppressed. Even in today’s society, women are not treated the same as men. One area that clearly shows this oppression is the area of equal pay for men and women. Since the equal pay act of 1963 equal pay has been the law. Even though it has been 40 years since the enactment of this law, women are still paid less than men, even when women have the same education, skills, and experience as a man according to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. In fact, women are paid 77 cents for every dollar a man earns (AFL-CIO). These figures are even moreShow MoreRelatedThe Women Of The Workplace Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pageswrite about women in the workplace. The concept of women being an issue in the workplace may seem like a strange topic to discuss; however, there are many levels to this subject. In this paper, I will discuss rivalry in the workplace (both male vs. female and female vs. female), financial implications for companies that hire women, and finally the major issue of earnings inequality in the workplace for women. In the 1820’s women began being hired by companies because they could pay women less. TheyRead MoreWomen Inequality in the workplace1189 Words   |  5 Pagesinto the issue of women inequality in the workplace. This essay will explain the reason behind women equality in society and some of the disadvantages that women face in the workplace. Also, you will learn about the term â€Å"gender gap† which refers to the distribution of wages between men and women. It shows the difference in the pay between both genders in many career fields. Jobs and roles that women balance on a day to day basis so therefore I say, women are not the weakerRead MoreWomen in The Workplace Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesWomen in The Workplace Initially, the first women entering the workplace did so out of desire. In a post feminist, post-civil right era and spurred on by higher levels of education. Women saw jobs and careers as rights that had previously been denied to them. Women were tired of just being Big Johns Wife or Little Johnnys mommy. They wanted to be known the way men have always identified themselves by their jobs, their careers, and the level of success to which they had risen. StatusRead MoreEssay on Women in the Workplace2050 Words   |  9 Pages The quot;glass ceilingquot; has held women back from certain positions and opportunities in the workplace. Women are stereotyped as part-time, lower-grade workers with limited opportunities for training and advancement because of this quot;glass ceilingquot;. How have women managed their careers when confronted by this glass ceiling? It has been difficult; American women have struggled for their role in society since 1848. Women’s roles have changed significantly throughout the past centuriesRead MoreGender and Women in the Workplace2290 Words   |  10 PagesContents Gender diversity: Gender diversity and women in the workplace 1 Introduction 1 Literature Review 2 Gender diversity in a workplace 2 Women in the workplace 3 Conclusion 8 References 9 Gender diversity: Gender diversity and women in the workplace Introduction Gender diversity was not taken into consideration and most companies have very little knowledge on how to take advantage of it. Despite the effort to increase diversity of workforce over recentRead MoreEssay On Women In The Workplace771 Words   |  4 PagesWomen In The Workplace: Why You Must Make A Decision Already! While clearing out a box in my garage recently, I came across the resume of a memorable job applicant. During my tenure as an HR executive, I received hundreds of resumes a week and that was during a robust employment period. Whenever I posted an available position, the floodgates would open. This resume was submitted in response to a posting that I was extremely dedicated to, as it was for a position reporting directly to me. While IRead MoreEssay Women in the Workplace2420 Words   |  10 PagesExecutive Summary Women across the globe are shattering glass ceilings one at a time, and it is time the world takes note of it. Chief executives express their commitment to the advancing equality between men and women by actions such as advancing women in the workplace. Areas of such empowerment include: market and community progress through the use of sex, disaggregated data, and other benchmarks (Chakabarti). Times are changing in the makeup of the workforce today. Females are quickly becomingRead More Women in the Workplace Essays2445 Words   |  10 Pagesmany cultures throughout the world women are patronized and viewed as the weaker sex. Women are commonly perceived as being unfit for any forms of higher education and because of societal pressure and expectations retreat to a life of raising children and cooking meals for their husbands. Our society’s stereotypical views about women’s suffrage, educational expectations and athletic abilities have all advanced over the year s. In many aspects of our society, women are now expected to compete withRead MoreThe Inequality Of The Workplace Towards Women845 Words   |  4 Pageslegally accommodate pregnant female workers for minor requests. It has been thought that women make 77 cents to every man’s dollar but, that’s a myth. Because, if you would adjust for vacation time and, the profession of choice. Statistics show that females make 91 cents to every man’s dollar. This is why this research essay will give you further details to why there’s inequality in the workplace towards women. Gender roles have many occupations meaning they are related with masculine or feminineRead MoreImproving Workplace Opportunities For Women1590 Words   |  7 PagesA century ago women were excluded from the opportunities which men enjoyed. Today, many countries including Canada have progressed significantly by creating anti-discrimination laws that have performed a critical role in expand ing workplace opportunities for women. However, these laws failed to guarantee workplace equality since female workers still face discrimination through significant pay gaps for similar job duties, lack of representation in boards and high paying positions, and also face sexual

Bettys Summer Vacation Details and Summary

Christopher Durangs plays are well-known for addressing taboo content in a biting and humorous manner.  Betty’s Summer Vacation, with its  talk of incest, murder, mutilation, rape, â€Å"three ways,† exposing/flashing, and more, is no exception. Durang notes that his sometimes irreverent manner in dealing with these sensitive topics is meant to reveal to an audience just how far news and entertainment have gone in desensitizing people towards topics that should produce feelings of horror and revulsion, but which are now are glossed over alongside stories of the latest Hollywood scandals. He likens modern audiences to those in Ancient Rome who found entertainment in gladiator battles and sending Christians to fight lions. He writes: â€Å"But I’ve not written a documentary, I’ve written a play; and it’s a farcical play as well, in which we are not meant to EMPATHIZE with the characters the way one is meant to empathize with Blanche DuBois or Willy Loman; it’s more like following the stories of Candide and Cunnegonde in Candide, or the characters in a Joe Orton farce, or even the characters in a 1930s screwball comedy (though admittedly a dark one).† It may be jarring to read or experience a Durang play if you are unprepared for his style. But, Durang aims for â€Å"healing laughter† that comes from serious events that are now distant enough from an audience that when described in a particular manner can be found humorous. Plot Synopsis Betty is on summer vacation in a shared rental property with her friend Trudy, Trudy’s mother Mrs. Siezmagraff, Keith, and Buck. Trudy is a talkative young woman who grates on Betty’s nerves. Buck is an over-sexed lout and Keith just might be a serial killer with a head in a hatbox. Mrs. Siezmagraff is a codependent, Auntie Mame-ish wild woman.  She invites a homeless man, Mr. Vanislaw, to come over for the night as her date. Mr.Vanislaw is wearing a trench coat and sneakers and he flashes everyone in the house and alludes to his penis every chance he gets. Trudy and Betty beg Mrs. Siezmagraff to keep Mr. Vanislaw under control, but she refuses to acknowledge his lewd behavior just as she refused to acknowledge that her late husband molested Trudy. After a night of charades, Mrs. Siezmagraff and Mr. Vanislaw go out drinking. Mrs. Siezmagraff passes out on the floor and Mr. Vanislaw, mad that his date is no longer able to perform, goes in search of Trudy and rapes her. Afterwards Trudy is furious with her mother for allowing the man into their house and demands that she do something, but Mrs. Siezmagraff turns a blind eye and says, â€Å"Every time I get a husband or a boyfriend, Trudy’s always after them.† Trudy is enraged and grabs a kitchen knife and cuts off Mr. Vanislaw’s penis. Keith then cuts off his head. During these events there is canned laughter, similar to that of a laugh track, coming from the ceiling. At first it is sporadic and confusing to the characters, but eventually they become accustomed to the laughter and question why some line or action might get a laugh while others do not. Then the Voices in the ceiling start talking back to the characters and making requests. Those requests soon turn into demands. When Mrs. Siezmagraff calls 911 and the dispatcher tells her to bring Keith and Trudy to the police station, and Betty goes for a walk, and Buck leaves to find the towns’ easy widow, and there is no one left for the Voices to watch, they get frustrated and angry and crash through the ceiling and into the setting of the play. They are a three-headed monster of sorts. They have three different personalities, but share a connected body bound with wires and tubing. The Voices demand that Betty and the rest of the residents at the summer share put on a courtroom drama to entertain them. After an Oscar worthy performance by Mrs. Siezmagraff in which she plays defense attorney, abusive mother, and long lost Irish maid, The Voices pronounce Keith and Trudy innocent of all charges. However, The Voices won’t stop there. They want violence and more violence. They want Keith to cut off more heads and Trudy to cut off more penises. When Buck comes home, this is just what Keith and Trudy do, all the while bonding nicely over the gruesome experience. The Voices want more. They want Keith to blow up the house. Betty begs to escape and manages to run as Keith turns on the gas stove and pulls out a match. Production Details Setting: A nice seaside summer community - maybe somewhere on the New Jersey shore. Not a trendy, chic location. Time: Summer Cast Size: This play can accommodate 9 actors. Male Characters: 5 Female Characters: 4 Characters that could be played by either males or females: 0 Roles Betty is a reasonable young woman. She is the most normal of the group of characters assembled at the summer share. She feels pressured by her job and her mother and is looking for a relaxing vacation at the beach. Trudy uses words as medication. She speaks long and incessantly about anything and everything. She is not used to being listened to and is surprised when Betty or The Voices acknowledge her. She is desperate for attention. Keith is a quiet young man who is looking to be left alone. He had a troubled childhood similar to Trudy’s and learned to cope by cutting off people’s heads. Buck is a â€Å"lout-hunk.† He is sexist in a naà ¯ve way. He believes that all women want to be with him just as he wants to be with them. He prefers to get off about 20 times a day and feels in pain if he falls short of this number. Mrs. Siezmagraff is a grand old woman. She lives life in a large way with self-inflicted blinders. She refuses to see herself or her daughter as a victim, instead choosing to view Trudy as competition for the love/lust of despicable men. Mr. Vanislaw is a derelict who gets his jollies by exposing himself to women as often as possible. He is uncomplicated and unapologetic in his wants and desires. The Group of Voices are comprised of two men and one woman. They are a cross section of demographics that TV stations poll to see what America finds entertaining. Production/Character Notes In the script provided by Dramatists Play Service, Inc, Christopher Durang has notes for potential directors, actors, and producers. He writes about tone, character choices, the use of blood and much more. Any theatre or company looking to produce Betty’s Summer Vacation would find it useful to read and study these notes. Content Issues: Language, murder, violence, rape, incest, sex

Native American Assimilation Essay - 1602 Words

For almost as long as European settlers have interacted with the native peoples of the Americas, they have had a notion: what many call ‘assimilation’. To Europeans, assimilation of native peoples meant for their culture, which they believed to be superior, to be accepted over time by the natives. And as they grew more and more European in language, religion, customs, organization, morals, and behavior, they would slowly shed off all of their old culture which the European culture would be replacing. The Europeans believed this process was for the best for the natives and that they would be happier living ‘civilized’ lives as opposed to practicing their own traditions. Assimilation, a replacing of native traditions with European-American†¦show more content†¦He makes predictions about the weather and what the future holds. (3) Not long into the novel, Horse is assimilated to quite an extent, and he is living the good life. Golden teeth in his mouth, he drives to church in his expensive, golden car. (11) And he is quite pleased with the ways his life have changed from his time as a more traditional foreteller who lived life like his ancestors had, before European influence. Still, in spite of this, Horse still holds fast to some of his old ways. He is the only member of the Osage to still live in a teepee. In addition, he tends to a fire. â€Å"It was an important fire. It had descended from the coals of his ancestors. Their lives still turned in the eternal flames.† (32) The flame is a symbol for native tradition. The firekeeper is a role passed down for generations, and his dedication to fulfilling his duty as firekeeper shows his resistance to complete assimilation to the European ways of life. The fire continues to burn, and its flame serves as proof of his heritage. And yet, in spite of his determination to hold true to his roots, he parks his car right next to this flame. This car is a symbol of the economic wealth that came from the allotted lands given by the European-Americans and from trading the oil on it to European-Americans. It is a symbol of what the European-Americans valued, and it itself is a European-American invention. And this symbol of white America, the very thing that threatens toShow MoreRelatedNative American Assimilation Essay1782 Words   |  8 Pagesmost difficult issues that arises when two cultures collide is how to address the concept of assimilation. One of the questions that has been asked throughout our nation’s history is whether or not the Native Americans would do well to assimilate into the â€Å"American mainstream. Quite frankly, I don’t think we, as non-Native Americans, have the right to propose an answer to this question. The Native Americans themselves are only ones who should be able to decide the future of their people’s traditionRead MoreNative American Cultural Assimilation Essay3830 Words   |  16 PagesNative American Cultu ral Assimilation from the Colonial Period to the Progressive October 2, 2011 Introduction Although the first European settlers in America could not have survived without their assistance, it was not long before the Native Americans were viewed as a problem population. They were an obstacle to the expansion plans of the colonial government and the same to the newly formed United States. The Native Americans were dealt with in various ways. During expansion someRead MoreNative Americans and Cultural Assimilation Essays1934 Words   |  8 PagesNative Americans have had a long history of resistance to the social and cultural assimilation into white culture. By employing various creative strategies, Native Americans have attempted to cope with the changes stemming from the European colonial movement into the Americas. There are fundamental differences in world views and cultural and social orders between Indians and Europeans, which contributed to conservatism in Native American cultures. In this paper, two aspects of such cultural and institutionalRead MoreAssimil ating to Fukuyamas Immigrants and Falmily Values Essay882 Words   |  4 Pages In the essay â€Å"Immigrants and Family Values†, the author Francis Fukuyama argued that immigrants, are not a threat for American family values, but rather American culture can become a threat for â€Å"newcomers†. On the other hand, Fukuyama expressed that as long as first generation immigrants want to keep their culture and language intact in school that will keep them from really assimilating the new culture. Before explaining why immigrants are not a threat for United States family values, FukuyamaRead MoreThe Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker Summary Essay867 Words   |  4 PagesPivka October 20, 2011 English 101 P2 â€Å"Notes of a Native Speaker† Summary In 1998, Eric Liu wrote a book about his struggle with acculturation titled â€Å"The Accidental Asian†. A chapter within the book called â€Å"Notes of a Native Speaker† depicts an essay written by Liu which fully describes his struggles with race and how he overcame them. Eric Liu is an American born Taiwanese Asian. His parents immigrated to the United States before he was born and in so, gave him a mixed cultural backgroundRead MoreTextual Analysis of Alexie’s â€Å"Because my Father Always Said...†1683 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis Essay Textual Analysis of Alexie’s â€Å"Because my Father Always Said...† America truly is the salad bowl of cultures from around the whole world. However, there is often times a dominating cultural structure that makes it difficult to attain peace among the diverse cultural groups of America. Sherman Alexie’s short story, Because my Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock, displays the difficulty of the Native AmericanRead MoreAmerican Indian Liberation : American Indians And The Boarding School Experience852 Words   |  4 Pageshad a curiosity in the Native American culture, yet my previous studies led me away from any cultural academics over the years. I am pleased that I am now delving into these resources after attending a pow wow on the White Earth Reservation to increase my understanding of the Native American culture. There are four books in particular that have sparked my curiosity: American Indian Liberation: A Theology of Sovereignty by George E. Tinker; Education for Extinction: American Indians and the BoardingRead MoreAlbert Kinsey Helped Change The American Public s Preconceptions On Sexuality935 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Question #2 Albert Kinsey helped change the American Public’s preconceptions on sexuality by publishing two bestselling books from 1947 to 1953 on the topic. Titled â€Å"American Sexual Behavior† and â€Å"Sexual Behavior in the Human Female†, these books both confirmed and challenged the generally held beliefs dealing with marriage, sexual gratification, and sexual orientation. Sex was deemed important for a healthy marriage, adultery was frequent and homosexuals weren’t weird anomalies. Hugh HefnerRead MoreNative Americans History1879 Words   |  7 PagesWhen asking a child, educated or not, what they ideas are when they hear the term Native American where does they mind venture to? More than likely do they not consider the former House of Representative, Charles D. Curtis or professor pitcher Joba Chamberlain. But they also do not think of a Native American as being an average person, a boy/girl like themselves. What children believe to be Native American are descriptions such as, feather headdresses, tomahawks, and long braided hair or scalpedRead MoreWesternization And Its Effects On Globalization And Westernization1134 Words   |  5 Pagesand culture. Various examples of this can be seen throughout history - assimilation of conquered lands into the Roman Empire, of native South Americans and Africans into Christianity and European culture during colonization, and the assimilation of Native Americans into the culture of the United States. Assimilation can al so create things, such as the religion of Vodun. However, this does not negate the fact that assimilation and its effects - globalization and westernization - are any less harmful

Rico Act Essay Free Essays

The RICO Act has been an important component in addressing organized and white collar crime. Write a five page (double-spaced) essay that summarizes the RICO Act and its impact on organized and white collar crime. Be sure to support your thoughts with information from our readings. We will write a custom essay sample on Rico Act Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Rico Act Essay The term â€Å"Rico Act† stands for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, Codified as chapter 96, Title 18, of the United States Code which was passed by Congress in 1970. The purpose of the Act was to eliminate the ill-affects of organized crime on the nation’s economy. The Rico Act provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. The RICO Act focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be tried for the crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them in doing. It closed a perceived loophole that allowed someone who told a man to commit a crime such as murder, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually do it or were physically involved. Racketeering is defined as the process of forming or running an organization to operate or commit or otherwise execute ongoing criminal activities. For example the drug mafia planning and executing drug traffic in an organized manner. Such crimes are generally illegitimate business when a person commits crimes such as extortion, loan-sharking, bribery, and obstruction of justice in furtherance of illegal business activities. The definition of a â€Å"racketeering activity† means any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance or listed chemical (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act), which is chargeable under State law and punishable by imprisonment for more than one year. There are a number of illegal and prohibited activities listed in the act and are as follows: Prohibited activities listed in Section 1962 of the Rico Act. a) It shall be unlawful for any person who has received any income derived, directly or indirectly, from a pattern of racketeering activity or through collection of an unlawful debt in which such person has participated as a principal within the meaning of section 2, title 18, United States Code, to use or invest, directly or indirectly, any part of such income, or the proceeds of such income, in acquisition of any interest in, or the establishme nt or operation of, any enterprise which is engaged in, or the activities of which affect, interstate or foreign commerce. A purchase of securities on the open market for purposes of investment, and without the intention of controlling or participating in the control of the issuer, or of assisting another to do so, shall not be unlawful under this subsection if the securities of the issuer held by the purchaser, the members of his immediate family, and his or their accomplices in any pattern or racketeering activity or the collection of an unlawful debt after such purchase do not amount in the aggregate to one percent of the outstanding securities of any one class, and do not confer, either in law or in fact, the power to elect one or more directors of the issuer. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person through a pattern of racketeering activity or through collection of any unlawful debt to acquire or maintain, directly or indirectly, any interest in or control of any enterprise which is engaged in, or the activities of which affect, interstate or foreign commerce. c) It shall be unlawful for any person employed by or associated with any enterprise engaged in, or the activities of which affect, interstate or foreign commerce, to conduct or participate, directly or indirectly, in the conduct of such enterprise’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity or collection of unlawful debt. (d) It shall be unlawful for any person to conspire to violate any of the provisions of subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section. Under RICO, a person who is a member of an illegal enterprise or organization that has committed any two of 35 crimes including 27 federal crimes and 8 state crimes, within a 10-year period, can be charged with racketeering. Those found guilty of racketeering can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to 20 years in prison per racketeering count. In addition, the racketeer must forfeit all ill-gotten gains and interest in any business gained through a pattern of â€Å"racketeering activity. RICO also permits a private individual harmed by the actions of suc h an enterprise to file a civil lawsuit and collect monetary damages. Despite its harsh provisions, a RICO-related charge is considered easy to prove in court, as it focuses on patterns of behavior as opposed to criminal acts. Although some of the RICO predicate acts are extortion and blackmail, one of the most successful applications of the RICO laws has been the ability to indict or sanction individuals for their behavior and actions committed against witnesses and victims in alleged retaliation or retribution for cooperating with federal law enforcement or intelligence agencies. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of bringing organized crime members to justice, ten years passed before the first RICO convictions were obtained. Throughout the 1970s crime families continually fought for power over the many racketeering enterprises that brought in huge sums of money. The National Conference on Organized Crime in 1975 estimated that mob related racketeering reached about $50 billion a year in the United States. An example of a popular case where the Rico Act was used to bring down a criminal organization was the numerous arrests of members of the Gambino Crime Family. The Carlo Gambino family was one of New York’s most powerful in the American Mafia. It was successfully weakened by convictions obtained under the RICO Act of 1970. Under Gambino’s leadership, family rackets spread into new areas. Starting in the late ’50s, they engaged in large-scale drug trafficking. The Gambino and Lucchese families put a stranglehold on illegal activities at JFK International Airport, effectively boxing out all competition. Gambino bought into all kinds of legitimate businesses such as pizza parlors, meat markets, restaurants, construction companies, trucking firms, dress factories, and nightclubs, and used them as fronts to facilitate illegal operations. Battles for power and control between crime families resulted in numerous murders. Members of one family would assassinate another’s boss. The family of the assassinated boss sought revenge by murdering a member of the offending family. Murders were also committed to prevent a crime member from testifying in a trial. The first convictions of American Mafia members under RICO began in 1980. Numerous gangsters were convicted for a variety of racketeering offenses. In 1985 the bosses of all five New York City Mafia families were convicted under RICO and each received at least one hundred years in prison. In 1992 Salvatore â€Å"Sammy the Bull† Gravano testified in court against his boss, John Gotti, head of the Gambino crime family at that time. In doing so he broke the sacred code of the Mafia, the code of silence barring every Mafia member from ever testifying against another Mafia member. Gotti was sentenced to life in prison. His brother Peter Gotti took over the family but was sentenced in April 2004 to nine years in prison. From our reading, we also learned that Rico can provide other benefits to local, county, state and federal law enforcement. As stated by Osterburg and Ward, page 632, â€Å"Through asset forfeiture provisions the government can confiscate money, houses, cars, boats, planes, electronics and weapons. This has not only impacted on the specific criminals targeted, but in many jurisdictions has been used as a means for law enforcement to expand their own efforts. In my own department, we use the proceeds from asset forfeitures to purchase vehicle equipment and bullet proof vests. Summary For decades, law enforcement strategies have focused on identifying and prosecuting the leaders of criminal enterpris es. Members may be charged or arrested for relatively minor infractions. Charges for even small infractions can provide prosecutors with the leverage to conduct further investigations of the group. The goal is to get â€Å"smaller fish† to â€Å"flip† and testify against the heads of the organization. The ultimate aim is to disrupt the group as a whole. Since the inception of the Rico Act, thousands of arrests and convictions have been handed down against members of organized crime. All five New York crime families have been disabled by Rico convictions and numerous other crime families have felt the sting. There has been mixed reviews on the total effectiveness of the Rico Act, but most will agree that there seems to be no end to organized crime and those willing to engage in criminal activity and enterprise. References www. ricoact. com/ricoact/nutshell. asp RICO – What Happened Next . . . – Crime, Family, Mafia, Families, Organized, and American http://law. jrank. org/pages/12394/RICO-What-happened-next. html#ixzz1XrNLl9Gg http://www. trutv. com/library/crime/gangster_outlaws/family_epics/gambino/3. html www. justice. gc. ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2005/rr05_5/p5. html. Osterburg and Ward. , Criminal Investigations, A Method for Reconstructing the How to cite Rico Act Essay, Essays

Move and Position Individuals in Accordance with Their Plan of Care free essay sample

Understand anatomy and physiology in relation to moving and positioning individuals 1. 1 Outline the anatomy and physiology of the human body in relation to the importance of correct moving and positioning of individuals We need to know the normal range of movement of the muscles and joints so when moving, handling and positioning a person we know the limits of each limb. We need to take into consideration other factors that may inhibit a person’s movement such as: †¢ Old Fractures †¢ Torn Muscles †¢ Rheumatism and Arthritic conditions. This should all be written within the individuals care plan as well as a step by step plan on that has been agreed with them on how to move and handle them. We need to understand that elderly people are not as supple as younger people and even if they do not suffer movement restriction through a medical condition. They bruise easier too and so great care has to be taken when handling, moving and positioning them especially when assisting them to sit up or when using the hoist strap. We will write a custom essay sample on Move and Position Individuals in Accordance with Their Plan of Care or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Failure to follow the care plan and any presenting conditions can lead to causing the individual injury, pain and discomfort. It may also lead to legal action being raised. 1. 2- Describe the impact of specific conditions on the correct movement and positioning of an individual STROKES Following a stroke an individual will often have weakness in a limb or the whole of one side of the body. A physiotherapist will be involved to assist with strengthening the areas affected by the stroke. The individual’s mobility is likely to be affected and any moving and handling techniques need to be planned and agreed with them. Movement will be slow and quite frustrating for the individual