buy custom Case Law essay

buy custom Case Law essay Case law is part of sources of law in many countries, and many judges make judgments basing on the decisions of previous judges. The case of Lumpkin, et al. v. Mellow Mushroom, et al. involves the parents of a deceased boy and Mellow Mushroom, which sales liquor. The case was filed in Court of Appeals of Georgia. The issue that was to be determined by the court was whether Mellow Mushroom was entitled to a summary judgment, and the court agreed that Mellow Mushrooms was entitled to the summary judgment. The Court arrived at its decision after observing the facts of the case, and making a careful consideration of the laws that governed the case. The Limpkins were supposed to prove that Mellow Mushrooms had a duty to the public, and the negligent acts of the defendant had led to the death of the young man. Furthermore, the plaintiffs were supposed to prove that they suffered some damage due to the acts of the defendant. However, the plaintiffs failed to prove that the acts of the defendant led to the death of their child. This is because there was contributory negligence on the part of their son. This is because the son accepted to be driven in a jeep that did not have a passengers door, and he untied his safety belt and hanged outside as the car was moving. Furthermore, the facts of the case showed that Lumpkin and Callaway had purchased other beers prior to the incident. Therefore, it was difficult to prove that the beer that they drank at Mellow Mushrooms was the one that contributed to the accident. Furthermore, the witnesses of the case failed to assert that the two were drunk when they left Mellow Mushrooms. In conclusion, the court offered the defendant a summary judgment, and the reasoning of the court was that the defendants negligence was not the proximate cause that led to the death. This is according to the provisions of legislation, and the provision of common law does not support the demands of the plaintiffs. Therefore, the plaintiffs had a duty to prove that the negligence acts of Mellow Mushrooms was had a causal relation to the death, and that the defendant had a duty to observe. Buy custom Case Law essay

Social Revolutionaries essays

Social Revolutionaries essays Social Revolutionaries believed the force to overthrow the czars would come from the peasants. Their goal was that government that would distribute the land fairly among the peasants. They wanted to replace the czar with a democratically elected government. The Social Democrats convinced future revolutions would be led my an urban working class. They wanted to overthrow czar government, PLUS spark a worldwide Marxist revolution. The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks followed Lenin that Russias working class was too small and poorly educated to stage a revolution so they needed a tiny group of Marxists to guide them. In the revolution of 1905, workers, about 200,000, and their families, went to the czars to ask for better working conditions, personal freedom, and an elected national legislature. But Nicholas was not at the place; instead, his general and police chiefs were. They ordered the soldiers to fire on the crowd. Instantly, 500 to 1,000 people were killed. That day could not be erased. The peoples demands could no longer be ignored and the czar promised for more freedom, and approved of the Duma, which consisted of leaders who wanted Russia to become a constitutional monarchy. After three months, he got rid of it and sent the members home. Stalin was one of the men besides Trotsky who tried to succeed Latin. He was a party secretary and was responsible for hundreds of appointments. When Lenin realized that Stalin was the bad guy, it was already too late, for Stalin had enormous power in his hands. Stalin outlined a 5-year plan for the development of the USSR economy. It was made to limit the production goods, and was made to enhance the state-owned mines, heavy industry, railroads, and energy sources. He also made an agricultural revolution which was way more brutal than his 5-year plan. He abolished 25 million small farms and would be replaced with collective farms&ap...

Chemical engineering design project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemical engineering design project - Essay Example There is an increase in agricultural subsidies offered to farmers under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). Table 1shows estimates of costs incurred in the SPS for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. It is evident there is an increase in figures for the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 SPS(6.3M and 9.3M) and still further subsequent increase in 2010/2011. Biofuel producers also accrue tax exemptions. HMRC 2011 places tax per litre for biofuels, diesel and petrol to be equal. However, it is also perceived that exemptions are likely to affect government revenue earnings. Another factor that significantly influences the use of biofuels is caloric requirements required in comparison to pure petroleum. Biofuels have low caloric values and therefore a greater amount of biofuels are required to meet the energy output of petroleum products. Table 2 shows the amount of blended biofuel needed to meet the energy value of pure petroleum product (Chris and Wooders 24). Since the tax per litre is equal for both petroleum products and biofuels, then the cost for biofuels will be much higher compared to petroleum products. In consideration of petroleum being an input in the biofuel production, this has significant implications on costs of other inputs i.e. feedstock’s and transport services, therefore, affecting production costs. Table 3 projects that in 2020 bioethanol will be 16-35 pence per litre more expensive. On the other hand, biodiesel will be 29-42 pence per litre more expensive than the petroleum product they are intended to replace (Chris and Wooders 29). It is a requirement that biofuels comply with the sustainability criteria. This is an added cost to the producers (Chris and Wooders 32). GHG saving is set at 35% and from 2017 is expected to be at 50%. The introduction of sustainability criteria increases cost, and it is estimated to be at GBT 256milion. Therefore, it is likely that the

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Marketing - Essay Example It has posed tough competition for its competitors for each of its functions starting from procurement to the delivery of products. As of September 30, 2006, the Company had 1,123 Wal-Mart stores, 2,142 Super centers, 570 SAM’S CLUBS and 109 Neighborhood Markets in the United States. Internationally, the Company operated units in Argentina (12), Brazil (296), Canada (279), China (66), Costa Rica (133), Germany (85), Guatemala (125), Honduras (38), Japan (391), Mexico (845), Nicaragua (36), Puerto Rico (54), El Salvador (59) and the United Kingdom (326).1 Company targets volume. The target consumers are middle class and upper middle class customers. These customers do shopping for their monthly grocery requirements. The target markets are identified on the basis of volume and population in a particular area. Apart from that various other macro and micro environmental factors are considered before entering to the new market. Company ensures the availability of products in the store through proper inventory management, logistics management and distribution management. It offers range of products from eatables, clothing, grocery and other household products. Company has 1,123 Wal-Mart stores, 2,142 Super centers, 570 SAM’S CLUBS and 109 Neighborhood Markets in the United States. Customer can visit any of these stores according to their needs and location. Wal-Mart adopts various promotional strategies to communicate with its customers and stakeholders. The promotional strategies can be on local level, national or international level. The promotional channels utilized here can be print, electronic or combination of number of channels. It has an excellent virtual platform with attractive website which offers another channel of communication and marketing. Retailing industry is highly competitive industry because competition comes in various formats. The traditional setups like

Tower Cranes Essay Example for Free

Tower Cranes Essay Force Force can be defined as that which causes a mass to accelerate. Force has common units of pounds force (lbs) or Newtons ? Acceleration (F=MÂ ·A). In other words 1 Newton is the force required to accelerate 1 kilogram by 1 m/sec2, or 1 pound force is the force required to accelerate 1 slug by 1 foot/ sec2. You will notice that the imperial unit for force is pounds force and not just pounds. There is a common inaccuracy in our language that is only really important when talking about physics. The word weight truly refers to a force – this is why your weight on the moon is not the same as your weight on earth. To fully understand this we need to dissect the mathematical meaning behind the force term. Two components go into calculating a force; the first is mass, the second is acceleration. What is mass? Mass is the amount of stuff present in a given sample, lets say a person. A person’s mass will be the same whether on earth or the moon – in both places that person is made up of the same amount of stuff. Mass has two common units; kilograms (kg) and slugs. So a person might have a mass of 70 kg or 4. 78 slugs. For the example of weight, or the downward static force exerted by an object, the acceleration of interest is the acceleration due to gravity. The acceleration due to gravity can be defined as the pull one object exerts on another. For this pull to be felt, one of the objects has to be extremely massive. For most people the most massive object they will encounter is the earth. The acceleration due to gravity on the earth is 9. meters/sec2 or 32. 2 feet/sec2. So a person on earth might weigh (70kg x 9. 8m/sec2) = 686 Newtons or (4. 78 slugs x 32. 2 feet/sec2) = 154 lbs. On the moon the same person will weigh (70kg x 1. 62 m/sec2) = 113 Newtons or (4. 78 slugs x 5. 32 ft/ sec2) = 25 lbs. So when a person says they weigh 154 lbs they are being true to physics, but when they say they weigh 154 kg, they’re actually referring to their mass. As a further twist, it’s also interesting to note that the acceleration due to gravity changes with altitude. So your weight at sea level will be slightly different that your weight at the top of a mountain (Newton’s law of gravitation Fg = G ? gravitational constant). ? kg ? m ? . The equation used to mathematically define force is Force = Mass x 2 ? ? sec ? m1 ? m2 , where G is the r2 Stress Stress is defined as force per unit area and has the common units of Pounds force per Square Inch (psi) or Pascals (Pa) (a Pascal is a Newton per square meter or kg/m sec2). In construction there are five basic types of stress which concern engineers. These are bending, tensile, compressive, shear, and torsional stress (see picture below). For the purpose of building Popsicle stick bridges we are really only interested in bending, compression, and tensile stresses. When we take a close look at bending we’ll see that it is just a combination of tensile and compressive stresses. Of these three types of stress tensile is perhaps the easiest to measure. As a result engineers will take samples of material and, using special machines, subject them to higher and higher tensile loads until they break. By dividing the force at which the sample breaks by the cross sectional area of the sample the materials Ultimate Tensile Stress (UTS) can be determined. The ultimate tensile stress is given the symbol ? (Greek letter sigma), and essentially represents the strength of a material. For comparisons sake a sample of plain carbon steel might have a UTS of 50,000 psi, while pine (which is what Popsicle sticks are made of) might have a UTS of 1,000 psi. It is important to recognize that UTS is not the only important consideration when selecting a material, but material selection is a bit outside the scope of this summary. Let’s take a closer look at tension and compression. Tension is the stress an element experiences when exposed to a pulling force. To get a feeling for tension think about a piece of string. String can only experience tension; it is not able to resist pushing or bending. Compression is the opposite of tension; it’s the stress an element experiences when exposed to a pushing force. Sand is an example of a substance which can only experience compression. A column of sand can support a large load, but is unable to resist any pulling force. As most materials have different tensile and compressive loading potentials, it is important to know what sort of forces will be exerted on every member in a building or bridge. Bending combines both tensile and compressive forces in a single element. To demonstrate this, take a look at the picture below. It’s pretty obvious from this picture that bending puts one face into tension while the other is in compression. It also logically follows from this conclusion that at some point between the two faces there must be a point where there is no tension or compression. This point is called the neutral axis. The mass of material above and below the neutral axis will always be equal. So in a symmetrical member the neutral axis will be along the midline, but will not necessarily be along the midline in an irregularly shaped member. This simple concept of leverage can be used to explain several more complex concepts in structural engineering. The first is why it’s easier to break a Popsicle stick when it’s bent on its flat side as opposed to its edge. To explain this we have to explain the concept of leverage. This one is pretty simple and can easily be demonstrated by the classroom door. Leverage (also called moment or torque) occurs when a force is applied to an object which can rotate about a pivot point. In the case of the classroom door the pivot is the hinge and the force applied comes from the person wanting to open the door. In the case of bending a Popsicle stick the pivot is the neutral axis and the force we’re concerned with is the tension or compression on the outside faces. Moment is calculated by multiplying the force applied by the distance from the point of force application to the pivot. If you increase the applied force, or the distance from the pivot point, the moment increases. That’s why door handles are put as far from the hinge as possible – we make the distance from the point of force application to the pivot point as large as possible, that way a small applied force will create a large moment. So the Popsicle stick is harder to break when bent on edge because we’ve increased the distance from the neutral axis to the point of maximum force. Explain the difference between tensile, bending, and compressive forces with examples of the equations used to calculate each. Explain truss elements and why they are a superior way of building a bridge. Sample FEM output for simple bridge design o Calculate the amount of popsicle sticks required to make a simple beam with the same strength as a truss element. Hints on building a strong bridge o Truss o Strength comes from the Popsicle sticks, not the glue – but well glued joints are a must. Additional information: http://andrew. triumf. ca/andrew/popsicle-bridge/ http://www. eir. ca/resources/presentations/Bridges%20-%20By%20Doug%20Knight. doc

African Elephant :: essays papers

African Elephant The common name is the African Elephant, the scientific name is Loxodonta Africana, the phylum is Vertebrata, the class is Mammalia, the order is Proboscidea, and the family is Elephantidae. The Closest Relatives to the African Elephant are: the Asian Elephant, mammoths, primitive proboscidean (mastodons), sea cows, and hyraxes. Scientists believe that the African Elephant evolved from one of its closest relatives, the Sea Cow. The geographical location and range of the African elephant covers all of central and southern Africa. In Ethiopia there are isolated populations that exist around Lake Chad in Mali and Mauritania. Also in Kenya, Rhodesia, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Zaire, and in National parks located in South Africa, as well as several other countries. African Elephants, originally, were found in all of the Sub-Saharan African habitats except desert steppes. Elephants still occupy diverse habitats such as: temperate grassland, tropical savanna and grass lands, temperate fores t and rainforest, tropical rainforest, tropical scrub forest, and tropical deciduous forest despite their drastic decline in numbers. However, their migratory patterns and habitat use have changed, due to the fact that they are restricted to protected areas. The elephant can exist in many types of environments but it prefers places that have many trees and bushes, which the elephant needs both for food and shade. They also like warm areas that have plenty of rainfall. This ensures plenty of food, shade, and water. The elephant prefers a habitat of mixed woodland and grassland which gives them an opportunity to eat a variety of vegetation. African Elephants are considered herbivores, they are both browsers and grazers; they will eat rough sticks, stems and leaves of plants as well as grasses, sedges, and fruit. Their favorites are mangoes, berries and coconuts. An elephant eats up to 500 pounds of vegetation every day and drinks up to 50 gallons of water daily. Elephants must consume these giant quantities of food, due to their poor digestive system. The small intestine is 82 feet long, the large intestine 21 feet long, and the rectum adds a further 13 feet. The problem with the digestive tract lies in their gut; elephants have too few symbiotic bacteria. These are the organisms which help break down the cellulose of plant cell walls by producing enzymes called cellulases. The most remarkable feature of the elephant’s digestive system is its 5 feet long appendix, bigger than the stomach.

Textile-and-Clothing-Report India

The Textile Industry and Related Sector in India Source: New Cloth Market The Textile Industry and Related Sector in India Source: New Cloth Market This market research study on Textiles and related sectors in India has been commissioned by Italian Trade Commission (Trade Promotion Section of the Consulate General of Italy), Mumbai, for which Ace Global Private Limited, a consultancy company based in New Delhi, has been appointed. The main objectives of the market research are to carry out a detailed market analysis o~ the industry, in order to identify potential opportunities for Italian entrepreneurs interested in the Indian market. The scope of the market research covers the following key segments of the industry: Textiles Apparel & Clothing; Undergarments; Home Textiles, and Accessories. The findings of the research are presented in the following sections. Market Characteristics The Textile Industry in India is one of the largest and most important industrial segments of the Indian economy accounting for over one fifth of the country's industrial production. It provides employment to around 15 million people who have helped produce one of the largest varieties of yarn, fabrics, textiles, clothing and garments, home furnishings and other textile products in the world. Textiles industry, including related subsectors, is worth about Euros 38 billion of which domestic segment constitutes 65% while 35% comes from exports. The textiles segment accounts for 59% of the industry, with apparel and other made ups constituting the balance. This industry also accounts for nearly 21 % of total employment in the country. Besides the textiles, apparels & clothing, the industry covers a wide range of home furnishings (bed linen, curtains and upholstery, floor coverings, kitchen linen, bath linen, etc. and Accessories (including apparel accessories, like stoles, scarves, etc. , hard accessories like bags, wallets, fashion jewellery, time wear and eyewear etc. ). Market Size The total market size for the sub-sectors covered in this study is estimated at Euro 21. 7 billion in the year 200809 with textile clothing and garments having a major share of 93%. Home textiles and furnishings, and textile usage in accessories was insignificant with a collective share of less than 0. 5% of the total market. Textiles Apparel and Clothing India's domestic market for apparel & clothing is currently worth Euro 20,219 million in 2008-09. It has registered a steady compounded annual growth rate (CAGA) of 13. 6% in the past 5 years. Volume wise, apparel market has grown from 4. 8 billion units in 2004†² to 5. 9 billion units in 2008-09 at a CAGA of 5. 3%. Apparel and Clothing is the second largest retail category in India. India's domestic market for apparels is currently worth over Euro 20 billion in 2008-09. It has registered a steady compounded annual growth ~ate (CAGA) of 13. 6% in the past 5 years. Volume wise, apparel market has grown from 4. 8 billion units in 200405 to 5. 9 billion units in 2008-09 at a CAGA of 5. 3%. Undergarments The 70's witnessed the entry of undergarments in India when Peter Pan from Dawn Mills entered the market with lingerie styles of the West. The undergarment market further proliferated and flourished in India significantly when international majors forayed in to Indian market in a big way since the onset of the 90's. India's domestic market for undergarments is currently worth about Euro 1. 5 billion in 2008-09. It has grown at a CAGA of about 15% in the past three years. Volume wise, apparel · market has grown from 914 million units in 2006-07 to 1. 05 billion units in 2008-09 at a CAGA of 7%. The total urban market for the home textiles in India in 2005-06 was estimated to be Euro 1. 45 billion. With a modest growth rate of about 14%, the market in 2008-09 is about Euros 2. 16 billion and is expected to cross Euros 3. 12 billion by 2011-12. The 2004-05 Volume (million units) Menswear Women's wpar Unisex apparel Kids' wear Uniforms Total 1,328 1,368 – 466 1,222 ~ 423 4,807 India's Apparel & Clothing Market 2006 ·07 Value, Volume (Euro (million Million) units) 4,450 3,856 1,014 1,836 991 12,147 1,443 1,523 519 1,323 , 498 5,306 Value (Euro Million) 5,605 5,106 1,461 2,333 1,461 15,966 2008-09 (estimates) Volume (million units) 1,600 1,676 579 1,468 581 5,905 Value (Euro Million) 6,938 6,414 1,816 2,975 2,077 20,219 market for home textiles is dominated by bed and bath linen, which have more han two third of the market share in value terms. Bed linen alone has a market of about Euros 1. 19 billion according to the estimates. Apart from the home textile products given in the table below, the other articles included in the total market size are textile made-ups like wall hangings and other decorative home furnishing articles. Accessories Usage of textiles and fabrics in the Accessories sector is valued at approx. Eu ros 0. 28 -0. 30 billion in 200809, bf which bags alone account for 61 % and apparel accessories and other fashion accessories account for 39%. The most common fabrics used in accessories are cotton, denim, silk, wool and raxene. Given the wide variety of products, with production largely concentrated in the unorganized sector, no official estimates for consumption of fabrics in accessories sector are available. Therefore for the purpose of this study, the market size has been estimate based on discussions with key players and industry bodies during the primary research, as presented below. Demand Drivers As stated in the preceding section, the market for textiles and related products has been consistently growing annually by 12% – 15% for various sub-sectors. The key factors driving this demand are: Demand Side factors With over 1. 1 billion people, India is the second most populous country in the world. In terms of the demographic â€Å"window of opportunity†, India is home to 17% of the world's population. It is also one of the youngest countries in the world, with over 65% of the population below 35% years of age. The young generation of professionals, both men and women, form important consumer groups with high purchasing power. This buying group is more demanding in their choice of products, looking for quality that satisfy comfort, fitting, styling needs etc. This has resulted in a qualitative shift of consumers from low / economy range to premium and super premium range of products. Growing prosperity of middle class: Indian corporate salaries have grown at 14% per annum, which is considered to be fastest globally. A large number of households are getting added every year to the consuming class with growing income levels, resulting in increasing affluence of the upper middle and igh income strata. According to various studies, there were more than 300 million middle class people in India in 2007 with substantial disposable incomes. This number is expected to touch 600 million by 2010. There will a sustained and increasing demand for various consumer products by this segment of population. The increase in urbanization and nuclear family structure, a growing number of educated and employed women, media prol iferation and growing consumerism, have all contributed to the growth of consumerism and organized retailing. The increasing working female-population has not only increased the income of households, but also changed the outlook of women towards their choice of clothing, home furnishings and its interiors. There is a trend of going with the seasonal tastes. Market Structure and Segmentation The market segmentation for various sub-sectors is on following basis: Textile Apparels-and Clothing: †¢ †¢ †¢ Segmentation by User category: Men's wear, Women's wear, Unisex apparel, Kids' wear Segmentation by Use: Formal, Casual, Traditional, Active sportswear, Uniforms Segmentation by Price: Super premium, Premium, Medium, Economy and Low end Undergarments: †¢ †¢ Segmentation by types of Suppliers: Informal/Unorganized sector, Organized sector – Segmentatfon by Price: Super premium, Premium, Medium, Economy and Low end Home Textile Furnishings †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Segmentation by types of Suppliers: Informal/Unorganized sector (70% share), Organized sector (30% share); Branded and Unbranded Segmentation by Use: Bed linens, Curtains & Upholstery, Bath linen. Kitchen linen etc. Segmentation By Price: Super premium, Premium, Medium, Economy and Low end Accessories: Segmentation by Use: Apparel accessories (scarves, stoles, shawls etc. ), Hard accessories (bags, belts etc. ), Packaging for jewellery, time, wear, eye wear etc. Segmentation by Price: Super premium, Premium, Medium, Economy and Low end Changing face of consumer: In spite of the economic meltdown in recent times, there has been a continuous and sustained shift in consumer demand pattern from basic necessities to spending on lifestyle products and ervices continues, largely due to : †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Higher Income Younger age profile Increasing literacy levels Higher adaptability to technology Increasing urbanization Changing role of women and children in the decision making process Increased demand for better shopping experience Impulsive purchase behavior among youngsters Changing fashion trends and increased consciousness Catch up wi th International fashion styles Sustained growth of retail culture in the country According to Central Statistical Organization, and Technopak, the retail market in India was about Euro 210 billion, and will cross Euro 440 billion in 2015, with organized retail growing at nearly 20% per year. The emergence of mall culture and rapid development of malls would act as a catalyst in this retail growth story. Due to the increase in the income levels of people and the push from the supply side of realty boom in this decade has created a housing boom in India. About 2. 5 million new homes are to be constructed to meet the demand of middle class and upper strata of income groups. Housing and Hospitality sectors are the major sectors, with huge demand for soft furnishings. As per estimates, the total shortfall of quality hotel rooms in India in all luxury, premium, economy and budget hotels is about 150,000. More than 40,000 hotel rooms are expected to come in top 10 metro cities by 2012. Supply Side Factors 1) Leading textile manufacturers are integrating their businesses vertically and have strong competencies in spinning, weaving and finishing. 2) There has been a significant improvement in the infrastructure related to textile machinery, transport and power which are further augmenting production. Government of India has allocated substantial funds · for infrastructure development through schemes like TUFS, and SITP, worker skill development trainings etc. 3) Lateral consolidation of players through organic and inorganic growth domestically and internationally. Indian companies have acquired the global brands abroad in order to consolidate their global positioning and have established wholly owned foreign subsidiaries abroad 4) End of quota regime acting as a stimulus to further export growth. Assessment of Demand and Market Potential in India The overall assessment of demand and market potential in various sub sectors, projected on the basis of past growth trends and industry expectations, is summarized in the table below. The total market is expected to increase from Euros 21. 7 billion in 200809 to Euro 29. billion by 2011-12, with overall compounded annual growth of 7. 89%. There are no authentic statistics available- on the production and the total market size of the home textile products and accessories, as no official data is compiled due to the unorganized and highly dispersed nature of sectors. The above estimates for home textile furnishings have been computed taking the overall average annual growth rates of domestic urban market (considered relevant for the foreign brands) as 15% for bath linen, 10% for kitchen linen, 12% for curtains, 15% for upholstery and 10% for other products. It should be noted that, above estimations is only for urban India, which is. Price Segmentation The price segmentation of the market is broadly in three categories: The low end market: Lower and economy (marginally improved product segment in relation to the lower category), solely volume driven, products are mostly unbranded and dominated by large number of regional and local manufacturers, and sold through small neighbourhood stores, The low and economy segment is growing in terms of volume and value and the industry is becoming more organized. The mid-range market: This segment features medium range of products. Though primarily volume driven, this category caters to diverse sections of Indian consumers across all regions, Its quality is by and large acceptable to all sections. The mid-market segment is characterized by the presence of regional and national players. The market is continuously expanding and becoming more and more competitive in respect of quality and price. The high end market: Exclusivity in product features such as high quality . raw materials, embellishments, design developments and above all branding of products for years make the products very special. ‘ Elitist categories of consumers pay for the products on demand. Mainly comprises of large Indian players and the foreign companies/international brands operating in the premium and super-premium product categories. Super-premium products are considered luxury products and marketed by top national and international giants. Illustrative prices for products in various price segments are provided in different Tables. Regional Characteristics of the Market The consumer behavior of a particular region which is economically not so developed is different as compared to developed ones. The consumers in the less developed region are understandably, more priceconscious. Always on the lookout for quality products, their guiding principle is ‘value for money'. A lower per capita income, in eastern region for example, compared to western and northern India leads to a lower per capita purchasing power. Additionally, Delhi being centrally located and Mumbai, being the financial capital have certain advantages. The consumers who live in these cities are more exposed to latest product collections and are more familiar with design, quality and latest trendy fashion, as well as the luxury of greater choice. The relatively undeveloped regions offer several in-built advantages as well. Fashion contenders setting out to do businesses in these regions find to their advantage that the region has not been exploited commercially and is prone to competition. The market, therefore, offers much but it needs to be cultivated in an organized manner. Local ready availability of products also influences a consumer. The decision to stick to a particular available product/brand seems to govern the purchase decision than the rarely available choicest product. Logistics, convenience and easy availability are important considerations for a local consumer. Regional considerations, such as climatic conditions etc. , playa major role in so far as the purchase decision of apparels is concerned. For instance, a consumer in Northern region would spend more on woolen products than his counterpart in the west or south where the winter is much milder. In India, different states are known for their specific style of clothing, home furnishings etc. For example J is the leading state for embroidered bed covers whereas Rajasthan (Jaipur) is famous for block printed, tie & dye bed covers, with mirror work, appliques, and bright colors. The market also depends upon the production and raw materials and government policies and programmes in specific states. Although there is an increasing influence to western and contemporary designs, Indian industry is still greatly influenced by the traditional regional motifs, with the materials of satin mix, tapestry for drapes and even cotton mixes with synthetics for the traditional look. Fabrics with bold prints and pastels are making a comeback. Polka dots and stripes, inspired by the retro, have made a comeback into the collections the world over. The sales of textile roducts increase significantly during the festival seasons in India, by up to 40 – 50 percent. Regional and national festivals, (e. g. ‘Diwali' is one of the most important festivals in India during October/ November) are the time to buy new clothes, renovate home furnishings. Consumer Behavior and Preferences The Indian consumers are noted as among the most discerning' consumers in the world with a high degree of value orientation. Even, luxury brands have to design a unique pricing strategy in order to get a foothold in the Indian market. Indian consumers also have a high degree of family orientation. Brands with identities that support family values tend to be popular and are accepted easily in the Indian market. Indian consumers are also associated with values of nurturing, care and affection. These values are far more dominant than values of ambition and achievement. Products, which communicate feelings and emotions gel with the Indian consumers. Different Segments of Indian Consumers Socialites: These are the upper class who shops in specialty stores and own exclusive accessories, and have a luxurious lifestyle. The Rich: India has over 1 million rich households (income greater than Euro 8,000 per annum). These people are upwardly mobile. Some of them in this category are Double Income No Kids (DINK) households. They spend more on leisure and entertainment-activities than on future looking investments. The Conservatives: These are the middle class population of India, who are very price conscious and demand more value for money. In addition to the above, the following segments are becoming increasingly important in purchase of consumer products: Working Women: Working women with disposable incomes are the key factors for the growth of women's accessories. An Indian woman is no longer just a homemaker. She is willing to buy designer products and is ready to pay high premiums for the same. Youth: With the increasing exposure to International fashion styles, the Indian youth is gaining more awareness and becoming style conscious. This segment believes in impulsive purchasing. There are certain common considerations for consumers regardless of locations. The consumers by and large are becoming increasingly more and more conscious of value of money. Price sensitivity is a common concern. Purchase decisions of consumers anywhere are more guided a combination of demographic and psychometric factors, such as, disposable income, age-distribution, pattern of income distribution, quality of upbringing, aptitude, tastes and preferences and so on. These days, the purchasing behaviors in India are greatly affected by the western tastes. The role of media, magazines, televisions have been increasing in making people aware about the new trends. There is a craze to own the best brands and designs among the people. The premium luxury brands are available only in the tier1 and tier2 cities hence making them a good market. Purchase Pattern of Textile Products Major findings of textile products based on All India consumer survey conducted by Textile Committee, Government of India, 2006-07 are presented as under: †¢ †¢ In India man-made fabric among various textile materials' sells the most. Sales of cotton come next in the order, while wool and silk constitute negligible percentage of total sales. Central, northern and western regions are the major consumers of man-made fabrics. Maximum consumption of cotton is reported from the eastern region. Consumption of cotton, in other regions is reportedly much less. This is an interesting revelation since India is ranked third as a cotton producing country in the world. †¢ †¢ †¢ Brand preferences Brand building is a stupendous task which involves high investment on production infrastructure, technology upgradation and enormous merchandizing. This has inspired lesser known medium sized players who are trying to establish their products in the market through Creation of brands. There is a strong indication that Indian market will have large a number of brands in near future in view of market expansion and increasing competition. Preference for particular apparel brands depends on individual tastes and preferences. However majority of Indian consumers look for certain common parameters like design, quality and above all merchandizing. Innovation in product design and fabric selection, are essential elements that add to value perception for a product. Sales discounts also tend to influence the purchase decisions of consumers provided the minimum parameters/ features are not compromised with. The Undergarments segment is characterized by well known national brands operating in the medium priced segment. Premium and super-premium product categories comprise branded products distinguished for exclusive product features operating at the high end of the market. Efficient logistics and supply chain management and media exposure have largely contributed to the popularity of these brands. Branding is a relatively new phenomenon in the Indian home textile furnishings market. In Accessories, the consumer demand . for premium product is on the rise. Style conscious customers with money look for variety. Consumer inclination for mix-n-match to build their wardrobe is acting as a catalyst in the growth of accessories market. Factors Influencing Brand Preference †¢ Brand preference pattern of consumers depends upon a host of factors such as : Combination of price, quality & fitting as major parameters of purchase decision for sensitive but smart consumers Track record of Indian manufacturer/reputation of foreign joint venture partner. †¢ Reputation of international companies The consumers place major emphasis on product quality. Price is another important consideration attracting customers to a particular shop/brand/ product. Pre and post sales services, parking facilities and ambience of the store or mall are the other major factors that attract local customers. Sales discounts also tend to influence the purchase decisions of consumers provided the minimum parameters/ features are not compromised with. In the selection of products, the consumers do not give automatic ‘precedence to local brands over national or foreign brands. Value for money has become the over-riding consideration. Fabric, texture and color followed by proper fits and sizing weigh more importance to the local consumers rather than just easy availability of local brands on account of proximity. Degree of Elasticity of Demand of Local Consumers Considering that price elasticity depends to a large extent on the degree of competition among the manufacturers, the Lower and Economy segments of the market are usually price inelastic. These segments being highly competitive do not allow the manufacturers much leverage on price. Higher up along the value chain, the affordability or paying capacity of the consumer is higher. The mid-price segment becomes increasingly quality oriented and more diversified. Despite competitive pressure, the price in this segment keeps on rising and the demand becomes price elastic. In case of premium and super-premium product segments, where entire focus is on quality, style and brand value, the consumer is insensitive to change in price. As per the findings of retailer survey, even an increase of less than 5% in the price has an effect on low end / economy category products, while mid-end category is usually able to absorb a 5-10% price increase without a major adverse impact on the sales of a brand. Originally published in New Cloth Market: February 2010

Process for Implemenation of Supplier Development Strategy Essay

Introduction Supply chain management adopts a systematic and integrative approach to manage the operation and relationship amongst different parties in supply chain one of the major issues is supplier development studies have investigated how quality management can be employer in supply chain management to influence performance in the whole supply network. (Mishra Rik, Patel G-Supplier Development Strategies, Data employment Analysis Business Intelligence Journal, January 2010 vol 3 No.1) There are 8 stages of implementation of supplier development 2.1 Identify critical commodities for development Managers must analyse their situation to determine whether Supplier development is important and if so which purchased commodities and services require the most attention. A corporate level executive steering committee must assess the relevant strategic importance of all goods and services that the company buys and produce a portfolio of critical commodities 2.2 Identify critical suppliers for development The managers must assess the performance of suppliers who supply commodities in the â€Å"strategic supplier category†. These commodities considered strategically important, as they might be difficult to substitute or purchase from alternative suppliers. 2.3 Form a cross-functional team A buyer must first develop internal cross-functional consensus for the initiative before approaching the supplies to ask for improvement such consensus will help to show a â€Å"unified front† and ensure that all buyer functions. 2.4 Meet with supplier’s top management team The buyer’s cross functional commodity team must approach the supplier’s top management group and establish three keys to supplier improvement, strategic alignment, supplier measurement and professionalism. 5 Identify opportunities and probability for improvement At these meetings with the suppliers executive should identify areas earmarked for improvement. Companies adopting a strategic approach to supply base development can usually agree upon areas or improvement .In some areas driven by final customer requirements and expectations. 2.6 Identify key projects After identifying promising opportunities of supplier development managers must evaluate them in terms of feasibility, resource and time requirements and potential return on investments. The aim is to decide what the goals should be and whether they are achievable. 2.7 Define details of the agreement After the potential improvement project is identified, the parties need to agree on specific merthies for monitoring its success. 2.8 Monitor status and modify strategies Manages must constantly monitor the progress and constantly exchange information to maintain momentum in the project. (http://www.ethenmanagementor.com.kuniverser/kmailer_universe/manu_kmailers/som-supplierdev1.htm. Accessed 15/09/2011) Different types Supply Chain relationships | |Transactional |Collaborative |Alliance | | |Relationships |relationships |relationships | |Communication |High potential for problems |Systematic approach to | | | |enhance communication | |Competitive |Low |High | |advantage |Independence | | |Connectedness |Little |Interdependence | |Continuous |Few | | |improvement | |A focus on | |Contributions to | | | |new product |Low |Many/early supplier | |development |Short |involvement | | |Reactive |Difficult/high impact | |Difficulty of exit |Price |Long | |Duration | Little or none |Proactive | |Expediting |Low |Total cost | |Focus | |High or total | |Level of integration |Many |High | |Level of trust |No | | |Number of |Incoming inspection | | |suppliers |Inward looking |One or few | |Open books | |Yes | |Quality | |Design quality into system | |Relations | |Concern with each other’s | | |Few/low skill level |well-being | |Resources |Minimal |Professional | |Service |No |Greatly improved | |Shared forecasts |Possible |Yes | |Supply disruptions |No |Unlikely | |Technology inflows |Tactical |Yes | |Type of interaction | |Strategic synergy | (Handfield RB; Monczka RM; Giunipero LC; Patterson JL. Sourcing and supply chain management; 2004 pg 123) Portfolio Analysis 4.1 Captive buyer Captive buyer relationship the supplier dominates the buyer and the buyer depends on the supplier. In these particular captive buyer relationships this dependence of the buyer is due to the unique intellectual property of the supplier. Because of this intellectual property the buyer has limited or no Substitutes to turn to creating a dependence on the supplier. Despite this dependence a high level of trust plays an important role in making this relationship fruitful for both parties. Apparently the dominance of the supplier is limited to the extent that the mutual trust stays intact. But the level of trust also has its limits from the supplier’s perspective. The supplier is not willing to trust the buyer with its intellectual property. The obvious reason for this is the risk that the supplier would lose its dominating position. Thus, the supplier has a special interest in maintaining its dominant position. The survey and interviews indicate that for captive buyer relationships the explanatory variables were the lack of substitutes, legal property rights and size of the supplier. Apparently the legal property rights of the supplier, and the resulting lack of substitutes, causes the buyer to depend on the supplier. These factors, combined with a supplier that is much larger than the buyer, results in a relationship that can be described as a captive buyer situation. (http://dspace.learningnetworks.org/bitstream/1820/3545/1/MWBHMJFleurenmei2011.pdf ;Accessed 15/09/2011) 2 Captive Supplier Captive supplier relationship the supplier depends on the buyer and the buyer therefore overpowers the supplier. This unbalance of power can have one or a combination of factors: the size of the buyer and its market share but also the switching costs for the supplier contribute to the dependence of the supplier on the buyer. Despite the fact that the supplier has important intellectual property this is not sufficient to balance the level of power towards the buyer. To make this relationship a fruitful one cooperation and mutual goals are of great importance. Via these mutual goals the buyer does depend on the supplier to some extent, thus preventing the buyer from abusing its dominance over the supplier. For this reason, in a captive supplier situation the buyer will also invest (heavily) in the relationship but not to the extent that it loses it’s dominating position. While studying the captive supplier relationships, it became apparent that the Explanatory variables were market share, lack of substitutes, legal property rights, non-retrievable investments and the size of the supplier. These factors resulted in a captive buyer situation. Again the presence of legal property rights, this time of the buyer, causes the supplier to have limited or no substitutes. Furthermore the relationship involved significant non-retrievable investments for the supplier, making it even more difficult to switch to another buyer. Finally, the high market share of the buyer compared to the small size of the supplier was a significant factor. The net result of these explanatory variables is a captive supplier relationship. (http://dspace.learningnetworks.org/bitstream/1820/3545/1/MWBHMJFleurenmei2011.pdf; Accessed 15/09/2011) 3 Interdependent Supply Chain members Some kind of starting point is needed for identification of supply chains. For instance, an end product of some kind may be used for identification and analysis of the activity structure organised ‘behind’ it. This is in line with the transvection concept coined by Alderson (1965, p. 92) who defines transvections as comprising ‘†¦all prior action necessary to produce this final result, going all the way back to conglomerate resources’. This, however, entails a first important connection among chains as they typically merge in different stages within an activity structure where different parts of the end product are assembled, welded etc, tying different chains together successively (Dubois, 1998). Consequently, several different products (and thus also several chains, if defined by products) are involved in every ‘supply chain’ resulting in some kind of end-product. Taking transvections, or end-product related structures, as a starting point we will further analyse the ways in which the activities and reso urces within ‘supply chains’ are connected by analysing how they are subject to the three forms of interdependence. (http://www.impgroup.org/uploads/papers/4324.pdf ;accessed 15/09/2011) 5. Buyer /supplier relationship (Handfield RB; Monczka RM; Giunipero LC; Patterson JL. Sourcing and supply chain management; 2004) High Category Level Low Conclusion The concept of power should be at the centre of any study of buyer-supplier relationships. Power affects the expectations of the two parties over what commercial returns should accrue to them from a relationship. It also affects the willingness of the two parties to invest in collaborative activities. As important, it also affects the willingness of the two parties to share the costs of relationship-specific investments .It also affects the willingness of the two parties to share sensitive information. As a result, an understanding of the power relation which is often stable, with the relative stability should, from the point of view of the purchasing manager, inform both the supplier selection and the relationship management decision as he or she attempts to manage risk proactively. Bibliography 1. http://www.impgroup.org/uploads/papers/4320.pdf 2. http://dspace.learningnetworks.org/bitstream/1820/3545/1/MWBHMJFleurenmei2011.pdf. 3. Mishra Rik, Patel G-Supplier Development Strategies, Data employment Analysis Business Intelligence Journal, January 2010 vol 3 No.1 4. Handfield RB; Monczka RM; Giunipero LC; Patterson JL. Sourcing and supply chain management; 2004 ———————– |1.Leaverage: |2.Strategic : | |Captive Supplier |Mutual dependence | |The buyer has power |Trust is necessary | |Trust may be lacking | | |3.Routine: |4. Bottleneck | |Mutual Independent |Captive buyer | |Trust not necessary |The Supplier has power | | |Trust may be lacking | LowHighBusiness Risk

Joseph Michael Swango, Serial Killer Profile and Biography

Joseph Michael Swango, Serial Killer Profile and Biography Joseph Michael Swango is a serial killer who, as a trusted doctor, had easy access to his victims. Authorities believe he murdered up to 60 people and poisoned countless others, including co-workers, friends and his wife. Childhood Years Michael Swango was born on October 21, 1954, in Tacoma, Washington, to Muriel and John Virgil Swango. He was the middle son of three boys and the child that Muriel believed was the most gifted. John Swango was an Army officer which meant the family was constantly relocating. It was not until 1968, when the family moved to Quincy, Illinois, that they finally settled down. The atmosphere in the Swango home depended on whether or not John was present. When he was not there, Muriel tried to maintain a peaceful home, and she kept a strong hold on the boys. When John was on leave and at home from his military duties, the home resembled a military facility, with John as the strict disciplinarian. All of the Swango children feared their father as did Muriel.  His struggle with alcoholism was the main contributor to the tension and upheaval that went on in the home. High School Concerned that Michael would be under-challenged in the public school system in Quincy, Muriel decided to ignore her Presbyterian roots and enrolled him in the Christian Brothers High School, a private Catholic school known for its high academic standards. Michaels brothers attended the public schools. At Christian Brothers, Michael excelled academically and became involved in various extracurricular activities. Like his mother, he developed a love of music and learned to read music, sing, play the piano, and mastered the clarinet well enough to become a member of the Quincy Notre Dame band and tour with the Quincy College Wind Ensemble. Millikin University Michael graduated as class valedictorian from Christian Brothers in 1972. His high school achievements were impressive, but his exposure to what was available for him in selecting the best colleges to attend to was limited. He decided on Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he received a full music scholarship. There Swango maintained top grades during his first two years, however, he became an outcast from social activities after his girlfriend ended their relationship. His attitude became reclusive. His outlook changed. He exchanged his collegiate blazers for military fatigues. During the summer after his second year at Millikin, he stopped playing music, quit college and joined the Marines. Swango became a trained  sharpshooter for the Marines, but decided against a military career. He wanted to return to college and become a doctor. In 1976, he received an honorable discharge. Quincy College Swango decided to attend Quincy College to earn a degree in chemistry and biology. For unknown reasons, once accepted into the college, he decided to embellish his permanent records by submitting a form with lies stating that he had earned a Bronze Star and the Purple Heart while in the Marines. In his senior year at Quincy College, he elected to do his chemistry thesis on the bizarre poisoning death of Bulgarian writer  Georgi Markov. Swango developed an obsessive interest in poisons that could be used as silent killers. He graduated  summa cum laude from Quincy College in 1979. With an award for academic excellence from the American Chemical Society tucked under his arm, Swango set out to get accepted into medical school, a task that was not so simple during the early 1980s. At that time, there was fierce competition among a massive number of applicants trying to get into a limited amount of schools throughout the country. Swango managed to beat the odds and he got into Southern Illinois University (SIU). Southern Illinois University Swangos time at SIU received mixed reviews from his professors and fellow classmates. During his first two years, he earned a reputation for being serious about his studies but was also suspected of taking unethical shortcuts when preparing for tests and group projects. Swango had little personal interaction with his classmates after he began working as an ambulance driver. For a first-year medical student struggling with tough academic demands, such a job caused great stress. In his third year at SIU, the one-on-one contact with patients increased. During this time, there were at least five patients that died after they had just received a visit from Swango. The coincidence was so great, that his classmates began to call him Double-O Swango, a reference to the James Bond and the license to kill slogan. They also began to view him as incompetent, lazy and just strange. Obsessed With Violent Death From the age of three, Swango showed an unusual interest in violent deaths. As he got older, he became fixated on stories about the  Holocaust, particularly those that contained pictures of the death camps. His interest was so strong that he began to keep a scrapbook of pictures and articles about fatal car wrecks and macabre crimes. His mother would also contribute to his scrapbooks when she came across such articles. By the time Swango attended SIU, he had put together several scrapbooks. When he took the job as an ambulance driver, not only did his scrapbooks grow, but he was seeing firsthand what he had only read about for so many years. His fixation was so strong that he would rarely turn down the chance to work, even if it meant sacrificing his studies. His classmates felt that Swango showed more dedication to making a career as an ambulance driver than he did for getting his medical degree. His work had become sloppy and he often left unfinished projects because his beeper would go off, signaling him that the ambulance company needed him for an emergency. The Final Eight Weeks In Swangos final year at SIU, he sent off applications for internships and residency programs in neurosurgery to several teaching colleges. With the help of his teacher and mentor, Dr. Wacaser, who was also a neurosurgeon, Swango was able to provide the colleges with a letter of recommendation. Wacaser even took the time to write a handwritten personal note of confidence on each letter. Swango was accepted in neurosurgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Once he nailed down his residency, Swango showed little interest in his remaining eight weeks at SIU. He failed to show up for required rotations and to watch specific surgeries performed. This astounded Dr. Kathleen OConnor who was in charge of overseeing Swangos performance. She called his place of employment to schedule a meeting to discuss the matter. She did not find him, but she did learn that the ambulance company no longer permitted Swango to have direct contact with patients, although the reason why was not disclosed. When she finally did see Swango, she gave him the assignment to perform a complete history and examination on a woman who was going to have a  cesarean delivery. She also observed him entering the womans room and leaving after just 10 minutes. Swango then turned in a very thorough report on the woman, an impossible task given the amount of time he was in her room. OConnor found Swangos actions reprehensible and the decision to fail him was made. It meant that he would not be graduating and his internship in Iowa would be canceled. As the news spread about Swango not graduating, two camps were formedthose  for and those against SIUs decision. Some of Swangos classmates who had long decided that he was not fit to be a doctor used the opportunity to sign off on a letter describing Swangos incompetence and poor character. They recommended that he be expelled. Had Swango not hired a lawyer, it is likely that he would have been expelled from SIU, but shrinking from the fear of being sued and wanting to avoid the costly expense of litigation, the college decided to postpone his graduation by a year and give him another chance, but with a strict set of rules that he had to follow. Swango immediately cleaned up his act and refocused his attention on completing the requirements to graduate. He reapplied to several residency programs, having lost the one in Iowa. Despite having an extremely poor evaluation from the dean of ISU, he was accepted into a surgical internship, followed by a very prestigious residency program in neurosurgery at Ohio State University. This left many who knew Swangos history completely dumbfounded, but he apparently aced his personal interview and was the only student out of sixty accepted into the program. Around the time of his graduation, Swango was fired from the ambulance company after he told a man having a heart attack to walk to his car and have his wife drive him to the hospital. Deadly Compulsion Swango began his internship at Ohio State in 1983. He was assigned to the Rhodes Hall wing of the medical center. Shortly after he began, there was a series of unexplained deaths among several healthy patients being cared for in the wing. One of the patients who survived a severe seizure told the nurses that Swango had injected medicine into her just minutes before she became critically ill. Nurses also reported to the head nurse their concerns about seeing Swango in patients rooms during odd times. There were numerous occasions when patients were found near death or dead just minutes after Swango left the rooms. The administration was alerted and an investigation was launched, however, it seemed as if it was designed to discredit the eyewitness reports from the nurses and patients so that the matter could be closed and any residual damage curbed. Swango was exonerated  of any wrongdoing. He returned to work, but was moved to the Doan Hall wing. Within days, several patients on the Doan Hall wing began to die mysteriously. There was also an incident when several residents became violently ill after Swango offered to go get fried chicken for everyone. Swango also ate the chicken but did not get sick. License to Practice Medicine In March 1984, the Ohio State residency review committee decided that Swango did not have the necessary qualities needed to become a neurosurgeon. He was told he could complete his one-year internship at Ohio State, but he was not invited back to complete his second year of residency. Swango stayed on at Ohio State until July 1984 and then moved home to Quincy. Before moving back he applied to get his license to practice medicine from the Ohio State Medical Board, which was approved in September 1984. Welcome Home Swango did not tell his family about the trouble he encountered while at Ohio State or that his acceptance into his second-year residency had been rejected. Instead, he said he did not like the other doctors in Ohio. In July 1984, he began working for Adams County Ambulance Corp as an emergency medical technician. Apparently, a background check was not done on Swango because he had worked there in the past while attending Quincy College. The fact that he had been fired from another ambulance company never surfaced. What did begin to surface was Swangos weird opinions and behavior. Out came his scrapbooks filled with references to violence and gore, which he doted on regularly. He began making inappropriate and strange comments related to death and people dying. He would become visibly excited over CNN news stories about mass killings and horrific auto accidents. Even to hardened paramedics that had seen it all, Swangos lust for blood and guts was downright creepy. In September the first noticeable incident that Swango was dangerous occurred when he brought doughnuts for his co-workers. Everyone who ate one ended up becoming violently ill and several had to go to the hospital. There were other incidents where co-workers became ill after eating or drinking something Swango had prepared. Suspecting that he was purposely making them ill, some of the workers decided to get tested. When they tested positive for poison, a police investigation was launched. The police obtained a search warrant for his home and inside they found hundreds of drugs and poisons, several containers of ant poison, books on poison, and syringes. Swango was arrested and charged with battery. The Slammer On August 23, 1985, Swango was convicted of aggravated battery and he was sentenced to five years behind bars. He also lost his medical licenses from Ohio and Illinois. While he was in prison, Swango began trying to mend his ruined reputation by doing an interview with John Stossel who was doing a segment about his case on the ABC program,? 20/20. Dressed in a suit and tie, Swango insisted that he was innocent and said that the evidence that was used to convict him lacked integrity. A Cover Up Exposed As part of the investigation, a look into Swangos past was conducted and the incidents of patients dying under suspicious circumstances at Ohio State resurfaced. The hospital was reluctant to allow the police access to their records. However, once the global news agencies got wind of the story, the university president, Edward Jennings, assigned the dean of Ohio State University Law School, James Meeks, to conduct a full investigation to determine if the situation surrounding Swango had been handled properly. This also meant investigating the conduct of some of the most prestigious people in the university. Offering an unbiased assessment of the events that had occurred, Meeks concluded that legally, the hospital should have reported the suspicious incidents to the police because it was their job to decide if any criminal activity had occurred. He also referred to the initial investigations performed by the hospital as superficial. Meeks also pointed out that he found it astounding that the hospital administrators had not kept a permanent record detailing what had occurred. Once full disclosure was obtained by police, the prosecutors from Franklin County, Ohio, toyed with the idea of charging Swango with murder and attempted murder, but due to a lack of evidence, they decided against it. Back on the Streets Swango served two years of his five-year sentence and was released on August 21, 1987. His girlfriend, Rita Dumas, had fully supported Swango throughout his trial and during his time in prison. When he got out the two of them moved to Hampton, Virginia. Swango applied for his medical license in Virginia, but because of his criminal record, his application was denied. He then found employment with the state as a career counselor, but it was not long before weird things began to happen. Just like what happened in Quincy, three of his co-workers suddenly experienced severe nausea and headaches. He was caught gluing gory articles into his scrapbook when he should have been working. It was also discovered that he had turned a room in the office building basement into a kind of bedroom where he often stayed for the night. He was asked to leave in May 1989. Swango then went to work as a lab technician for Aticoal Services in Newport News, Virginia. In July 1989, he and Rita got married, but almost immediately after exchanging vows, their relationship began to unravel. Swango began ignoring Rita and they stopped sharing a bedroom. Financially he refused to contribute to the bills and took money out of Ritas account without asking. Rita decided to end the marriage when she suspected that Swango was seeing another woman. The two separated in January 1991. Meanwhile, at Aticoal Services several employees, including the president of the company, began suffering from sudden bouts of severe stomach cramping, nausea, dizziness, and muscle weakness. Some of them were hospitalized and one of the executives of the company was nearly comatose. Unphased by the wave of illnesses going around the office, Swango had more important issues to work out. He wanted to get his medical license back and start working as a doctor again. He decided to quit the job at Aticoal and started applying at residency programs. Its All in the Name At the same time, Swango decided that, if he was going to get back into the medicine, he would need a new name. On January 18, 1990, Swango had his name legally changed to David Jackson Adams. In May 1991, Swango applied for the residency program at Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. Dr. Jeffrey Schultz, who was the chief of medicine at the hospital, had several communications with Swango, mainly centering on the events surrounding the suspension of his medical license. Swango lied about what had happened, downplaying the battery by poisoning conviction, and said instead that he was convicted for an altercation he was involved in at a restaurant. Dr. Schultz opinion was that such a punishment was far too severe so he continued to try to verify Swangos account of what happened. In return, Swango forged several documents, including a prison fact sheet which stated that he had been convicted of hitting someone with his fists. He also forged a letter from the Governor of Virginia stating that his application for Restoration of Civil Rights had been approved. Dr. Schultz continued to try to verify the information that Swango had provided to him and forwarded a copy of the documents to the Quincy authorities. The correct documents were forwarded back to Dr. Schultz who then made the decision to reject Swangos application. The rejection did little to slow down Swango who was determined to get back into medicine. Next, he sent an application to the residency program at the University of South Dakota. Impressed by his credentials, the director of the internal medicine residency program, Dr. Anthony Salem, opened up communications with Swango. This time Swango said the battery charge involved poison, but that coworkers who were jealous that he was a doctor had framed him. After several exchanges, Dr. Salem invited Swango to come for a series of personal interviews. Swango managed to charm his way through most of the interviews and on March 18, 1992, he was accepted into the internal medicine residency program. Kristen Kinney While he was employed at Aticoal, Michael had spent time taking medical courses at the Newport News Riverside Hospital. It was there that he met Kristen Kinney, to whom he was immediately attracted to and aggressively pursued. Kristen, who was a nurse at the hospital, was quite beautiful and had an easy smile. Although she was already engaged when she met Swango, she found him attractive and very likable. She ended up calling off her engagement and the two began dating regularly. Some of her friends felt it was important that Kristen know about some of the dark rumors they had heard about Swango, but she did not take any of it seriously. The man she knew was nothing like the man they were describing. When it came time for Swango to move to South Dakota to begin his residency program, Kristen immediately agreed that they would move there together. Sioux Falls At the end of May, Kristen and Swango moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They quickly established themselves in their new home and Kristen got a job in the intensive care unit at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital. This was the same hospital where Swango began his residency, although no one was aware that the two knew each other. Swangos work was exemplary and he was well liked by his peers and the nurses. He no longer discussed the thrill of seeing a violent accident nor did he exhibit the other oddities in his character that had caused problems at other jobs. Skeletons in the Closet Things were going great for the couple until October when Swango decided to join the American Medical Association. The AMA did a thorough background check and because of his convictions, they decided to turn it over to the council on ethical and judicial affairs. Someone from AMA then contacted their friend, the dean of the University of South Dakota medical school, and informed him of all of the skeletons in Swangos closet, including the suspicions surrounding the death of several patients. Then on the same evening, The Justice Files television program aired the 20/20 interview that Swango had given while he was in prison. Swangos dream of working as a doctor again was over. He was asked to resign. As for Kristen, she was in shock. She was completely ignorant of Swangos true past until she watched a tape of the 20/20 interview in Dr. Schultz office on the day Swango was being questioned. In the following months, Kristen began to suffer from violent headaches. She no longer smiled and began to withdraw from her friends at work. At one point, she was placed in a psychiatric hospital after the police found her wandering in the street, nude and confused. Finally, in April 1993, unable to take it anymore, she left Swango and returned to Virginia. Soon after leaving, her migraines went away. However, just a few weeks later, Swango showed up on her doorstep in Virginia and the two were back together. With his confidence restored, Swango began sending out new applications to medical schools. Stony Brook School of Medicine Incredibly, Swango lied his way into the psychiatric residency program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine. He relocated, leaving Kristen in Virginia, and began his first rotation in the internal medicine department at the VA Medical Center in Northport, New York. Again, patients began to mysteriously die wherever Swango worked. Suicide Kristen and Swango had been apart for four months, although they continued to talk on the phone. During the last conversation that they had, Kristen learned that Swango had emptied out her checking account. The next day, July 15, 1993, Kristen committed suicide by shooting herself in the chest. A Mothers Revenge Kristens mother, Sharon Cooper, hated Swango and blamed him for her daughters suicide. She found it inconceivable that he was working at a hospital again. She knew the only way he got in was by lying and she decided to do something about it. She contacted a friend of Kristens who was a nurse in South Dakota and included his full address in the letter stating that she was glad that he could not hurt Kristen anymore, but she was afraid of where he was working now. Kristens friend clearly understood the message and immediately passed along the information to the right person who contacted the dean of the medical school at Stony Brook, Jordan Cohen. Almost immediately Swango was fired. To try to prevent another medical facility from being duped by Swango, Cohen sent letters to all the medical schools and over 1,000 teaching hospitals in the country, warning them about Swangos past and his sneaky tactics to gain admission. Here Come the Feds After being fired from the VA hospital, Swango seemingly went underground. The FBI was on the hunt for him for falsifying his credentials in order to get a job in a VA facility. It was not until July 1994 that he resurfaced. This time he was working as Jack Kirk for a company in Atlanta called Photocircuits. It was a wastewater treatment facility and frighteningly, Swango had direct access to Atlantas water supply. Fearing Swangos obsession over mass killings, the FBI contacted Photocircuits and Swango was immediately fired for lying on his job application. At that point, Swango seemed to vanish, leaving behind a warrant for his arrest issued by the FBI. Africa Swango was smart enough to realize that his best move was to get out of the country. He sent his application and altered references to an agency called Options, which helps American doctors find work in foreign countries. In November 1994, the Lutheran church hired Swango after obtaining his application and falsified recommendations through Options. He was to go to a remote area of Zimbabwe. The hospital director, Dr. Christopher Zshiri, was thrilled to have an American doctor join the hospital, but once Swango began working it became apparent that he was untrained to perform some very basic procedures. It was decided that he would go to one of the sister hospitals and train for five months, and then return to Mnene Hospital to work. For the first five months in Zimbabwe, Swango received glowing reviews and almost everyone on the medical staff admired his dedication and hard work. But when he returned to Mnene after his training, his attitude was different. He no longer seemed interested in the hospital or his patients. People whispered about how lazy and rude he had become. Once again, patients began mysteriously dying. Some of the patients that survived had a clear recall about Swango coming to their rooms and giving them injections right before they went into convulsions. A handful of nurses also admitted to seeing Swango near patients just minutes before they died. Dr. Zshiri contacted the police and a search of Swangos cottage turned up hundreds of various drugs and poisons. On October 13, 1995, he was handed a termination letter and he had a week to vacate hospital property. For the next year and a half, Swango continued his stay in Zimbabwe while his lawyer worked to have his position at the Mnene hospital restored and his license to practice medicine in Zimbabwe reinstated. He eventually fled Zimbabwe to Zambia when evidence of his guilt began to surface. Busted On June 27, 1997, Swango entered the U.S. at the Chicago-OHare airport while in route to the Royal Hospital in Dhahran in Saudi Arabia. He was promptly arrested by immigration officials and held in prison in New York to await his trial. A year later Swango pleaded guilty to defrauding the government and he was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. In July 2000, just days before he was to be released, federal authorities charged Swango with one count of assault, three counts of murder, three counts of making false statements, one count of defrauding by use of wires, and mail fraud. In the meantime, Zimbabwe was fighting to have Swango extradited to Africa to face five counts of murder. Swango pleaded not guilty, but fearing that he could be facing the death penalty on being handed over to the Zimbabwe authorities, he decided to change his plea to guilty of murder and fraud. Michael Swango received three consecutive life sentences. He is currently serving his time at the supermax U.S. Penitentiary, Florence ADX.

Fixed Wireless Access essays

Fixed Wireless Access essays We hereby propose our state-of-the-art fixed wireless access (FWA) system to Megatech Telekom Limited for providing cost-effective voice, video and data services in Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekepene, Ikot Abasi and Oron Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State. The selected LGAs are to serve as a pilot phase for the implementation of the FWA network in not only the rest of the state but also in Abia and Plateau states. The FWA network in this proposal is based on the Alvarions advanced BreezeACCESS OFDM product line optimized for IP based networks which operates in the Non line of sight conditions in the 3.5GHz-licensed band. BreezeACCESS OFDM is a high-performance, Non line of sight, broadband packet-switched wireless local loop system. The system provides a competitive innovative wireless alternative to the existing and future copper infrastructure solutions like ADSL and modem cables. It can be used for voice services as well as for fast Internet access with the Always On feature. It provides 12Mbit/sec burst rate for each base station radio unit, with cell-aggregated throughput of up to 72Mbit/sec. Cell coverage is up to 20 km. The system supports SNMP management system through standard and private MIBs and Radius for data billing system At its pilot phase, the FWA network is based on a single cell covering Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi and Oron local Government Areas. The cells include a Breeze ACCESS OFDM base station, which provide voice and data and video services to FWA subscribers who reside within the cell coverage area. At the final phase, additional cells will be installed in order to support the large capacity due to the increasing number of subscriber connected to the network. Voice services are supplied over IP based wireless network using the VoIP technology (H.323 protocol). A VoIP Softswitch, installed at ...

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 23

Philosophy - Essay Example These tactics forced the slaves to adopt survival tactics of living, reinforcing the beliefs of white people that menial labor was all the slaves were capable of – higher thought was clearly beyond the capacity of their more primitive brains. Making the situation even worse, this societal attitude was successful in convincing many of the slaves that these assumptions were correct. Proving that this was not the case, though, was Frederick Douglass. An escaped slave from Maryland, he was the first black man to appear on a presidential ticket in America. Douglass told the world his story revealing in the process how literacy changed him deeply to transform him from a masterless slave to a freethinking human being. These ideas are also revealed in his early narrative Frederick Douglass: Life of an American Slave. Although his exact birth date is unknown, Douglass believed he was born sometime in February of 1818. He died on February 20, 1895. Today’s common perception is that slavery, at least the brutal form of it, was confined mostly in the south on the big plantations yet Douglass witnessed many brutal beatings on his master’s Maryland farm where he lived for his first seven years. As a child, he was often required to endure cold and hunger because the master kept most of the slave-generated products, including food and fuel, for his own comfort and well-being. Normally a very traumatic event for a child, when 7-year-old Douglass’ mother died, he felt almost no grief. â€Å"Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of [my mother’s] death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger† (Ch. 1). The important lesson Douglass tries to conv ey in these early chapters is how the slave is created from birth. He is separated from his family to destroy any natural human feelings of

Comparison of the novel Wuthering Heights with one of its Film Essay

Comparison of the novel Wuthering Heights with one of its Film Adaptations - Essay Example Judging from the popularity, the novel has been transformed into a movie numerous times. The story is narrated by two characters: Nelly Dean and Lockwood. But each movie has some differences especially when it comes to the narration or the perspective shown in each movie. For instance, in some of the movies Catherine’s ghost does not appear, which is a rather drastic change. Other than the settings, the nature of characters has also been changed. Catherine is not that selfish and spiteful in the movie as she is in the novel. In the movie, it seems as if she is a pitiful and passive character. However, it is actually because of her nasty and selfish nature that she takes such a drastic decision of marrying Edgar Linton. In the movie it seems that she is a vulnerable victim of nature and the society. In the book Heathcliff listens to Catherine saying that marrying him would degrade her and her family. Heathcliff is wounded by this admission and so he goes away. In the movie Heathcliff just goes away without even hearing anything. So instead of recklessness, which is significant in both the characters in the book, it seems more of a childish attitude in the movie. Childish, they never are. They are arrogant, passionate and reckless. Hence, the very depiction of characters has been deviated from, thus, sucking the life out of them. So when they try to act silly, they look awkward and this extinguishes the flame of passion and desire. Considering the age of the characters in the movie it creates more of a funny situation in the viewer’s eyes. However after reading the novel one feels angry and livid at the turn of events and the tragic incidents. Another major difference in the novel and the movie is the death scene. In the novel Heathcliff never gets to see Catherine’ s body. But in the movie, Heathcliff digs up the grave and hugs the body. This gives a totally unreal quality to the storyline. Moreover, in the novel when Heathcliff is not able to see Catherine’s body, it adds to the tragic element and the readers also feel bad about it. But the